Degree

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

Department

Music and Dramatic Arts

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Abstract

Christos Hatzis’ Three Songs of Poems by Sappho (1999) represents a compelling yet understudied contribution to contemporary art song repertoire. This study examines Hatzis’ settings of Sappho’s Fragments 1, 16, and 44, offering both scholarly analysis and practical performance guidance to make the cycle more accessible to singers and scholars. Through musical and textual analysis, this project reveals how Hatzis bridges ancient Greek lyric poetry with modern compositional techniques. The study demonstrates his innovative approach to word painting, rhythmic flexibility, and extended tonality, showing how these elements honor Sappho’s intimate first-person voice while creating a distinctive 20th-century art song idiom. Performance practice recommendations address technical and interpretive suggestions, include an International Phonetic Alphabet guide in modern Greek, as well as insight into the textual changes rendered by Dr. Christos Hatzis. The study synthesizes historical research on the legend of Sappho with analysis of Hatzis’ compositional philosophy to provide a multifaceted understanding of the work. Designed as both a scholarly resource and practical guide, this project aims to encourage more frequent performances of Three Songs of Poems by Sappho while establishing its importance in the art song canon. It offers singers concrete tools for interpretation while suggesting directions for future research on comparative Sappho settings, as well as an examination of Hatzis’ evolved approach to text setting.

Date

7-16-2025

Committee Chair

Dennis Jesse

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.6892

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