| dc.description.abstract | What Sweeter Musick: A Survey of Selected Contemporary American Anthem Literature Composed for the Episcopal Church Filippa Mackenzie Duke ABSTRACT This document surveys anthem literature by six living American composers who are writing music for the Episcopal Church. After an introductory chapter about the historical role of the anthem in Episcopalian liturgy, individual chapters examine the life, output, and compositional styles of each of these composers, concluding with an analysis of two anthems by each composer. The document places these two anthems in the context of the overall stylistic development of the composer in question. A discography of the composer's anthems and a complete listing of anthem literature (including title, publication information, liturgical season, and voicing) are included as an appendix to the document. The following representative composers have been selected: David Hurd (Professor of Sacred Music and Director of Chapel Music, General Theological Seminary, New York), Dan Locklair (Professor of Composition, Wake Forest University, North Carolina), Bruce Neswick (Associate Professor of Organ and Sacred Music, Indiana University, Indiana), William Bradley Roberts (Professor of Church Music, Virginia Theological Seminary, Virginia), Richard Webster (Director of Music and Organist, Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston, Massachusetts) and David Ashley White (Professor of Composition and Music Theory, The University of Houston, Texas). In order to gain perspective into the composers' processes and methodology, written interviews were conducted with each composer. Much of the material in the stylistic overview comes directly from the composers, themselves. The anthems that have been analyzed are as follows: I Was Glad and Love Bade Me Welcome (David Hurd); From East to West and Pater Noster (Dan Locklair); Let the Peoples Praise Thee, O God and I Will Set His Dominion in the Sea (Bruce Neswick); What Sweeter Musick and `Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (William Bradley Roberts); Have You Not Known? Have You Not Heard? and The Dawning (Richard Webster); and O Light of Light and The Call (David Ashley White). These anthems were chosen with the intent of choosing works that were representative of their respective styles. In many cases, these were anthems are pieces that the composers felt were particularly well-crafted or provided a special choral challenge. In addition to traditional methods of analysis, a method of analysis for diatonic music suggested by music theorist Ian Bates in an article from 2012 will be utilized. This method of analysis includes consideration of fixed and variable relationships between harmonic changes. It is especially helpful when examining modal music. Bates also proposes several methods of charting the trajectory of a diatonic piece. The document will engage in a comparative analysis of the anthem literature by these six composers and comment on the overall status of contemporary American anthem literature composed for the Episcopal liturgy. | |
