scholarly journals Virtuosity and composer-performer collaboration in the viola works of Darius Milhaud and Paul Hindemith

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Irina Andreeva
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Paul Hindemith ◽  
Darius Milhaud ◽  
Complex Issue ◽  
Viola Concerto ◽  
Viola Repertoire ◽  
Musical Elements ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
William Primrose

<p>This thesis considers the position of Darius Milhaud’s Viola Concerto No. 1, op. 108 (1929–30), and Viola Concerto No. 2, op. 340 (1955), in the modern viola repertoire. Milhaud’s understanding of the viola as a solo virtuoso instrument is displayed particularly clearly in his two Concertos, which were specifically inspired by his relationships with two influential virtuoso violists of the twentieth century – Paul Hindemith and William Primrose. A further, related issue that is explored, is the direct and indirect impact of Paganini’s compositions on these two works.  Milhaud’s virtuosic writing for the viola was strongly influenced by his friendships with these two musicians – Hindemith and Primrose – each of whom played a critical role in the emergence of a new breed of viola virtuosos during the course of the twentieth century. Milhaud’s friendship with the first of these men, Paul Hindemith, produced not one, but two important pieces of the virtuoso viola repertoire: Milhaud’s first Viola Concerto and Hindemith’s Konzertmusik. Aspects of the cross-­‐influence between composers and virtuoso performers are addressed here through a comparison of the technical and musical elements, as well as the structure of these two works. Another prominent violist of the twentieth century, William Primrose, who was nicknamed the ‘Paganini of the Viola’, commissioned Milhaud’s second Viola Concerto. Primrose’s desire for new concert repertoire for his instrument, together with his unequalled technical prowess, both impressed and inspired Milhaud, who wrote the Viola Concerto No. 2 with Primrose's technical virtuosity in mind. Strikingly, however, unlike the first Concerto, this work has been largely neglected for almost fifty years.  Significantly, both Milhaud’s viola concertos display very strong technical similarities with Paganini’s music written for the violin. Yet the position of Paganini’s music in the viola repertoire, and the value and importance of his compositions for this instrument, traditionally ignites arguments amongst performers, critics and listeners alike. This is a complex issue, which raises various questions such as the physical suitability of Paganini’s compositions for the original qualities of the viola, with its larger fingerboard, slower responding strings and heavier and shorter bow. In the present thesis this problem is addressed through a comparison of the technical elements used by Paganini in his writing for the viola (as exemplified in his Sonata per la Grand Viola) with techniques from his 24 Caprices, Milhaud’s viola concertos, a selection of Primrose’s transcriptions of Paganini’s works and Hindemith’s own compositions for viola.  By examining Milhaud’s Viola Concerto No. 2 in relation to the evolution of the composer’s writing for viola, from his encounters with Paganini’s compositions to his collaboration with Hindemith, and, finally, to his engagement with Primrose, this thesis attempts to demonstrate that this work should be reintroduced to the contemporary virtuoso viola repertoire.</p>

scholarly journals Virtuosity and composer-performer collaboration in the viola works of Darius Milhaud and Paul Hindemith

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Irina Andreeva
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Paul Hindemith ◽  
Darius Milhaud ◽  
Complex Issue ◽  
Viola Concerto ◽  
Viola Repertoire ◽  
Musical Elements ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
William Primrose

<p>This thesis considers the position of Darius Milhaud’s Viola Concerto No. 1, op. 108 (1929–30), and Viola Concerto No. 2, op. 340 (1955), in the modern viola repertoire. Milhaud’s understanding of the viola as a solo virtuoso instrument is displayed particularly clearly in his two Concertos, which were specifically inspired by his relationships with two influential virtuoso violists of the twentieth century – Paul Hindemith and William Primrose. A further, related issue that is explored, is the direct and indirect impact of Paganini’s compositions on these two works.  Milhaud’s virtuosic writing for the viola was strongly influenced by his friendships with these two musicians – Hindemith and Primrose – each of whom played a critical role in the emergence of a new breed of viola virtuosos during the course of the twentieth century. Milhaud’s friendship with the first of these men, Paul Hindemith, produced not one, but two important pieces of the virtuoso viola repertoire: Milhaud’s first Viola Concerto and Hindemith’s Konzertmusik. Aspects of the cross-­‐influence between composers and virtuoso performers are addressed here through a comparison of the technical and musical elements, as well as the structure of these two works. Another prominent violist of the twentieth century, William Primrose, who was nicknamed the ‘Paganini of the Viola’, commissioned Milhaud’s second Viola Concerto. Primrose’s desire for new concert repertoire for his instrument, together with his unequalled technical prowess, both impressed and inspired Milhaud, who wrote the Viola Concerto No. 2 with Primrose's technical virtuosity in mind. Strikingly, however, unlike the first Concerto, this work has been largely neglected for almost fifty years.  Significantly, both Milhaud’s viola concertos display very strong technical similarities with Paganini’s music written for the violin. Yet the position of Paganini’s music in the viola repertoire, and the value and importance of his compositions for this instrument, traditionally ignites arguments amongst performers, critics and listeners alike. This is a complex issue, which raises various questions such as the physical suitability of Paganini’s compositions for the original qualities of the viola, with its larger fingerboard, slower responding strings and heavier and shorter bow. In the present thesis this problem is addressed through a comparison of the technical elements used by Paganini in his writing for the viola (as exemplified in his Sonata per la Grand Viola) with techniques from his 24 Caprices, Milhaud’s viola concertos, a selection of Primrose’s transcriptions of Paganini’s works and Hindemith’s own compositions for viola.  By examining Milhaud’s Viola Concerto No. 2 in relation to the evolution of the composer’s writing for viola, from his encounters with Paganini’s compositions to his collaboration with Hindemith, and, finally, to his engagement with Primrose, this thesis attempts to demonstrate that this work should be reintroduced to the contemporary virtuoso viola repertoire.</p>

scholarly journals Topos, Text, and the Parody Problem in Bach's Mass in B minor, BWV 232

2013 ◽  
pp. 108-125
Author(s):  
Lisa Szeker-Madden
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Eighteenth Century ◽  
Rhetorical Analysis ◽  
Logical Analysis ◽  
The Other ◽  
Important Criterion ◽  
Rhetorical Figures ◽  
Musical Elements ◽  
Selection Of

Even though parody and borrowing have long been recognized as legitimate features of Bach's compositional practices, the criteria by which the composer selected appropriate material to parody remains problematic. Christoph Wolff and Güther Stiller, for example, suggest that musical elements, such as the quality of the original or its potential for further embellishment, represent possible criteria. On the other hand, textual elements such as analogous subjects, "affects," and metrical patterns between old and new texts also many have factored into Bach's criteria. In an effort to redress the imposition of these twentieth-century solutions to what is in effect an eighteenth-century phenomenon, this study undertakes a cultural/contextual examination of the Crucifixus movement from the Mass in B minor and its model, the opening chorus of Cantata 12. Indeed, a logical analysis of both texts reveals that an equivalence of topoi, or topics, represents an important criterion in the selection of an appropriate model from which to borrow. Moreover, a musical-rhetorical analysis confirms that Bach's borrowings from the opening chorus of Cantata 12 are actually musical-rhetorical figures. His application of the parody procedure thus represents the re-use of specific musical-rhetorical gestures which are suitable for the embellishment of a particular topos.

A “Muslim” Poet in the Lap of a “Hindu” Mother

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Fell McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Religious Identities ◽  
Complex Issue

An intriguing twist in the devotional culture of Kālī in modern India is its spread across religious boundaries, of which a notable example is the poetry of Kazi Nazrul Islam, a twentieth-century poet who has left a dual legacy in West Bengal and Bangladesh. The absorbing attachment to Kālī of this Muslim poet who had a Tantric guru manifested itself in some of the finest lyrics that comprise the Śyāmā Saṅgīt genre. While they underscore Kālī’s command over an individual’s spirituality and poetry, they also problematize religious identities by assailing Muslim sensibilities, especially in Bangladesh, where this Hindu voice of its National Poet troubles the Bangladeshi sense of what Bangladeshi Islam is or should be. This chapter addresses the complex issue of why and how a Hindu goddess could have exercised so strong a pull on a Muslim poet possessing so powerful an imagination and so clear a voice.

Veiling Esther, Unveiling Her Story

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J. Silverstein
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Muslim World ◽  
Historical Narratives ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Religious Background ◽  
Literary Context ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Selection Of

This book examines the ways in which the biblical book of Esther was read, understood, and used in Muslim lands, from ancient to modern times. It zeroes-in on a selection of case studies, covering works from various periods and regions of the Muslim world, including the Qur’an, premodern historical chronicles and literary works, the writings of a nineteenth-century Shia feminist, a twentieth-century Iranian dictionary, and others. These case studies demonstrate that Muslim sources contain valuable materials on Esther, which shed light both on the Esther story itself and on the Muslim peoples and cultures that received it. The book argues that Muslim sources preserve important, pre-Islamic materials on Esther that have not survived elsewhere, some of which offer answers to ancient questions about Esther, such as the meaning of Haman’s epithet in the Greek versions of the story, the reason why Mordecai refused to prostrate himself before Haman, and the literary context of the “plot of the eunuchs” to kill the Persian king. Furthermore, throughout the book we will see how each author’s cultural and religious background influenced his or her understanding and retelling of the Esther story: In particular, it will be shown that Persian Muslims (and Jews) were often forced to reconcile or choose between the conflicting historical narratives provided by their religious and cultural heritages respectively.

The Yellow Wall-Paper and Other Stories

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Short Fiction ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Charlotte Perkins Gilman ◽  
Early Twentieth Century ◽  
Selection Of

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was America's leading feminist intellectual of the early twentieth century. The Yellow Wall-Paper and Other Stories makes available the fullest selection of her short fiction ever printed. In addition to her pioneering masterpiece, ‘The Yellow Wall-Paper’ (1890), which draws on her own experience of depression and insanity, this edition features her Impress ‘story studies’, works in the manner of writers such as James, Twain, and Kipling. These stories, together with other fiction from her neglected California period (1890-5), throw new light on Gilman as a practitioner of the art of fiction. In her Forerunner stories she repeatedly explores the situation of ‘the woman of fifty’ and inspires reform by imagining workable solutions to a range of personal and social problems.

A Polanyian rationale for a liberal arts core curriculum

2021 ◽  
pp. 147787852199623
Author(s):  
Jon Fennell ◽  
Timothy L. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
Moral Imagination ◽  
Philosophy Of Education ◽  
Michael Polanyi ◽  
Character Formation ◽  
Selection Of

What would we have the school teach? To what end? In the name of democracy, and building on the pioneering epistemology of Michael Polanyi, Harry S. Broudy, a leading voice in philosophy of education during the twentieth century, calls for a liberal arts core curriculum for all. The envisioned product of such schooling is a certain sort of person. Anticipating the predictable relativistic challenge so much on display in our own time, Broudy justifies the selection of subject matter (and thus the envisioned character formation and cultivation of moral imagination) by reference to the authority of experts in the disciplines. This response fails to fully repel the assault, thereby revealing the need for a dimension of Polanyi’s thought whose significance exceeds even that of the epistemology that Broudy so effectively invokes.

scholarly journals The Lamprey Forebrain – Evolutionary Implications

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Shreyas M. Suryanarayana ◽  
Juan Pérez-Fernández ◽  
Brita Robertson ◽  
Sten Grillner
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Sensory Integration ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Detailed Comparison ◽  
Common Ancestry ◽  
Dopamine System ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Neural Processes ◽  
Living Group ◽  
Selection Of

The forebrain plays a critical role in a broad range of neural processes encompassing sensory integration and initiation/selection of behaviour. The forebrain functions through an interaction between different cortical areas, the thalamus, the basal ganglia with the dopamine system, and the habenulae. The ambition here is to compare the mammalian forebrain with that of the lamprey representing the oldest now living group of vertebrates, by a review of earlier studies. We show that the lamprey dorsal pallium has a motor, a somatosensory, and a visual area with retinotopic representation. The lamprey pallium was previously thought to be largely olfactory. There is also a detailed similarity between the lamprey and mammals with regard to other forebrain structures like the basal ganglia in which the general organisation, connectivity, transmitters and their receptors, neuropeptides, and expression of ion channels are virtually identical. These initially unexpected results allow for the possibility that many aspects of the basic design of the vertebrate forebrain had evolved before the lamprey diverged from the evolutionary line leading to mammals. Based on a detailed comparison between the mammalian forebrain and that of the lamprey and with due consideration of data from other vertebrate groups, we propose a compelling account of a pan-vertebrate schema for basic forebrain structures, suggesting a common ancestry of over half a billion years of vertebrate evolution.

scholarly journals A New Hyper-Parameter Optimization Method for Power Load Forecast Based on Recurrent Neural Networks

Algorithms ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Yaru Li ◽  
Yulai Zhang ◽  
Yongping Cai
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Parameter Optimization ◽  
Recurrent Neural Networks ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Bayesian Optimization ◽  
Power Load ◽  
Gradient Calculation ◽  
Truncated Newton ◽  
Selection Of

The selection of the hyper-parameters plays a critical role in the task of prediction based on the recurrent neural networks (RNN). Traditionally, the hyper-parameters of the machine learning models are selected by simulations as well as human experiences. In recent years, multiple algorithms based on Bayesian optimization (BO) are developed to determine the optimal values of the hyper-parameters. In most of these methods, gradients are required to be calculated. In this work, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used under the BO framework to develop a new method for hyper-parameter optimization. The proposed algorithm (BO-PSO) is free of gradient calculation and the particles can be optimized in parallel naturally. So the computational complexity can be effectively reduced which means better hyper-parameters can be obtained under the same amount of calculation. Experiments are done on real world power load data,where the proposed method outperforms the existing state-of-the-art algorithms,BO with limit-BFGS-bound (BO-L-BFGS-B) and BO with truncated-newton (BO-TNC),in terms of the prediction accuracy. The errors of the prediction result in different models show that BO-PSO is an effective hyper-parameter optimization method.

scholarly journals Untangling the environmental from the dietary: dust does not matter

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1838) ◽  
pp. 20161032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gildas Merceron ◽  
Anusha Ramdarshan ◽  
Cécile Blondel ◽  
Jean-Renaud Boisserie ◽  
Noël Brunetiere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Tooth Wear ◽  
Textural Analysis ◽  
Significant Determinant ◽  
Intrinsic Properties ◽  
Dental Microwear ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Evolutionary Mechanisms ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Selection Of

Both dust and silica phytoliths have been shown to contribute to reducing tooth volume during chewing. However, the way and the extent to which they individually contribute to tooth wear in natural conditions is unknown. There is still debate as to whether dental microwear represents a dietary or an environmental signal, with far-reaching implications on evolutionary mechanisms that promote dental phenotypes, such as molar hypsodonty in ruminants, molar lengthening in suids or enamel thickening in human ancestors. By combining controlled-food trials simulating natural conditions and dental microwear textural analysis on sheep, we show that the presence of dust on food items does not overwhelm the dietary signal. Our dataset explores variations in dental microwear textures between ewes fed on dust-free and dust-laden grass or browse fodders. Browsing diets with a dust supplement simulating Harmattan windswept environments contain more silica than dust-free grazing diets. Yet browsers given a dust supplement differ from dust-free grazers. Regardless of the presence or the absence of dust, sheep with different diets yield significantly different dental microwear textures. Dust appears a less significant determinant of dental microwear signatures than the intrinsic properties of ingested foods, implying that diet plays a critical role in driving the natural selection of dental innovations.

Langdell Laughs

1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-144
Author(s):  
William P. LaPiana
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
The Self ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Christopher Columbus ◽  
Self Image ◽  
American Law

The amount of ink spilled in consideration of the life, thought, accomplishments, and legacy of Christopher Columbus Langdell is eloquent testimony to the critical role he plays in the self-image of the American law teaching profession. It is both wonderful and astounding, therefore, to find that critical primary sources remained unread and unused at the very end of the twentieth century. Now that Bruce Kimball has brought them to light, we have a more complete view of the man and his thought, one that, not surprisingly, reveals to us someone quite different from the cruelly and crudely caricatured inventor of those twin devices for stifling young minds, the case and Socratic methods.

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