University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

AN ANALYSIS OF HARRISON BIRTWISTLE’S CORTEGE

Pak, Sunyeong

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Description

Title
AN ANALYSIS OF HARRISON BIRTWISTLE’S CORTEGE
Author(s)
Pak, Sunyeong
Issue Date
2017
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Professor Erik Lund
Committee Member(s)
  • Assistant Professor Erin Gee
  • Professor Charlotte Mattax Moersch
  • Clinical Assistant Professor Andrea Solya
Department of Study
School of Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D. (doctoral)
Keyword(s)
  • Harrison
  • Birtwistle
  • music
  • Cortege
  • analysis
Language
en
Abstract
This paper provides a detailed background and context for understanding Harrison Birtwistle’s interest in ritual and musical theatre, along with a comprehensive analysis of Cortege that references Ritual Fragment (from which Cortege is derived). Chapter 1 provides Birtwistle’s biographical information and general description of Cortege and Ritual Fragment. Chapter 2 examines the composer’s theatrical approach and how specifically theatrical movements are applied in Cortege. Chapter 3 provides a detailed sectional analysis. The analysis includes elements within Cortege that are characteristic of Birtwistle’s compositional style, as well as a number of atypical features. An analysis focuses on Birtwistle’s compositional techniques including various ways of creating continuity within sectional structure. These compositional techniques are employed to express the idea of a processional in Cortege. In particular, Birtwistle often employs a technique of ‘motivic repetition’ to sustain the overall structure of the work in his recent works where large scale structural repeats are absent. This study examines how each solo instrument has its own distinctive motives and certain motives appear as ‘tags’ for particular instruments within the ensemble, helping to build a sense of continuity. This chapter also examines how the idea of cantus and continuum is defined in Cortege. The final chapter investigates his recent activities, works and this study’s contribution to scholarship on Birtwistle’s music.
Type of Resource
text
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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/95831

Owning Collections

Doctoral Project Theses [Option 2] - Music PRIMARY