Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2019

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.M.

Department

Music Composition

Degree Program

Music with a concentration in Music Composition, MM

Committee Chair

Satterwhite, Marc

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Wolek, Krzysztof

Committee Member

Wolek, Krzysztof

Committee Member

Lloyd, Kimcherie

Author's Keywords

polystylism; quotation; counterpoint; orchestra; Mozart

Abstract

According to the Internet, the word “amalgam” can mean one of two things. It can refer to either “an alloy of mercury with another metal, especially one used for dental fillings” or “a mixture or blend.” While using a musical work as dental filling is an interesting idea, this work falls under the latter definition. This amalgam consists of elements evoking rock, metal, hiphop, pop, Mozart, and a little bit of Bach. Other influences may have leaked into the piece, but this listing contains the items that were at the front of my mind during the composition process. During my childhood, music-making consisted of listening and singing along to the rock albums my parents had. These albums were from Bon Jovi, Prince, Guns N’ Roses, Boston, and Chicago, to name a few. I began listening to jazz, metal, rap, pop, and the Classical repertoire, particularly Bach and Mozart, midway through high school. Mozart’s Requiem especially resonated with me during this time and continues to do so today. This piece quotes and reworks some of the material from the “Kyrie/Cum sanctis” and “Introit” movements of the Requiem in addition to bits of a Bach sarabande. These reworked materials are juxtaposed and intermingled with a melodic motive first heard in the piano. These ideas and other melodic ideas develop throughout the work through contrapuntal and rhythmic transformations.

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