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"WERE THEY TRULY NEOCLASSIC?" A STUDY OF FRENCH NEOCLASSICISM THROUGH SELECTED CLARINET SONATAS BY "LES SIX" COMPOSERS: ARTHUR HONEGGER, GERMAINE TAILLEFERRE, DARIUS MILHAUD, AND FRANCIS POULENC

MINOR, JANICE LOUISE
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1092930641

Abstract Details

2004, DMA, University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music : Clarinet.
The devastation of World War I had a great effect on the arts. Socio-economic collapse following this war played a major role in the musical transition from nineteenth-century romanticism to twentieth-century "isms. As many artists, particularly in France, sought a return to simplicity, the drama and emotions of romanticism, as well as the luxuriousness of impressionism was rejected. This "new simplicity" emphasized clarity, objectivity, reality, refinement and concision. This new period of restraint and balance resulted in the neoclassic movement of the 1920s and remained strong until after 1945. Neoclassicism rejected the programmatic music characteristic of the nineteenth century and looked back to the order and precision in the absolute music of the eighteenth century. As stylistic changes occurred after the war in many European countries, non-western countries and the United States, Paris became an important center for music, art and literature. In an effort to withdraw from Germanic influences, French composers sought alternative styles that did not refer to the great masters of the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods. In 1917 Jean Cocteau launched composer Erik Satie into prominence after the success of his post-war ballet Parade. Satie's music rejected the formal designs of the past and infused the sounds of popular music from the Parisian cabaret, circus and music-halls. A group of six young composers working in France after World War I commonly referred to as "Les Six" were influenced by Satie. In general, their music represents a strong reaction against the German romanticism of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss, as well as the impressionism of Claude Debussy. Although they succeeded in breaking away from the romantic aesthetic of the nineteenth century with lightness, humor, simplicity, and clarity, does this make them truly neoclassic in style? This thesis will begin with a discussion about French neoclassicism and examine the stylistic traits of this musical movement through selected clarinet solo and chamber music by Arthur Honegger, Germaine Tailleferre, Darius Milhaud, and Francis Poulenc. A formal analysis of sonatas by each of these composers will demonstrate how they interpreted French neoclassicism in their own unique ways.
Ronald de Kant (Advisor)
119 p.
Music

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Citations

  • MINOR, J. L. (2004). "WERE THEY TRULY NEOCLASSIC?" A STUDY OF FRENCH NEOCLASSICISM THROUGH SELECTED CLARINET SONATAS BY "LES SIX" COMPOSERS: ARTHUR HONEGGER, GERMAINE TAILLEFERRE, DARIUS MILHAUD, AND FRANCIS POULENC [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1092930641

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • MINOR, JANICE. "WERE THEY TRULY NEOCLASSIC?" A STUDY OF FRENCH NEOCLASSICISM THROUGH SELECTED CLARINET SONATAS BY "LES SIX" COMPOSERS: ARTHUR HONEGGER, GERMAINE TAILLEFERRE, DARIUS MILHAUD, AND FRANCIS POULENC. 2004. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1092930641.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • MINOR, JANICE. ""WERE THEY TRULY NEOCLASSIC?" A STUDY OF FRENCH NEOCLASSICISM THROUGH SELECTED CLARINET SONATAS BY "LES SIX" COMPOSERS: ARTHUR HONEGGER, GERMAINE TAILLEFERRE, DARIUS MILHAUD, AND FRANCIS POULENC." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1092930641

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.