Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2020 Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles: Musical and Dramatic Analysis Joseph Stuligross West Virginia University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Part of the Musicology Commons, Music Performance Commons, and the Music Theory Commons Recommended Citation Stuligross, Joseph, "Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles: Musical and Dramatic Analysis" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7793. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7793 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles: Musical and Dramatic Analysis Joseph Stuligross Research Project submitted to the College of Creative Arts at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting Mitchell Arnold, D.M.A, Chair Kym Scott, D.M.A. Hope Koehler, D.M.A. Beth Royall, M.L.I.S., M.M. Andrew Kohn, Ph.D., Research Advisor Morgantown, West Virginia 2020 Keywords: Joby Talbot, Path of Miracles, Choral Music, Camino de Santiago Copyright 2020 Joseph Stuligross i ABSTRACT Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles: Musical and Dramatic Analysis Joseph Stuligross This project investigates Joby Talbot’s choral composition Path of Miracles, focusing on interpretive insight as well as musical and extra-musical understandings related to the subject matter, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain known as the Camino de Santiago. It explores the sources and methods of generating dramatic intensity and seeks to understand how the composer achieved particular dramatic effects. The project proceeds along two related modes of inquiry. The first involves musical evaluation, particularly of pitch, motive, harmony and rhythm techniques, in a somewhat traditional analysis. The second investigates the ways in which musical techniques generate the dramatic and psychological character of the moment. This approach involves understanding the texts and their background (as some are not readily comprehensible at surface level) and evaluates them in the context of particular musical passages. Specifically, this study scrutinizes the use of additive compositional techniques and seek to determine how important dramatic and emotional moments are created. Much of the composition is episodic, with musical materials determined by the dramatic requirements. As a result, form and musical structure are not a focus of this project, although there are some significant formal elements, such as multiple recurrences of the Pilgrims’ Hymn, which occur for dramatic reasons. In addition, practical questions about selecting singers and performance venue, as well as other performance-related issues that this piece presents are addressed. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank my research advisor, Dr. Andrew Kohn, for his tireless assistance, thoughtful and probing suggestions and patience as I worked through the many issues involved in completing this project. I have attempted, with greater and lesser success, to incorporate these ideas and observations throughout the document. I also thank the other members of my committee for their time and care in review of this document. In particular, I thank Dr. Mitchell Arnold and Dr. Kym Scott, who were instrumental at early stages of this process in helping me to evaluate and understand the implications of particular research possibilities; Dr. Hope Koehler, whose insights into the nature of singers and voices, particularly with respect to varying national schools, was helpful in understanding how performance of a piece such as the one that is the subject of this project can best be performed; and Professor Beth Royall, whose bibliographic assistance has been tremendously helpful. I am thankful to scholars Dr. Maryjane Dunn and Dr. Jessica Knauss, who helped me to navigate and understand some of the obscure textual references in Path of Miracles. Most importantly, I thank my eternal love, Deb Sadowski, for her bountiful patience and frequent encouragement as well as her direct assistance with many of the technical (and technological) requirements of this project. Her skills and generosity know no bounds. And I finally thank my three children, Clara, Ben Caroline and especially Jacob (who, in addition to solving a tricky technological issue, was incredibly good-natured and tolerant as our social- distanced household attempted to retain our joyful exuberance). iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO POM AS A DRAMATIC WORK ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 A. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 B. Statement of Topic.................................................................................................................. 2 1. Objective .............................................................................................................................. 2 2. Procedure ............................................................................................................................. 3 3. Need for Study and Review of Sources ............................................................................... 4 C. Exploration of Drama in POM ............................................................................................... 6 D. The Camino de Santiago ........................................................................................................ 9 E. The Work .............................................................................................................................. 14 CHAPTER 2: “Roncesvalles”...................................................................................................... 19 A. Pasiputput Opening .............................................................................................................. 19 B. The Pilgrims’ Hymn and the Miracle Cell ........................................................................... 21 C. The Pilgrims’ Introduction to St. James ............................................................................... 26 1. The Martyrdom of St. James ............................................................................................. 26 2. James Spreads the Gospel .................................................................................................. 32 3. Translatio of St. James ...................................................................................................... 33 4. Rediscovery of the Tomb .................................................................................................. 35 CHAPTER 3: “Burgos” ................................................................................................................ 37 A. POM’s use of Musical Blocks .............................................................................................. 37 B. Text Considerations .............................................................................................................. 48 CHAPTER 4: “Leon” ................................................................................................................... 49 A. Musical Depictions of Light ................................................................................................. 49 B. Modal Writing and Rhythmic Shifts .................................................................................... 52 C. Shifting Halo and Tertiary Harmonic Motion ...................................................................... 56 D. Arrival at E♭ Major and Return of the Canon: Transposition Technique ............................ 58 E. The Shift to Lydian Mode and Half-Step Modulation from D♭ to D Major ........................ 60 CHAPTER 5: “Santiago” ............................................................................................................. 66 iv A. Additive Techniques Build Drama ....................................................................................... 66 B. Approaching Monte de Gozo and Descent to Santiago ........................................................ 71 C. Return of the Pilgrims’ Hymn and Conclusion ...................................................................