Donald Grantham's Fantasy variations

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorJunkin, Jerry F.en
dc.contributor.advisorGrantham, Donalden
dc.creatorWilliams, Kraig Alanen
dc.date.accessioned2011-07-27T14:45:16Zen
dc.date.available2011-07-27T14:45:16Zen
dc.date.issued2003-05en
dc.descriptiontexten
dc.description.abstractDonald Grantham’s composition, Fantasy Variations, started its life as a work for two pianos, commissioned by the Race/Groves Duo. The primary motivic material is based on George Gershwin’s Second Prelude from his Piano Preludes, Book 1. A second version was later to be commissioned by Jerry Junkin and The University of Texas at Austin Wind Ensemble for a performance in Carnegie Hall, New York, on 19 February, 1997. Fantasy Variations has since been honored with two awards: the 1999 Twenty-second Annual National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest award, and the 1999 American Band Masters/Ostwald Composition Contest award. The work has received critical acclaim and numerous performances, including two compact disc recordings. The purpose of this treatise is to examine Donald Grantham’s Fantasy Variations in light of those aspects relevant to the conductor and performer of the work. A brief history of George Gershwin’s compositional style is examined, with particular attention given to his book of piano preludes. The compositional structure of Fantasy Variations is assessed, as are the issues associated with its preparation for performance. The treatise concludes that Fantasy Variations successfully achieves the composer’s goal of effectively communicating a personal style of expression through the unique manipulation and orchestration of existing material from a popular American composer. The treatise reflects on the possibility that, using the wind band, Grantham was able to accomplish what Gershwin only dreamed of throughout his short life—the legitimization of his works, raising them from the ranks of popular music into the elite world of art music.
dc.description.departmentMusicen
dc.format.mediumelectronicen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/12613en
dc.language.isoengen
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.en
dc.rights.restrictionRestricteden
dc.subjectGrantham, Donald, 1947- Fantasy variationsen
dc.titleDonald Grantham's Fantasy variationsen
thesis.degree.departmentMusicen
thesis.degree.disciplineMusicen
thesis.degree.grantorThe University of Texas at Austinen
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Musical Artsen

Access full-text files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
williamska032.pdf
Size:
568.61 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Restricted to EID users
Download

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.66 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations