! Folio of Compositions and Critical Commentary Nicole Murphy M.Mus, B.Mus(Hons I) A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2016 School of Music !ii Abstract This research comprises a folio of original compositions and an accompanying critical commentary. Employing a practice-based research methodology, the compositions explore my subjective aesthetic principles through a variety of musical devices, resulting in an individual compositional language. These aesthetic concerns, and the musical devices that contribute to forming a distinctive compositional style, are discussed in the critical commentary. By examining my subjective attitudes towards my compositional language, I identify a number of aesthetic principles that pervade my music. These include ambiguity, surprise, beauty, and a response to stimulus. These aesthetic concerns are addressed through the use of a number of stylistic devices that are prominent in my compositional language, including metrical ambiguity, the use of drones and ostinati, textural manipulation, and my approach to thematic and melodic development. The formation of my compositional language is discussed through an examination of my musical upbringing, identifying both Australian art music and post-postmodernism as influences on my style. The outcome of this creative research is a folio of original compositions that exemplify the aforementioned aesthetic principles through the employment of stylistic devices. The compositions included in the folio are Stolen, a major work for electric guitar and chamber ensemble that takes its form from a poem by Richard James Allen; Water Mirrors, a major work for string orchestra based on a collection of poems by Nicholas Powell; and two vocal works, dark waters, air stirs, a setting of two haikus for unaccompanied mezzo soprano; and Dearest Mother…, a setting of World War I letters that were written by hospital nurse Edith “Queenie” Florence Avenell, scored for soprano, viola and piano. !iii Declaration by author This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the policy and procedures of The University of Queensland, the thesis be made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968 unless a period of embargo has been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. !iv Publications during candidature Murphy, Nicole. “Dearest Mother…” War Letters: New Music Commemorating WWI. Perf. Jo Allan, Alison Morgan, and James Wannan. Rec. 14 November 2015. CD. Murphy, Nicole. Elsewhere. 2010. Wollongong: Wirripang, 2014. Print. Murphy, Nicole. "Elsewhere: Theodore Front Prize." Journal of the International Alliance for Women in Music. 19.2 (2013): 46-48. Print. Murphy, Nicole. “Insight: Stolen.” Resonate Magazine. 4 October 2016. Australian Music Centre. Web. Murphy, Nicole. Isa. 2014. Wollongong: Wirripang, 2015. Print. Murphy, Nicole. “Remnant.” Australian Women Composers’ Piano Anthology. Ed. Katie Zhukov. Wollongong: Wirripang, 2015. Print. Murphy, Nicole. Stolen. Cond. Julian Pellicano. Perf. David Perry, Miki Sawada, Solomon Silber, Jeff Stern, Samuel Suggs, and Ilana Waniuk. Elm City Records, 2016. MP3. Murphy, Nicole. Surface. 2012. Wollongong: Wirripang, 2015. Print. Murphy, Nicole. Surface II. 2013. Wollongong: Wirripang, 2014. Print. Murphy, Nicole. Untangled. 2011. Wollongong: Wirripang, 2014. Print. !v Publications included in this thesis Murphy, Nicole. “Insight: Stolen.” Resonate Magazine. 4 October 2016. Australian Music Centre. Web. Contributions by others to the thesis No contributions by others. Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree None. !vi Acknowledgements Gratitude is owed to my principal supervisor, Dr Robert Davidson, for his knowledge, advice and support throughout my candidature. Appreciation is also extended to Dr Simon Perry, for his thorough feedback in the final stages of preparing this dissertation. I am deeply grateful for my artistic collaborators, who have so generously shared their musical skills, knowledge and perspectives. These collaborators include Solomon Silber, Julian Pellicano, David Perry, Miki Sawada, Ilana Waniuk, Samuel Suggs, and Jeff Stern. Thanks is also extended to Lisa Neher, Diana Blom, Halcyon, Jordan Randall-Smith and Symphony Number One, without whom the music in the folio would not have been brought to life. Sincere appreciation is given to the writers whose works have been a stimulus for my music, including Richard James Allen, Nicholas Powell, Edith “Queenie” Florence Avenell, Pat Richardson and Anne Skinner. Sincere thanks are given to my partner, family, and friends, whose collective support, light- heartedness and good humour has provided necessary balance and perspective throughout my candidature. I also wish to acknowledge Dr Gerard Brophy, whose insightful and inspiring mentorship during my years as a young composer played a significant role in the formation of my compositional language. !vii Keywords Music composition, creative practice, new music, collaboration, creative process. Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) ANZSRC code: 190406, Music Composition, 100% Fields of Research (FoR) Classification FoR code: 1904, Performing Arts and Creative Writing, 100%. !viii Table of Contents Abstract ii Declaration by Author iii Publications During Candidature iv Publications Included in this Thesis v Acknowledgements vi Keywords and Research Classifications vii Table of Contents viii List of Figures x Part One: Critical Commentary 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Methodology 2 1.2 Personal Background 4 2. Aesthetic Approach 8 2.1 Ambiguity 8 2.2 Subverting Expectation 9 2.3 Beauty 11 2.4 Stimulus 13 3. Technical Approach 15 3.1 Local Influences: Landscape and Australian Music 15 3.2 Global Influences 17 3.3 Elements of Style 18 3.4 Compositional Process 22 4. Stolen 29 4.1 Context 29 4.2 Collaboration 30 4.3 Form 33 4.4 Movement I 36 4.5 Movement II 37 4.6 Movement III 41 4.7 Movement IV 44 4.8 Movement V 46 4.9 Movement V(b) 48 !ix 4.10 Movement V(c) 49 4.11 Movement VI(a) 51 4.12 Movement VI(b) 51 4.13 Movement VII(a) 53 4.14 Movement VII(b) 54 4.15 Movement VIII 56 5. Water Mirrors 60 5.1 Context 60 5.2 Movement I 60 5.3 Movement II 63 5.4 Movement III 67 5.5 Movement IV 68 6. Vocal Works 74 6.1 dark waters; air stirs Context 74 6.2 dark waters 75 6.3 air stirs 78 6.4 Dearest Mother… Context 81 6.5 Movement I 82 6.6 Movement II 84 6.7 Movement III 87 6.8 Movement IV 89 7. Conclusions 91 List of Works Cited 93 List of Works Consulted 100 Part Two: Folio of Compositions 103 Audio Credits Stolen (score) Water Mirrors (score) dark waters; air stirs (score) Dearest Mother… (score) !x List of Figures, Tables and Examples Ex. 3.1. Feldman’s Vertical Thoughts 4, bar 1 …………………………………….. 19 Ex. 3.2. Takemitsu’s Air, bars 1-3 …………………………………………………… 19 Ex. 3.3 The first four phrases of the flute melody in Debussy’s Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un Faune …………………………………………………….. 21 Fig. 3.1. Stolen, Movement VIII, sketch of the form ……………………………… 25 Fig. 3.2. Water Mirrors, Movements I and II, annotated poem ……………..…… 26 Fig. 3.3. Water Mirrors, harmonic material ………………………….………..…… 27 Ex. 4.1. Stolen, Movement I, original bars 80-85, bass clarinet part ……..…….. 32 Ex. 4.2. Stolen, Movement I, revised bars 80-85, bass clarinet part ……..…….. 32 Fig. 4.1. The form of the original version of Stolen ……………………………….. 33 Table 4.1. The form and instrumentation of Stolen ……………………………….. 37 Ex. 4.3. Stolen, Movement I, bars 17-18, bass clarinet part …………………….. 37 Ex. 4.4. Stolen, Movement I, bars 19-20, bass clarinet part …………………….. 37 Ex. 4.5. Stolen, Movement I, bar 29, bass clarinet part ………………………….. 37 Ex. 4.6. Stolen, Movement I, bar 38, bass clarinet part ………………………….. 37 Ex. 4.7. Stolen, Movement II, bars 4-6, ostinato ………………………………….. 38 Ex. 4.8. Stolen, Movement II, bars 4-6, ostinato ………………………………….. 39 Ex. 4.9. Stolen, Movement II, bars 36-38 ………………………………………….. 40 Ex. 4.10. Stolen, Movement II, bars 12-14, electric guitar and piano …………… 41 Ex. 4.11. Stolen, Movement III, bars 1-5, piano part ……………………………… 42 Ex. 4.12. Stolen, Movement III, bars 20-44, electric guitar part ………………… 43 Ex. 4.13. Stolen, Movement III, bars 55-58 ……………………………………….. 44 Ex. 4.14. Stolen, Movement IV, bars 1-10, clarinet part ………………………….. 45 Ex. 4.15. Stolen, Movement IV, bar 11, clarinet part ………………………………. 46 Ex. 4.16. Stolen, Movement V(a), bars 34-36 ……………………………………… 47 !xi Ex. 4.17. Stolen, Movement V(b), bars 2-14, vibraphone part …………………… 48 Ex. 4.18. Stolen, Movement V(b), bars 16-17, vibraphone part ………………….