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TONAL STRUCTURE IN THE POLYPHONIC MAGNIFICAT OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

BOWEN, RICHARD LEON
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin983484140

Abstract Details

2001, PhD, University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music : Music (Musicology).
This study is an investigation into the nature of the polyphonic Magnificat of the sixteenth century. The inquiry proceeds on the premise that the Magnificat forms an ideal subject for a study of polyphonic tonal structure in one of the most widely-composed forms of vocal music during this era. One of the aims of this study is to identify and examine those particular elements of sixteenth-century Magnificat composition that may be appropriately employed to assess the nature of these works. Recent years have witnessed increasing efforts by scholars to seek out valid methods by which to evaluate early music. Although these efforts are not without serious difficulties, the search for the organizational underpinnings of early music continues to engage us. Chapter One provides an account of the origin of the Magnificat text. Chapter Two surveys the writings of Renaissance commentators who considered the relationships of counterpoint and modal theory to polyphonic composition. Chapter Three focuses on the poetic and musical structure of the Magnificat. Chapter Four presents a design for analysis. Chapter Five introduces the 365 Magnificats included in this study. Chapter Six is an introduction to the procedures of evaluation and a guide to the database. Chapters Seven, Eight, and Nine present evaluations of the Magnificats from several different perspectives. The central thesis of this investigation is that, as a collection, the polyphonic Magnificats of the sixteenth century do indeed exhibit specific, identifiable, and describable tonal structures. These structures emerge out of the interaction of a number of critical elements, including the constituent parts of the individual canticle tone, the notion of leading and following voice pairs, the presence of complementary vocal ranges, the melodic motion of voices according to species of fifths and fourths, characteristic clef combinations, distinctive cadence patterns, and final sonorities. This thesis proceeds from the data presented by the 365 Magnificat settings that constitute the sample for this study. The collected data from each work is held in a database record that contains over one hundred individual fields. The 365 database records are contained in Volume Two of this study.
Dr. Edward Nowacki (Advisor)
1 p.
Music
magnificat; tonality; modality; tonal structure; polyphony

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • BOWEN, R. L. (2001). TONAL STRUCTURE IN THE POLYPHONIC MAGNIFICAT OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin983484140

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • BOWEN, RICHARD. TONAL STRUCTURE IN THE POLYPHONIC MAGNIFICAT OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. 2001. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin983484140.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • BOWEN, RICHARD. "TONAL STRUCTURE IN THE POLYPHONIC MAGNIFICAT OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2001. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin983484140

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin983484140
© 2001, all rights reserved.
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