The original choral music of Mack Wilberg Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Brown, Robert David Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 30/09/2021 19:10:05 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/289846 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 THE ORIGINAL CHORAL MUSIC OF MACK WILBERG By Robert David Brown A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DANCE In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS WITH A MAJOR IN MUSIC In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2002 UMI Number: 3073198 UMI ® UMI Microform 3073198 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All nghts reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA « GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the document prepared by r. riAvid Rrown entitled The Original Choral Music Of Mack Wilberg and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirements for the Degree n>^r>^r.•r VfitcTr-al Arrc 07/02/2002 Jjf^~ Brucel Chaiftbei Date 07/02/2002 DrV Brian EbjrC f Date 07/02/2002 Knott Date Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the document to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirement el Dr. Biruce Chamberlain Date STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This document has been submitted in partial Mfllhnent of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this document are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation &om or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES 5 LIST OF HGURES 6 ABSTRACT 7 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF STUDY 8 CHAPTER 1; BIOGRAPHY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS 12 CHAPTER 2: STUDY AND ANALYSIS 21 Text 21 Form 33 Meter 43 Harmony 50 CONCLUSION 55 APPENDIX: ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS BY MACK WILBERG 57 REFERENCES 60 5 LIST OF TABLES 1. Text of The Gratejul Concert Round 21-22 2. Original text and translation of Jesu the very Thought is Sweet 23 3. Text of Jubilate Deo 24 4. Scanned verse I from Jesu the very Thought is Sweet 27 5. Scanned verse 1 compared with musical setting of Jesu the very Thought is Sweet 28 6. Scanned verse 2-5 of Jesu the very Thought is Sweet 29-30 7. Text and translation of In Monte Oliveti 31 8. Analysis Chart of The Gratejul Concert Round 35 9. Analysis Chart of Jesu the very Thought is Sweet 37 10. Text, translation and analysis chart of Jubilate Deo 40 11. Analysis chart of section B of Jesu the very Thought is Sweet 50 6 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Jesu the very Thought is Sweet, nim.56-60, 71-75 38-39 2. The Grateful Concert Round, inm.5-20 43 3. In Monte Oliveti, mm.1-8 43 4. Jubilate Deo, mm.59-65 44 5. Jubilate Deo, mm.19-27 47 7 ABSTRACT In this document I examine the compositional process in the original choral music of Mack Wilberg, (bom 1955) in preparation for a performance of representative works. The paper will be limited to only a discussion of Dr. Wilberg's original choral compositions and will not touch upon his arrangements, as these have been dealt with in a previous document. An analysis of selected works will demonstrate how Wilberg uses text, form, meter, rhythm and harmony to create choral works that are wonderfully varied in style and application and that cover a full range of capabilities and tastes. Special attention will be given to commissions and how commissioned works have influenced Wilberg's output. This study will point out the stylistic characteristics that make Wilberg's music distinctive. The paper begins with a short biographical sketch, and a discussion of Wilberg's professional accomplishments. This is followed by the main body of the paper in which the musical elements listed above are analyzed to determine how Wilberg uses them in order to satisfy the intent of specific commissions. The following works have been selected for study in this document: Jesu the Very Thought is Sweet, The Grateful Concert Round, In Monte Oliveti from "Season Songs", and Jubilate Deo, movement one from "Tres Cantus Laudenti." 8 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF STUDY I first became interested in this project in 1999 when Dr. Maurice Skones, then Director of Choral Activities at the University of Arizona, suggested that a possible topic for my proposal might be something connected with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Since [ am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which sponsors the choir. Dr. Skones believed that it might be interesting for me to do some research on the history and contributions of the choir and its conductors to the choral art. As I began to research this topic, one of the individuals with whom I first came in contact was Dr. Mack Wilberg, current Assistant Conductor and Composer-in-Residence of the choir. It was in the context of this first discussion with Dr. Wilberg that I decided to abandon the more broad scope of a history of the choir and instead focus more specifically on Dr. Wilberg and his career. Dr. Wilberg is a humble, quiet, yet articulate man, with a great sense of commitment to the choral art; he possesses a wide array of abilities that make him one of the most well-rounded choral musicians I have ever known. He is an accomplished pianist and has played professionally with The American Piano Quartet, and is also a wonderful organist. Moreover, he is a talented choral conductor, having served as the Director of Choral Activities at Brigham Young University (BYU), and currently. Assistant Conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Composition from BYU, and master's and doctoral degrees in Choral Music firom the University of Southern California. He is also a 9 composer of some reputation. During my six years as a high-school choral director, I performed several of his arrangements of folk songs and hymn settings, and always found his music to be of the highest quality. My first conversation with Dr. Wilberg influenced the decision to focus my paper on him and his music. When I asked him about the possibility, he indicated that Elliot Jones from the University of Miami was in the midst of a doctoral paper on the same subject. He then suggested that a study of his original compositions might make the foundation of an interesting paper.' His suggestion surprised me, because I had never realized that Wilberg had composed completely original works; all of my experience with his music was through his arrangements. These original compositions, it tums out, are a wonderfiil window into the crafl of this composer. Dr. Wilberg is a very practical composer in the sense that, like his arranged music, all of his origineil compositions were bom out of necessity. In the case of the original works, the driving force behind their creation is not a contract with a publisher for a yearly "quota" of material, nor are they driven by a need to satisfy some personal Muse. Instead, each work is the result of a specific commission. This has resulted in a body of work that is tremendously varied according to the nature of each specific commission. From simple, single-movement anthem settings that are readily accessible to almost any amateur choir, to the multi-movemented Tres Cantus Laudenti that was commissioned and first performed by the Utah Symphony Chorus, Wilberg shows his ability to compose choral music for any level of ability.