The cimmerian and the elysian : how musical and extra-musical models and expressive ethos affect the compositional process

This exegesis is a document of my rediscovery of emotion and expression in my music. It is also a chronicle of my acknowledgement and incorporation into my methodology of my many influences. Moreover, it is a recounting of how I utilized emotion, expression, and my various influences in the creation of the folio compositions. There are two primary aspects that unify the compositions in the folio. The first aspect is the diversity of musical and extra-musical models, such as art music, popular music, literature, and films, which influence the compositional process. The second aspect is that an expressive ethos, defmed as a general affective or emotional state that expressively informs the composition, characterizes each work and affects the compositional process. There are two basic types of expressive ethos that are represented in the folio compositions. The first type I call \cinunerian\" and it is concerned with what might be considered negative emotional states such as anger grief or fear. The second one the \"elysian\" ethos is concerned with what might be considered positive emotional states such as happiness excitement or joy. Most of the folio compositions represent either the cirrunerian or elysian ethos. However there are a few compositions that do not represent merely one expressive state but are concerned with the transformation from one ethos to the other typically from the cimmerian to the elysian. I refer to the transformation of the expressive ethos in these compositions as \"protean.\" In the exegesis I clearly define the above features clarify their relationship to music history explain my compositional methodology and demonstrate the role of each aspect throughout the process. I provide a brief discussion of my placement literally and aesthetically in music history (Chapter 1) focusing primarily on my relationship to three prominent trends in the twentieth century. I also discuss how I formulated compositional and aesthetic conclusions and how they informed my current praxis (Chapter 2). In the chapters focusing on the cinunerian (Chapter 3) elysian (Chapter 4) and protean (Chapter 5) works I explain in detail each ethos and how I utilize musical and extra-musical influences in my compositions. In short this exegesis examines with examples from the folio how I am incorporating more traditional affective techniques and past tonal practices as they have been filtered through and influenced by the musical environment of the last century."