Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2014

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.M.

Department (Legacy)

Department of Music Theory and Composition

Committee Chair

Satterwhite, Marc Thomas

Subject

Orchestral music--Scores

Abstract

For this piece, I took a somewhat different approach towards conceptualization. Rather than have an overall arc in mind or an idea of various “events” that would occur throughout, I instead decided to start at the beginning, with a simple melody in the flute, and see where that would lead me. The rest of the piece flows organically from this one theme, as new ideas and melodies are constantly spun out and introduced until the piece at last reaches its apocalyptic climax. I titled the piece To Awaken a God partly in reference to this climax, as well as to the musical processes that led me to arrive at it. Gods are portrayed in myriad cultures and mythologies, and they are invariably beings of immense power, and often better left undisturbed. What would happen, then, if someone decided to wake one up? My answer lies in the music, and the raw power of the final bars.

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