Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing
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University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK
2014
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1397734822 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-ucin13977348222021-08-03T06:24:05Z Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing Wright, John W. Music Bernstein Mass Celebrant musical borrowing Bernstein eclecticism faith symbolism Kennedy Center Simple Song This document studies musical borrowing in the five principal solos of the Celebrant, the central character of Bernstein’s Mass: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers (1971), with words by co-lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The solos treated are “A Simple Song,” “The Word of the Lord,” “Our Father . . .,” “I Go On,” and “Fraction: Things Get Broken.” Drawing on reports of borrowing found in published secondary literature by Jack Gottlieb, Paul Laird, and Helen Smith, and also in unpublished research by Copland scholar Daniel Mathers, this study documents Bernstein’s sources, analyzes their compositional uses for Mass, and explores them critically in light of the work’s eclectic musical conception and aims. Critical findings treat how Bernstein chose and manipulated his sources in view of several objectives crucial to this work’s composition, its function of dedicating the opening of Kennedy Center (on September 8, 1971), and its long, controversial reception. These objectives include the widely discussed “reaffirmation of faith” which Bernstein strove to express in Mass; defiance of political and religious dogma; use of his own personalized faith symbolism; and continued synthesis of vernacular and classical influences for which he remains most celebrated. In all, the music of the Celebrant emerges as a linchpin for understanding Bernstein’s eclecticism as indeed something carefully and strategically managed. 2014-10-17 English text University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1397734822 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1397734822 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Music Bernstein Mass Celebrant musical borrowing Bernstein eclecticism faith symbolism Kennedy Center Simple Song |
| spellingShingle |
Music Bernstein Mass Celebrant musical borrowing Bernstein eclecticism faith symbolism Kennedy Center Simple Song Wright, John W. Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing |
| author |
Wright, John W. |
| author_facet |
Wright, John W. |
| author_sort |
Wright, John W. |
| title |
Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing |
| title_short |
Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing |
| title_full |
Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing |
| title_fullStr |
Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Confronting the Celebrant of Bernstein’s Mass: A Study of Musical Borrowing |
| title_sort |
confronting the celebrant of bernstein’s mass: a study of musical borrowing |
| publisher |
University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2014 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1397734822 |
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