| Summary: | Hard Times Come Again is a musical composition consisting of seven songs composed for alto voice, baritone voice, two violins, viola, cello, double bass, mandolin, banjo, guitar, and piano. In totality it is approximately thirty minutes in duration, and individual songs range from three to six minutes in duration. The songs take their text from poems constructed by the composer, along with poet Bren Simmers, from oral history of the Great Depression. The musical style of the composition draws on both folk music and classical music influences, with specific sub-genres, such as bluegrass, honky-tonk, and minimalism, also referenced.
The written document puts the musical composition into personal and historical context. Aspects of the author's personal musical experience are discussed in the first chapter in relation to both folk music and classical music. A brief discussion of North American folk music as well as classical music that has drawn on folk music influences follows in the second chapter. The third chapter discusses musical traits of the composition including form, text, harmonic language, rhythm, and texture, and the fourth chapter includes a brief aesthetic statement. A program note and a complete musical score of the composition are included as appendices. === Arts, Faculty of === Music, School of === Graduate
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