Title: Twentieth-Century Composers Inspired By Jewish Culture: Selections from the Solo and Collaborative Piano Repertoire
Abstract: Title of Dissertation: TWENTIETH-CENTURY COMPOSERS INSPIRED BY JEWISH CULTURE: SELECTIONS FROM THE SOLO AND COLLABORATIVE PIANO REPERTOIRE Susan M. Slingland, Doctor of Musical Arts, 2006 Dissertation directed by: Professor Rita Sloan School of Music Throughout the twentieth-century, many composers of both Jewish and non-Jewish descent found inspiration in the heritage of the Jewish people. The rise of nationalism and increased study of folk melodies and rhythms led to the exploration of the riches of Jewish music. The musicological premise of nationalism in music is that every nation has a unique history and therefore must have its own individualistic musical tradition. Due to the Diaspora, Jewish folksongs come in many different flavors but still convey the basic communal expression of their common struggle for existence, religion and culture. This is musical nationalism in the broadest possible sense. The dispersion of the Jewish people is reflected in the wide range of cultures into which they were assimilated: Slavic Eastern Europe, the Middle East (in particular, Israel), as well as the sephardic tradition of the Mediterranean regions and, of course, the melting pot of America. The composers featured in this performance dissertation project reflect that diversity. In many cases, composers drew upon the exoticism of Jewish music and re-interpreted it to pay homage to their own rich culture or to highlight the tragic history of the Jewish people in the first half of the twentieth-century. The works considered for this topic are influenced by both sacred and secular melodies. These selections all include piano, whether it be art song, chamber music
Publication Year: 2006
Publication Date: 2006-05-16
Language: en
Type: dissertation
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