University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Student Research, Creative Activity, and Performance - School of Music Music, School of 7-2020 A Performer’s Guide to and Analysis of David Heath’s Out of the Cool, Rumania, and Coltrane Lindsey O'Connor University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicstudent Part of the Music Commons O'Connor, Lindsey, "A Performer’s Guide to and Analysis of David Heath’s Out of the Cool, Rumania, and Coltrane" (2020). Student Research, Creative Activity, and Performance - School of Music. 146. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicstudent/146 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Music, School of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Research, Creative Activity, and Performance - School of Music by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. A PERFORMER’S GUIDE TO AND ANALYSIS OF DAVID HEATH’S OUT OF THE COOL, RUMANIA, AND COLTRANE by Lindsey Nicole O’Connor A DOCTORAL DOCUMENT Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Major: Music Under the Supervision of Dr. John R. Bailey Lincoln, Nebraska July 2020 A PERFORMER’S GUIDE TO AND ANALYSIS OF DAVID HEATH’S OUT OF THE COOL, RUMANIA, AND COLTRANE Lindsey Nicole O’Connor, D.M.A. University of Nebraska, 2020 Advisor: John R. Bailey The purpose of this document is to provide an introduction to and analysis of the three jazz-inspired early works of British composer David C. Heath (b. 1956), all arranged for saxophone by the composer—Out of the Cool (1978), Rumania (1979), and Coltrane (1981). By examining Heath’s relatively unexplored repertoire for saxophone, this research aims to encourage further research and performance of his music. Heath is a freelance composer and flutist currently residing in Edinburgh, Scotland in the United Kingdom. He has written major works for notable performing artists such as The Ascension (1994) for flutist James Galway, African Sunrise/Manhattan Rave (1995) for percussionist Evelyn Glennie, Alone at the Frontier (1993) for violinist Nigel Kennedy, and Gentle Dreams (1983) for cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. However, Heath’s repertoire for saxophone remains relatively unknown. To date, he has written three compositions originally for saxophone, and he has also arranged eight of his own works for saxophone. Collectively, these works employ compositional techniques from his many stylistic influences including avant-garde (such as musique concrète, in which Heath uses recorded sounds from nature), blues, funk, jazz, minimalism, reggae, rock, Celtic, and North Indian. Divided into five chapters, this study introduces the contemporary saxophonist to these three early works (with one chapter devoted to each work), establishes their compositional merit, and examines aspects of formal structure, harmonic and melodic language, unifying features, and influences from jazz performers/composers and North Indian music. This study also provides brief pedagogical suggestions for both teaching and performance of his works. Scores and interviews with the composer provide the primary source material for this document. i TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF MUSICAL TABLES, FIGURES, AND EXAMPLES ........................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... vii INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 1: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ..........................................................................3 Compositional Style .............................................................................................................6 CHAPTER 2: OUT OF THE COOL ...........................................................................................10 Genesis and Premiere of Composition ...............................................................................10 Form ...................................................................................................................................12 Unifying Opening Motive ..................................................................................................13 Major 7#11 Chords ............................................................................................................16 Groove Patterns ..................................................................................................................18 Pseudo-Improvisation ........................................................................................................23 CHAPTER 3: RUMANIA .........................................................................................................25 Genesis and Premiere of Composition ...............................................................................25 Form ...................................................................................................................................27 Harmonic Language ...........................................................................................................28 Unifying Melodic and Rhythmic Motives .........................................................................36 Piano Opening and Interludes ............................................................................................47 Raga and Piano Rumbles ...................................................................................................50 CHAPTER 4: COLTRANE .......................................................................................................56 ii Genesis and Premiere of Composition ...............................................................................56 Form and Tonal Centers.....................................................................................................58 Opening and Closing Material ...........................................................................................60 Unifying Half-Step Motive ................................................................................................62 Tonal Centers in Section 1 .................................................................................................64 Tonal Centers in Section 2 .................................................................................................67 Blues to Modal ...................................................................................................................71 North Indian Music ............................................................................................................73 Sound and Style .................................................................................................................74 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................76 Non-Improvised Jazz Style ................................................................................................76 Clearly Defined Structure ..................................................................................................77 Influence of World Music ..................................................................................................78 Performance Practice .........................................................................................................80 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................86 APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................89 iii LIST OF MUSICAL TABLES, FIGURES, AND EXAMPLES TABLE 1.1. Heath’s Original and Transcribed Works for Saxophone ...............................9 FIGURE 2.1. Out of the Cool: Form..................................................................................12 EXAMPLE 2.2. Unifying Opening Motive in A Section ..................................................14 EXAMPLE 2.3. Opening Motive from the A Section Used in B Section .........................15 EXAMPLE 2.4. Opening Motive from the A Section Used in Transition to A′ Section....................................................................................................................15 EXAMPLE 2.5. Use of Maj7#11 Chords ..........................................................................18 EXAMPLE 2.6. Groove Pattern No. 1a .............................................................................20 EXAMPLE 2.7. Groove Pattern No. 1b ............................................................................21 EXAMPLE 2.8. Groove Pattern No. 2 ..............................................................................22 EXAMPLE 2.9. Improvisation Over DMaj7#11 ...............................................................24 FIGURE 3.1. Rumania Analyzed by Sections ...................................................................28 EXAMPLE 3.2. Transition to Rehearsal Letter C/Beginning of Section II (mm. 51-55) ...........................................................................................................29 EXAMPLE 3.3. Transition to F Tonal Center Before Rehearsal Letter G/Beginning of Section III (mm. 118-122)