Dissertation

A Performance Guide for Thomas Pasatieri's Bel Canto Songs for Voice and Piano

Porter, Amy Robin

2016

Overview

This document is a performance guide to Thomas Pasatieri’s Bel Canto Songs for Voice and Piano. Thomas Pasatieri is a well-known American art song and opera composer, who has also worked extensively as a film score orchestrator for major movie titles. The poet for the text in Bel Canto Songs is English poet, engraver, and artist William Blake, who lived from the mid-Eighteenth century into the Nineteenth century. Chapter One discussed the life and compositional style of Pasatieri. Chapter Two details Blake’s life, writing style, and major themes of his work. Chapter Three provides background information on Bel Canto Songs, including its compositional style, dedications, and details regarding the work’s premiere. Chapter Three also includes analysis of the poetry and music for Bel Canto Songs and musical examples to illustrate significant motives, text-painting, and other important compositional elements. Information provided by the composer for each song is contained herein, and the author’s performance recommendations are given. A Conclusion, Bibliography, and Appendices are included. The Appendices include the poetry of Bel Canto Songs and original illuminations by William Blake. A transcription of an interview with Thomas Pasatieri is provided, as well as a list of his solo vocal works and all of Blake’s written works, engravings, and other artwork. Letters of permission are also included.

• Publisher: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
• Subject: Biographies / Blake, William (1757-1827) / Education / Fine arts / Literature / Music / Music education / Musicians & conductors / Performing arts education / Poetry / Vocal music
• ISBN: 9798802781593