Doctorates and Habilitations

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 09/2022

Abstract:

The aim of this thesis is to highlight the importance of Heinrich Schütz as the "father of German-language music theatre". In order to examine the operatic character of Schütz's work, the Symphoniae sacrae Ⅲ and his dialogue compositions are examined. The works of Monteverdi and Carissimi, but above all Marco Giuseppe Peranda and Giovanni Andrea Bontempi, serve as reference points.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 3/2019

Abstract:

Leopold Semionovich von Auer is the founder of the Russian violin school. His most famous pupils, such as Heifetz, Elman and Polyakin, were themselves outstanding violinists and passed on their knowledge to subsequent generations. They themselves edited like their teacher and nurtured and maintained teaching principles in the spirit of their teacher. Thanks to this faithful passing on of what they had learnt, we now know the St. Petersburg bow fingering. This is an example of the most modern violin school in Europe. It is characterised by individual support for the pupil, the creation of a wide-ranging, virtuoso violin repertoire spanning all eras and the associated passing on of Auer's historical legacy to talented pupils.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 9/2024

Abstract:

The coloratura soprano Liesel von Schuch (1891-1990) is one of the most important contemporary witnesses of Dresden opera history. As the daughter of the General Music Director Ernst von Schuch (1846-1914) and the Royal Court Opera singer Clementine von Schuch-Proska (1850-1932), she had access to the premieres of Richard Strauss' operas and the leading artists of the Dresden Opera from early childhood, before she herself became a permanent member of the opera ensemble from 1914 onwards. The aim is to use the singer's extensive estate and other available sources to trace the extent to which the early childhood influence of her musical parents' home influenced Liesel von Schuch's artistic career. Her career will provide insight into the everyday life of a singer and her work at the Dresden Opera House in the first half of the 19th century, which was marked by important music-historical events and two world wars. A comparison will also be made with today's demands on the singing profession.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 9/2023

Abstract:

The tam-tam has an indispensable place in modern Western symphony orchestras. In the age of globalisation, the extensive and widespread use of the tam-tam has led to even greater diversity. As one of the first Chinese instruments to be used in Western orchestras, it has served as an important ambassador for cultural exchange between Chinese and Western music. Tamtams transformed from a distinctive cultural medium representing Chinese sounds, sometimes rejected and perceived as a kind of strange instrument producing harsh and unpleasant noises, to an instrument integrated into Western musical culture, acquiring a unique cultural significance in Europe.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 8/2021

Abstract:

The principal clarinettist of the Staatskapelle Dresden, Karl Schütte (1891-1977), was instrumental in the development and dissemination of a new clarinet sound that led to a lasting change in the orchestra's woodwind sound. The brighter, more flexible, softer, more substantial and less noisy sound was impressively integrated into the orchestral sound and audibly influenced the overall sound of the orchestra. How can this sound be described and measured, what technical changes underlie it? Why did it inspire conductors, musicians and audiences alike? Schütte's contribution to the development of the sound of the German clarinet is of great importance, but has not yet been analysed and classified in terms of its developmental history. In addition to biography and sound research, my work focuses on Schütte's contributions to the technical development of the clarinet mouthpiece and his outstanding achievements as a player and teacher over a period of four decades.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 3/2024

Abstract:

As a result of the generic term ‘basso’ widely used in the eighteenth century and the forgotten historic tacit knowledge of basso continuo orchestration practices, the role of the bassoon in the basso group of ensembles of that time is poorly understood. Treatises are silent on the subject further clouding our knowledge of this subject. This research project draws on the extant music manuscripts, predominantly the orchestral part sets, performed by the Saxon Court orchestra and collected by music enthusiasts of the royal family during the Augustan Age under the rule of August the strong and his son and success August III. Thanks to the generous patronage of the August II & III, the Saxon Court orchestra was afforded many support staff including up to five music scribes who diligently wrote out orchestral parts in great detail showing the basso orchestration techniques. This research analyses the orchestration practices for bassoon in these manuscripts now held in the Saxon State Library and questions whether the findings may provide options for the use of the bassoon in the bass group of ensembles performing eighteenth century music on the stages of today.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 1/2020

Abstract:

Robert Schumann's "Waldszenen” op. 82 are based on an affective connection between music and poetry. However, this piano music is analysed less against the background of historical semantics and more from the perspective of how "forest" (also in Weber and Wagner) can be translated into sound. To this end, a new, phenomenologically based approach is developed.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 03/2022

Abstract:

Intolleranza 1960 is a genre of azione scenica composed by Luigi Nono, an Italian avant-garde composer and communist. The work premiered on 13 April 1961 at the Teatro La Fenice and the outcome caused a debate over the relationship between music and politics. As an opera-like composition, Intolleranza 1960 is rooted in the Italian traditional composition of choral music and makes use of post-Webern techniques such as serialism, integral serialism, tone cluster, noise, electronic music, and chromaticism. The libretto was written by Angelo Maria Ripellino, the texts are extracted from works by Julius Fučík, Henri Alleg, Paul Éluard, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Bertolt Brecht. The scenario’s narration is associated with Brechtian epic theatre, the projection and dynamic setting on the stage are designated by the artists from Theatre Laterna Magica, and the Expressionism paintings were created by Emilio Vedova. According to the cultural analysis method and aesthetics of Theodor W. Adorno, the work reflects the politics and economy of Italian society at the time, especially totalitarianism, bureaucratism, fascism, and the petition of the Italian Communist Party. It is revealed that Intolleranza 1960 conforms to modernism and modernity in the light of its predominant characteristics in music and dramaturgy; however, it is also suggested that the work challenges the boundaries of modernism and post-modernism.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 03/2025

Abstract:

Since Herder, the city of Dresden has been known as the ‘Florence on the Elbe’ due to its Italian-influenced art treasures. While the architecture, painting, collecting activities and musical history of the Saxon court have been extensively researched, the development of an independent culture of carnival and carnival celebrations is also of interest. As early as the 16th century, the Saxon rulers succeeded in bringing Italian musicians and artists to the court and thus enriching the festive culture. Later princes expanded the spectrum with masquerades and opera performances, which is documented in extensive court records. Venice exerted a particular influence due to a multitude of personal and cultural connections. The dissertation at the Carl Maria von Weber Academy of Music in Dresden aims to examine the changes in festive culture from 1533 to 1753, emphasising the import of Italian festive and musical impulses.

Funding: Research stay in Venice at the Centro degli Studi Veneziani (applied for).

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 01/2025

Abstract:

Commemorated a few weeks after his death with the performance and publication by Ricordi of elegies composed in his honor, celebrated by Alessandro Manzoni and Arrigo Boito, Mendelssohn enjoyed surprising popularity in Italy, especially since the beginning of the 1860s. His music was regularly performed throughout Italy in the concerts held at music institutions and at the newly founded Quartet Societies, as well as in private salons and cultural clubs. Mendelssohn’s vocal compositions were also part of the repertoire of choral societies composed by workers and music amateurs, and his transcriptions for small instrumental ensembles were often played for entertainment in leisure places such as cafes and public gardens. Furthermore, Mendelssohn's compositional style influenced works of Italian musicians such as Sgambati, Bottesini Bottesini, Platti, Sgambati, etc. From the analysis of concert programs, printing frequency of music editions and evaluation of other documents, the preference for Mendelssohn’s music by Italian performers and audiences declined towards the end of the 1870s when other German or foreign composers gained more popularity.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 06/2025

Abstract:

In the 21st century, composer Tan Dun has taken up the musical philosophy of John Milton-Cage ‘Life is music, music forms life’ and integrated new elements into his musical works. Tan Dun's ‘New Sound’ breaks with the form of earlier musical creation by combining European compositional styles with Chinese culture from a multi-dimensional perspective, revolutionising traditional concepts in terms of rhythm, structure, orchestration and performance style. Influenced by Chinese philosophy, Tan Dun has created a unique style of ‘organic music’ that draws people's attention to nature and encourages reflection. He organically integrates the sounds of water, stones and other primal sounds into his music. With the help of musical expression, ‘Steine und Wasser’ enables a dialogue between antiquity and modern times, between man and nature, between East and West.

In this dissertation, ‘Stones and Water’ from Tan Dun's ‘The Map Concerto for Violin and Orchestra’, ‘Water Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra’, ‘Five Souls-H2O Tempo’ and ‘Water Passion after St Matthew’ are selected as outstanding examples. ‘Stones and Water’ requires an external force to produce sounds. Therefore, this dissertation explores Tan Dun's compositional concept of creating ‘rhythmic’ and ‘vocal’ presentations of artificial percussion instruments. It is also a specific investigation of ‘stones and water’ in terms of compositional analysis, acoustic presentation and aesthetic relevance. It also explores the relationship between ‘Stones and Water’ and the orchestra as the ‘New Sound’ in the work, emphasising the approach of a “dialogue” between orchestra and ‘New Sound’, as well as the integration of Chinese-Western music and the philosophical thinking that motivates and sustains this approach.

Musicology

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Michael Heinemann
Start: 09/2025

Abstract:

This research focuses on analyzing the compositional techniques employed by J.S. Bach in his St. Matthew Passion, one of the most significant sacred music compositions in Western history. From an analytical perspective, this work stands out for its integration of vocal, instrumental, and literary elements, which together create a complex and interconnected narrative. This narrative employs a variety of expressive resources, offering layers of meaning and insight to be uncovered. Additionally, this research proposes a comparative analysis between Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and similar sacred works by other Baroque composers to identify similarities and differences in compositional techniques.

Funding: KAAD – Catholic Academic Exchange Service

Music Pedagogy

Supervision: Dr. Daniel Prantl
Start: Dezember 2024

Abstract:

In her research project, Leontine Bayer investigates how students talk about the feelings they experienced while making music. For the study, individual and group interviews were conducted with students after a school concert in which the students performed in musical ensembles. The goal is to make music-related feelings the subject of qualitative-empirical research. The theoretical basis is phenomenological theories of emotions (including Hermann Schmitz and Gernot Böhme), which are incorporated into the evaluation process guided by the grounded theory methodology.

Instrumental- and Vocal Pedagogy

Supervision: Prof.in Dr.in Katharina Bradler

Abstract:

What does making music mean for instrumental students? This question is scientifically investigated in the doctoral project. In the research style of the reflexive Grounded Theory (Breuer et al., 2019), qualitative data are collected through guide interviews and perspectives of young students are reconstructed. Meanings and significance are used as a sensitizing concept.
The aim is to develop an object-based theory of medium range, which is presented in discursive form as a result. The subjective viewpoints of the young instrumental students can reveal blind spots in the theoretical discourse and enrich it with new perspectives. In the practice of music pedagogy, they contribute to sensitization of musical needs and provide teachers with information on possible conditions of success of meaningful music-making.
Breuer, F., Muckel, P., & Dieris, B. (2019). Reflexive Grounded Theory. Eine Einführung für die Forschungspraxis. Springer. VS. doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-22219-2 

Instrumental and Vocal Pedagogy

Supervision: Prof.in Dr.in Katharina Bradler

Abstract:

The research project titled Artistic-pedagogical relationships in instrumental teaching in higher music education focuses on aspects of artistic-pedagogical relationships in one-to-one tuition and their characteristics and influence on the artistic development of students. The study follows on from recent research (Wroblewsky, 2021). The following research questions are: What characterizes artistic-pedagogical relationships in one-to-one tuition in higher music education? What significance do artistic-pedagogical relationships in one-to-one tuition have for the artistic development of students? The aim of this study is, to specify aspects of artistic-pedagogical relationships in one-to-one tuition and to work out their influence on artistic development. The study focusses on views of teachers and students on jointly experienced teaching situations. The study is conducted in the style of a video-based interview study (Schneider-Binkl, 2018) and the research data are analysed with thematic analysis according to Braun & Clarke (2021). References:
Wroblewsky, G. (2021). Gutes Lernen im künstlerischen Einzelunterricht. Olms
Schneider-Binkl, S. (2018). Video-Stimulated Recall Interviews als methodischer Ansatz für die qualitative Unterrichtsforschung im Fach Musik. Beiträge Empirischer Musikpädagogik, 9, S. 1–20.
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis. A practical guide. SAGE. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69909-7_3470-2

Instrumental- and Vocal Pedagogy

Supervision: Prof.in Dr.in Katharina Bradler

Abstract:

Against the background that didactic handouts on the subject of jazz improvisation (learning) mainly answer the question about "correct" notes, the research interest of this thesis is to find out whether and how jazz improvisation is taught beyond this. To this end, instrumental teachers (excluding vocals and drums) are interviewed in a qualitative interview study about their non-university teaching of jazz improvisation. The evaluation by means of structuring, qualitative content analysis is intended to provide information about the assumptions or general concepts teachers have when teaching jazz improvisation.

Instrumental- and Vocal Pedagogy

Supervision: Prof.in Dr.in Katharina Bradler

Abstract:

In the literature study, free improvisation is explored as a performative act, with a focus on aspects such as interaction, emergence, presence, and eventfulness. Aesthetic concepts shaped by performativity are provided, which help to capture and describe free improvisation as a phenomenon in a differentiated way. Building on this, improvisation is discussed not only as a musical but also as a fundamentally human mode of action that always permeates music education practices. In this expanded understanding, improvisation is framed as a didactic approach aimed at addressing the contingency of interpersonal interaction in the context of teaching and learning music. Beyond the planning of lessons, the goal is to critically engage with and make productive those moments that may appear unpredictable, unavailable, or eventful, and which elude (didactic) calculability.

Music Theory

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Robert Rabenalt, Prof. Dr. Martin Rohrmeier
Start: WS 21/22

Collaboration: DCML of the EPFL (Supervision: Prof. Dr. Martin Rohrmeier, Lausanne), Prof. Dr. Marcel Zentner (Universität Innsbruck) and Department of Informatics at the TU Dresden

Film music has been an important subject of research in relation to the use and effect of music in various contexts. An important subject area is the investigation of the influence of different types of music on the viewer's perception. Following on from these studies, constellations of comparable musical, visual and dramaturgical design ("film-musical topologies") used across films will be examined as part of the doctoral project. To this end, an empirical study was carried out using current horror and thriller films. On the basis of the FMTs discovered in this way, follow-up studies were developed which address both the individual effect of the music and the targeted influence it can have on film reception, as well as the background to the development of such design patterns in terms of the film creation process. The work thus combines the fields of music theory, (music) psychology, music education and philosophy in an interdisciplinary manner.

Music Theory

Betreuung: Prof. Dr. Robert Rabenalt
Start: WS 23/24

Abstract:

This dissertation examines the role and function of counterpoint in Romantic piano music, focusing on the often overlooked horizontal structures. Contrary to the assumption that 19th-century piano music is dominated by vertical structures, the study explores latent contrapuntal theories and their functions. It also investigates the application of these concepts in piano pedagogy to enhance students' understanding and technical skills. Key works by composers such as Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms are analyzed to demonstrate how traditional contrapuntal techniques were adapted in a new aesthetic context, providing insights into both music interpretation and teaching.