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An Analytical Study of Amanda Harberg’S Sonata for B-Flat Clarinet and Piano
Abstract
Despite growing interest in equal representation of living female composers, scholarly work on the subject remains fairly limited. Several musicians and authors have begun to address this issue by compiling online lists of composers who are among the underrepresented in their blogs or on their websites, and though these compilations are wonderful sources from which to start a search, very few focus on living female composers who are from the United States, and even fewer include those who have written for the clarinet. One such composer is Amanda Harberg, a Philadelphia-born pianist, composer, and educator living in New Jersey. Among her extensive compositional output are seven original works for clarinet, the Sonata being the only piece that is not a chamber work, and thus her first piece that utilizes the clarinet as a solo voice. The document begins with a thorough biography of Amanda Harberg, including discussion of her compositional style and musical inspirations and a list of her original solo and chamber works for clarinet. The succeeding chapter presents a background history and overview of the Sonata for B-Flat Clarinet and Piano. An in-depth analysis of each movement of the work is presented in Chapters 3 through 5, followed by the document conclusion in Chapter 6. The analytical and compositional concepts discussed throughout the body of the document are further illustrated through tables and musical examples. The appendices contain the transcription of an in-person interview conducted by the author, a complete chronological compilation of Harberg’s compositional output, and a list of her awards and honors to date. The intent of this document is to provide future performers and researchers a tool with which to enhance their own studies of this piece and this composer, expanding upon the academic writings on the subject of women composers for years to come.
Subject Area
Music
Recommended Citation
Montanari, Shiana S, "An Analytical Study of Amanda Harberg’S Sonata for B-Flat Clarinet and Piano" (2020). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI28259012.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI28259012