Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1967 Stylistic Trends in Contemporary Organ Music. (Volumes I and II). Robert Michael Rudd Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Rudd, Robert Michael, "Stylistic Trends in Contemporary Organ Music. (Volumes I and II)." (1967). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 1360. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/1360 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]. This dissertation has been microfihned exactly as received 67-17,343 RUDD, Robert Michael, 1939- STYLISTIC TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY ORGAN MUSIC. (VOLUMES I AN D n). Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1967 Music University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor. Michigan Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. (Ç^ Copyright by ROBERT MICHAEL RUDD 1968 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. STYLISTIC TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY ORGAN MUSIC Volume I A Dissertation 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 Philosophy in The School of Music by Robert Michael Rudd B.M., Louisiana State University, 1962 M.M., Louisiana State University, 1963 August, 1967 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. FOREWORD The purpose of this study is to encourage interest in contemporary organ music. The writer's decision to make this study has been prompted by the considerable neglect of research in the contemporary repertory for organ. The scope of this study will be limited to solo organ music; there is indeed a sizeable repertory for organ and musical ensembles. For reasons elaborated upon in the intro­ ductory chapter, this study will involve a discussion of selected literature written from 1945-1965 and will not attempt an exhaustive presentation of the entire body of con­ temporary music for organ. A special problem in writing about contemporary music involves the temptation to make judgments about composers and their compositions that have not yet stood the test of time. Thus, the writer has attempted to avoid statements of a purely subjective nature and remarks concerning personal preferences and opinions about the composers and their music. Conclusive evaluations of composers and compositions have been avoided, to an extent, for these would rely only upon the subjective ideas of the writer. Any writer will be guided to a greater than desirable extent, however, by var­ ious background factors that will have shaped his views of contemporary music. There will always be differences of opinion regarding ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. emphasis, selectivity, and proportion in a study such as this, particularly with reference to composers and composi­ tions chosen. If many organ composers, widely acclaimed or not, have been mentioned in passing or not at all, it is not intended to imply any aesthetic evaluation of their works, good or bad. The selection of composers and works has been carefully made, as will be discussed more thoroughly in the forthcoming introductory chapter. Whatever has seemed pertinent to this writer regarding evolving, current trends in organ music has been included in this study; however, this has taken for granted that the task has been limited. Composers discussed herein have been chosen as representatives of specific trends. The organization of this study has centered around divi­ sions indicated by certain stylistic streams. It is assumed that the reader will have some knowledge about the organ, the standard organ repertory, contemporary music, and about organ music of this century in general. Thus, the study will be most meaningful for the scholar who has some interest in organ music and for the organist who has some interest in musical research. It is very important that the reader know the author's attitude toward musical analysis for this study. This dis­ sertation represents a broad survey of the technical elements and the stylistic idioms of the music involved. It is not intended to be a bar-by-bar discussion of the selected compo­ sitions. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Also of considerable importance is that the reader realize that the writer is looking for compositional unifying devices throughout the analyses of works in this study, because it is part of the writer's thesis and basic attitude that one of the best departures for musical analysis includes a thorough search for compositional unifying devices. The writer believes that this approach will best explain what the composer apparently set out to do and how he did it. Some will disagree with this attitude; nevertheless, the writer has found that an outlook of this sort for analysis has led to better understanding of the technical and stylistic fea­ tures of the music involved in this study. The writer wishes to emphasize that formal analysis in a conventional sense is not of major importance in this study. Formal plans and designs have been discussed briefly wherever observed in the music. But the discussion of compositional devices and technical elements has been emphasized more than other features of analysis. The author believes that a com­ poser's use of technical elements creates and determines his style, just as a writer's use of grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation leads to his writing style. Thus, it was neces­ sary to analyze the music before placing it in a stylistic category. Also the author wishes to indicate that he emphasizes, the unusual rather than the obvious throughout all analytical discussions. In a study of this sort it has been deemed more appropriate to stress the more esoteric features of analysis iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. rather than the conventional or obvious. The reader will observe that the length of analytical discussions will vary considerably from one work to another. This indicates only that some works contain more material for analysis than others. A brief description of terms used in the discussion of music will now be given (although this is not intended to be a glossary) for the terms are to be used with considerable flexibility throughout this study, rather than with an inflexible, strict view that would be implied by an actual glossary. The terms are discussed in the order of their frequency in this study. Grundgestalt, literally meaning basic shape, will be used with flexibility due to its some­ what controversial implications. At times, it will be synonomous with germ motive, indicating a short melodic unit or small number of notes that appear over and over throughout a composition, giving technical unity and formal coherence. The term will also refer to the thematic contour of a melody, series, or row that is used throughout a composition or a movement of a work. Also the word may be used to describe an underlying psychological thought or idea that may have led to compositional practices. In this broad context the term has the same connotation as the trite word "inspiration" and is therefore used in its place. The various meanings of Grundgestalt will be clarified by the use of the term within the text and within the context of discussing a particular musical composition. Also, the writer emphasizes that the Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. term will not be limited to any style of music but will be used wherever deemed appropriate by the musical analysis. Serial will be used to indicate a procedure whereby a composer uses a certain melody, germ motive, or Grundgestalt as a device for unity throughout a work. The context will indicate whether the term has a special relationship to any certain composer well-known for certain compositional devices or procedures described as "serial." This is to indicate that serial does not suggest a certain technique, style, or composer; moreover, this is emphasized because of the contro­ versial connotations of this term at the present time. Per­ haps some will say that avoidance of the term would be the best procedure; however,, the writer wishes to stress that all terms of this sort can and should be used with a great deal of flexibility. Terminology of the twentieth century should remain at least as flexible as terminology of all -other periods. Serial will usually imply that the composer is using a melody or motive in various contrapuntal forms and with considerable contrapuntal and harmonic variety. In no case will this term be affixed to a composer or style, for there is considerable ambiguity in referring to "serial com­ posers" or "serial styles." Atonal and pantonal are terms that also defy strict definitions. Atonal suggests that tonality of any sort is totally absent, which is almost impossible for this writer to conceive. Pantonal indicates a broad, inclusive meaning that is too vague and hazy for clear explanation. Nevertheless, vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the latter term is preferable to the former, and will serve to illustrate a texture in music that is not distinctively tonal in a conventional sense but still recalls certain sound effects and textures of older music. Pandiatonic is to be used sparingly in the text. The term usually implies more respect and adherence to vertical sonorities in a tonal sense rather than attention to tonal implications in horizontal or contrapuntal progressions.