Identifier

etd-08262015-141117

Degree

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

Department

Music

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

The purpose of this document is to serve as a performance guide for Ivor Gurney’s song cycle, The Western Playland (and of Sorrow), a song cycle for baritone, piano and string quartet, consisting of eight songs set to the poetry of A. E. Housman. Within this performance guide an analysis of each song and poem in The Western Playland (and of Sorrow) will be explored, along with performance recommendations for each of the eight songs. Given that there were relatively few composers writing works for string quartet, piano and solo voice during the years Ivor Gurney was composing, the author feels an in-depth exploration of this song cycle necessitates the research found in this dissertation. This document contains information about the life and works of composer and poet, Ivor Gurney, and poet A. E. Housman. Appendices include: the complete solo voice works list of Mr. Gurney, his discography, transcripts of e-mail interviews with the current biography author of Mr. Gurney, and e-mail interviews with Philip Lancaster, Gurney Archivist and letters of permission.

Date

2015

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Jesse, Dennis

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.2469

Included in

Music Commons

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