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Musica​​Universalis An​​Original

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Musica​​Universalis An​​Original MUSICA UNIVERSALIS ​ ​ AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION FOR CHAMBER ENSEMBLE ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ A DISSERTATION ​ ​ SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FOR THE DEGREE ​ ​ ​ ​ DOCTOR OF ARTS ​ ​ ​ ​ BY SALVATORE ANTHONY LOCASCIO ​ ​ ​ ​ DISSERTATION ADVISOR: DR. AMELIA KAPLAN ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ BALL STATE UNIVERSITY ​ ​ ​ ​ MUNCIE, INDIANA ​ ​ DECEMBER, 2017 ​ ​ i TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ LIST OF EXAMPLES iii ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 2: Astrological Terms 4 ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 3: Review of Music Literature 9 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 4: Compositional Techniques in Sampled Contemporary Works 13 ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ The Wind in High Places 14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ Breathless 17 ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 5: Large Scale Composition Design of Musica Universalis 24 ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 6: Hamal 27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 7: Aldeberan 34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 8: Pollux 41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 9: Antares 50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 10: Conclusion and Future Directions 55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ BIBLIOGRAPHY 61 ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ MUSIC SCORES 62 ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ MUSIC SCORE of Musica Universalis 63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ iii ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ LIST OF EXAMPLES ​ ​ ​ ​ Example Name Example Source Page ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.1 The Wind in High Places, Opening Gesture 14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.2 “Pollux” from Musica Universalis, m. 133 – 137 15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.3 Breathless, m. 1 – 3 19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.4a Breathless, m. 27 – 30 20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.4b Breathless, m. 104 – 106 20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.4c Breathless, m. 44 – 45 21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.5 Breathless, m. 62 – 64 22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 4.6 “Aldeberan” from Musica Universalis, m. 58 – 60 22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 6.1 “Hamal” from Musica Universalis, m. 1 – 8 29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 6.2 “Pollux,” m. 1 – 8 29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 6.3a “Hamal," m. 16 – 19 31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 6.3b “Aldeberan," m. 1 – 2 31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 6.4a “Antares” from Musica Universalis, m. 11 – 15 33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 6.4b “Hamal," m. 68 – 71 33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 7.1 “Aldeberan," m. 5 – 9 36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 7.2 “Aldeberan," m. 28 – 31 37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 7.3a “Aldeberan," m. 58 – 60 38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 7.3b “Aldeberan," m. 41 – 42 38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 7.4 “Aldeberan," m. 108 – 110 39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 7.5 “Aldeberan," m. 110 – 114 39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 7.6 “Aldeberan," m. 122 – 128 40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.1a "Pollux," m. 103 – 105 44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.1b "Pollux," m. 28 44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.1c "Pollux," m. 1 – 5 44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.1d "Pollux," m. 20 – 23 44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.2 "Pollux," m. 14 – 19 45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.3 "Pollux," m. 20 – 30 46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.4 "Pollux," m. 73 – 79 47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.5 "Pollux," m. 125 – 126 47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 8.6 "Pollux," m. 143 – 147 48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 9.1 “Antares,” m. 1 51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 9.2 “Antares," m. 6 – 10 52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ EXAMPLE 9.3 “Antares," m. 27 – 29 53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EXAMPLE 9.4 “Antares,” m. 30 – 33 54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ CHAPTER 1: Introduction ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Astrology, history, and cultural studies have long been fascinations of mine. I also come ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ from a family deeply interested in multiple facets of spirituality. When my brother and I were ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ born, my parents did more than simply baptize us. Detailed astrological birth charts were made ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ for each of us. While I am not a practitioner, indeed taking a stance more evocative of James ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Randi’s skepticism, the level of detail attributed to every star and every planet fascinates me. I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ have pursued graduate degrees for two primary reasons. I have a strong desire to understand the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ history of the world around me, and learning about cultural trends helps me feel connected to the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ music I perform. I want to do more than perform music that I enjoy; I want to understand the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ values that shape a composer’s aesthetics and the societal expectations that influence how she or ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ he views the world. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In early 2016, I began thinking about what I wanted my dissertation, the capstone of my ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ studies, to be. Creating a work of music allows me to present a piece of myself. I decided to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ combine the medieval philosophy Musica Universalis with concepts found in astrology because ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ both concepts are related to the study of stars. Using astrology as a reference also allows me to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ make a pun out of the name Musica Universalis; the work depicts music of the universe and is ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ part of my catalogue of music written at a university. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ After figuring out the theme of my dissertation, I decided on my instrumentation. I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ typically don’t like writing music unless I know it is likely to be performed and tend to write for ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2 ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ individuals or small ensembles who have agreed beforehand to play my music. From a practical ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ standpoint, I prefer to write works that are more likely to be performed at conferences. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ However, writing a dissertation is a completely different project. My works for conferences have ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ tended to be chamber works of less than 10 minutes in duration and with very few instruments. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Right after deciding on the theme of my dissertation, I was approached by Ball State’s viola and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ clarinet professors and asked to write a work for them. This gave me the idea for a unique ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ chamber ensemble. The professors of viola, flute, and harp regularly perform together, with an ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ occasional pianist substituting for harp. I imagined writing a work for this trio and added ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ clarinet and piano to round out the ensemble. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ After deciding on the instrumentation and theme, I was able to begin planning the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ large-scale organization of Musica Universalis. I wanted to write a substantial work of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ considerable length but also create something likely to be performed at conferences. To this end, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ I resolved to write four movements that could be performed individually as well. The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ organization of these movements is derived from the four divisions of zodiac signs based on ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ elements. Each of the four movements is inspired by a star from a zodiac sign, with four of the ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ twelve zodiac signs used. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Musica Universalis is a chamber work for flute, clarinet, viola, harp, and piano. As a ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ chamber work, it follows a tradition established in Western music as far back as the late ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ renaissance. Chamber music that I have performed requires the performers to regularly rehearse ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ with each other to the point of being intimately familiar with one another. When I think of the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ dinner parties at which Schubert’s music was heard, I am reminded that, historically,
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