• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1985 The iH story and Development of the Marimba Ensemble in the United States and Its Current Status in College and University Percussion Programs (Musser). David Paul Eyler Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Eyler, David Paul, "The iH story and Development of the Marimba Ensemble in the United States and Its Current Status in College and University Percussion Programs (Musser)." (1985). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 4091. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/4091 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this document, the quality of the reproduction is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help clarify markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or “target” for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Page(s)”. If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a round black mark, it is an indication of either blurred copy because of movement during exposure, duplicate copy, or copyrighted materials that should not have been filmed. For blurred pages, a good image of the page can be found in the adjacent frame. If copyrighted materials were deleted, a target note will appear listing the pages in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., is part of the material being photographed, a definite method of “sectioning” the material has been followed. It is customary to begin filming at the upper left hand comer of a large sheet and to continue from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. If necessary, sectioning is continued again—beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. For illustrations that cannot be satisfactorily reproduced by xerographic means, photographic prints can be purchased at additional cost and inserted into your xerographic copy. These prints are available upon request from the Dissertations Customer Services Department. 5. Some pages in any document may have indistinct print. In all cases the best available copy has been filmed. Uni International 300 N. Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 8526371 Eyler, David Paul THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARIMBA ENSEMBLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS CURRENT STATUS IN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PERCUSSION PROGRAMS The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical Col. D.M. A. 1985 University Microfilms International 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, tv'. 48106 Copyright 1986 by Eyler, David Paul All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARIMBA ENSEMBLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS CURRENT STATUS IN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PERCUSSION PROGRAMS A MONOGRAPH Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in The School of Music by David Paul Eyler B.S., Frostburg State College, 1977 M.M., The Ohio State University, 1979 August 1985 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ©1986 DAVID PAUL EYLER All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Prof. Paul Abel, Dr. Wallace McKenzie, Prof. Richard Norem, Dr. John Raush, Dr. George Rogers, Dr. Robert Shambaugh, and Dean Henry Snyder, members past and present of my doctoral committee. Their guidance and careful attention given to the preparation of this study have proven invaluable. I am especially indebted to Mr. Edwin L. Gerhardt, curator of the Gerhardt Mariiriba-Xylophone Collection, for providing the resources which enabled me to document the history of the marimba ensemble in the United States. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. William F. Ludwig, Jr., for his help in securing materials of Clair Musser's contributions to the marimba movement. Appreciation is also extended to Willis Rapp for his assistance in obtain­ ing valuable information concerning Musser's massed marimba organizations. Special recognition is given to Gordon Peters for allowing me the opportunity to review the sundry materials in his collection dealing with the Eastman Marimba Masters. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I would like to recognize the generosity of Mrs. Eleanor Hurtado for providing information and memorabilia concerning the Hurtado Brothers' Royal Marimba Band of Guatemala. Appreciation is extended to the numerous percussion teachers and directors who provided valuable information concerning the topic. I must express my deepest appreciation to Dr. John Raush, who has given so freely of his time and expertise in the preparation of this treatise. His advice, encouragement, and friendship have made my years at the Louisiana State University School of Music both pleasurable and productive. Lastly, I wish to acknowledge the helpful assistance, patience, and encouragement of my wife Barbara. She deserves the highest admiration for her perseverance and understanding. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OP CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................ ii LIST OP TABLES .......................................... vii ABSTRACT ................................................viii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION .................................... 1 Importance of the S t u d y .................... 1 Purpose of the S t u d y ........................ 2 Objectives of the S t u d y ....................... 3 Procedures of the S t u d y ....................... 3 Limitations of the S t u d y .................. 4 Definition of Terms ........................ 5 Organization of the Study ..................... 7 II. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARIMBA FROM ITS ORIGINS TO ITS INTRODUCTION INTO THE UNITED STATES DURING THE FIRST DECADES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 9 Westward Migration of the Marimba ............. 9 Structural Development and Evolution of Instrument Types ........................... 12 The Guatemalan M a r i m b a ....................... 19 The Hurtado Brothers1 Royal Marimba Band of G uate m a l a .................................... 29 Other Families of Guatemalan Marimba Players. 48 Recordings by Central American Marimba Bands. 57 Development of the Xylophone in Western Musical A r t .............................. 60 Early Xylophone Recordings ................... 67 The Contributions of the Green Brothers to the Marimba Ensemble Movement ................... 74 The Early Development of the North American Marimba and Its P e r f o r m e r s ................. 78 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Chapter The Popularity of the Marimba in Radio and Motion Pictures ............................. 81 Marimba Bands of the 1 9 3 0 s ................... 85 III. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARIMBA ENSEMBLE FROM CLAIR OMAR MUSSER TO THE PRESENT D A Y .......... 96 Clair Omar M u s s e r ............................. 96 Century of Progress Marimba Orchestra .... 103 International Marimba Symphony Orchestra . 109 Other Marimba Organizations Developed by M u s s e r ...................................... 127 Eastman Marimba Masters ....................... 140 The Status of the Marimba Ensemble Following Gordon Peters' Marimba Masters ............. 155 Marimba Ensemble Literature ................... 164 IV. ANALYSIS AND RESULTS OF THE S U R V E Y ............... 169 Introduction .................................. 169 P r o c e d u r e s ...................................... 169 Limitations...................................... 170 Results of the Data ............... 172 S u m m a r y ...........................................191 V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS .... 194 Summary ...................................... 194 Conclusions...................................... 203 Recommendations ................................ 205 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................. 207 APPENDICES ...............................................229

Load more

  287

Copy Link