Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

419

Date

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Musical Arts

Major

Music

Concentration

Performance

Committee Chair

Kenneth Krietner

Committee Member

Janet Page

Committee Member

John Baur

Committee Member

Bruce Erskine

Abstract

This project explores the trio sonotas of Handel's Opus 2 from the flutist's perspective. Of the many editions that were published, the primary source for this paper is the 1789 edition by Dr. Samuel Arnold. Handel's music was often marketed toward the widest amateur audience possible, and this collection was no different: the title page reads as follows, Six Sonatas for Two Violins, Two Hautboys, or Two German Flutes, & a Violoncello/ First Published at Amsterdam 1731/ Composed by G. F. Handel. Range, key signature, and idiomatic string music can make pieces difficult at best, if not unplayable, for the traverso player. This paper explores the question, what did the travesrso player do to adapt the music in a more traverso-friendly way? The end goal of the project is to explore historical solutions the traverso player could have used, and thus become a resource for the modern player of the Baroque flute, or the modern flutist. These sonatas follow in the tradition of the Corellian sonata da chiesa model. They are considered in this project from the ensemble perspective of two traversi and basso continuo. Of the many performance issues the flutist would have had to contend with, these three ocurred the most: range, key signature, and idomatic string writing (such as double stops, and awkward string crossing patterns). The six sonatas are grouped into three categories: Traverso-Friendly Sonatas (nos. 1 and 4); Semi Traverso-Friendly Sonatas (no. 2); Non-Friendly Traverso Sonatas (nos. 3, 5, and 6). Each sonata is then discussed in relation to the challenges the traverso player would have in performing it. For the sonatas deemed playable on two traversi (nos. 1, 4, and 2), historical solutions are given. In addition, one will find notes to reference the historical solutions.

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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