University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Music Music 2017 WHEN UNEXPECTED BEAUTY BURNS LIKE SUNLIGHT ON THE SEA: SONGS OF WINTTER WATTS, COMPOSER AND SARA TEASDALE, POET Casey A. Huggins University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2017.037 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Huggins, Casey A., "WHEN UNEXPECTED BEAUTY BURNS LIKE SUNLIGHT ON THE SEA: SONGS OF WINTTER WATTS, COMPOSER AND SARA TEASDALE, POET" (2017). Theses and Dissertations--Music. 78. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/music_etds/78 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Music at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Music by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Casey A. Huggins, Student Dr. Angelique Clay-Everett, Major Professor Dr. Michael R. Baker, Director of Graduate Studies WHEN UNEXPECTED BEAUTY BURNS LIKE SUNLIGHT ON THE SEA: SONGS OF WINTTER WATTS, COMPOSER AND SARA TEASDALE, POET ________________________________________ DMA DOCUMENT _________________________________________ A document submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Kentucky By Casey Alison Huggins Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Angelique Clay-Everett, Professor of Voice Lexington, Kentucky 2017 Copyright © Casey Alison Huggins 2017 ABSTRACT OF DOCUMENT WHEN UNEXPECTED BEAUTY BURNS LIKE SUNLIGHT ON THE SEA: SONGS OF WINTTER WATTS, COMPOSER AND SARA TEASDALE, POET This document is an overview of Wintter Watts’ song settings of Sara Teasdale poems. Watts set 15 Teasdale poems as a part of his repertoire of approximately 200 art songs, both published and unpublished. Included are a thorough investigation of the culture of the period of American history of which Watts and Teasdale emerged as artists, biographies of each artist, with particular emphasis placed on Watts’ life and work, and theoretical and poetic analyses of each piece. Additionally, teachers of singing will find the appendix useful to explore options for student repertoire. KEYWORDS: Wintter Watts, Sara Teasdale, Romantic, “Vignettes Overseas,” Art Song Casey Alison Huggins________________ January 18, 2017__________________ WHEN UNEXPECTED BEAUTY BURNS LIKE SUNLIGHT ON THE SEA: SONGS OF WINTTER WATTS, COMPOSER AND SARA TEASDALE, POET By Casey Huggins Smith _______________Dr. Angelique Clay-Everett Director of Document ______________________Dr. Michael Baker Director of Graduate Studies ___January 18, 2017 Date ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are so many people that I need to thank for helping me through this degree process. I need to begin with Dr. Angelique Clay-Everett. From the first time I met with her, she has been a supportive teacher, mentor and friend. Her belief in my abilities has been such an encouragement at times that I thought I would be unable to go on. I also would like to thank my full committee- Dr. Noemi Lugo, Dr. Michael Baker, Dr. Lance Brunner, and Dr. Jonathan Allison- for their patience and the reminder that I am too hard on myself. It was only when I really took this to heart, that I was able to move forward on this document. I want to thank my dear friend, Ellie Brown who diligently read, corrected and praised my writing. You will make a wonderful teacher and I am so grateful for the kick in the pants you gave me to finish my paper and graduate. I also must thank Martha Robertson for her insights, prayers and friendship through this time. Other dear friends who have been a huge support include Diana Draper, Jesslyn Newhall, the Brown family, and my best friend, Kristen Sweitzer- all of you have helped me keep my sanity in a time when I thought I might lose it! I would be remiss to leave out the ladies of my Step Study group who have fervently prayed for my discipline to keep working until I am finished. All of you are a blessing to me. I certainly must thank my father, Ronnie Huggins, who has never lost faith in me and has always been my biggest fan. Thank you for being such an encouragement to me and helping me to see that I can do this. I also send thanks heavenward to my mother, Sandra Preece. Thank you for recognizing my gifts at an early age and helping me to nurture them. You knew twenty years ago that I should be a Professor. I miss you so much. Lastly, I thank the man who has supported me financially during this time and given me the space I needed to finally get through this document. Nathan Smith, I will always be grateful to you for everything. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................iii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES...............................................................................................vi LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES.................................................................................................vii PART I: MONOGRAPH CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................1 BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................1 PURPOSE............................................................................................................................2 METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................. 3 REVIEW OF LITERATURE............................................................................................. 5 CHAPTER II: WINTTER WATTS AND AMERICAN ARTS CULTURE: 1900-1930................7 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................. 7 EUROPEAN HERITAGE: INFLUENCES AND DIVERGENCE....................................9 A COMPOSER’S LIVELIHOOD.....................................................................................13 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMPOSERS.............................................16 WOMEN: THEIR INFLUENCE ON AND SUPPORT OF CLASSICAL MUSIC.........19 CONCLUSIONS...............................................................................................................21 CHAPTER III: WINTTER WATTS AND SARA TEASDALE, A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH........................................................................................................................................ 23 LIFE AND WORKS OF WINTTER WATTS................................................................. 23 LIFE AND WORK OF SARA TEADALE...................................................................... 36 CHAPTER IV: WINTTER WATTS’ SETTINGS OF TEASDALE POEMS...............................40 BACKGROUND ON VIGNETTES OF ITALY.............................................................. 40 ADDIO................................................................................................................. 42 NAPLES............................................................................................................... 47 CAPRI...................................................................................................................51 NIGHT SONG AT AMALFI................................................................................56 RUINS OF PAESTUM.........................................................................................61 FROM A ROMAN HILL......................................................................................64 PONTE VECCHIO, FLORENCE.........................................................................58 VILLA SERBELLONI, BELLAGGIO.................................................................74 STRESA................................................................................................................77 CRITICAL REVIEWS