AN EXAMINATION OF 19TH CENTURY AUSTROGERMAN VIOLIN SONATAS

For my dissertation recital project, I traced the course of the violin-piano sonata in Austro- German in the 19th century, after Beethoven. My project presented works in three general categories. First, I presented works that are frequently-played standards of the violin sonata repertoire, works by Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, and Robert Schumann. The Second category is works by composers better known for their other compositions: Felix Mendelssohn and Richard Strauss. Finally, I choose the works seldom played these days, but worth of consideration, by Carl Maria von Weber and Max Reger. For my first recital, I performed Schubert's Violin Sonata, No. 1, Op. 137 in D major, Schumann's Violin Sonata, No. 1, Op. 105 in a minor, and Brahms' Violin Sonata, No.3, Op. 108 in d minor, with Naoko Takao as pianist. My second recital included works of Weber's Sonata, No. 1, Op. lob, in F major, Mendelssohn's Sonata, in F major (1838), and Schumann's Sonata, No.Z,Op.121 in d minor with Grace Cho. I concluded my final recital with the works of Reger's Violin Sonata, No. 1, Op. 1 in d minor and Strauss' Violin Sonata, Op. 18 in E flat major, Soo-Young Jung at the piano. All three programs are documented in a digital audio format available on compact disc, with accompanying programs also available in digital format.

Exploring Musical Diversity in the Collaborative Repertoire from 1880 through 1963

It is essential in musical performance not only to convey the unique language of the composers but also to approach each composition from the perspective of its style. During the 20th century, diverse musical idioms co-existed, sometimes mixing or fusing, yet retaining recognizable characteristics and thereby remaining distinctive. This dissertation explores myriad examples from Late Romanticism/Post- Romanticism, Naturalism, Neo-Classicism, Nationalism and Impressionism composed during this unusually rich period. In order to explore a broad range of collaborative repertoire and to deepen my knowledge of the styles and performance practices relating to these pieces, I studied and performed the repertoire with pianist Eunae Baik–Kim, clarinetist Jihoon Chang, and singers Joshua Brown and Young Joo Lee. The first program featured Post-Romantic, Neo-Classic and Impressionist two-piano works composed by Debussy, Rachmaninoff, and Stravinsky. Each of the three composers used their own distinctive harmonies, rhythms, melodic inventions, pedaling and figurations. In all of the works, both piano parts were densely interwoven, having equal importance. Lied and operatic aria was the focus of the second recital. Brahms’ Vier Ernste Gesänge Op. 121, Ravel’s Don Quichotte a Dulcineé and Italian, French and German operatic arias were the examples of Post-Romanticism and Nationalism. The representative composers were Verdi, Massenet, Korngold, Leoncavallo, Ravel and Wagner. Despite the fact that all of the repertoire was written in traditional musical forms, the composers’ unique voices mark each work as belonging to a particular genre. The third recital focused on Post-Romantic and Impressionistic music written for clarinet and piano: the Première Rhapsodie by Debussy, the Sonata by Poulenc and Brahms’ Sonata in F minor Op. 120, No. 1. These works, although profoundly different in style, share elements of simplicity, clarity and elegance as well as technical virtuosity, articulation and profound musical depth. The three recitals which comprise this dissertation project were performed at the University of Maryland Gildenhorn Recital Hall on February 27, 2010, October 25, 2010, and January 31, 2011. The recitals were recorded on compact disc and are archived within the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM).

THE PERFORMER’S INFLUENCE ON FRANCO-BELGIAN COMPOSITIONS FROM 1870 TO 1930

The turn of the 20th century marked an ascendancy of the Franco-Belgian school of composers. French composers were inspired by the great German composers of the Romantic era, and they created their own defined national style that emerged toward the end of the 19th century. The Franco-Belgian composers’ special emphasis on tone, timbre and color encouraged a more individual, personally interpretative approach. These devices underscore the importance and influence a performer can have on the outcome of a piece. I researched the relationship between composers and violinists at a time when the Franco-Belgian style developed and flourished. The Franco-Belgian school of violin playing emerged from the Paris and Brussels conservatories as well as the symbiotic relationship between the performers and composers. Three recitals in collaboration with pianist David Ballena, which comprise this dissertation project, were performed at the University of Maryland. Each recital featured music for violin and piano from 1870 through 1930. The repertoire was chosen to reflect a performer’s influence on a composer. I examined specific composer/performer relationships that helped shape the birth of a newly defined “French” style of playing. My research focused on the stylistic interactions composers, such as César Franck, his disciple Guillaume Lekeu had with the leading prominent Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaye and between Maurice Ravel and the Hungarian violinist Jelly d’Aranyi. I also looked into the personal relationship between friends who inspired each other: Gabriel Fauré and Paul Viardot, Edouard Lalo and Pablo de Sarasate, Claude Debussy and Arthur Hartmann, and the young Lili Boulanger and Yvonne Astruc. Furthermore, I looked into the unfulfilled love between Maurice Ravel and Hélène Jourdan-Morhange, as well as the marriage of Olivier Messiaen with Claire Delbos, both relationships resulting in masterpieces for violin that have remained a part of the standard violin repertoire. My research led me to understand what type of violin playing each composer had in mind while composing, all of which led me to understand the importance a performer has in preserving national styles. The recitals were recorded on compact discs and archived within the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM).

PIANO AS A PARTNER IN TWENTIETH­ CENTURY ART SONG REPERTOIRE: A RECORDING PROJECT

The piano's role in art song repertoire has evolved from a modest one during its formative years to the versatility, complexity and creativity found in the twentieth-century. The art song repertoire of the twentieth century is vast and has secured the reputation for being the most diverse, innovative, illustrative, atmospheric and colorful in all of art song literature. Within this time period, there are compositions that reach back to the romantic works of nineteenth century, others which combine old and new traditions, and finally those which adopt new means and new ends. In choosing the material for this project, I have focused on compositions with uniquely challenging and unusual piano accompaniments in order to achieve a balance between well- known and rarely performed works, as well as those pieces that combine various languages and styles. Selections range from Claude Debussy, Richard Strauss, Sergey Rachmaninoff, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Roger Quilter, Francis Poulenc, Fernando Obradors, and Joaquin Rodrigo to composers such as Samuel Barber, Marc Blitzstein, Dominick Argento, William Bolcom, and John Duke, including arrangements of traditional spirituals by Harry T. Burleigh and Florence B. Price, all of which helped to establish the American Art Song. My objective is to trace the development of the twentieth-century art song from the late Romantic Period through nationalistitrends to works which show the influences of jazz and folk elements. The two CD's for this dissertation recording project are available on compact discs which can be found in the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM). The performers were Daniel Armstrong, baritone, Giles Herman, baritone, Thomas Glenn, tenor, Valerie Yinzant, soprano, Aaron Odom, tenor, Jennifer Royal, soprano, Kenneth Harmon, tenor, Karen Sorenson, soprano and Maxim Ivanov, baritone.

EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY VIOLA MUSIC FROM ENGLAND AND GERMANY: FROM POST-ROMANTICISM TO MODERNISM

In the early twentieth century, the viola began to gain status as a solo instrument with the appearance in England of the virtuosic violist Lionel Tertis. Because of a lack of music for viola at that time, such English composers as York Bowen, Arnold Bax, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Arthur Bliss and William Walton began to write viola music for Tertis. Meanwhile, in Germany, the well-known composer and virtuosic violinist and violist Paul Hindemith wrote and premiered several viola sonatas and concertos. Viola music became even more developed later with William Primrose, the legendary Scottish violist, and all the works written in the early twentieth century have remained significant in the viola literature. Although this new viola music appeared in both countries during same period, it developed along different lines in each country. Because they were under the influence of earlier periods and traditions, the English composers who associated with Tertis wrote their music in a Romantic style, with expanded harmony, various colors of sound and timbre, and lyrical melodies. Hindemith, as a composer himself, employed a more Modernist style, using atonality and angular melodies, which represented German trends at that time. I have given three recitals, of which the first two were divided between selected English music and German music. Although I originally intended to focus solely on music by Hindemith and music written for Terts, I decided that in order to give a more complete view of the national trends of those two countries, I included Rebecca Clarke's Sonata, Lachrymae by Benjamin Britten (dedicated to William Primrose), and Max Reger's Suite for Viola. Rebecca Clarke was herself a fine violist, and her sonata's Romantic style is also representative of the English trends of viola music. Lachrymae was written with a different concept and shows more modernity than had ever before occurred in England, though it still differs from the modernity of other countries. Max Reger's Suite is in a truly Romantic style, yet it is old fashioned in ways that differ not only from Wagner or Strauss, but also from English music of the period. In my last recital I wished to pay homage to Tertis, with a program consisting entirely of music written for him. For the finale, Arthur Bliss's Viola Sonata was especially chosen because it provides interesting similarities and contrasts with earlier English music in the Romantic style.

WORKS BY FRANCO-BELGIAN COMPOSERS AND THE VIOLINISTS WHO INSPIRED THEM

In the late nineteenth century, French composers such as Camille Saint- Saens, Cesar Franck, and Claude Debussy worked to elevate instrumental music in late-Romantic period France, creating symphonies, concertos, and chamber ensembles, including duo sonatas. These composers and followers like, Ernest Chausson and Guillaume Lekeu were all influenced by a particular violinist to whom they dedicated their compositions. The primary violinist who inspired these composers was Eugene Ysaye (1858-1931), a brilliant performer and composer. His freedom of expression motivated many prominent French composers to dedicate major works to him. For example, Debussy dedicated his string quartet to Ysaye, who established the Ysaye Quartet and premiered Debussy's composition. In 1886, Franck completed his sonata for violin and piano which he also dedicated to Ysaye. Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), one of the most talented violinists of his era, had a relationship withYsaye that was quite special. They respected, supported, and befriended each other. To Ysaye, Kreisler dedicated his Recitativo and Scherzo. To Kreisler, Ysaye dedicated one ofhis celebrated Sonatas for Solo Violin. Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) was a magnificent Spanish violinist of the late nineteenth century, and his music and performances influenced many composers, especially Saint-Saens, who included Spanish gypsy fragments in his works. These motifs may found in his Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso and Violin Concerto No.3 which were dedicated to Sarasate. My goal for this dissertation project has been to find and present, in three recitals, works by French composers and also works by the violinists who inspired them. As a violinist, I have endeavored to understand the influence of the various violinists on these French composers and how that knowledge can inform my approach to performing these works. In my first recital, with pianist Soo Young Jung, I performed works by Saint-Saens, Ysaye and Sarasate. With pianist Sun Ha Yoon, I performed works by Ysaye, Debussy, Kreisler and Franck in my second recital. My third recital, again with pianist Sun Ha Yoon, featured works by Ysaye, Chausson, and Lekeu. All recitals were recorded and performed at the University ofMaryland, College Park.

LIONEL TERTIS AND THE FLOWERING OF EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY ENGLISH VIOLA REPERTOIRE

This performance project focused on English viola literature written in the first half of the twentieth century. During this time, numerous English composers were influenced by Lionel Tertis' unprecedented approach to the viola as a virtuosic and solo instrument. In addition to being an inspiration to composers of whom he was not in direct contact, Tertis' innovative vision for the viola led to numerous collaborations with prominent English composers of his generation. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Arnold Bax, York Bowen, Frank Bridge, Benjamin Britten, and Rebecca Clarke -his own protégé - composed some of the most important works for viola thus directly shaping the impression of the instrument as we know it today. Tertis' artistry as a performing violist was unmatched at the beginning of the twentieth century. He had a unique approach to the instrument which focused on concept of sound, tone color, concentrated listening, continuous vibrato, discreet portamento, and expressive interpretation. His convincing musical and technical ideas led him to write a treatise about how to achieve a beautiful tone. His passion for teaching and concern for the viola's posterity greatly enhanced the development of the viola. Tertis transcribed, edited, and premiered many works during his career. The music that Lionel Tertis influenced can be seen as a microcosm for a musical resurgence in England during the first half of the twentieth-century. The catalyst for this was artistic influences in the form of nationalism, folk music, romanticism, modernism, and impressionism, among others. Before this, England was widely referred to as ''the land without music" but in a very real sense, .Lionel Tertis was one of the pioneers who, through his artistry of the viola, led the way to the renaissance of music in England in the twentieth century.

MUSICAL EXOTICISM EXPLORED IN PIANO WORKS FROM THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY THROUGH THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY

Musical exoticism is the evocation of a culture different from that of the composer. It occurs anytime a composer tries to conjure up the music of a country not his own. Although there have been studies of exoticism in the piano works of an individual composer, namely Debussy, there has not been a comprehensive study of musical exoticism in the piano literature as a whole. Upon chronological examination of the piano repertoire, general trends exhibiting exoticism become evident. The first general trend is the emergence of the Turkish style (alia turca) in the eighteenth century. Turkish style soon transmuted to the Hungarian-Gypsy style (all 'ongarese or style hongrois). [In Beethoven's Op. 129, it is alia ingharese.] Composers often alternated between the two styles even in the same composition. By the late nineteenth century, style hongrois was firmly entrenched in the musical language of Austro-German composers, as seen in the works of Brahms. In the nineteenth century, composers turned to the Middle East, North Africa and Spain for inspiration. In particular are several compositions emulating Spanish dance music, culminating in the Spanish works of Debussy and Ravel. The gamelans from Indonesia and objects from the Far East of Japan and China, brought by advances in trade and transportation, captivated the imagination of composers at the turn of the twentieth century. Also in the early twentieth century, composers tried emulating dance and jazz music coming from the Americas, such as the cakewalk, minstrelsy, and the blues. One sees the ever widening sphere of exotic inspiration for western music composers: from the Turkish invasions to the traveling Gypsies of Hungary; to the captivating dance rhythms, soulful cante jondo sections, and guitar flourishes of Spain; expanding further to the far reaches of Asia and the jazzy rhythms of the Americas. This performance dissertation consists of three recitals presented at the University of Maryland, and is documented on compact disc recordings which are housed within the University of Maryland Library System. The recordings present the music of Balakirev, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Haydn, Hummel, Milhaud, Moszkowski, Mozart, Ravel, and Schubert.

VARIATION FORMS: A SURVEY THROUGH FOUR CENTURIES OF VIOLIN REPERTOIRE

Variation, or the re-working of existing musical material, has consistently attracted the attention of composers and performers throughout the history of Western music. In three recorded recitals at the University of Maryland School of Music, this dissertation project explores a diverse range of expressive possibilities for violin in seven types of variation form in Austro-German works for violin from the 17th through the 20th centuries. The first program, consisting of Baroque Period works, performed on period instrument, includes the divisions on “John come kiss me now” from The Division Violin by Thomas Baltzar (1631 – 1663), constant bass variations in Sonate Unarum Fidium by Johann Heinrich von Schmelzer (1623 – 1680), arbitrary variation in Sonata for Violin and Continuo in E Major, Op. 1, No. 12 “Roger” by George Friedrich Händel (1685 – 1759), and French Double style, melodic-outline variation in Partita for Unaccompanied Violin in B Minor by Johan Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750). Theme and Variations, a popular Classical Period format, is represented by the Sonata for Piano and Violin in G Major K. 379 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) and Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, Op. 47 No. 9 the “Kreutzer” by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827). Fantasy for Piano and Violin in C Major D. 934 by Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828) represents the 19th century fantasia variation. In these pieces, the piano and violin parts are densely interwoven, having equal importance. Many 20th century composers incorporated diverse types of variations in their works and are represented in the third recital program comprising: serial variation in the Phantasy for Violin and Piano Op.47 of Arnold Schoenberg (1874 – 1951); a strict form of melodic-outline variation in Sonate für Violine allein, Op. 31, No. 2 of Paul Hindemith (1895 – 1963); ostinato variation in Johan Halvorsen’s (1864 – 1935) Passacaglia for Violin and Viola, after G. F. Handel’s Passacaglia from the Harpsichord Suite No. 7 in G Minor. Pianist Audrey Andrist, harpsichordist Sooyoung Jung, and violist Dong-Wook Kim assisted in these performances.

SELECTED ACCOMPANIED AND UNACCOMPANIED FLUTE WORKS OF RIVIER, BOZZA, AND FRANCAIX

A great deal of flute music written during the twentieth century was the product of French composers for French flutists. Through the course of the century some composers and compositions made it into the standard repertory while the flute works of Rivier, Bozza, and Francaix remained on the periphery. (The composers are listed and discussed chronologically based on date of birth rather than alphabetically.) This dissertation focuses on the accompanied and unaccompanied flute works of these men. It seeks to bring to light works that are almost totally unknown, and places them in relation to the works that have made it into the secondary repertory. The pieces chosen for this project represent each period of the composers' output in relation to the flute works. This dissertation follows the stylistic and technical traits found in the flute works of each composer and, when appropriate, compares the traits among the composers. The following is a list of the works performed: Rivier's Oiseaux tendres, Sonatine, Concerto, Ballade, Virevoltes, Trois Silhouettes, Comme une tendre berceuse . ..; Bozza's Image, Aria, Divertissement op. 39, Soir dans les montagnes, Trois Impressions, Concertina da camera, Cinq Chansons sur des themes Japonais, Phorbeia; Francaix's Divertimento, Concerto, Suite, and Sonate. The written part of this performance dissertation includes biographical information on each composer, program notes for each piece performed, a discography, and a selected bibliography.

MUSICAL THEATER AND THE CLASSICAL VOICE: CROSSOVER SINGING IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

This dissertation explores the transformation of opera comique (as represented by the opera Carmen) and the impact of verismo style (as represented by the opera La Boheme) upon the development of operetta, American musical theater and the resultant change in vocal style. Late nineteenth-century operetta called for a classically trained soprano voice with a clear vibrato. High tessitura and legato were expected although the quality of the voice was usually lighter in timbre. The dissertation comprises four programs that explore the transformation of vocal and compositional style into the current vocal performance practice of American musical theater. The first two programs are operatic roles and the last two are recital presentations of nineteenth- and twentieth- century operetta and musical theater repertoire. Program one, Carmen, was presented on July 26, 2007 at the Marshall Performing Arts Center in Duluth, MN where I sang the role of Micaela. Program two, La Boheme, was presented on May 24,2008 at Randolph Road Theater in Silver Spring, MD where I sang the role of Musetta. Program three, presented on December 2, 2008 and program four, presented on May 10, 2009 were two recitals featuring operetta and musical theater repertoire. These programs were heard in the Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, MD. Programs one and two are documented in a digital video format available on digital video disc. Programs three and four are documented in a digital audio format available on compact disc. All programs are accompanied by program notes also available in digital format.

FOLK ELEMENTS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY HUNGARIAN MUSIC

At the beginning of the twentieth century, composers Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály collected thousands of folksongs from the rural regions of Hungary. In an effort to preserve a part of their culture that they feared would be lost, they not only transcribed and catalogued these folksongs, but also incorporated the folk traditions they encountered into their own compositional style. This dissertation deals with violin music written by Bartók, Kodály and their Hungarian contemporaries that have in common the use of rhythms, modes, melodies, figurations and playing techniques sourced in folk traditions. The use of the Hungarian folk idiom in classical music was not exclusive to the twentieth century. From the late eighteenth century until the first decades of the twentieth century, composers utilized aspects of a popular eighteenth-century form of Hungarian folk music called verbunkos. What makes the use of folk music unique in the twentieth century is that, thanks to the work of Bartók and Kodály, composers found inspiration in the more authentic “peasant music.” Unlike the popular, urban verbunkos music, peasant music was the product of the more secluded village-music tradition, largely untouched by the influences of city life. In addition to stimulating a new focus on peasant music, Bartók and Kodály fully assimilated the folk idiom into their compositional toolkits, creating a new style of folk-inspired art music that influenced a generation of Hungarian composers. The new style included characteristic elements of both peasant music and the verbunkos tradition, such as ancient modes and scales, accompanimental and melodic rhythmic patterns, ornamentation, and phrase structures sourced in folk song. To demonstrate the implementation of the folk idiom by twentieth-century Hungarian composers, three recital programs were given at the University of Maryland that included works by Béla Bartók, Sándor Veress, Leo Weiner, Zoltán Kodály, Ernő Dohnányi, Zoltán Székely and György Kurtág. The works can be divided into two main categories: settings or transcriptions of folk material (e.g. Bartók’s Hungarian Folksongs) and compositions using classical forms that include the Hungarian folk idiom (e.g. Bartók’s Contrasts). Recital collaborators include Li-Tan Hsu, Evelyn Elsing, Elizabeth Brown, Shelby Sender and Samantha Angelo.

REVOLUTIONARY VIOLIN LITERATURE IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE PERIOD OF THE 20TH CENTURY, 1900-1970

In satisfaction of requirements for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Maryland, College Park, three recitals were given consisting of works of the early 21st Century European composers. The works performed on these recitals showcase a variety of compositional styles that explore different qualities of the violin. The purpose of this project was to demonstrate how the war and conflict in Europe and attendant radical cultural and social developments affected these composers. The first recital program includes: Sonata for Violin and Cello and Piece en Forme de Habanera by Maurice Ravel; Op. 30 Mythesfor Violin and Piano by Karol Szymanowski; Concertina for Violin and Piano and Sonata No.2 for Violin Solo by Grazyna Bacewicz. The second recital program consists of: Sonata for Violin and Piano by Leos Janacek; Quartet for the End of Time: movement VIII "Louange a l'Immortalite de Jesus" by Oliver Messiaen; Sonata for Solo Violin by Erwin Schulhoff; and Passacaglia & Fuga for String Trio by Hans Krasa. The third recital highlights the works of Russian composers: Sonata for Violin and Piano Op.134 by Dmitri Shostakovich; and Violin Sonata No.2 in D major Op. 94 by Sergei Prokofiev. These composers represent individual, distinct and fascinating adaptation to events beyond their control as well as their power of transformation. The first recital was performed in collaboration with Hsiang-Ling Hsiao on piano and Gozde Yasar on cello. The second recital was given with Hsiang-Ling Hsiao on piano, Gozde Yasar on cello, and Asli Gultekin Ozek on viola. The third recital was performed with David Ballena on piano. The recitals were recorded on compact discs and are archived within the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM).

SELECTED TWENTIETH-CENTURY BRITISH & AMERICAN ENGLISH SONG REPERTOIRE WRITTEN FOR SOPRANO

English language song (both British and American) is influenced by a variety of cultures, races, and musical forms and has produced a broad range of song repertoire. Like songs in all countries and throughout history, these songs can be classified into three categories: imitative songs, experimental songs, and songs of individuality. Music experimentation, necessary and welcome as it is, can hardly command broad international attention. Thus, the songs of this dissertation performance project are chosen from the first and third categories: imitative songs and individual songs in the composer's own unique style. This project concentrates its exploration on twentieth-century solo songs written in English. Although twentieth-century British & American composers also produced solos and chamber music in other languages, this dissertation focuses upon their English repertoire. This performance project consists of three programs: one British repertoire and two American. The first program titled An Evening of British Song examines twentieth-century British song written by Roger Quilter, Peter Warlock, William Walton, Benjamin Britten, Thomas F. Dunhill, Ivor Gurney, and Frank Bridge. It was presented on December 12, 2001, in Homer Ulrich Recital Hall with the collaborative pianist Meriel Owen. The second program titled An Evening of American Song I comprises music written by Dominick Argento, Samuel Barber, Ned Rorem, Leonard Bernstein, and Lee Hoiby. It was presented on October 23, 2002, in Joseph & Alma Gildenhorn Recital Hall with the collaborative pianist R. Timothy McReynolds. The third program titled An Evening of American Song II written by John Duke, John Corigliano, Charles Ives, Richard Hundley, Lori Laitman, Frederick Loewe, George Gershwin, and Jerome Kern was presented on December 18, 2003, again in Joseph & Alma Gildenhorn Recital Hall with the collaborative pianist R. Timothy McReynolds and the flutist Jessica Dunnavant. Each of these three dissertation recitals occurred at the University of Maryland in College Park and was recorded. These CD recordings are held by the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library at the University of Maryland.

Developing Quantitative Methodologies for the Digital Humanities: A Case Study of 20th Century American Commentary on Russian Literature

Using scientific methods in the humanities is at the forefront of objective literary analysis. However, processing big data is particularly complex when the subject matter is qualitative rather than numerical. Large volumes of text require specialized tools to produce quantifiable data from ideas and sentiments. Our team researched the extent to which tools such as Weka and MALLET can test hypotheses about qualitative information. We examined the claim that literary commentary exists within political environments and used US periodical articles concerning Russian literature in the early twentieth century as a case study. These tools generated useful quantitative data that allowed us to run stepwise binary logistic regressions. These statistical tests allowed for time series experiments using sea change and emergency models of history, as well as classification experiments with regard to author characteristics, social issues, and sentiment expressed. Both types of experiments supported our claim with varying degrees, but more importantly served as a definitive demonstration that digitally enhanced quantitative forms of analysis can apply to qualitative data. Our findings set the foundation for further experiments in the emerging field of digital humanities.