Identifier

etd-04102013-125810

Degree

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

Department

Music

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

The extant repertoire for the tuba serves as a landmark for how the tuba was perceived at that moment in time by that composer. This document contains a brief analysis of the tuba “experiment” that has been ongoing since its invention. In addition, it contains a brief parallel case study of the saxophone and how this instrument, invented at about the same time as the tuba, has embraced experimentalism and modern performance. This document contains five major sections. The first provides a brief history of the tuba and its predecessors. The second introduces numerical data representing the performance frequency of top experimental and non-experimental works for tuba in a solo setting. The third section discusses in more detail the top three experimental works. The next section briefly examines parallels between the trajectories of the tuba, the tuba’s repertoire and, the tuba community to that of the saxophone. The final section includes conclusions drawn from the previous sections, as well as ideas for the future path of the tuba. This document includes data compiled for the first time in the world of the tuba and tuba literature. It will also present some ideas that will hopefully inspire new avenues of thought, composition, and performance among tuba players. The saxophone, while at home in wind bands across the world, is almost more at home in an experimental setting. This experimentalism lies in the chosen repertoire, collaborative possibilities, or even the performance space itself. If tuba performers, teachers, and students do not begin thinking of embracing alternative performance collaborations, locations, and experimental performance techniques, the future may be bleak for the tuba world. Appendices to this document include copyright permissions with related communications, a brief discography of works included in the document, as well as a list of other experimental works for solo tuba, a list of some important experimentally-minded tuba performers and a few ideas for future research as inspired by this document.

Date

2013

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Skillen, Joseph

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.928

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