Date of Award
4-2005
Degree Name
Master of Music
Department
Music
First Advisor
Dr. Richard Adams
Second Advisor
Dr. David Loberg Code
Third Advisor
Dr. Robert Ricci
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Musical Poems for Chamber Ensemble is a piece for a large ensemble of woodwinds, percussion and strings. The ideas for the piece come from Western music and Oriental music. There are four movements. Each movement has musical elements and sounds that create an image of motion. These movements are composed on the supposition that they could be choreographed for dancers as well as performance by a chamber ensemble.
Although the piece uses simple musical forms such as the rondo and arch, many different musical elements and languages express the characteristics of each movement. In general, the sounds are limited by using devices such as the Okinawa scale, octatonic scale, and so forth. These devices have the power to limit the sound and language, and help the pulse of the rhythm. Also, the piece is influenced by Oriental devices such as the scales and rhythms of Japanese folksong. Instead of Japanese instruments, expressing the Oriental color with Western instruments creates a new sound. The metaphor of poetry is inspired by fluent and mild woodwind sounds, strings that have contrasting sounds, and percussion sounds and rhythms that are associated with Japanese festivals. In addition, Western musical elements sustain the framework of this piece.
Recommended Citation
Honda, Fumiko, "Musical Poems for Chamber Ensemble" (2005). Masters Theses. 5251.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/5251