The Influences of American Popular Music upon Twentieth-Century Song and Chamber Music

Abstract

American concert music enters the 21st century having found its voice. The "Great Cultural Melting Pot" has resulted in a blending of different types of original American popular music with European forms to create a sound that is uniquely American. This dissertation focuses primarily on this combination through the presentation of three recitals of song and chamber music. The American popular music genre includes ragtime, blues, jazz, folk-music, and musical theater. I have incorporated many different combinations of instruments and voices to create interesting, varied programs of American music. These recitals represent the gradual inclusion of the original American genre onto the classical concert stage. In order to make my dissertation topic relevant to the present day, I have included many works of living composers with whom I have had personal contact, either in coachings or masterclasses. They are: William Bolcom, John Musto, Richard Hundley, and Ricky Ian Gordon. Other important represented composers are Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Andre Previn, David Schiff, Morton Gould, and George Gershwin. The originality of this music is helping to establish a national music for the United States. The quality and variety of the music confirms the importance of this repertoire to the world of music. This dissertation comprises three recitals that showcase American art song and chamber music, which took place on December 10, 2002, May 11, 2004, both in Ulrich Recital Hall, and on May 19, 2005 in the Gildenhorn Recital Hall of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Maryland. Recordings of these recitals may be obtained in person or online from the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library of the University of Maryland, College Park. THE INFLUENCES OF AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC UPON TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICAN SONG AND CHAMBER MUSIC by Robert Timothy McReynolds Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts 2005 Advisory Committee: Professor Rita Sloan, Chair Professor Ira Berlin Professor Dominic Cossa Professor Linda Mabbs Professor Martha Randall Table of Contents Recital I: A Lecture Recital on William Bolcom (b. 1938) Graceful Ghost Rag Second Sonata for Violin and Piano in F Major Summer Dreams Brutal, fast Adagio In Memory of Joe Venuti Michael Keelan, violin Over the Piano from Cabaret Songs, Vl.1 The Crazy Woman from I Will Breathe a Mountain Amor Waitin' from Cabaret Songs, Vl. 1 Toothbrush Time from Cabaret Songs, Vl. 2 Twilight: After Haying from Briefly It Enters Never More Will the Wind from I Will Breathe a Mountain Love in the Thirties from Cabaret Songs, Vl. 3 At the Last Lousy Moments of Love from Cabaret Songs, Vl. 4 Satisfaction from Cabaret Songs, Vl. 3 George from Cabaret Songs, Vl. 1 Carolyn Black-Sotir, soprano and Siobhan Kolker, soprano ii Recital II Sonata for Violin and Piano (1943) Aaron Copland Andante semplice (1900-1990) Lento Allegretto giusto Michael Keelan, violin Sonata for Clarinet and Piano Leonard Bernstein Grazioso (1918-1990) Andantino, Vivace e leggiero Lynda Dembowski, clarinet Shadow of the Blues John Musto Silhouette (b. 1954) Litany Island Could Be Phillip Collister, baritone After Hours Suite for Flute and Piano David Schiff Waltz for Strayhorn (b. 1945) Tomcat Bluebird Café con Leche Jessica Dunnavant, flute iii Recital III Two Pianos Morton Gould Chords (1913-1996) Blues Waltzes Echos Triplets Susan Slingland, piano Will There Really Be a Morning? Richard Hundley (b. 1931) Will There Really Be a Morning? Ricky Ian Gordon (b. 1956) Will There Really Be a Morning? Andre Previn (b. 1929) Ah Hong, soprano Summer Ricky Ian Gordon Leneida Crawford, mezzo-soprano, and Ah Hong Coyotes Ricky Ian Gordon Waterbird Richard Hundley The Elephant is Slow to Mate Richard Hundley Leneida Crawford Porgy and Bess Fantasy for Two Pianos arr. Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882-1961) George Gershwin (1898-1937) Arno Drucker, piano He Loves and She Loves George Gershwin The Babbit and the Bromide Our Love is Here to Stay Summertime/Prelude II/Prelude I Carolyn Black-Sotir, soprano Tom Williams, double bass