MACKEY’S WORLD: AN ANALYSIS OF 'TROUBADOUR SONGS” AND 'THREE MOMENTS” FOR LARGE CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

[摘要] The first component of this dissertation provides an analysis of Steven Mackey’s Troubadour Songs (1992), a work for electric guitar and string quartet. My primary aim is to provide the first, substantive theoretical analysis of one of his important works. Troubadour Songs is a good example of Mackey’s compositional style – rich with complexity and nuance, yet playful and exploratory. My analysis focuses on three areas of the work: formal structure and motivic development; pitch, tuning, and harmony; and the role of binary relationships in the piece. The latter discusses how dichotomies define many elements in Troubadour Songs, including rhythm, instrumentation, and the interaction of art and popular music. In addition, I propose that the entire structure of the work can be seen through the lens of a binary relationship, from the smallest, fundamental motive to the large-scale structure of the piece.The composition component of this dissertation is an original work entitled Three Moments. It is written for 11 instruments, and deals with gradual motivic growth and variation. Compositional materials are restricted by instrumental families, and the interaction between them helps to define the piece’s development. In addition, Three Moments explores the balance between complexity and simplicity throughout the three sections of the piece.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh