Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8486-1915

Date Available

5-15-2025

Year of Publication

2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

College

Fine Arts

Department/School/Program

Music

Faculty

Dr. Cody Birdwell

Faculty

Dr. Martina Vasil

Abstract

Blue Mountain Ballads (1946), by Paul Bowles, is a song-cycle and setting of four poems by Tennessee Williams who was the composer's friend and mentor. The work has long held a place in the vocal repertoire. Bowles’ unique harmonic language, wide accompanimental range and the use of jazz idiom provide a unique opportunity for the music to be re-cast for wind instruments. Furthermore, chamber music makes up most of Bowles’ musical output as a composer, so using small instrumental forces seemed an appropriate medium to re-orchestrate this song cycle.

The purpose of this document is 1) to provide a detailed analysis of each of the songs within the cycle; 2) to provide a detailed account of the transcription process and justification to support the use of Stravinsky’s instrumentation as the orchestrational palette for the transcription; 3) to provide a detailed conductor’s guide for performance of this work as a companion to Stravinsky’s Octet OR as a standalone work for voice and chamber winds.

The first chapter of this document will provide a brief biography of Paul Bowles and highlight his relationship with Tennessee Williams and thus the origins of the composition as well as an overview of some of his compositional output. Chapters two will provide a brief overview of the entire work. Chapters three detailed analysis of each of the songs in their performance order: “Heavenly Grass,” “Lonesome Man,” “Cabin,” “Sugar in the Cane.” Chapter four will provide a justification for why this piece was well suited for transcription, its inclusion in the chamber winds repertoire, and the considerations made throughout the transcription process while using the Stravinsky’s original instrumentation. Chapter five will provide a brief conductor’s guide and discuss programming and performance considerations The appendix will include the complete score for Blue Mountain Ballads for Wind Octet.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.107

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