Abstract
This dissertation investigates Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström’s Five Pictures from the Bible, set for six-part unaccompanied chorus and baritone solo, by examining the historical antecedents of the work’s creation, and analyzing its musical structure. In particular, this study looks at the history of Swedish choral music, with a focus on the development of a cappella choral singing. Sandström’s life and growth as a composer is also explored, with specific attention paid to the development of his unaccompanied choral works. The study also investigates the process by which Sandström, the Minnesota Commissioning Club, baritone Håkan Hagegård and VocalEssence conductor Philip Brunelle collaborated to facilitate the creation and premiere of the piece. The analysis of Five Pictures from the Bible includes examination of a number of key aspects of Sandström’s compositional style. Specifically, the study closely explores his use of diatonic, modal, and tonal structures. Additionally, the study contains a detailed investigation of the S-chord, comprised of a perfect fifth and a minor second, that plays an integral role in Sandström’s characteristic neo-romantic sound. Other areas of analysis include text, texture, and word painting. The final portion of the study includes detailed analysis of movement three, The Waters of Meribah, and explores performance considerations.
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