THE SAXOPHONE MUSIC OF ALEX MINCEK AND ERIC WUBBELS: USES OF FORM, REPETITION, AND EXTENDED TECHNIQUE Matthew Younglove A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS May 2017 Committee: John Sampen, Advisor Andrew Schockett, Graduate Faculty Representative Mikel Kuehn Nermis Mieses © 2017 Matthew Younglove All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT John Sampen, Advisor Composers Alex Mincek and Eric Wubbels have both contributed significantly to the saxophone repertoire of the 21st Century. As members of the Wet Ink Ensemble, a New York City-based new music ensemble, they are both highly regarded performers and composers; Mincek is a saxophonist and Wubbels a pianist. While their contributions to the saxophone repertoire have been significant (seventeen works by Mincek, six works by Wubbels), there has been little scholarly attention to either composer or their saxophone works. This document provides the reader with biographical sketches and the philosophical approaches of each composer, comparing their similarities while drawing attention to what makes each unique in addition to highlighting the ways they have impacted each other as collaborators. It further examines Mincek’s Pendulum III and Nucleus and Wubbels’ This is This is This is and Axamer Folio, specifically evaluating the works through an analysis of form, unique uses of repetitive gestures, and extensive incorporation of extended techniques on the saxophone with the goal of providing a performer with analytical and performance tools to aid in the interpretation of these works. iv This document is dedicated to my parents, Donald and Christine Younglove, whose unconditional love and support have made possible the pursuit of this passion. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge many individuals whose efforts went into the creation of this document. Thanks to my committee members, Mikel Kuehn, Nermis Mieses, and Andrew Schockett for contributing to my growth as a scholar and musician during my time at BGSU. I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to John Sampen for his guidance, instruction, and continued passion for this art form that we share. His mentorship continues to have immeasurable value. Thanks to Marilyn Shrude for her continued support, assistance, and musical guidance throughout the degree program. I would like to acknowledge Gregory Beyer, Noa Even, Eliot Gattegno, and David Wegehaupt for their contributions to this document through their willingness to correspond. I am extremely grateful for the participation of Alex Mincek and Eric Wubbels; this document would not have been possible without their support. Additionally, I would like to acknowledge European American Music Distributors Company, an agent for Schott Music Corporation, and Eric Wubbels for licensing the rights of the musical examples found in this document. The support of my family, near and far, has been substantial in helping me to thrive in my degree program and in my profession. To my loving parents Donald and Christine, my parents-in-law Mike and Tina, my brothers Jordan and Seth, and brother-in- law Mikey, I extend my deepest gratitude. Their devotion to me and to my craft has helped me achieve this milestone. Lastly, I would like to give special thanks to my wife, Sara, for her loving support and unwavering belief in me as a scholar and musician. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………..... 1 CHAPTER 1. ALEX MINCEK ........................................................................................... 5 Mincek’s Musical Development, Education, and Compositional Influences ........... 5 Performer-Composer ................................................................................................. 8 Gesture and Physicality ............................................................................................. 11 Coherence and Logic ................................................................................................. 12 Repetition .................................................................................................................. 18 Current State of Composition .................................................................................... 21 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 22 CHAPTER 2. ERIC WUBBELS .......................................................................................... 23 Wubbels’s Musical Development, Education, and Compositional Influences .......... 23 Gesture and Physicality.............................................................................................. 27 Musical Forms ........................................................................................................... 31 Approach to the Saxophone ....................................................................................... 35 Aesthetic ................................................................................................................... 36 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 37 CHAPTER 3. WET INK ENSEMBLE ............................................................................... 39 Wet Ink Ensemble History ........................................................................................ 39 Wet Ink Ensemble Aesthetics .................................................................................... 41 Mincek and Wubbels’ Influences on Each Other ..................................................... 44 CHAPTER 4. SAXOPHONE WORKS BY ALEX MINCEK ............................................ 47 vii Historical Background of Pendulum III ..................................................................... 47 Formal Elements and Analysis of Pendulum III ........................................................ 48 Pitch Content of Pendulum III ................................................................................... 57 Uses of Repetition ...................................................................................................... 61 Elements of Free Jazz and Improvisation .................................................................. 62 Relevant Material from Performer Interviews ........................................................... 64 Historical Background of Nucleus ............................................................................. 66 Formal Elements and Analysis of Nucleus ................................................................ 67 Repetition in Nucleus ................................................................................................. 70 Form in Nucleus ......................................................................................................... 71 Relevant Material from Performer Interviews ........................................................... 78 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 80 CHAPTER 5. SAXOPHONE WORKS BY ERIC WUBBELS ............................................ 82 Historical Background of This is This is This is ........................................................ 82 Formal Elements and Analysis of This is This is This is ........................................... 85 Repetition in This is This is This is ............................................................................ 91 Relevant Material from Performer Interviews ........................................................... 93 Historical Background of Axamer Folio .................................................................... 95 Formal Elements and Analysis of Axamer Folio ....................................................... 98 Duos in Axamer Folio ................................................................................................ 103 Paired and Separable Duos in Axamer Folio ............................................................. 104 Free Improvisation in Axamer Folio .......................................................................... 105 Relevant Material from Performer Interviews ........................................................... 106 viii Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 107 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................. 109 APPENDIX A. COMPLETE LIST OF SAXOPHONE WORKS......................................... 112 APPENDIX B. INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS .................................................................... 115 APPENDIX C. EXTENDED TECHNIQUES RESOURCE GUIDES ................................. 218 APPENDIX D. HSRB INFORMED CONSENT LETTERS ................................................ 287 APPENDIX E. PERMISSION LETTERS ............................................................................ 311 ix LIST OF EXAMPLES Example Page 1.1 Alex Mincek, Nucleus, page 3, line 3, measure 50-53 .............................................. 15 1.2 Alex Mincek, Pendulum III, page 1, line 1, measures 1-7 ......................................... 17 1.3 Alex Mincek, Nucleus, page 1, lines 1-2, measures 1-10 .......................................... 20 2.1 Eric Wubbels, This is This is This is, page 1, line 1, measure 1-3 ............................