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The Choral Music of Randall Thompson

其他書名	An American Eclectic
出版	Kansas City., 1986
URL	http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=LDvfwAEACAAJ&hl=&source=gbs_api

註釋This thesis was conducted to provide a study of the choral music of the American composer Randall Thompson, and to determine how both musical and extra-musical forces influenced his choral output. It was considered a significant study because Thompson occupies a very important place in American choral music, and because little written material is available about either the composer of his music. The material that does exist is usually limited to coverage of a single composition. This thesis, by necessity, was limited to certain areas of study. The study included: a short biographical sketch of the composer, an investigation of his philosophies on music and composition, texts, and teaching, the influence modal and tonal counterpoint and American music had on his compositions, and a descriptive analysis of the major choral works. All of the choral music was thoroughly studied, but the incidental pieces were not covered in the narrative because there are no discernible differences in style between them and the larger works. Material was gathered from many sources, most of them primary. Extensive personal interviews were conducted with Randall Thompson. Additional telephone conversations and correspondence were used. Personal interviews and correspondence with some of Thompson's colleagues and students added to the data. Written materials by and about the composer and his music were studied: these included reviews of performances of his works, unpublished texts of speeches the composer delivered, articles in journals, and entries in dictionaries and other books. In addition to the choral music, all of the instrumental music and solo songs were studied. It was concluded that Randall Thompson is basically a nationalistic American composer. His compositions are for American audiences, use American texts, and are influenced by American sounds. This characteristic is by design, not by accident. He is not an innovator. His musical language was established early and has changed little, if any, during his productive life. Because of the variety of influence on his compositions, it must be concluded that he is an eclectic. However, his writing style is distinctive and individual, and his music enjoys wide appeal.