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LAU Thesis FINAL v6 (4-20-2020) CL.pdf (2.83 MB)

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Objective Measure of Two Musical Interpretations of an Excerpt from Berlioz's "La Mort d'Ophelie"

Lau, Hiu Yan Crystal
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2155-6676
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586877620452912

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, Interdisciplinary Studies.
Objective: Art song is a unique genre in the realm of European classical music, which embraces the combined beauty of vocal melody, instrumental accompaniment, and text. In a performance context, the same composition can be performed with a variety of emotional interpretations. The purpose of this study was to determine sound production differences relative to two emotional interpretations in performing an excerpt from a classical art song. Methods/Design: The first author, a soprano with a master’s degree in vocal performance, recorded an excerpt from “La Mort d’Ophelie” composed by Hector Berlioz (1803-69). The excerpt was sung in two contrasting musical interpretations: an “empathetic legato” approach, and a “sarcastic” approach with emphatic attacks. Microphone, airflow (Glottal Enterprises MSIF-2), and electroglottography (EGG; Kay Model 6103) signals were digitized. These recordings were analyzed for acoustic, airflow, and glottographic measures. The vowels in the musical excerpt were analyzed in terms of intensity, long term average spectra (LTAS), fundamental frequency vibrato rate and extent, vowel onset, intensity comparison of harmonic frequencies, and glottal measures based on electroglottograph waveforms. Results & Conclusions: Data analyses revealed that stressed vowels, when performed with the emphatic approach compared to the legato approach, had faster vowel onset, increased glottal adduction (relative to the EGGW25 measure), increased intensity of harmonics in the 1500 to 3000 Hz range, inferred increase in subglottal pressure, increased airflow for the /f/ consonant, and greater aspiration airflow for the plosives /t/ and /p/. The vibrato extent for both fo and airflow were both greater for the emphatic approach. Findings also revealed larger amplitude values of the EGG waveform, but this finding was not statistically significant. Long-term average spectrum (LTAS) analyses of the entire production displayed minor increases across all formant frequencies for the emphatic approach. While this is a single-case objective study, it emphasizes the reality and informative nature of physiological, aerodynamic, and acoustic production differences in the pedagogical and interpretive aspects of art song performance. Vocal performers, teachers, and other music educators may benefit from applying findings like those of this study to developing performance strategies while maintaining healthy vocal production.
Ronald C. Scherer, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Jane Rodgers, D.M.A. (Committee Member)
Emily Pence Brown, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Robert Satterlee, D.M.A. (Other)
59 p.
Music; Music Education; Speech Therapy
Voice; Music; Performance; Art song; Musical interpretation; Emotional interpretation; Voice Science; Vocal pedagogy; Objective measures; Acoustics; Glottography; Airflow; Intensity; Harmonics; Formants; EGG; Electroglottography

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lau, H. Y. C. (2020). Objective Measure of Two Musical Interpretations of an Excerpt from Berlioz's "La Mort d'Ophelie" [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586877620452912

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lau, Hiu Yan Crystal. Objective Measure of Two Musical Interpretations of an Excerpt from Berlioz's "La Mort d'Ophelie". 2020. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586877620452912.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lau, Hiu Yan Crystal. "Objective Measure of Two Musical Interpretations of an Excerpt from Berlioz's "La Mort d'Ophelie"." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586877620452912

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1586877620452912
194
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This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.