Browsing by Author "Smith, Christopher"

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A player's introductory guide to the medieval vielle
(2012-08) Green, Angela; Smith, Angela M.; Smith, Christopher; Martens, Peter
The vielle, or medieval fiddle, was one of the most popular instruments across Europe from about 1150 to 1450. The transmission of instrumental techniques and processes of modern historical performance practice has been transmitted primarily through face to face master-student interactions. This document is a manual for the player of bowed-string instruments to learn the introductory practices and processes in the modern performance of medieval music. Although applicable to almost any medieval bowed-string instrument, the ideas and exercises in this manual are aimed specifically toward the medieval fiddle, also called the vielle. Working through the exercises pertaining to areas of performance practice, such as song accompaniment, dance music, and instrumental arrangements of vocal works, over the course of this manual, the player should be able to learn new and different playing techniques on the instrument itself, attune the ear to new theoretical organization of melody, and embrace ideas for experimentation within the performance. After working through the document, it is expected that the player will be able to draw upon and expand any technique and process for his or her own personal artistic preferences for instrumental arrangement and presentation. Prior experience trained in classical performance in shoulder position is optimal for this manual, but this method presumes a player with little familiarity with the repertoire, with basic competency on bowed strings, some facility with rudiments of phrasing and bow position.
Aesthetic responses of North Americans and South Americans to Tango music
(2017-08) Olivier, Catherine Leigh; Killian, Janice; Henninger, Jacqueline; Smith, Christopher
The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast the aesthetic responses of North and South Americans to Argentinian tango instrumental music, as measured with the Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI). North and South Americans (N = 16) listened to three tango music excerpts and recorded their real-time responses on the music’s aesthetic via the CRDI dial. Then, participants had one minute to record their recalled memory response of the excerpt they had just heard via a Likert scale and recorded response. Once collected, North and South American data were sorted and analyzed by participant CRDI responses (Excerpt 1, a traditional dance style tango; Excerpt 2, a concert tango; and Excerpt 3, a North American cinematic tango), magnitude of responses over Segment time, a 5-point Likert-scale rating, and coded participant free responses. Quantitative results indicated that 76.47% - 82.35% of North and South American participants responded generally positively to all three musical excerpts in the real-time readings from the CRDI and rated all three musical excerpts positively (Excerpt 2, intermediate acculturation, was the highest rated with an average of 4.44, followed by Excerpt 1, least acculturated, with an average of 4.11, and finally Excerpt 3, most acculturated, with a 3.88 average). Qualitative data suggested that North American responses were generally lengthier, included comments combining the “Mention of Self,” “Technical Elements,” and/or “Emotional Elements,” and were much more informally written (included drawings). In addition, South American responses were generally more memory or experience-based.
'All About is Night': Spiritual anxiety and the ritual impulse in World War I Europe
(2011-08) Berry, James B.; Smith, Christopher; Jocoy, Stacey; Cimarusti, Thomas M.; Borshuk, Michael; Durham DeCesaro, Genevieve
World War I was a seminal moment in the history of Western Culture. The five years between 1914 and 1919 changed the world forever through political revolution, economic upheavals, and intellectual turmoil. There was an overwhelming impression that the progress of human culture foreseen during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was forever lost. The lives of everyone, including those previously on the forefront of the musical avant-garde, were thrown into chaos. There was a general fear that the War had forever separated the present from the past; that the past had died along with the millions of young men on the battlefields of Europe and the future was uncertain. Modern civilization had become mortal and felt as fragile as life. Composers responded to this sense of ‘fragility’ by seeking to create music whose sense of order, ritual, or spiritual renewal could speak to human needs. Composers such as Erik Satie and Ralph Vaughan Williams addressed early 20th-century disconnect with the past and fears of disorder in the present through the creation of music whose “ritual connotations” reflected the impulses of, and human needs expressed by, sacred music, even in the absence of its liturgical function. This document explores this thesis by examining the effects of the War on Western Culture and discussing the influence of the conflict on the writings of David Jones and J.R.R. Tolkien. Erik Satie and Ralph Vaughan Williams are taken as case studies of the ritual implications in responses to World War I. The document concludes that knowledge of the ritual connotations of certain musical works is crucial for the understanding of the War’s influence.
Analysis of Roberto Sierra’s Rapsodia for solo trumpet and wind ensemble
(2020-08) Ruiz, Orlando; Stetson, Andrew; Smith, Christopher; Fisher, Peter; McKoin, Sarah
Most of the new repertoire for solo trumpet and large ensemble consists of a hard or professional level, employing traditional forms like concertos, themes, and variations. Roberto Sierra's Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble is an atonal piece that breaks with conventional musical forms and brings a new language to the solo trumpet literature. Sierra’s (1953) elaborate and mature catalog published by Subito Music Corporation is currently being performed in prestigious venues and ensembles all over the world. The purpose of this investigation is to explore the contribution Roberto Sierra makes to the trumpet repertoire with Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble by analyzing the piece and interviewing Roberto Sierra, Steven Trinkle, and Brian Shaw. Roberto Sierra’s Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble has excellent potential for performance as well as meaningful pedagogical applications. Therefore, it should be considered more seriously as a standard piece in the trumpet repertoire.
Analyzing thematic material in Corigliano’s The Red Violin Chaconne
(2015-05) Rojas, Felicia; Gilbert, John H.; Fried, Eric; Smith, Christopher
The Red Violin Chaconne, composed in 1998 by John Corigliano, has become an iconic example of 20th century solo violin literature, performed and recorded by violinists around the world. Created in tandem with a film score for the movie The Red Violin and a set of caprices by the same name, the chaconne retains elements of the film score even as an abstract piece. This study will analyze the building blocks that were derived from the film score to create the chaconne as a stand-alone work, as well as the manipulation and development of thematic material within the chaconne structure. It will also discuss the elements of composition which give this work its compelling tempestuousness and exhilarating appeal, such as Corigliano’s use of orchestration, utilization of effects (pizzicato, col legno, con sordino), dynamic contrast, and harmonic variance, just to name a few.
Angels, saints, and dancing masters: The vernacularization of the rebec in fifteenth century Italy
(2022-05) Rizvi-Stewart, Stephanie; Mariani, Angela; Gelber, Bill; Elliot, Janis; Martens, Peter; Smith, Christopher
Fifteenth-century Italy was an era of transitions: from Medieval to Renaissance, rural to urban, and old nobility to signorie. The ensuing court culture resulted in the elements that would cause the rise of the dancing master with his pochette, and the coinciding vernacularization of the rebec. In the 1400s, the rebec was in use both as a sacred and secular instrument although its form and function were undergoing fluctuation. By the end early 1600s, the pochette would be fully developed and in the hands of the dancing master while the rebec would be used by very few musicians. This study attempts to answer the questions regarding how this transition occurred and the societal changes that precipitated it. It is a study in how an instrument moved from broad use to limited usage among professionals and street musicians. I will argue that contrary to the dominate narrative in musicological scholarship, the rebec did not die out prior to the Renaissance but instead became limited to vernacular and folk contexts.
Anoushka Divekar Clarinet Recitals
(2022-05) Divekar, Anoushka; Shea, David; Smith, Christopher; Allen, Eric; Dees, David; Anderson, Amy
This project constitutes my first masters recital performed on April 17, 2021 and my second masters recital performed on April 10, 2022
Carrying on the tradition: A performance practice analysis of stylistic evolution in Texas contest style fiddling
(2014-08) Houle, Laura J.; Smith, Christopher; Mariani, Angela; Peoples, Curtis L.
Texas contest style fiddling remains a distinct sub-genre within American fiddling. It is performed in a competitive context that involves the direct use of ornamented and varied folk melodies. As the contest tradition evolved in style of performance and eventual locations outside of Texas, the term likewise evolved to describe a virtuosic and indigenous type of fiddling. In order to trace stylistic evolution, I analyze three successive generations of contest fiddle performers by focusing on recordings and fiddle tunes that best represent the performance practice. These individuals are Eck Robertson (November 1887- February 1975), Benny Thomasson (April 1909- January 1984), and Mark O’Connor (August 1961). Basing comparative analysis on transcriptions of each players recording, the thesis focuses upon bowing styles, fiddle techniques, and improvisation to demonstrate a nuanced picture of stylistic modifications made by the performer. Combining historical backgrounds and memory narratives, this thesis shapes the history of the Texas contest fiddle tradition, and contributes to the idioms continued relevancy. Situating the fiddlers’ performance innovations within the expectations of the fiddle tradition, it is clear these players carry on the tradition of fiddling while nevertheless creating individualistic renditions of canonic fiddle tunes.
Chopin in the mass media: Advertising, signification, and meaning in select television commericals (2004-2011)
(2012-12) Nguyen, Hang; Cimarusti, Thomas M.; Smith, Christopher; Martens, Peter
This study will survey the varying receptions of Chopin’s music through its use in the mass media in the United States between 2004 and 2011. I will draw upon select American television commercials, semiotics, and reception history to illuminate the diverse and evolving contemporary images of Chopin and his music. This topic advocates the importance of music in mass media studies as a research area not often highly recognized as an academic subject, particularly in the musicological world. As there is limited research available covering classical music in the mass media, we are unable to fully recognize the importance of semiotic advertisement approaches. Examining the semiotics in ads will allow an understanding of our constantly changing popular culture. Due to the limitations of commercials predominantly available within a seven year time span and eighteen samples categorized into their respective tropes (“Aesthetics,” “Tragedy,” and “Nostalgia”), a glimpse of the reception of Chopin’s music in a contemporary America will be presented. This study will argue that in the last seven years (2004-2011), contemporary American advertising practices have imposed upon the presumed audience’s associations with Chopin’s music, conforming to or contradicting them for purposes of strengthening the marketing message.
Collected Programs of Performances
(2017-05) Crisman, Matthew; Dees, David; Smith, Christopher; Forrest, David L.
Presented are the programs confirming the performance of the two required degree recitals for a MM.
Conducting Recitals
(2016-05) Rodriguez, Anna L.; McKoin, Sarah L.; Smith, Christopher; Santa, Matthew
My conducting recitals include the Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert on November 17, 2015, and a Chamber Recital on April 7, 2016.
Creating an arts-integrated prenatal education course: An applied ethnographic approach to addressing the problem of pre and post-natal wellness in high-risk populations through the arts
(2019-05) Brinker, Sarai; Mariani, Angela; Boye, Allison; Smith, Christopher; Garner, Lisa; Fremaux, Ghislaine
This dissertation is an applied ethnographic study centered around an 8-week, arts-integrated prenatal education class offered to pregnant women in order to determine the perceptions of participants regarding the a) usefulness of such a course and b) their feelings of preparedness for labor and delivery and motherhood before and after the course is complete. A secondary objective of this study uses applied ethnography to explore ways in which artists might collaborate with healthcare providers in a collaborative way that integrates the arts with medical care and education in order to improve psychosocial variables which may impact the overall quality of prenatal care and education.
Creating musical 'truth': An interdisciplinary application of selected elements from Konstantin Stanislavski's acting 'system' to the classical pianist's selection, preparation and performance of music for solo recital
(2019-05) Whitehead, Charles A.; Westney, William; Smith, Christopher; Dolter, Gerald; Donahue, Linda L.; Gelber, Bill
This interdisciplinary research draws upon selected theatrical principles from Constantin Stanislavski’s ‘System’ of actor training and applies them to the preparation of solo piano works for professional performance. Stanislavski’s own texts demonstrate shared artistic concerns between theatrical and musical performing arts in numerous cross-disciplinary references. These may be found even prior to his later work with opera singers at the Opera-Dramatic Studio. In this research, I apply particular theatrical techniques from the ‘System’ as a way to develop compelling musical interpretation of solo piano music. Pianists, like actors, can deepen their art by developing their own musical subtext for a work and building logical, expressive justifications behind dramatic shifts in musical discourse. Artistic work of this kind involves exploring the deeper motivations behind musical expression through individual, creative enquiry. Some of these ideas may have found corollaries independent of Stanislavski: Alfred Cortot’s editions and recordings of the music of Chopin for example, illustrate a sensitivity to musical narrative by finding expressive justifications for a score’s directives in analytical footnotes to his editions of solo piano repertoire and recorded realizations. My idea is to bring these selected concepts together in a more unified manner for the purpose of drawing out the dramatic relationships within instrumental works. The seminal writings of Stanislavski have already proved to be a reservoir of practical wisdom in a wide range of performance applications including modern dance, Chinese Opera and choral conducting. In particular, this research aims to bring Stanislavski’s aesthetic of artistic ‘truth’ to the context of preparing and performing solo piano music. In animating the ‘life of the human spirit’ of a role – an idea borrowed indirectly from Tolstoy – Stanislavski’s actors rely freely on a combination of intellectual, spiritual and physical resources to extend the limitations of their own personalities. ‘Artistic truth’ in a musical context is built through attention to the same inner and outer skills that peel back the layers of musical expression to find and communicate what a work “is all about.” This ‘truth’ works to eliminate doubts of technical and mental security in performance. It serves a deeper understanding of the work and of the composer while also reflecting the artistic development of the solo pianist at a particular point in time. The following ‘Elements’ from Stanislavski’s ‘System’ are adapted to create ‘artistic truth’ in an instrumental context: imagination; subtext; actions; truth; logic and sequence; given circumstances, justification; units and objectives, super-objective, tone; tempo-rhythm. A more detailed emphasis is placed on truth and actions. When working together, these Elements may combine to suggest a sense musical narrative, which in my view is a symptom of Stanislavski’s artistic ‘truth’.
Creating “Bridget”: An analysis of the Irish immigrant woman’s identity in New York’s Gilded Age
(2021-05) Mann, Kathryn Kie; Smith, Christopher; Jocoy, Stacey; Gibb, Andrew; Borshuk, Michael; Martens, Peter
In the second half of the 19th century, the population of New York City boomed as immigrants poured in from the west of Ireland, southern and eastern Europe, and Asian nations. Among the Irish immigrants, particularly in the years between 1830 and 1910, there was a large percentage of young women from Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) regions fleeing famine or seeking additional economic opportunity. Single young women in New York could develop new careers in domestic or factory work, and in the City’s constantly evolving population, personal conceptions of identity could be challenged and changed. In this dissertation, I analyze the contrasted social and cultural environments of the Irish homeland and North American domestic service life, through representations of young Irish women in music and other forms of media consumed in both work and leisure time.
David Wingerson's MM Percussion Recital 1
(2015-05) Wingerson, David; Shinn, Alan; Rogers, Lisa; Smith, Christopher; Santa, Matthew; Rogers, Lisa; Smith, Adam; Houston, Zach; Kennedy, David; McDonald, James; Willis, Lee
Etude Op. 6, No. 8 “Whole Tone” (c. 1940) by Clair Omar Musser Etude Opus 6, No. 9 “B Major” (c. 1940) by Clair Omar Musser Gravity (2013) by Marc Mellits Etude Op. 11, No. 4 (c. 1940) by Clair Omar Musser Prelude Op. 11, No. 7 (c. 1940) by Clair Omar Musser Naglfar (2009) by Casey Cangelosi Sonnentanz (1996) by Nils Rohwer Unchosen Path (1982) by Bradley J. Stirtz
Development of a morphological index to the nutritional status of age-0 largemouth bass
(Texas Tech University, 1997-12) Smith, Christopher
Not available
Echoes of war--the resonating patterns of influence: an examination of recurrent musical trends in large-scale, sacred, british, anti-war choral works of the twentieth-century
(Texas Tech University, 2009-05) Kraemer, Jonathan M.; Jocoy, Stacey; Smith, Christopher; Hollins, John S.; Gelber, Bill; Elliott, Janis
Composers associated with the British Musical Renaissance (c. 1860-1950), and especially those working in and around the period of the First and Second World Wars, created a significant body of works of large-scale, sacred, choral pieces reflecting a strong anti-war bent. Two composers and their respective works that are closely associated with this movement, and for whom much scholarly discourse is extant, are Ralph Vaughan Williams and his Dona Nobis Pacem (1936), and Benjamin Britten and his War Requiem, Op. 66 (1962). A third, later twentieth-century composer, Karl Jenkins, and his lesser-known work, The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace (1999/2000): a multi-movement work based on the Renaissance tune/text of Lhomme Arm, appears also to fall within the margins of this movement. Further examination of the tradition initiated by Vaughan Williams reveals a weight of evidence identifying recurrent patterns in areas of musical and textual structure, iconography, and critical and scholarly reception between the three choral pieces. The presence of such patterns suggests that both Britten's and Jenkins latter works follow the model first established by Vaughan Williams in Dona Nobis Pacem. This dissertation provides a comparative style analysis of recurrent patterns found in the musical and textual structure, iconography, and critical and scholarly reception of Dona Nobis Pacem by Ralph Vaughan Williams, War Requiem, Opus 66 by Benjamin Britten, and The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins, arguing for a classification of these works into a newly-established sub-genre within the choral music of the twentieth-century British Musical Renaissance that is comprised of large-scale, choral, anti-war pieces within a sacred framework. In addition, this paper provides a movement-by-movement narrative and structural analysis of The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace, the first of its kind.
Forecasting fusion at low frequencies: The bass players of "Weather Report"
(2010-05) Frandsen, Mark Steven; Santa, Matthew; Smith, Christopher; Shinn, Alan D.; Marks, Jonathan; Tate, Carolyn E.
Not available.
Identity, rhetoric and behavior: The contradictory communities of Wizard Rock
(2010-12) Rohlman, Kelli M.; Smith, Christopher; Cimarusti, Thomas M.; Mariani, Angela
Since 2000, a new musical genre has emerged revolving around the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling. This genre, called Wizard Rock, is comprised of more than 700 bands and thousands of listeners. These individuals make up the Wizard Rock community, a musical subculture founded on the ideals of unity, charity, and equality. However, like many musical communities, Wizard Rock participants struggle to behave according to their rhetoric. In this thesis, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted at Wizard Rock events around the United States, videography, audio analysis, field interviews, and other ethnographic data, I will argue that there is a noticable disparity between Wizard Rock community rhetoric and its behaviors, particularly focusing upon various constructions of Identity, Social Activism, and Gender and Sexuality.
Jonathan Rice's MM Saxophone Recital 1
(2018-04) Rice, Jonathan D D; Jones, Stephen G.; Smith, Christopher; Santa, Matthew; The Beat Garden Band; Collins, Devin A.; Nalle, Jacob; Harris, Joy; Horton, Yaurian; Boyd, Rachel
"Strollin' " (1960) by Horace Silver "Invitation" (1952) by Bronislau Kaper and Paul Francis Webster "Estate" (1960) by Bruno Martino "Runferyerlife" (1994) by Bob Mintzer "Lush Life" (1948) by Billy Strayhorn "Civil War" (2015) by Bob Mintzer "Friday Night at the Cadillac Club" (1989) by Bob Berg