Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

School of Music

Sub-Department

Music Performance

First Advisor

Michael Harley

Abstract

This study is a performance guide that traces the compositional style of Dan Welcher, a well-known composer and former principal bassoonist of the Louisville Symphony and professor of bassoon at the University of Texas, through an examination of two works in which the bassoon is a prominent solo instrument: Concerto da Camera (1975) and The Wind Won’t Listen (2002). These works, a concerto and a chamber piece, span a period of almost 30 years in Welcher’s career. The study also includes a survey of other chamber music by Welcher involving the bassoon. It relates the two focal pieces to the greater bassoon repertoire by examining elements of form, style, harmonic language, and those of a programmatic nature. Suggestions for performance are included based upon their relevance to these considerations. Also included in this document are a discography of recordings of each piece and a collection of available program notes.

Rights

© 2015, Reed Aaron Hanna

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