Date of Award

1968

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Music (MM)

Department

Music

First Advisor

Mr. David E. Scott

Second Advisor

Dr. William Trantham

Third Advisor

Ms. Fay Holiman

Abstract

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed many arias for inclusion in his operas which were controlled in length and development by the physical conditions existing in an operatic production. However, in addition to those arias, Mozart also composed ten concert arias for the bass voice. These bass arias were intended primarily to be performed in concert with varied accompaniment, and without the additional personnel and scenery which is characteristic of an opera. It is the purpose of the writer to study these arias and present some of them in public performance.

The purpose of this study is to present a detailed investigation of the concert areas for bass written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The writer's research has revealed that the arias for the bass voice were composed during the last eight years of Mozart's life. They were composed for individual persons as well as for a specific voice classification. This practice allowed Mozart to venture outside the normal range and degree of difficult in order to exploit the vocal capabilities of the individuals for whom the arias were composed.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most prolific geniuses in the history of music. During his short life span of thirty-five years, he composed more than six hundred instrumental and vocal selections in various forms and lengths. However, in this great array of compositions only ten bass concert arias were written. Three of these arias were either lost or were never recorded except in the sketch book and notes of Mozart. This study presents information having a direct relationship to the concert arias composed for the bass voice. It is intended that through this study a keener understanding of the concert arias may be realized. Additionally, it is intended that the expectation Mozart envisioned in respect to the capabilities of the bass voice may be brought to light. To the writer's knowledge no other analytical study has been made of these arias.

Included in

Composition Commons

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