Samuel Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" from a male perspective

Abstract

This document examines Samuel Barber's 1947 work for orchestra and voice, Knoxville: Summer of 1915. The piece was debuted by soprano Eleanor Steber, and it has become traditionally performed by sopranos. The purpose of this study is to present an argument that Knoxville: Summer of 1915 is a piece that can be performed meaningfully and effectively by the tenor voice as well. This document touches on the history of Knoxville, and on the lives and creative outputs of composer Samuel Barber and American author James Agee. Also discussed is the relationship between these two men, and how their commonalities helped to shape this work. The main argument is supported primarily through Agee's text and the way that Barber approached its setting, as well as aspects of vocal technique. American tenor John Aler was interviewed as one of the few tenors to have performed Knoxville, and he provided insights into the textual, musical, and performance aspects of the piece. Given the gender neutrality of the piece, the autobiographical nature of the source material, and the relative ease of the vocal passages, it is concluded that Knoxville: Summer of 1915 is certainly appropriate for a tenor to perform.