Date of Award
6-2004
Degree Name
Master of Music
Department
Music
First Advisor
C. Curtis-Smith
Second Advisor
Dr. Richard Adams
Third Advisor
Dr. Matthew Steel
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
The Drawing of the Three is a work in seven movements scored for full orchestra. The title, along with the movement names, are derived from the novel The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King. This composition can be viewed as a "sequel" to my earlier piece The Gunslinger, inspired by the first book in King's "Dark Tower" series. Unlike the previous work, the music is not intended to be a literal programmatic representation of the book's plot. Rather, its purpose is to musically depict the personalities and inner conflicts of the characters in the story by giving them each a theme or motive that is repeated and developed throughout the piece.
The "Prologue" introduces the "Gunslinger" character, a heroic loner from a parallel dimension whose mission is to magically draw three people into his world to help him fulfill his quest to find the Dark Tower, a structure that stands at the nexus of all time and space. ''The Prisoner," the first person to be drawn, is a junky suffering from withdrawal symptoms. ''The Lady of Shadows" is a disabled African-American lady who has a split personality consisting of a good side and an evil side. ''The Pusher" is a man who is the epitome of pure evil. The movements "Shuffle" and "Reshuffle" are transitional sections between the larger movements, while "Final Shuffle" brings the work to a close.
Recommended Citation
Griffin, John, "The Drawing of the Three" (2004). Masters Theses. 5272.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/5272