Date of Award
4-2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Music
Department
School of Music
First Advisor
Dr. Benjamin Morris
Second Advisor
Mr. James Adams
Third Advisor
Dr. Alexander Amato
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Nathaniel Walker
Abstract
Architecture has long served as a source of inspiration for Western art music composers from the Early Renaissance through the Neoclassical period. While the relationship between music and architecture has been widely studied, much of the existing research focuses on traditional mediums such as the symphony orchestra. This project explores the concept of music as “frozen architecture” – introduced by Friedrich Schelling – and the metaphorical correlations as described by Vitruvius and Lupishko, applying these concepts to the contemporary medium of the wind ensemble through my original composition. My work integrates the architectural principles proposed by Vitruvius and Lupishko while maintaining my own creative voice. The analysis of this original composition will include examinations of texture, harmonic progressions, rhythmic motives, and modes. By doing so, this project aims to bridge a gap in current scholarship by extending the concept that “architecture is frozen music” to include modern ensemble practices.
Repository Citation
Turner, Leighannah J., "Architecture as Frozen Music: An Original Wind Ensemble Work Exploring Architectural Metaphors in Contemporary Music" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 707.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/707
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Rotunda is a three-movement work for wind ensemble—Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—modeled after Vitruvian architectural orders. Each movement functions as a conceptual framework, with increased harmonic and textural complexity as the piece continues. The architecture-to-music analogy is expressed using harmonic language: Diatonic, Chromatic, and Enharmonic, which translate structural and decorative elements of a rotunda into musical form.
