Li, Lu-Han
(2020)
Texture and Timbre in Dai Fujikura’s String Quartet No.2 Flare and A Lonely Person Sitting, Viewing A Flower, an original composition for string quartet.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
This is the latest version of this item.
Abstract
This study examines the approach to instrumental writing and musical structure in Dai Fujikura's 2010 composition for string quartet, Flare. A close reading of Fujikura's own writing on his compositional process indicates three noteworthy areas of concentration. The first is the focus on smaller “phrases” (referred to as “elements” in this study) to form larger “shapes” (which correspond to various textures). The second is the significance of texture variance, driven primarily by changes in timbre, in defining the formal structure of the piece. The third is Fujikura’s interest in the tension between opposing dualities, which is manifested in an active-static interchange throughout the piece. In question are the parameters beyond rhythmic density which affect the perception of stasis or activity.
The overview outlines the different textures featured throughout each Part of the piece, identifying texture “blocks”, along with their local and global implications (active or static). Structural analysis reveals references to conventional form, dividing the string quartet into four Parts. In each Part, fundamental musical parameters are analyzed to reveal the primary “elements” and the timbre-based textures they form. The active-static characters are also explored on a micro- level within each Part and in relation to the quartet as a whole. Ultimately, two primary factors impact the perceived implication of motion. The first is the quantity of musical material or events, which affect rhythmic or elemental density. The second is the degree of unity, which is signified most notably by texture, but also by cohesion or regularity.
My original composition, A Lonely Person Sitting, Viewing A Flower for string quartet, is based on the poem of the same name by the Taiwanese poet Shiao-Fung Chang. The poem is a tranquil meditation on solitude using the concise syntax of the Chinese language. This string quartet is a musical realization that directly responds to the flow, structure, and sentiments of Chang’s poem.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
16 September 2020 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
6 November 2019 |
| Approval Date: |
16 September 2020 |
| Submission Date: |
24 June 2020 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
84 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Music |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
dai fujikura, music analysis, timbre, texture |
| Date Deposited: |
16 Sep 2020 14:28 |
| Last Modified: |
16 Sep 2020 14:28 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/39384 |
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Texture and Timbre in Dai Fujikura’s String Quartet No.2 Flare and A Lonely Person Sitting, Viewing A Flower, an original composition for string quartet. (deposited 16 Sep 2020 14:28)
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