Browsing by Author "Hofmeyr, Hendrik"
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- ItemOpen AccessAn annotated catalogue of selected works for clarinet by South African composers(2005) Webb, Clare Louise; Hofmeyr, HendrikThe dissertation consists of an annotated catalogue of nineteen selected works for clarinet by South African composers. These are presented in chronological order, based on the year of composition. A short biographyof the composer is given before the work is discussed. Of the analysed works, all those for solo clarinet or for clarinet and piano have been graded. A thesis of a similar nature, written in 1989 by L.A. Hartshorne, entitled ""The Compositions for Clarinet by South African Composers"", contains details of twenty-four works written between 1928 and circa 1981. The majority of the compositions analysed in the current dissertation were written from around 1981 onwards, and to some extent, therefore, this research could be seen as complementary to the information contained in the aforementioned thesis. An addendum lists all the South African works featuring solo clarinet that the author was able to trace. These include solo works, cham ber works for up to nineteen instruments and concerto-type works with strings or orchestra.
- ItemOpen AccessArticulation in brass playing : the tongue - friend or foe?(2004) Ayers, Angela Gillian; Kierman, Sean A; May, James; Hofmeyr, HendrikThis dissertation attempts to demonstrate the role the tongue plays in articulation in brass playing. It briefly examines oral anatomy, physiology and theories on motor learning, and describes the tongue's position in producing English speech sounds. It shows how these positions are used to teach different articulation techniques on the various brass instruments. Articulation styles and (tonguing) exercises, which could aid in the improvement of tongue articulation, are highlighted. It is hoped that these highlights will add insight for both present and future brass teachers.
- ItemOpen AccessThe influence of romanticism on the evolution of the transcendental etudes of Franz Liszt(2009) Low, Michael Meow Yin; Hofmeyr, Hendrik; Herbst, AnriThis thesis sets out to investigate the musical and Romantic ideas that may have influenced Liszt during the composition of the three versions of the 'Transcendental' Etudes in relation to the pianistic and musical evolution of the work. The musical and pianistic content of the juvenile etude pour le piano en douze exercices (1827) takes after the didactic exercises of Karl Czerny. The intermediate version, known as the Grandes Ãtudes (1839), was conceived at the height of Liszt's performing career and develops the principal thematic ideas of its predecessor whilst incorporating the virtuoso piano technique developed by Liszt's contemporaries, Thalberg and Chopin, as well as the advanced chromaticism characteristics of the latter's music. Crucial to the realisation of the intermediate version with its almost superhuman technical demands is also the influence of Paganini. The final version entitled etudes d'execution trancendente (1852) features a facilitation of some of the technically most demanding passages, as well as the addition of programmatic titles to ten of the twelve etudes. The relationship between programmatic intention and changes to the musical content is not as direct a one as may be supposed, since the vast majority of the radical changes to the musical content did not occur with the (explicit) addition of programmatic/descriptive intention in 1852, but rather in the 1839 version. This poses the question of whether the intermediate version was already implicitly programmatic/descriptive in intention, or whether the titles of the 1852 version were mere 'afterthoughts', added to works that had been transformed for other reasons. The balance of evidence gathered by the author supports the former view.
- ItemOpen AccessInspired by the past : a practical guide for cellist and other string players to the execution of Baroque music on modern instruments with special reference to the Six Suites for Solo Cello by J. S. Bach(2007) Martens, Peter; Hofmeyr, HendrikThis dissertation will explore cello technique through the ages with a view to providing a performer with a meaningful and accurate guide to the various techniques necessary to give stylistic and historically honest performances of Baroque music on a modem instrument.
- ItemOpen AccessThe margin and the mainstream : positioning Harry Partch's theories within the broader discourse of musical aesthetics(2002) Gripper, Derek; Hofmeyr, HendrikThe dissertation examines the broader musical value of microtonal composer Harry Partch's musical theories by locating his critique of abstract music within mainstream compositional theory and aesthetics. This contextualisation aims to deconstruct Partch's iconoclastic image so as to understand his contribution within a wider realm of critical discourse. The work of composers that follow in Partch's footsteps becomes important in this context, especially that of his one-time student Ben Johnston whose own microtonal aesthetic is firmly rooted in European aesthetics from Debussy to Schoenberg. By a study of Johnston's utilisation of Partch's theory of just intonation the dissertation attempts to arrive at a more inclusive compositional theory, one which continues to address those aspects of Partch's theories that serve as a valid and constructive critique of traditional musical values. Taking Adorno's view that musical critique must deal with the problem of reification at the level of musical materials, the author proposes a reading of Partch's corporeal philosophy that is applicable beyond the confines of narrative musical drama. By creating a distinction between historical models of organisation and 'second nature' forms of musical presentation, it is suggested that critique does not necessarily prefigure alienation from the mainstream, but can rather be situated within musical discourse in such a way that a new image of the latter's forms results. On a practical level, the dissertation explores the validity of expanded just intonation as a means of achieving this immanent critique, both in the realm of compositional theory and, implicitly, in that of analytical theory, concluding with the description of a tuning system with the capacity to synthesise the range of compositional theories explored.
- ItemOpen AccessMenopause and the female singer : a survey of physical and psychological changes, and of the available treatments and how these effect the vocal performer(2006) Allen, Susanna; Hofmeyr, HendrikThe purpose of this study is to make singers and their colleagues aware of the functioning of their bodies and of the methods that can be used to care for the singer's body, especially the voice, from an early age so that the influence of menopause will be reduced. The study considers the various systems of the body that are relevant to the singer and details how these systems usually function, before examining the various types and stages of menopause. It looks at how menopause affects a singer's body, addresses the diseases and symptoms that menopause may cause, details possible treatment for these diseases and symptoms, and provides information as to how these treatments may affect the singer as a performer. Various singers were interviewed to establish how their careers as professional singers were affected by the stages of menopause, the treatment they received, and how this treatment affected their careers. Professionals in the fields of gynaeco!ogy, psychology and otolaryngology were interviewed who had treated singers suffering from illnesses that could be attributed to menopause. They were asked to provide details of the treatment that they prescribed and to describe how this treatment influenced the performing careers of these singers.
- ItemOpen AccessMusic for classical guitar by South African composers : a historical survey, notes on selected works and a general catalogue(2009) Kinsey, Avril; Hofmeyr, HendrikThis is the first comprehensive investigation of music for, or including, the classical guitar by South African composers. The focus of this research has been, firstly, to uncover as much of the repertoire as possible, and, secondly, to collate, study, catalogue and report on the information. A brief historical survey of the guitar in South Africa provides the context within which this study was conducted. The primary sources of quantitative data collection were through the archival catalogues of the South African Music Rights Organisation and through personal contact with guitarists, composers and guitar teachers. Other sources consulted were publishers, broadcasting corporations, recording companies, libraries and the internet. The body of the dissertation comprises biographical sketches, background notes, analyses and technical notes on 17 selected solo and chamber works dating from 1947 to 2007 by some of South Africa's most prominent composers and guitaristcomposers. The repertoire ranges in style from the traditional and ethnically inspired to the experimental and abstract. As this is an empirical survey, each selected entry includes details on instrumentation, duration, level of difficulty, number of pages, scordatura, commissions or requests, sources or publishers, premières and recordings. A biography of each composer is provided as well as background notes which offer an overview of the selected work. The notes discuss historical, cultural, musical and extra-musical influences, and frequently include references to interview material. The commentaries on the selected works, with musical examples, include an analytical component describing structure, form, stylistic and compositional elements, while the technical observations include performance suggestions and a grading for each work.
- ItemOpen Access'n Analitiese ondersoek van sewe van Sergei Rachmaninof se Preludes, opp. 23 en 32(2002) Swanevelder, J de Ville; Hofmeyr, HendrikTen spyte van toenemende belangstelling in die solo-klavierwerke van Sergei Rachmaninof, is daar nog steeds beperkte studies vir die bestudering daarvan beskikbaar. Die doel van hierdie studie is die ontleding van 'n aantal aspekte wat 'n invloed op die bestudering en uitvoering van sewe van Rachmaninof se Preludes,.Opp. 23 en 32, het. In die studie word die historiese gebeure rondom sy lewe bespreek, wat dien as agtergrond tot die komposissie van Rachmaninof se Preludes. Die bespreking oor die klawerbordprelude verwys na die onstaan van klawerbordpreludes, die preludes uit Das Wohltemperierte Clavier van J. S. Bach, en volg dan die ontwikkeling van diengenre met die Preludes van Chopin en Rachmaninof. Sodoende word Rachmaninof se Preludes binne perspektief tot die ontwikkeling van die genre geplaas. In die laaste hoofstuk word 'n styl-tegniese ontleding van die sewe preludes van Rachmaninof gedoen, met verwysing na musikale inhoud en uitvoeringsprobleme. Ten slotte word gevolgtrekkings ten opsigte van die bespreekte werk gemaak.
- ItemOpen AccessThe occupational and psychological effects of injuries on musicians(2005) Siebrits, Cecilia Marga; Hofmeyr, Hendrik; Van Rensburg, VikiWhen musicians acquire injuries that interfere with their ability to play their instruments, it is not only the affected body part and physical symptoms that affect them. My own experiences following a wrist injury, that prevented me from playing the piano during my student years, prompted this study. I had hoped to become a concert pianist. These hopes were dashed when I realized that my wrist injuries were interfering with my ability to play the piano and resulted in emotional and psychological stress. As a result I had to re-evaluate my career choice. In this qualitative study, I investigated the broader experience affecting the occupational and emotional health of musicians. For this purpose, I used the qualitative method of a focus group and reflection on my own experience. A recognized theoretical model, the Model of Human Occupation, underpinned by the theory of human occupation was used as a framework. The data was gathered through the use of a focus group discussion of three participants, including myself. The discussion was audio-recorded and transcribed. The analysis was done by coding the data for categories and searching for themes. I adopted a reflective stance by including an autobiographical account of my own experience. The results revealed that the injuries suffered by the three participants had a vast impact on their occupational well-being as well as their psychological and emotional health. Two themes emerged from analysis of the data: My injury affected my occupation and I was forced to adapt to an alternative occupation.
- ItemOpen AccessPiano sonatas by South African composers, 1900-2015: a catalogue and compositional analyses of selected works(2020) Delport, Wilhelmus; Hofmeyr, HendrikThe piano sonata’s prominent position in Western art music is reflected in both its long history and its presence in the oeuvres of composers from across the globe. While some information on piano sonatas by South African composers has been included in academic literature, no comprehensive research has been done in the field. This lacuna is addressed in this thesis of which the main research strategy is analytical, without precluding other data-collection methods such as literature studies, archival research and consultation with composers. The thesis comprises an introductory chapter with background information and an outline of the principal research aim and objectives; a general literature review of scholarly work in the field; a summary of academic literature on solo piano sonatas by South African composers; detailed analyses of two recent and diametrically opposed 21st-century solo piano sonatas, by Hendrik Hofmeyr (1957- ) and Graham Newcater (1941- ) respectively; and a final chapter with concluding remarks. Detailed catalogues of sonatas by South African composers, for piano as well as for other instruments, are included as appendices. Findings show that in correspondence with international trends, the piano sonata has held a prominent role in South African music-making with more than 230 works completed since 1900. A chronological estimation shows a more-or-less gradual increase in the number of sonatas composed up to 1975. 30 works were finalised between 2006 and 2015, suggesting that many contemporary composers continue to reference sonata structures as a guiding principle in largescale forms. The characteristics of the majority of sonatas analysed and those discussed in the literature summary correlate to some extent with 19th- and 20th-century traditions. There are nevertheless also various exceptions and novel explorations of traditional sonata practices. From a stylistic perspective, the works engage with a range of international aesthetic discourses, constantly repositioned within the post-colonial, South African zeitgeist. The sonata’s prominent position in South African art music is not only reflected in the historically high frequency of its use, but also in the ways the sonata paradigm is continuously being reinvented, deconstructed and developed to reflect the country’s idiosyncratic and dynamic cultural identity
- ItemOpen AccessStructural processes in Gabriel Fauré's nocturnes for piano(2020) Rooi, Pieter; Hofmeyr, HendrikThis study constitutes an investigation of Gabriel Fauré's achievements in the genre of the piano nocturne through detailed analysis of each of his thirteen nocturnes. Fauré's nocturnes are widely considered to be representative of his pianistic style and musical language, showing a great spectrum of compositional procedures and covering the different stages of his life. The investigation is contextualised through a history of nocturne form, a biographical background of the composer, an overview of the three compositional stages in his life and of various aspects of his musical style, comparisons with the music of Fauré's predecessors and contemporaries and with the rest of his oeuvre, and a general appraisal of the contributions of other authors and scholars in the field. As a corpus, the nocturnes form a unique contribution to the genre, and, especially in the larger-scale examples, a more complex structure than one encounters in the examples by other exponents of the nocturne such as Field, Chopin, Liszt, Balakirev, Scriabin, Satie, Debussy and Poulenc. The investigation focuses on a close reading of the nocturnes, and especially on thematic, motivic and harmonic usage, and on Fauré's most original contribution, his complex integration of advanced chromaticism and extended modal procedures. The latter, which include the use of modes of non-diatonic scales and modes on altered degrees, have received hardly any scholarly attention, despite constituting a highly significant contribution to musical thought. By treating harmonic features as referential elements, Fauré creates a complex interaction between harmonic and structural procedures which greatly advances the scope and structural integration of the nocturne
- ItemOpen AccessA structural, harmonic and stylistic analysis of Gabriel Fauré's Piano Quartet in C Minor Op. 15(2008) Harrisberg, Shelley-Anne; Hofmeyr, HendrikFaure's oeuvre presents one of the most outstanding accomplishments in the history of French music. His style, though showing the influence of late-Romantic music, is unique and comprises some of the most inventive harmonic language to be found in Western music. It is characterised by the complex integration of advanced tonal and modal procedures. The purpose of this study is to examine certain aspects of Faure's style through an analysis of the composer's First Piano Quartet in C minor Op.15.The study is divided into two sections: a structural analysis which examines the overall formal structure of the work, as well as the larger and smaller formal structures within each movement, and a harmonic analysis which examines how Faure uses certain chord structures and harmonic procedures.The main source used for the study was the score of the Piano Quartet itself. Other major sources which proved invaluable in terms of providing a background to the composer's life, work and style, include works by Charles Koechlin, Percy Suckling, Robert Orledge and Jean-Michel Nectoux. Other works by Faure as well as those of other late-Romantic composers are used to compare or establish common stylistic tendencies and to examine possible influences. The conclusions are drawn directly from the analysis and are supported by various source materials. Those on formal structure include observations on Faure's use of sonata form and ternary form, his approach to thematic development, motivic elaboration, phrasing and texture, and his use of contrapuntal and rhythmic devices. Those on harmony are primarily concerned with the influence of modality on Faure's approach to harmony and include observations on Faure's use of triads, quru1ads, quintads, sextads and ambiguous compounds, and of pedal points and other non-chord notes.
- ItemOpen AccessThe structure of Franck's D minor symphony and its historical antecedents(2007) Van Alphen, Henri Peter; Hofmeyr, HendrikCésar Franck has often been regarded as the composer who most systematically applied the cyclic principle in composition. This study defines the various applications of this principle before describing specific instances in the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Schumann and Liszt, as the historical antecedents to Franck's Symphony in D minor (1888). After an investigation of the motivic derivation and inter-relationships of the cyclic themes in Franck's Symphony, the manner in which the cyclic principle is applied in this work is discussed. Finally the overall formal structure is considered and a detailed analysis of the symphony follows to show the manifold ways in which thematic material is utilised to create an organically unified work.
- ItemOpen AccessA study of a selection of Benjamin Britten's vocal music for mezzo-soprano(2007) Harris, Julie; Hofmeyr, HendrikThe present study, which will investigate three works of Benjamin Britten for mezzosopranos, is envisaged as an aid to interpreters wishing to gain further insights into these works. The study focuses on three vocal works of varying genre: The Rape of Lucretia, A Charm of Lullabies, and Phaedra. The investigation of each work starts with the historical background, in wh ich Britten's life and career at the time of the work is discussed briefly, including reviews of the work. The performers and librettists, who were involved in the composition, are also discussed. Secondly, an analytical survey is done on the text and music for each work. Brief background notes on the writers and poets, and on their style, influences and intentions, are included. The historical background of each text is explored, as well as the role of the character within the narrative, dramatic or literary/poetic context. The musical characteristics of each work are highlighted, which reveal stylistic aspects of Britten's writing. The influence of each work's genre (chamber opera, song cycle and solo cantata) on the interpretation of text and character is discussed, as well as how the voice is accompanied. Lastly, a comparative survey of different recorded portrayals of each work looks at the background history, and approach of the various performers, as well as their advice to other performers.
- ItemOpen AccessStylistic characteristics of Gabriel Fauré's piano quartets and piano quintets(2003) Winterbach, Veranza; Hofmeyr, HendrikGabriel Fauré has been neglected as composer in terms of international recognition. It is indeed true that the art of his music is not revealed at first sight: one must take time to discover the beauty and authentic meaning concealed in the depths thereof. While it is relatively true that musicians recognize the originality of his melodies, there seems to be a lack of appreciation of his contributions in the field of chamber music.
- ItemOpen AccessTimbre and tone-painting in the orchestration of a song cycle(2023) Wootton, Juliet; Hofmeyr, HendrikThe portfolio of original compositions, orchestration project and explication are presented here as a partially integrated whole. While Summer Nights In Between for clarinet, alto saxophone, bass clarinet, double bass and piano is presented as an independent work, the song cycle for soprano and piano, Songs of Light and Loss, on five poems from Fiona Zerbst's “In Praise of Hotel Rooms,” was subsequently orchestrated as part of the creative project, together with an explication of the considerations which influenced the choices made in the latter process. Brief explanations of the compositional and stylistic aim of each of the songs lead to discussions of how this was translated from piano to orchestra. Analyses of orchestration and instrumentation detail the use of timbre and texture in conveying the mood and meaning of the poetic text.
- ItemOpen AccessUnderstanding the operatic tenor's legitimate head voice: A comparative study of historical and modern pedagogical approaches(2021) Swan, Arthur; Hofmeyr, Hendrik; Vanlierde, MartinThe modern operatic tenor, with his chest-voice-like upper register, produces a vastly different sound to that of the castrato-trained tenore di grazia of the eighteenth century. Notwithstanding this change in tenor vocality, the practice of register-blending or -unification, originally developed by the castrati as a means of extending their voices upwards with a seamless transition to the falsetto register, has remained a core element of classical voice training. The change in tenor vocality did, however, provide an impetus for the evolution of this pedagogical practice during the nineteenth century. It led to the emergence of “mixed voice” as the purported mechanism for the tenor's upper register, and the introduction of a more mechanistic approach to register-blending or -unification as a means of developing the mixed voice source mechanism. In light of more recent discoveries in voice science, the validity of the registerblending or -unification approach has been called into question. An important, albeit minority, view is that the tenor's legitimate head voice is simply an upwards extension of his chest voice mechanism. Science has not found any evidence of a “mixed voice” laryngeal mechanism, while there is evidence suggesting that it is possible to extend the chest voice mechanism upwards through vocal training that strengthens the thyroarytenoid muscle, coupled with the development of the necessary fine motor skill to maintain balanced adduction of the top and bottom edges of the vocal folds at high pitches. If this view is correct, it would have important implications for tenor training methods, in particular the practice of register-blending or -unification in the mechanistic sense.
- ItemOpen AccessWagner's Meistersinger and the tradition of comic opera(2010) Kruger, David; Hofmeyr, HendrikWagner's avowed aim in his music-dramas was to create a new type of artwork that had little in common with conventional opera. However, in his only mature comic opera, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, he engages more extensively with the conventions of the genre. In order to determine the extent of this engagement, the dissertation looks firstly at the nature of comedy, and at comic theatre in Germany, as well as the development of a German type of comic opera in the years preceding Wagner's opera. This is followed by an examination of the conventions of comic opera in terms of subject matter, style and form and finally by an investigation of how these were applied in Meistersinger. While it is evident that he discards what is perhaps the most salient stylistic characteristic of comic opera, namely the use of closed song-like numbers with lively accompaniments based on simple rhythmic patterns, he adopts, adapts and re-invents many of the other conventions associated with the genre. This can be seen in his use of conventional aria types, traditional orchestral forms, ensembles, choruses and moral endings. Much of this marks a unique departure from the other works composed at this stage of his career and evinces his debt to the traditions of comic opera. The vocality of his protagonists owe much to the traditions of comic opera and the music is far more diatonic than in his other late works. Conventions of subject matter that he appropriates include characters derived from the commedia dell'arte, a plot involving two pairs of lovers facing various challenges, which are overcome through a certain amount of scheming and the agency of a higher and wiser authority. While set in remote history, the opera is far more realistic in tone than Wagner's other music-dramas, and the only one in which the supernatural does not figure prominently. Other comic elements include the use of burlesque, word-play, a degree of emotional detachment, the breaching of the "fourth wall", parody and satire.