Table Of ContentUniversity of Iowa
Iowa Research Online
Theses and Dissertations
Summer 2011
The new American song: a catalog of published songs by 25 living
American composers
Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker
University of Iowa
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd
Part of the Music Commons
Copyright 2011 Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker
This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1265
Recommended Citation
Snydacker, Sarah Elizabeth. "The new American song: a catalog of published songs by 25 living American
composers." PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) thesis, University of Iowa, 2011.
https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.6qipo9g4
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd
Part of the Music Commons
THE NEW AMERICAN SONG:
A CATALOG OF PUBLISHED SONGS BY 25 LIVING AMERICAN COMPOSERS
by
Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker
An Abstract
Of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of
Philosophy degree in Music in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa
May 2011
Thesis Supervisor: Associate Professor John Muriello
1
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this dissertation is to create a catalog of the published, solo vocal
songs of 25 living American composers. Through this project, visibility will be given to
a significant amount of contemporary literature that is currently unknown and / or
underused by many singers and voice teachers today. Exposure to the literature in this
project will encourage singers and teachers to give deserving attention to a wealth of
contemporary American song literature, and will help to stimulate the study, practice and
performance of other contemporary songs and composers.
I have selected 25 living American composers. The composers represent a variety
of compositional styles, and the songs vary in level of difficulty. The songs chosen are
examined based upon criterion for vocal study at the collegiate level, and the entire
repertoire is appropriate for traditional classical vocal training. Many of these
composers’ songs are readily available in public and collegiate libraries across the
country. There are some composers, however, whose songs are currently not available in
libraries, but are deserving of attention. The unpublished songs of the selected composers
are not included because the purpose of this project is to increase accessibility.
The composers for this dissertation include: Dominick Argento, Daniel Asia,
Robert Baksa, Seymour Barab, Jack Beeson, William Bolcom, John Bucchino, Tom
Cipullo, John Corigliano, John Frantzen, Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler, Ricky Ian
Gordon, Daron Hagen, John Harbison, Jack Heggie, Lee Hoiby, Richard Hundley, Anne
Kilstofte, Lori Laitman, Libby Larsen, John Musto, Thomas Pasatieri, Andre Previn,
Gene Scheer, and Richard Pearson Thomas.
The body of the dissertation consists of a brief biography of the individual
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composers followed by analyses of the composers’ music. Each published song is
analyzed according to a set of criterion for vocal study at the collegiate level. The
annotations include: title, poet, publisher and date, dedication, vocal range, tessitura,
recommended voice type, level of difficulty of the vocal and piano accompaniment,
possible uses, brief musical and textual description, and other pertinent information for
the study and performance of the music.
This dissertation will encourage the study, practice and performance of
contemporary American music. The annotated catalog will include vital information for
the quick selection of songs, and the information I compile will be invaluable to singers
and voice teachers searching for contemporary American literature. The composers
included in this project will also benefit from the exposure of their work. There are, of
course, many more composers whose songs are deserving of inclusion in this project.
Annotated catalogs of larger scope or of differing perspectives should be created as
further study.
Abstract Approved: ________________________________________________
Thesis Supervisor
________________________________________________
Title and Department
________________________________________________
Date
THE NEW AMERICAN SONG:
A CATALOG OF PUBLISHED SONGS BY 25 LIVING AMERICAN COMPOSERS
by
Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy
degree in Music in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa
May 2011
Thesis Supervisor: Associate Professor John Muriello
Copyright by
SARAH ELIZABETH SNYDACKER
2011
All Rights Reserved
Graduate College
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
___________________________
PH.D. THESIS
____________
This is to certify that the Ph.D. thesis of
Sarah Elizabeth Snydacker
has been approved by the Examining Committee for the thesis requirement for the Doctor
of Philosophy degree in Music at the May 2011 graduation.
Thesis Committee: ______________________________________________________
John Muriello, Thesis Supervisor
______________________________________________________
Katherine Eberle
______________________________________________________
Susan Sondrol Jones
______________________________________________________
Alan Huckleberry
______________________________________________________
Alice Davison
To my parents for believing in me.
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION 1
The Project and its Scholarly Significance 1
The Selection of Composers 1
The Selection of Literature 2
The Composers 2
Methodology 3
Range Designation 4
Determining Vocal Difficulty 4
Guidelines for an easy vocal part 6
Guidelines for a moderate vocal part 6
Guidelines for a moderately difficult vocal part 7
Guidelines for a difficult vocal part 7
Guidelines for a highly difficult vocal part 7
Determining Accompanimental Difficulty 8
Guidelines for an easy accompaniment 9
Guidelines for a moderate accompaniment 9
Guidelines for a moderately difficult accompaniment 9
Guidelines for a difficult accompaniment 10
Guidelines for a highly difficult accompaniment 10
II. DOMINICK ARGENTO 11
Biography and Style 11
Song Annotations 12
III. DANIEL ASIA 22
Biography and Style 22
Song Annotations 23
IV. ROBERT BAKSA 30
Biography and Style 30
Song Annotations 31
V. SEYMOUR BARAB 45
Biography and Style 45
Song Annotations 46
VI. JACK BEESON 59
iii
Biography and Style 59
Song Annotations 60
VII. WILLIAM BOLCOM 72
Biography and Style 72
Song Annotations 73
VIII. JOHN BUCCHINO 91
Biography and Style 91
Song Annotations 92
IX. TOM CIPULLO 96
Biography and Style 96
Song Annotations 97
X. JOHN CORIGLIANO 110
Biography and Style 110
Song Annotations 111
XI. JOHN FRANTZEN 116
Biography and Style 116
Song Annotations 117
XII. ZINA GOLDRICH 119
Biography and Style 119
Song Annotations 121
XIII. RICKY IAN GORDON 133
Biography and Style 133
Song Annotations 135
XIV. DARON HAGEN 156
Biography and Style 156
Song Annotations 157
XV. JOHN HARBISON 182
Biography and Style 182
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