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Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School
2019
The Inluences of Stylistic and Programmatic Elements in Selected WAmyo Mr. Skelskir kby Alyssa Morris
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COLLEGE OF MUSIC
THE INFLUENCES OF STYLISTIC
AND PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS IN SELECTED WORKS
BY ALYSSA MORRIS
By
AMY M. SELKIRK
A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music
2019 Amy Selkirk defended this treatise on April 1, 2019. The members of the supervisory committee were:
Eric Ohlsson Professor Directing Treatise
Richard Clary University Representative
Eva Amsler Committee Member
Jeffrey Keesecker Committee Member
The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the treatise has been approved in accordance with university requirements.
ii
To my beloved pets and very best friends, Thomas and Daisy.
iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am eternally grateful for all of my family, friends, and instructors who have supported me throughout this long journey. I am particularly grateful for the support and guidance I have received from my teacher and mentor, Dr. Eric Ohlsson, as well as from the members of my supervisory committee.
In addition, I would like to thank my parents, Colleen and James Selkirk, and my grandparents: Ronald Selkirk, Judith Selkirk, Barbara White and Larry White. I would not be where I am today without your constant love and support.
iv TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures ...... vi Abstract ...... vii
1. ALYSSA MORRIS: BIOGRAPHY ...... 1
2. ALYSSA MORRIS: COMPOSITIONAL STYLE AND INFLUENCES ...... 6
3. FOUR PERSONALITIES FOR OBOE AND PIANO ...... 8
4. UP AND AWAY: THE STORY OF A BALLOON ...... 19
5. CHRYSALIS FOR ENGLISH HORN AND PIANO ...... 26
6. CONCLUSION ...... 32
References ...... 34
Biographical Sketch ...... 36
v LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. I, mm. 1-15, opening theme ...... 11
Figure 3.2 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. I, mm. 53-59, Blue Skies ...... 12
Figure 3.3 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. 1, mm. 61-69, Waltz of the Flowers ...... 12
Figure 3.4 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 1-4, opening piano part ...... 13
Figure 3.5 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 5-12, initial oboe melody ...... 14
Figure 3.6 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 38-47, octave displacement ...... 15
Figure 3.7 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 49-51, closing piano cadence ...... 16
Figure 3.8 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. IV, mm. 1-4, opening piano theme ...... 17
Figure 3.9 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. IV, mm. 25-28, second theme ...... 18
Figure 4.1 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. I, mm. 5-9, “Light-motif” ...... 21
Figure 4.2 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. I, mm. 13-18, secondary theme ...... 22
Figure 4.3 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. II, mm. 86-90, “Clusters with Forearm” ...... 23
Figure 4.4 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. III, mm. 66-69, final motivic gesture ...... 25
Figure 5.1 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis, Mvt. I, mm. 1-7, “Caterpillar Theme” ...... 27
Figure 5.2 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis, Mvt. II, mm. 53-55, measured harmonic trill ...... 29 vi ABSTRACT
This treatise discusses and exemplifies the stylistic and programmatic elements in three works by award-winning American oboist and composer, Alyssa Morris (b. 1984): Four
Personalities for oboe and piano; Up and Away: The Story of a Balloon for oboe, bassoon, and piano; and Chrysalis for English horn and piano. Beginning with her first published work in
2007, Four Personalities, Morris’s music has become very popular. Several of her works have been recorded by prominent oboists and have been performed at conferences of the International
Double Reed Society.
The document provides biographical information on the composer and gives a detailed description of her compositional style and influences. This is followed by a thorough analysis of the form of each movement, and a discussion of the stylistic and programmatic elements utilized in each of these three works.
The purpose of this research is to highlight the accomplishments of a composer who has made a significant contribution to woodwind music in the 21st Century, as well as to identify which qualities and compositional techniques allow her works to stand out in the wide selection of music written during this time period.
vii CHAPTER 1
ALYSSA MORRIS: BIOGRAPHY
Early Life
Alyssa Morris displayed an intense interest in music from a very young age. When she was four or five her parents bought an old piano from a neighbor. She was instinctively drawn to the piano and begged her parents for lessons. After beginning to take lessons, Morris discovered a deep love for improvisation. She began to spend the majority of her practice time making up tunes on the piano. Her parents soon caught on and made up a new rule: they told her if she spent the first fifty minutes of her practice session on the music that was recommended by her teacher, she could then spend the last ten minutes improvising to her heart’s content. They did not want to allow her to spend her entire practice time improvising, but did want to foster her creative interests.1
Morris’s first real source of musical inspiration was her piano teacher, Wayne Mayberry.
She began studying with him at the age of nine, and he encouraged her to participate in solo performances at school as well as performances at local gatherings. Mayberry also encouraged her to enter the Reflections Competition2, a composition contest for students in K-12 public schools. Morris credits Mayberry for introducing her to improvisation and jazz.3 The success she
1 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 2 “National PTA Reflections,” accessed March 13, 2019, https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections. 3 Caryn Creamer, “Alyssa Morris Forecast: A Commissioned Work for Oboe and Percussion” (DMA diss. Arizona State University, 2011), 3, accessed September 23, 2018, https://search- proquest-com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/pqdtglobal/doc view/865845695/DC522424A030477EPQ/1?accountid=4840 .
1 found in the Reflections Competitions drove her further in her desire to compose and perform music.
In the seventh grade Alyssa Morris began to play the oboe. She had been playing the piano and composing for several years by this time, but she wanted to experience the sense of belonging and camaraderie involved with playing in band. Morris went to the band teacher during the summer before the school year began to choose an instrument, and had been planning to choose the flute or clarinet. Her teacher asked if she would consider playing the oboe, to which she responded, “What’s an oboe?” 4
She decided to give it a try, however, and quickly fell in love with the role the oboe plays in the band and orchestra, and its ability to convey emotion. She continued to play the oboe, piano, and to compose throughout high school.5
College
When it came time to apply to colleges, Morris knew that she wanted to enter the music field, but she had yet to decide which particular field of study would become her focus. She was already accomplished as a pianist, oboist, and composer. She decided to audition at Brigham
Young University on both oboe and piano, where she was admitted with a scholarship for oboe, but placed on the waiting list for piano. She then decided to enter Brigham Young University as an oboe performance major, studying with Geralyn Giovannetti. While in school, she continued composing, and took every composition class for which she was eligible.6 Morris was also
4 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 5 Ibid. 6 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 2 extremely successful as an oboist during her undergraduate years. She had the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Brigham Young University Wind Symphony and Philharmonic
Orchestra, and received the Dean’s Award from the School of Music in 2007.7
Giovannetti was extremely supportive of Morris’s interest in composition. When preparing for her senior recital, Morris asked Giovannetti if she could compose an original piece to perform, and Giovannetti agreed. The piece which she composed for this recital was Four
Personalities, which is now one of her most well-known works.8
Professional Career
After graduating from Brigham Young University in 2007 with her bachelor’s degree in oboe performance, Morris married her husband and they began raising a family. For the next five years, her two children became the main focus of her attention, although she did continue to teach, perform, and compose in her spare time. During this time, her husband taught high school band and orchestra.9
In 2012, she decided to begin a master’s degree in oboe performance at Brigham Young
University. She received a great deal of support from her family while pursuing this degree: every morning she would drive her two children to their grandmother’s house, after which she would drive to campus for classes. When she was finished with classes for the day, she would pick up her children, put them to bed, and then practice from 9 pm until midnight.10
7 Caryn Creamer, “Alyssa Morris Forecast: A Commissioned Work for Oboe and Percussion” (DMA diss. Arizona State University, 2011), 4. 8 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 3 Giovannetti was also very supportive of her throughout this degree. The two performed a shared recital together at the International Double Reed Society Conference in 2014, in which
Giovannetti premiered one of Morris’s works, Up and Away, with her trio, The Sundance Trio.11
Upon finishing her master’s degree, she and her husband moved to Cincinnati, where they were both full-time students at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Her husband pursued a master’s degree in music education while she pursued a doctorate in oboe performance, studying with Dr. Mark Ostoich. Ostoich was also very supportive of Morris’s compositional work, and commissioned a trio for two oboes and English Horn from her. Entitled
Parable of the Stormy Sea, they performed this work together at the International Double Reed
Society Conference in 2016.12
Morris graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in
August 2017, and began teaching as the Assistant Professor of Oboe at Kansas State University almost immediately afterwards. As of this writing, she is working on a CD which is being produced by Ostoich. This CD will contain recordings of her performing her own original works including Where Do Children Come From, Motion, the Collision Etudes and Coastal
Kaleidoscope.13
Morris’s extensive list of published music for oboe and other wind instruments can be seen in Table 1.14
11 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid. 14 “Morris, Alyssa,” Trevco-Varner Music, accessed March 9, 2019, https://www.trevcomusic.com/collections/types?q=Morris%2C%20Alyssa. 4 Table 1: Complete List of Published Works
Title Instrumentation Year composed Four Personalities Oboe, Piano 2007
Evolution Oboe, Bassoon, Piano 2008
Brokenvention Oboe, Alto Saxophone, Piano 2011
Brokenvention (arrangement) Oboe, English Horn, Piano 2011
Forecast Oboe, Four Percussionists 2011
Motion Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon 2011
Mathematics Bassoon, Piano 2012
Coastal Kaleidoscope Flute, Oboe, Piano 2014
Up and Away Oboe, Bassoon, Piano 2014
Where Do Children Come From Oboe, Piano 2014
Brush Strokes Flute, Oboe, Bassoon 2015
Chrysalis English horn, piano 2015
Dreamscape Oboe and Orchestra 2015
Collision Etudes Solo Oboe 2017
5 CHAPTER 2
ALYSSA MORRIS: COMPOSITIONAL STYLE AND INFLUENCES
Alyssa Morris’s compositions are influenced by a wide variety of musical genres and experiences. The piano lessons that she took throughout most of her childhood and teenage years were particularly inspirational for her writing, and she claims to have been especially influenced by the music of Liszt and Chopin. Morris admires Chopin’s use of complex chords and tender melodies. While she was learning Chopin’s Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor, her piano teacher,
Wayne Mayberry, passed away. She was asked to perform the piece at his funeral.15
It becomes very clear when hearing her works that she was also particularly influenced by jazz. This may be because her father would always listen to jazz when he was driving her to lessons and rehearsals.16 She particularly admires the jazz music of John Coltrane and Dave
Brubeck, and was especially influenced by Brubeck and his use of irregular time signatures, such as in Blue Rondo a la Turk and Take Five.17
Morris also claims that film music plays a large hand in her compositional style. When interviewed on the podcast Double Reed Dish, she stated, “Film music is, in a way, the opera music of now.”18 She goes on to explain that in the past many people would go to see operas, and therefore operatic music would be a large source of inspiration for composers. In our culture
15 Caryn Creamer, “Alyssa Morris Forecast: A Commissioned Work for Oboe and Percussion” (DMA diss. Arizona State University, 2011), 4-5. 16 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 17 Caryn Creamer, “Alyssa Morris Forecast: A Commissioned Work for Oboe and Percussion” (DMA diss. Arizona State University, 2011), 4-5. 18 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 6 today, however, many more people go to see films, and are equally influenced by the music used for movie soundtracks.19
When asked about her personal compositional style, Morris said:
“I love to write music that is about feelings, events, stories- about something. I love rhythm and I love jazz… I often try to incorporate rhythms influenced by jazz. I also love to incorporate thick jazz chords and cluster chords.”20
19 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 20 Caryn Creamer, “Alyssa Morris Forecast: A Commissioned Work for Oboe and Percussion” (DMA diss. Arizona State University, 2011), 7. 7 CHAPTER 3
FOUR PERSONALITIES FOR OBOE AND PIANO
Background
Four Personalities is a programmatic work written for solo oboe and piano. As previously mentioned, this piece was written for her own senior recital at Brigham Young
University. She asked her teacher at Brigham Young if she could compose a piece to perform on her senior recital, and Giovannetti agreed. Upon seeing the work for the first time, Giovannetti became very excited by its potential. She suggested that Morris send it to Trevor Cramer of the
TrevCo Music Publishing Company, and to Nancy Ambrose King, who was at that time the president of the International Double Reed Society. Morris sent a package to both of them with a recording and a score. Trevor Cramer immediately agreed to publish it, and Nancy Ambrose
King performed it at the International Double Reed Society Conference of 2008.21
After King’s first performance of this work, it gained popularity and was performed by many of the United States’ prominent oboists. It was performed again at the 2011 International
Double Reed Society Conference Evening Gala Concert by Peter Cooper, Senior Instructor of
Oboe at the University of Colorado Boulder, and in the 2012 Conference by Michele Fiala,
Associate Professor of Oboe at Ohio University.22
It has been recorded on the Centaur Records label by Laura Medisky, teacher of oboe at the University of Wisconsin- Platteville, and by Mary Ashley Barret, Professor of Oboe at the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It has also been recorded on the Centaur Records
21 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 22 Alyssa Morris, “Alyssa Morris: Compositions,” accessed September 23, 2018, http://www.alyssamorrismusic.com/compositions/. 8 label by Courtney Miller, Assistant Professor of Oboe at the University of Iowa, and has been recorded on the MSR Classics label by Michele Fiala.23 Published by TrevCo Music Publishing, it was given the following review by Jacqueline LeClair in The Double Reed:
“She composed this fun, entertaining work basing the four movements on the colors used by the Hartman Personality Test ... Four Personalities is a lot of fun for oboist, pianist and audience alike. Highly recommended for college and professional recitals.” 24
Hartman Personality Test
Each movement of the Four Personalities is intended to represent a different personality type, as defined by the Hartman Personality test. This personality test was created by Dr. Taylor
Hartman, a native of California and former professor at the University of California at Long
Beach. He has written two books, The Color Code, which was meant to help readers understand the unique complexities of human behaviors and relationships, and The Character Code, which details the importance of achieving balance in life, personal integrity, and reaching one’s potential. The Hartman Personality test identifies a person’s core motive, which helps explain the reasons behind his or her actions.25
While taking this personality test, the examinee is given a list of personality traits, which are grouped into sets of four. The participant is asked to select which of each group best describes him or her. Part two of the test gives a scenario with four possible responses or reactions, and then the test-taker is asked to select which of the reactions seems most like
23 Alyssa Morris, “Alyssa Morris: Compositions,” accessed September 23, 2018, http://www.alyssamorrismusic.com/compositions/. 24 Jacqueline LeClair, “Oboe Music Reviews,” The Double Reed: Quarterly Journal of the International Double Reed Society 32, no. 2: 134, accessed March 13, 2019, https://www.idrs.org/publications/114-the-double-reed-2009-32-2/#page=134. 25 Taylor Hartman, “The Hartman Personality Profile,” accessed September 26, 2018, www.mindperk.com/ColorCodeTest.pdf. 9 something he or she would do. The examinee is encouraged to answer these questions while reflecting on how he or she was as a child, rather than in the present day. Afterwards, a score is added up, and the participant is assigned a color that best describes his or her personality type.26
The color options are red, yellow, blue, and white. Reds are described as being power- hungry, always seeking productivity, and always trying to look good to others. Yellows are described as being fun-loving. They are the life of the party, but are sometimes uncommitted and unreliable. Blues are motivated by intimacy. They seek opportunities to connect with others and need to be appreciated. They are devoted, loyal friends. Whites desire peace and independence.
They must always be treated with kindness. They avoid confrontation and are silently stubborn, but can be indecisive and boring.27
Alyssa Morris’s composition, Four Personalities, is accompanied by the following program notes:
YELLOW: Yellow is fun loving. The joy that comes from doing something just for the sake of doing it is what motivates and drives yellow.
WHITE: White is a peacekeeper. White is kind, adaptable, and a good listener. Though motivated by peace, white struggles with indecisiveness.
BLUE: Blue brings great gifts of service, loyalty, sincerity, and thoughtfulness. Intimacy, creating relationships, and having purpose is what motivates and drives blue.
RED: Motivated by power, red is aggressive and assertive. Red is visionary, confident, and proactive. 28
26 Taylor Hartman, “The Hartman Personality Profile,” accessed September 26, 2018, www.mindperk.com/ColorCodeTest.pdf. 27 Ibid. 28 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities (Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2007).
10 Movement 1: Yellow
The first movement, Yellow, is written in the key of C minor, in a 4/4 time signature.
Throughout this movement, Morris uses elements of jazz and swing styles to represent the fun- loving, spontaneous personality of Yellow. One example is the solo theme introduced by the oboe at the beginning of the movement, which functions similarly to the head of a jazz chart
(Figure 3.1). This theme is repeated throughout the movement, followed by solo sections over chord changes.
Figure 3.1 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. I, mm. 1-15, opening theme
Another example, evident almost immediately when looking at the piece, is the tempo marking of “Fast swing.” The eighth notes are swung almost throughout the entirety of the movement, and the music is evocative of that which would be played by a jazz ensemble. She also writes out articulations, such as accents, marcato markings, and a pitch bend, that one would expect to hear played by a jazz saxophonist.
Another element of the music that exemplifies the jazz style, as well as evoking the spontaneity associated with the represented Yellow personality type, are the open sections of solo playing in the oboe at both the beginning and end of the movement. Both sections are based
11 on the repeated theme mentioned earlier. The first merely introduces the theme, however still allows the oboist to not adhere to a strict tempo. The solo section at the end of the movement shows off almost the full range of the instrument, from B3 to Eb6. It also shows off the full dynamic range of the instrument, from pianissimo to fortissimo. The final solo ends in long held fermatas on high notes, after a long, exhilarating sixteenth note run, which is reminiscent of how a jazz saxophonist or trumpeter might end a solo in a big band piece.
The composer also includes quotes from two jazz standards in the oboe part: Blue Skies in measures 53 through 59 (Figure 3.2), and Waltz of the Flowers in measures 61 through 69
(Figure 3.3). The presence of these quotations adds to the spontaneity of the work, and makes the movement feel increasingly like a jazz piece.
Figure 3.2 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. I, mm. 53-59, Blue Skies
Figure 3.3 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. 1, mm. 61-69, Waltz of the Flowers
12 Movement 2: White
The second movement, White, is written in a ternary form. The first section, also referred to as the ‘A’ section, is based in the key of Bb major. The ‘B’ section, which lasts from measure
23 until measure 33, is based in the key of Ab major. In measure 34 a slightly altered ‘A’ section begins, with a return to the key of Bb major. The movement eventually modulates to F major and ends on an F major chord.
This movement is intended to sound quirky and awkward. The indecisiveness representative of the “White” personality type is almost excessively present. The tempo marking for the movement is “Moderato,” which is followed by a second marking, “Indecisive, with hesitation.” The pianist begins by playing two measures in a 6/4 meter, each ending with a fermata over a rest in the final beat. The meter then changes to 5/4 in measure 3 (Figure 3.4). The odd fifth beat in the meter lends itself to the awkwardness desired in the composition.
Figure 3.4 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 1-4, opening piano part
13 In addition to the shifting meter and the awkward fifth beat, there are many other aspects of the composition that make it feel indecisive and hesitant. For example, there are a few measures where the dynamic level suddenly drops to piano, and then almost immediately rises back to mezzo-forte within a span of only three beats. This happens in measure 11 as well as in measure 46. Other examples are the quick triplets and large intervallic leaps that are written into the melodic line.
The initial theme that the oboist presents in the ‘A’ section is a quirky melody written in
Bb major, in a 5/4 meter. It is mainly conjunct in motion, and is embellished by quick triplets
(Figure 3.5). This same melody is restated in measure 38 in the return of the ‘A’ section, however in the restatement every other pitch is suddenly displaced by an octave (Figure 3.6).
These leaps of over an octave create a gnarly feel, as well as adding a technical challenge for the performer. Additionally, the large leaps add to the indecisive feeling of the movement, making it seem as though the oboist cannot decide what register he or she would like to play in.
Figure 3.5 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 5-12, initial oboe melody
14
Figure 3.6 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 38-47, octave displacement
One last example of the indecisiveness present throughout the music is the final chord.
The piano closes out the movement with a five-measure solo. There is a suspension of the second scale degree on the penultimate chord, which is three beats in length. Then the piece suddenly comes to a close on a tonic chord. The final chord is a staccato quarter note, played at a pianissimo dynamic (Figure 3.7). This is notable because the piece modulated to F major, never returning to Bb, so the ending tonic is an F major chord. The quiet dynamic and short, staccato quality of the final chord is intended to make it feel as if the pianist is uncertain or hesitant to play it. The ‘B’ section of this piece, which has not yet been mentioned, does not appear to be representative of the indecisive trait associated with the White personality. Instead, this section seems to represent the kind, adaptable, peaceful characteristics of this personality. This section is written in a 6/4 meter and feels like a waltz. The initial dynamic marking is mezzo-piano with crescendi and decrescendi marked that follow the direction of the music, and the melodic line moves mainly in conjunct rather than disjunct motion. The melodic lines in this section are much longer and smoother, and it provides a refreshing contrast to the awkwardness heard throughout the rest of the movement.
15 Figure 3.7 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 49-51, closing piano cadence
Movement 3: Blue
The third movement, Blue, begins in the key of Eb minor. It is through-composed and the meters shift frequently throughout the piece. In measure 13 it transitions to D minor. Although the key signature does not change after that point, the accidentals in both the oboe and piano part seem to hint at a return to Eb minor starting in measure 25. The loyal, sincere, and thoughtful blue personality is represented by the long lyrical lines, dense piano chords, as well as the extremes of the dynamic range and the pitch range that are presented.
The opening of Blue is marked Freely and is a solo for oboe alone. In the following section, marked Contemplative, the oboe is joined by the piano, at a moderate tempo. Morris presents many clues for how she would like the music to be played, with instructions such as,
With growing intensity, Full of emotion or Like a whisper. In measure 29 she writes the word mourning, and then notates descending eighth notes that sound almost like sobbing. The movement closes with another oboe solo, marked Freely. This movement presents a large spectrum of intense emotions through its use of melody, harmony, dynamics, and tone color.
16 Movement 4: Red
The final movement, Red, is written in what appears to be a simplified variation of sonata form. It is written in a 3/4 meter and begins in the key of E minor, with a stream of running eighth notes in the piano marked steady and relentless (Figure 3.8). In measure 9 the oboist enters, with a theme that seems like a counter-melody to what the pianist has already presented.
This counter-melody makes use of many accented off-beats. In measure 25 the piano part introduces a second theme in the right hand (Figure 3.9) which is then embellished in the oboe part in measure 32. A transition occurs beginning in measure 52, and a development begins in measure 57, in G minor. The pianist continues to execute a running eighth note pattern in the left hand, while the rhythmic pattern presented in the second theme is played in the right hand. The oboist plays a long lyrical melody on top of this activity, with many long held high notes. The recapitulation begins with the return to E minor in measure 93. This movement also presents a coda, marked Vivace beginning in measure 111. The tempo increases in this section and there is a prolonged authentic cadence.
Figure 3.8 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. IV, mm. 1-4, opening piano theme
17
Figure 3.9 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. IV, mm. 25-28, second theme
Some of the elements that make this movement sound aggressive and assertive are its quick tempo, constant running eighth notes in the piano, accented offbeats, and fast and flashy runs in the oboe part. It is the most challenging of the four movements in terms of technique and range of notes. The quick pace of the movement and the speed of the notes in the oboe part leave very little time for breathing by the performer.
18 CHAPTER 4
UP AND AWAY: THE STORY OF A BALLOON
Background
Morris’s trio for oboe, bassoon, and piano, Up and Away, was commissioned by the
Brigham Young University School of Music in 2014, and was premiered by the Sundance Trio at the International Double Reed Society Conference in New York City that same year.
The Sundance Trio is a Utah-based ensemble which formed in 2005. It consists of oboist,
Geralyn Giovannetti, bassoonist, Christian Smith, and pianist, Jed Moss. Giovannetti and Smith are faculty colleagues at Brigham Young University, where they perform together in the Orpheus
Wind Quintet.29 In addition, Giovannetti also performs with the Canadian woodwind quintet,
Essex Winds, and currently chairs the International Double Reed Society Young Artist
Competition for Oboe.30 Smith is also currently the principal bassoonist with the Orchestra at
Temple Square in Salt Lake City, and is an active studio musician.31
Pianist, Jed Moss, is a well-known and frequently sought-after collaborative musician. He has performed with musicians from the nation’s top orchestras, including the Los Angeles
Philharmonic and New York Philharmonic, and performs frequently on faculty recitals at
Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, and the University of Utah.32
29 “About the Sundance Trio,” accessed December 2, 2018, http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/. 30 “Geralyn Giovannetti Biography,” accessed January 24, 2019, http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/geralyn-giovannetti/. 31 “Christian Smith Biography,” accessed January 24, 2019, http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/christian-smith/. 32 “Jed Moss Biography,” accessed January 24, 2019, http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/jed- moss/. 19 The trio has performed together throughout the United States and United Kingdom, and actively seeks to encourage new compositions. In 2009 they released their debut CD with new works by Margi Griebling-Haigh and David Sargent. In 2014 they released their second CD,
Summer Garden.33
Movement I: Inhale/Exhale
Up and Away, a three-movement, light-hearted work for oboe, bassoon, and piano, tells the story of the life of a balloon. The first movement, Inhale/Exhale, “is a depiction of blowing up the balloon, watching it float, letting air out of Balloon and hearing the little squeal and sputter as it flies around the room.”34 This movement is written in a ternary form. The initial ‘A’ section seems to hint at both F major and Bb minor, without ever truly settling in a key. This bi- tonality adds to the light-hearted aesthetic of the movement. The time signature shifts between
4/4, 3/4, and 3/8.
This section also introduces what Alyssa Morris refers to in her program notes as the balloon’s, “light-motif” (Figure 4.1). This theme returns frequently throughout the movement, always slightly altered in terms of instrumentation. It is almost always succeeded by a secondary theme: a descending melody in a 3/8 meter (Figure 4.2).
The ‘B’ section, which begins in measure 65, is written in a 9/8 meter. In this section, the piano part presents a running stream of sixteenth notes, while the oboe and bassoon parts introduce a beautiful duet in D major. This section is characterized by hemiolas: the melodic lines played on the oboe and bassoon consist of many dotted eighth notes, creating a duple feel
33 “About the Sundance Trio,” accessed December 2, 2018, http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/. 34 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away: The Story of a Balloon (Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2014). 20 over the compound triple meter. The tempo stays the same as in the previous section, but the note values become longer, creating a slower, more melodic feel. The effect of the melodic line being played on top of the constant sixteenth notes creates a weightless or floating feel, surely meant to illustrate watching the balloon float around the room. The “light-motif” is also quoted in the ‘B’ section in measures 80 through 86, although it is rhythmically altered and the melody is never heard in its entirety.
The ‘A’’ section begins in measure 109. In this section, the “light-motif” returns in its original form in the oboe and bassoon, now in unison. The secondary theme from the beginning of the movement returns but is now reversed, and the notes ascend rather than descend as they had originally. The ending tempo is 112 beats per minute, which is quite a bit faster than the initial tempo from the beginning of the movement. Perhaps the faster tempo is meant to illustrate the previously mentioned “squeal and sputter” as the balloon flies around the room. This section still appears to alternate between F major and Bb minor, but the piece finally comes to a conclusion in measures 140 and 141 with a definitive F major arpeggio in the piano part. The layering and juxtaposition of tonalities and rhythms throughout this movement create a buoyant, effervescent feel that illustrates the character of the balloon.
Figure 4.1 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. I, mm. 5-9, “Light-motif”
21 Figure 4.2 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. I, mm. 13-18, secondary theme
Movement II: Life on a String
The second movement, Life on a String, is a comical, free-spirited movement with many jazz and swing influences. According to Morris’s program notes, this movement “is about teenage angst and rebellion. Little Balloon is not so little anymore, and wants to prove that is has a mind and ideas of its own.”35
This movement is written in ABA form with a jazz combo feel. The eighth notes are swung throughout the movement, which is written in a D minor blues scale tonality. The opening
‘A’ section introduces two melodies, both eight measures in length and played in unison on the oboe and the bassoon.
In measure 24 the ‘B’ section begins, which is comprised of solos played on each of the instruments. Each instrumental part quotes a melody that over the years has come to be associated with that instrument. Morris mentioned this section in her program notes, stating: “So many times Balloon has felt that people want it to fit a certain mold. But Balloon just wants to be itself. This angst can be heard as each instrument quotes a passage that has become
35 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away: The Story of a Balloon (Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2014). 22 synonymous with what most people think that instrument is.”36 However, there are significant changes to the rhythm and style of these melodies, as the balloon is trying to prove that it is “not a pawn in this game, but an individual!”37
The oboist quotes the “snake charmer” melody, a folk tune that is also frequently referred to as “The Streets of Cairo,” or “The Girls in France,” from measures 24 to 27, followed by a blues variation on the theme. The bassoon solo begins in measure 48, which quotes the popular solo from the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor. This solo is also embellished upon rhythmically and succeeded by a blues variation on the theme. In measure 68 the final solo is introduced on the piano, a revised version of Beethoven’s Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (WoO 59, Bia 515) for solo piano, commonly known as "Für Elise.” The oboe and bassoon parts interject throughout this section. In measures 87 and 88 the piano solo comes to a raucous conclusion, with chord clusters being played with the performer’s forearm (Figure 4.3).
Figure 4.3 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. II, mm. 86-90, “Clusters with Forearm”
The final section, ‘A’’, begins in measure 90 with the two themes from the beginning quoted in their full forms. The movement ends with an exciting stream of triplets in the oboe and bassoon parts at a Vivace tempo.
36 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away: The Story of a Balloon (Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2014). 37 Ibid. 23 Movement III: Letting Go
The third movement, Letting Go, is through-composed. This movement, marked
“thoughtful,” is to be played at a slower tempo, representing the contemplative balloon in its old age. It begins with a duet in the oboe and bassoon, in A major, and transitions almost seamlessly between 3/4 and 4/4 meters.
In measure 25, material that is similar to the ‘B’ section of movement one returns, now written in a 12/8 meter. The melody from that section, based on the “light-motif”, returns in the oboe and bassoon in measure 29, and the piano part once again presents running sixteenth notes.
The hemiola rhythms from the first movement also return in this section. The return of the “light- motif” is intended to represent the balloon looking back on its long life. The new theme introduced at the beginning of this movement is also elaborated upon during this section.
Beginning in measure 54 the piece gradually begins to come to a close. The dynamic levels are reduced to mp and p, and the tempo slows down. The last four measures are a solo for piano alone, marked “At peace.” The pianist plays a final flurry of sixteenth notes, in D major, which continue to slow down and decrescendo. The final motivic gesture (Figure 4.4) ascends through the highest registers of the piano. The final note marked in the piano part is actually not possible to play on a standard piano. Perhaps the composer chose to write this final pitch to visually illustrate the balloon floating higher and higher away, and eventually disappearing into thin air.
24
Figure 4.4 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. III, mm. 66-69, final motivic gesture
25 CHAPTER 5
CHRYSALIS FOR ENGLISH HORN AND PIANO
Background
Chrysalis, for English horn and piano, was commissioned by Carolyn Hove, who has held the position of solo English horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1988.38 Hove met
Alyssa Morris in 2005, when Morris was still an undergraduate student at Brigham Young
University. After playing Morris’s work, Brokenvention, Hove decided to ask Morris to compose a piece for her. The work was commissioned in 2014, and in 2015 it was premiered at the
Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, in Columbus, Georgia. It was performed again at the International Double Reed Society Conference in 2016.39 Hove recorded the work at the Little Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College in Claremont, California, in July of 2016, accompanied by Joanne Pearce Martin, the pianist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.40
Chrysalis, also a programmatic work, tells the story of a caterpillar and its metamorphosis into a butterfly. For Morris, the work is also related to Christianity. She writes in her program notes that “within the story is another message: to become spiritually changed.”41
Movement I: Caterpillar
The first movement, Caterpillar, is written in a ternary form. Similar to Up and Away, the first movement also begins with a theme that is repeated and transformed throughout the
38 “Carolyn Hove,” accessed January 24, 2019, http://www.carolynhovemusic.com/. 39 “Chrysalis for English Horn and Piano,” accessed December 9, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQCV6PgNI8g. 40 Ibid. 41 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis (Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2015). 26 movement. Morris refers to this theme as the “caterpillar theme,” and it is initially introduced in the first seven measures of the English horn part, at a soft dynamic and moderately slow tempo
(Figure 5.1). Following this introduction, the ‘A’ section begins, at a much faster tempo which is marked “Groovy Crawl.” The eighth notes are swung throughout this section, and it is written in an F blues scale tonality.
Figure 5.1 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis, Mvt. I, mm. 1-7, “Caterpillar Theme”
The English horn continues to play with the “caterpillar theme” throughout the ‘A’ section, while the piano provides a blues-inspired ostinato. The meters constantly shift between
5/4 and 6/4, making the music feel unpredictable and slightly off-kilter. Also, interesting to note are the similarities in tempo, style, and feel between this section of the piece and Take 5 by Dave
Brubeck, who Morris claimed to be one of her major jazz influences.42
The ‘B’ section begins in measure 28, with a change to a G blues scale tonality. An interesting and appealing new melody is introduced, first in the piano, and then echoed by the
English horn. The tempo and style stay the same, and the meters continue to shift between 5/4 and 6/4. The ‘A’’ section begins in measure 42, with a return of the caterpillar theme and a transition back to the F blues scale tonality. The melody is now embellished with many triplet
42 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 27 rhythms and chromatic pitches. This section comes to a cadence in Bb major in measure 68, at which the tempo slows down and is marked “Broader.” The eighth notes are no longer swung and the caterpillar theme is now repeated, almost exactly as it was introduced in the beginning.
The awkwardness of the caterpillar is depicted throughout this movement by the swing feel, frequent meter changes, and the large leaps in the melodic line.
Movement II: Within the Chrysalis
The second movement, Within the Chrysalis, is written in a binary form and represents the transition the caterpillar experiences while inside the chrysalis. The composer’s program notes about this movement read:
“In movement two, the caterpillar enters a new and unknown phase of progression. The caterpillar struggles to find its way. But in the darkness of the chrysalis, the caterpillar finds hope and the strength to become something more. Within the Chrysalis attempts to capture my personal feelings regarding the sacrifice and death of Jesus Christ. In this movement are moments of quiet grief, deep sadness, and anguish, and then gratitude and hope. The caterpillar changes within the chrysalis, just as one can experience a spiritual rebirth through Christ’s great gifts.”43
The composer’s intentions are represented throughout the movement by frequent tempo and mood changes. It begins, slow and introspective, in G minor. A theme is introduced in the first sixteen measures, which has a much more sorrowful quality than the original “caterpillar theme” from the first movement. This opening section illustrates the loneliness and darkness the caterpillar felt while within the chrysalis.
Following the opening, a new section marked “Agitato” begins. The meter shifts from 4/4 to 12/8, and the pianist provides an accompaniment consisting of fast sixteenth notes. The
43 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis (Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2015). 28 English hornist re-enters in measure 21, with motivic gestures that are derived from the
“caterpillar theme” heard in the first movement. These motivic gestures are repeated in different harmonic areas, never resolving in any one key. Perhaps this is to represent the lost caterpillar inside the chrysalis, trying to find its way. A heroic-sounding transition occurs beginning in measure 29 which leads into the ‘B’ section.
The ‘B’ section of the piece illustrates the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly. It begins in measure 37 with the English hornist repeating the theme from the beginning of the movement, however it is now in A minor and every note is trilled. There are several changes in tempo throughout this section of the piece, which the composer notated as,
Broadly-With Hope, Reflective, Agitato, and Introspective.
“Broadly-With Hope,” from measure 45 to 48, briefly hints at the key of C major, with a change back to A minor at the start of the “Reflective” section in measure 49. The “Agitato” section contains quick sixteenth note runs, spanning a range of two octaves on the English horn, as well as a measured harmonic trill (Figure 5.2). The sound created when playing the harmonic trill is intended to illustrate the butterfly excitedly flapping its new wings, having just emerged from the chrysalis. The ending four measures, marked “Introspective,” quote the theme introduced in the beginning of the movement, bringing the movement to a close in A minor.
Figure 5.2 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis, Mvt. II, mm. 53-55, measured harmonic trill
29 Movement III: Butterfly
The third movement, titled Butterfly, is accompanied by the following program notes from the composer:
“In the third movement the Butterfly emerges. The ‘caterpillar theme’ is transformed. The butterfly sings praises to God, who gave it wings to fly.”44
Although this movement does not follow any clear-cut form, it can once again be divided into distinct sections. This movement begins with the caterpillar theme, now based in the key of
E major. Following the opening, a new section marked, “Taking Flight” begins. The English horn continues with the caterpillar theme while the piano part provides broken chords. The music modulates to B major, and in measure 49 a new theme is introduced. The Christian hymn, All
Creatures of Our God and King, is quoted first in the English horn and then echoed in the piano.
This hymn continues to be played until measure 104, modulating through different key areas and alternating between the English horn and the piano. The composer frequently overlaps fragments of the caterpillar theme on top of this hymn throughout this section, treating it as a counter- melody.
The tempo slows down at measure 86, and is marked “Peaceful.” The pianist continues to play the hymn, “All Creatures of Our God and King,” and the English hornist plays a counter- melody derived from the caterpillar theme. This section is firmly rooted in the key of Eb major, and there is finally a feeling of peace and simplicity.
The final section, also called “Taking Flight,” begins in measure 104. Once again, the piano part consists of broken chords in sixteenth notes, and the caterpillar theme is heard in the
44 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis (Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2015). 30 English horn. The hymn is no longer present in this section. The piece gradually decreases in volume and tempo, coming to a quiet conclusion on an Eb major chord in the piano.
Morris’s religious intentions are seen in this movement through the use of the hymn. The combination of the hymn and the caterpillar theme create an almost overwhelmingly joyful sound. The butterfly is celebrating and expressing its thanks for the gift of its beautiful wings.
31 CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION
After careful study and examination of these three works by Alyssa Morris, one can begin to notice patterns and similarities in her compositional style. First and foremost, each of these works is programmatic and utilizes different musical elements to tell a story. In her work
Four Personalities, each movement represents a distinct personality type set forth in the Hartman
Personality Test. Up and Away tells the story of the life of a balloon, and Chrysalis illustrates the process of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.
Another obvious similarity is that each piece contains a movement in swing style. Her jazz influences are very apparent upon listening to and performing her works, as are her film- music influences. In general Morris’s music is both pleasing and accessible to musicians and non-musicians alike. Her witty, free-spirited writing style gives her a unique voice in woodwind music of the present day.
Additionally, what this author found to be one of the most striking components of
Morris’s works is her ability to continuously re-use and transform different themes without them becoming stale or boring. This was particularly noticeable throughout Up and Away, with her clever use of the “light-motif” and in Chrysalis, with the continuously returning “Caterpillar theme.” Perhaps the most impressive moment of this piece was when she began to layer the caterpillar theme with the hymn, “All Creatures of Our God and King,” treating the caterpillar theme as a counter-melody.
Overall, Morris’s works are interesting and challenging for performers as well as enjoyable for listeners. Her clever, lighthearted writing style adds variety and breadth to the ever- growing collection of woodwind chamber music. Although she is still in the early years of her
32 career, Morris has accomplished major achievements as both an oboist and composer. She is sure to make significant contribution to the field of woodwind performance over the course of her career.
33 REFERENCES
“About the Sundance Trio.” Accessed December 2, 2018. http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/.
“Christian Smith Biography.” Accessed January 24, 2019. http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/christian-smith/.
“Chrysalis for English Horn and Piano.” Accessed December 9, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQCV6PgNI8g
Creamer, Caryn. “Alyssa Morris Forecast: A Commissioned Work for Oboe and Percussion.” DMA diss., Arizona State University, 2011. Accessed September 23, 2018. https://search-proquest-com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/pqdtglobal/doc view/865845695/DC522424A030477EPQ/1?accountid=4840
“Geralyn Giovannetti Biography.” Accessed January 24, 2019. http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/geralyn-giovannetti/.
Hartman, Taylor. “The Hartman Personality Profile.” Accessed September 26, 2018. www.mindperk.com/ColorCodeTest.pdf.
“Jed Moss Biography.” Accessed January 24, 2019. http://www.sundancetrio.com/about/jed- moss/.
Kaunitz, Galit and Wilson, Jacqui. Interview with Alyssa Morris. Double Reed Dish. Podcast Audio. Episode 36. https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/.
LeClair, Jacqueline. “Oboe Music Reviews.” The Double Reed: Quarterly Journal of the International Double Reed Society 32, no. 2: 134. Accessed March 13, 2019. https://www.idrs.org/publications/114-the-double-reed-2009-32-2/#page=134.
Morris, Alyssa. “Alyssa Morris: Bio.” Accessed September 23, 2018. http://www.alyssamorrismusic.com/bio/.
Morris, Alyssa. “Alyssa Morris: Compositions.” Accessed September 23, 2018. http://www.alyssamorrismusic.com/compositions/.
Morris, Alyssa. Chrysalis. Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2015.
Morris, Alyssa. Four Personalities. Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2007.
“Morris, Alyssa.” Trevco-Varner Music. Accessed March 9, 2019. https://www.trevcomusic.com/collections/types?q=Morris%2C%20Alyssa.
34 Morris, Alyssa. Up and Away: The Story of a Balloon. Tallevast, FL: TrevCo Music Publishing, 2014.
“National PTA Reflections.” Accessed March 13, 2019. https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections.
35 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Oboist Amy Selkirk was awarded the Doctor of Music degree in Woodwind Performance from Florida State University in May of 2019. She also has a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from Kent State University and Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia. Selkirk’s academic and professional pursuits are fueled by her passion for teaching and oboe pedagogy and her love of performing. As a performer, Selkirk has played in several orchestras throughout Northeast Ohio and Northwest Florida. She is currently the second oboist in Sinfonia Gulf Coast, and also frequently performs with the Ocala and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestras. She also maintains an active career as both chamber musician and soloist. As a teacher, Selkirk currently maintains a studio of middle school and high school oboists in Tallahassee, many of whom have been successfully placed in All-District and All- State level bands. While pursuing her doctorate she worked as a graduate teaching assistant at FSU, where she taught private lessons, coached undergraduate chamber music ensembles, and taught the oboe methods course to undergraduate music education students. Selkirk’s primary teachers have included Eric Ohlsson, Danna Sundet, Sarah Hamilton, Mark Dubois, and Karen Hosmer.
36