“NATIVE AMERICAN FOLK SONG SUITE”: A STUDY OF TRADITIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN MELODIES, THE ROLE OF MUSIC IN NATIVE AMERICAN SOCIETY, AND ITS TRANSLATION TO THE MODERN WIND ENSEMBLE

Author

Preston ParkerFollow

Date of Award

Summer 8-17-2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Music

Department

School of Music

First Advisor

Dr. David Campo

Second Advisor

Dr. Stephen Lias

Third Advisor

Dr. Tamey Anglley

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Barbara Qualls

Abstract

Music holds a sacred place for the many Native American tribes of the United States. Over the past 150 years, ethnomusicologists Dr. Theodore Baker (1851-1934), Dr. Frances Densmore (1867-1957), and John Donald Robb (1892-1989) have preserved these songs by sitting down with indigenous Native Americans and recording their music straight from the source. Through these recordings, these ethnomusicologists created a springboard for composers, including myself, to study the past and create new music that honors the traditions and culture of Native Americans. I have applied my new knowledge of these musical techniques and traditions to create a work for wind ensemble that adds harmony and thematic development to timeless Native American melodies and captures the spirit of their esteemed culture. A formal analysis of the musical themes and melodies used in creating “Native American Folk Song Suite” accompany this score, as well as a discussion on various Native American musical characteristics.

Repository Citation

Parker, Preston, "“NATIVE AMERICAN FOLK SONG SUITE”: A STUDY OF TRADITIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN MELODIES, THE ROLE OF MUSIC IN NATIVE AMERICAN SOCIETY, AND ITS TRANSLATION TO THE MODERN WIND ENSEMBLE" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 255.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/255

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.