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Short Composition Portfolio

Composition Portfolio

  • Authors: Bessey, Warren Gregory
  • Date: 2023-04-10
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , Zulu (African people) Songs and music , Music Cross-cultural studies , uMkabayi kaJama , Nandi , Nobility South Africa Zululand History
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/404940 , vital:70123
  • Description: Excerpt from Introduction: My interest in the Zulu royal family intensified as I began to read many stories and have lengthy conversations with members of the Zulu royal family and others, including Dr Maxwell Shamase (University of Zululand), about Zulu history. I was struck by the power and prowess of Princess Mkabayi (1750-1843). The elders were said to be speechless when she spoke. According to Shamase, a common Zulu expression which references Mkabayi’s well-known verbal skill is Umuntu ukhuluma kome umlomo, and translates as [like Mkabayi] the speaker speaks clearly and leaves no room for misunderstandings and misinterpretations. I found her to be a brilliant strategist with a servant heart and one whom history had not given due credit, and I was inspired to bring her story to life by setting it to music. I wanted to explore whether or not the events surrounding Mkabayi led to a change of consciousness among the Zulu nation, and I used this as a theme for my symphonic work about her. The lives of Queen Nandi (King Shaka’s mother) and Princess Mkabayi (King Shaka’s aunt) made for fascinating stories I had been privileged to discover, and I felt they were South African treasures to be elevated and shared with the world. The two works listed above form part of my repertoire based on Zulu royal history which are collectively known as “The Royal Trilogy,” and I have come to think of them as part of a developing “urban classical repertoire”. The Royal Trilogy is a set of three compositions with 33 independent scenes linking historical events and people. It includes the following entitled symphonic works for full orchestra: Nandi iNdlovukazi yezi Ndlovukazi (hereinafter “Queen Nandi”), Inkosazane Mkabayi (hereinafter “Princess Mkabayi”), and iNkosi uShaka: Umbono, Isizwe, Isiphetho - King Shaka: A Vision, A Nation, A Destiny (hereinafter “King Shaka”). Nandi premiered on 22 September 2016 as part of “A Musical Tribute Celebrating 200 Years of the Zulu Monarchy,” and “Mkabayi” premiered on 6 September 2018 under a programme titled “Princess Mkabayi: Celebrating Heritage Month”. Both pieces were performed at the Durban City Hall by the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra with a mass Zulu choir (combination of the Clermont Community Choir, Prince Mshiyeni Choir, and Thokozani Choral Society) for socio-economic and ethnically diverse audiences. The final work, “King Shaka,” is expected to premiere in 2023. A future adaption of the Royal Trilogy is envisioned as an Afro Fusion Contemporary Ballet. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music & Musicology, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-04-10

Composition Portfolio

  • Authors: Hanmer, Paul Dylan
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , String quartets Scores , Symphonies Scores , Music South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/327283 , vital:61100 , DOI 10.21504/10962/327283
  • Description: Extract from Introduction: “In the cover bands I worked with, I used to do what all my colleagues in these bands were doing to learn and remember repertoire; transcribe “by ear” and then rehearse with the whole band. Later, when I joined “909” [a cover band named after the “909” model of drum-box developed and built by the Japanese company, Roland] I learned to extend that skill by notating my transcriptions and then playing from these self-made keyboard parts. All the instrumentalists in that band likewise played from their own notated transcriptions and, from that time onward it became rarer for me to do any kind of performance work without a set of self-made parts to read from or refer to. I had thus reverted to performing from musical notation. Even later, when I became involved almost exclusively in improvisational music performance, I never quite abandoned the notion of having notated keyboard or piano parts to hand, as a reference or guide. Since about 1990, I have led a life that has increasingly left pop music behind and instead embraced working with improvising musicians; those who wish to explore South African folk idioms in their compositional and performance output, as well as others who have a deep love of jazz music. At the same time, I have re-entered the realm of classical music and music-making; often through writing arrangements of my own music, which would incorporate classically trained players, as well as in response to commissions to compose [for particular musicians or groups of musicians] fully notated pieces of music – such as the works in this PhD portfolio. Yet, there are many circumstantial factors that feed into my composing, and exert an influence on my creativity. A major step in this particular direction came during 2002 when composer, Michael Blake, asked me to contribute to The Bow Project. This commission brought me into close contact with the [then intact and very active] Sontonga Quartet. Several further requests for, and commissions of, new works followed on from there. Two such works constitute the major portion of the portfolio to which these reflexive commentaries refer.” , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2022
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  • Date Issued: 2022-10-14

Composition portfolio

  • Authors: Lemmer, Elizabeth Kate
  • Date: 2022-04
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , Music South Africa , COVID-19 (Disease) and the arts , Emotions in music , Violin music Scores , String quartets Scores , Chamber music Scores
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's thesis , text , sheet music
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232624 , vital:50008
  • Description: In this portfolio I reflect on issues Covid-19 has brought to our communities and the possibilities of creating a brighter future. My music reflects the struggle that most people have faced in the last two years, the emotions and the conspiracies surrounding the experience, and the effect of solitude. In a time such as this it is almost inevitable that the music being composed is connected to the struggle in society at large. For ma composition is a journal of the heart. The pandemic has created a situation where most are out of touch with each other, have lost all previous routine and structure, where relationships are broken due to lack of personal contact, and almost everyone has unwillingly (or unwittingly) been thrust into self-reflection. Every day sees a new struggle to squeeze in all those pre-pandemic ideals so that some normalcy can be obtained, but this is not a time to be looking back. It’s a time to understand what we are going through, build new joy and excitement for this different life and learn to live the best we can with the opportunities we are given. There has not been a more important time to foster some form of connection with friends and family, and to be as strong and supportive as possible. The portfolio begins with a solo violin piece, Unwelcome Solitude, which exemplifies the loneliness and sadness during the various lockdowns over the last two years, with hints of the past and the difficulties in trying to resurrect pre-Covid-19 times. There are some unusual expressive markings to add to the descriptive effect within the piece. This is followed by The Pandemic, two serialism works: Panic and Pain scored for a string quartet. Both of these pieces apply a flexible use of serialism to emphasize out the emotional aspects of the music, and quite simply; the panic and the pain caused by Covid-19 and the country’s response to the pandemic as a whole. Finally there is a three movement chamber piece titled A Storm Series which quite literally represents the series of events that occur from the upcoming to the closure of a typical Highveld storm. Further than this, these pieces represent the series of events that occurred in South Africa from the first rumour of the Covid-19 virus starting to circle around the world, through the various lockdowns and progression of events in our country and abroad. The final movement of this series, Re-awakening, ends on a positive note representing the rainbow at the end of the storm, and the positive outlook for South Africa to keep persevering through the pandemic. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2022
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  • Date Issued: 2022-04

Portfolio of original compositions

  • Authors: Nabal, Ruhan
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , Music -- South Africa , Piano music , Marimba music
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45569 , vital:38671
  • Description: This Orchestral Suite was inspired by the art illustrations fromBrian Froud’s book ‘Good Faeries Bad Faeries’, where each piece in the suite represents a drawing from his book, portraying three good faeries and three bad and is in many ways a tone poem. Each piece calls for different orchestration to create individual colour to make each piece unique. Permission was not consented to include the drawings. The line-up is as follows: I. Waters of Wisdom – Overture to the faerie realm (good) II. The Thoughts of the Melancholic Faerie – She contemplates of past and present (bad) III. A Banshee Passing – the idea of death as coming unknowingly and going quietly (bad) IV. Introduction to Faerie Lilu – clearing the mist V. The Faerie Lilu – the provocateur of restlessness – she inspires wild dreams, lost fantasies and gives artists their sparks of genius (bad) VI. A Cluster of Hedgerow Pixies – They are very mischievous – in a (good) way. VII. The Dance of the Oboe Faerie – a Finale (good). While he dances, he also sings of the faerie realm. A number of composers inspired me to pursue such a work, and firstly G. Holst has left his mark on me. The first and sixth movement was inspired by the ‘Planets’. The fifth movement is actually in homage to the French composer Frank Martin with the composition ‘Petite symphonie’ where he displays the piano and harpsichord – as I have done. The second and third movements are attempts to portray film music, such as composers H. Zimmerman and D.Elfman. The last movement has many neo-classical elements displayed and I. Stravinsky had a notable influence on this piece. All the composers mentioned here have contributed in more than one piece at some point in time. The theme of the work, the magical theme, always makes me reminisce my childhood where I would in amazement wonder about my grandmothers glorious garden in search of all that is magical, and composing this took me back to that time of innocent, child-like wonder
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  • Date Issued: 2018

Composition portfolio

Portfolio of compositions

  • Authors: Simpson, Wayne Charles
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , Music
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7385 , vital:21343
  • Description: This essay will address the evolving nature of, and diversity, in method types of musical analysis. It will explore the connection between methods and approach types to musical analysis and related conceptions of what constitutes meaning in music. These methods will be largely understood as operating inside given parameters of musical meaning. Following a short history of some of the developments concerning structure in music from the 17th to late 19th century, I will discuss some of the dominant analytical methods and aim to highlight common features between them. I will discuss the different approaches these methods employ and highlight areas where a given method might be seen as using more than one approach. I will then investigate some approaches to composition that fall outside the conventional view of musical meaning and ultimately suggest the application of an eclectic model to musical analysis.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

Compositions portfolio

  • Authors: Van der Merwe, Steven
  • Date: 2012
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , Music -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:8517 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012116 , Composition (Music) , Music -- South Africa
  • Description: DVD contains the musical compositions
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  • Date Issued: 2012
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