Amid the Shades

• Other Authors: Stemke, John Ash (author)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/2019_Spring_Stemke_fsu_0071E_15133

Since the 19th century, numerous poets, lyricists, and hymnists have penned texts to be sung to the Welsh folk tune “Llwyn Onn,” also known as “The Ash Grove” (12.11.12.11 D). The texts explore many different themes, including the beauty of nature, courtship, limerence, the loss of loved ones, spirituality, and various Christian principles. Metaphorically, the melody shared by these diverse texts can be considered the root or seed that links each text-tree together, establishing a grove of perspectives from which the melody itself can be understood. These relationships—where each text-tree is a unique elaboration of an underlying structure— eloquently describe numerous music-compositional practices, such as (and perhaps most noticeably) the theme and variations. Given this resonant symbolism, it is surprising that a vast majority of “Ash Grove” arrangements are not variation sets. The small pool of existing sets primarily contains solos and small chamber works, is stylistically dominated by 18th- and 19th-century idioms, and does not overtly engage with symbolism or extramusical references. In order to develop this dialogue, “Amid the Shades” offers an interpretive cultivation of “The Ash Grove” that demonstrates the broader possibilities of writing variations inspired by specific words found in a musical theme’s associated texts. === A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. === Spring Semester 2019. === April 17, 2019. === Ash Grove, Chamber Orchestra, Composition, Variations === Includes bibliographical references. === Clifton Callender, Professor Directing Dissertation; André Thomas, University Representative; Mark Wingate, Committee Member; Nancy Rogers, Committee Member; Evan Allan Jones, Committee Member.