Pitch Organization in Stephen Albert's Symphony RiverRun

Symphony RiverRun, composed in 1984, was a milestone in the career of composer Stephen Albert; it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize the following year. The success of this work paved the way for several commissions, including his Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra. Albert''s career was tragically cut short in 1991, the result of a fatal automobile accident. Albert was considered at the forefront of the "Neo-Romantic" movement; a term he rejected as it implies that tonality had disappeared in spite of the many tonal works written throughout the twentieth-century. He instead proposed terms such as "Tonal Reformation." In this study Mr. Petrides seeks to codify Albert''s materials and uncover how they are enacted to forge the new tonality. The method of analysis involves pc-sets and set theory operations to the linear and vertical elements to disclose their underlying relationships which are in turn evaluated within the context of larger referential colections. Areas of tonal centricity are examined as well as interval cycles and modal combinations.

Autorentext

Ron Petrides, Ph. D: Composer and jazz guitarist. Mr. Petrides studied composition at NYU, The Peabody Institute, and Mannes College of Music. He has composed works for orchestra and chamber ensemble and has performed with some of the worlds leading jazz artists. He is a faculty member of the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music Program.