Advisor
Singleton, Kenneth
Advisor
Reddick, Carissa
Committee Member
Dickensheets, Janice
Department
Music
Institution
University of Northern Colorado
Type of Resources
Text
Place of Publication
Greeley (Colo.)
Publisher
University of Northern Colorado
Date Created
3-11-2016
Genre
Thesis
Extent
267 pages
Digital Origin
Born digital
Abstract
Jason Robert Brown is emerging as one of Broadway’s top musical theater composers. The majority of musical theater scholarship focuses on extra-musical elements; the only composer who has been examined by the music academy is Stephen Sondheim. Brown has been described as a “disciple” of Sondheim, and is on his way to equaling his predecessor’s longevity and fame. This study examines the compositional style of Brown, and explores his ability to use musical elements to enhance the drama of the musical through his first four productions: Songs For A New World, Parade, The Last Five Years, and 13. Brown’s treatment of song forms and types, rhythmic tendencies, and allusions to various styles are included. Throughout this research, comparisons are made to composers from the Golden Age of musical theater, as well as contemporary composers such as Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Degree type
D.A.
Degree Name
Doctoral
Language
English
Local Identifiers
Voelker_unco_0161D_10464.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
