Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

2661

Date

2016

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Musical Arts

Major

Music

Concentration

Performance

Committee Chair

Janet Page

Committee Member

Tim Shiu

Committee Member

John Baur

Committee Member

Robyn Lynn Jones

Abstract

This dissertation discusses the life and music of the Austrian composer Hans Gál (1890–1987). A biography is assembled from a number of sources, but primarily from the writing of his daughter, Eva Fox-Gál, and the composer’s wartime diary. A summation of Gál’s philosophy of life and music is assembled from the composer’s own writings—primarily those about past composers who had a great deal of influence on Gál. Gál’s Suite for Violoncello Solo is then extensively analyzed for form, harmony, melody, and other musical aspects to evaluate Gál as a composer for the cello, and to better understand his contribution to the repertoire. Gál is revealed through this to be a man who faced great adversity and tragedy in his life, but who always sought to stay true to his own personal sense of artistic integrity. Gál’s writings show him to be intellectual and curious in nature, always desiring to gain greater understanding and insight in to both music and human nature. As a composer, Gál saw himself as a scion of the past, rooting himself in the tonal and formal practices of the common practices era rather than those of the twentieth century. The analysis of the suite displays all of these various qualities of Gál as a person and composer.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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