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Johann Nepomuk David's "Choralwerk": Determining accessiblity
Abstract
This document centers on the Choralwerk, a large body of organ literature consisting of twenty-one volumes of chorale-based works, written by the twentieth-century Austrian composer, Johann Nepomuk David. The works, composed over a period of nearly fifty years, display a wide range of compositional techniques. The Choralwerk compositions are examined by means of a set of criteria, delineating specific characteristics related to melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, meter and performance problems. By this means the reader may gain insight into the characteristics and challenges, both intellectual and technical, of David's chorale-based organ works. The ultimate purpose of this investigation is a pedagogical one: to provide organ teachers with information about the Choralwerk that will enable them to choose appropriate works from all levels of difficulty, and to teach those pieces more knowledgeably. The thesis consists of two parts, followed by appendices. Part I is devoted to background information, including a brief survey of early twentieth-century musical currents and trends, a biographical account of David's life, and a summary of his compositional activity. A chronological listing of David's organ works in relation to important life events is given in Appendix A. The second part of the thesis discusses criteria used to determine accessibility levels. It begins with melodic considerations (i.e., diatonicism and chromaticism, octave displacement and chromatic alteration). Harmonic criteria (i.e., dissonance treatment, poly and atonality) are discussed next, followed by textural characteristics. Criteria relating to rhythm and meter (i.e., rhythmic and metric independence of voices) are examined next, and the discussion concludes with other considerations such as David's use of alto clef, large intervallic reaches, and registrational requirements of the compositions. Appendix B offers an accessibility rating for each composition in the Choralwerk, and Appendix C contains a listing of some of the most accessible and attractive pieces. A letter from Heinrich Fleischer (a former colleague of David) in Appendix D, offering unique insight into several areas pertaining to David and his organ works, concludes the document.
Subject Area
Music|Music education
Recommended Citation
Musick, Marilyn Joyce, "Johann Nepomuk David's "Choralwerk": Determining accessiblity" (1990). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9118469.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9118469