Abstract

Danielle Batista Silva de Souza, M.A.
Campbellsville University

Chairperson: Dr. Wesley Roberts

This thesis investigates the transference of Brazilian folk music elements into two suites for solo piano by Marlos Nobre and Villa-Lobos. A brief historical survey into nationalistic musical folklore is given and its influence upon the compositional language used in Nobre's IV Ciclo Nordestino, Op. 43 and Villa-Lobos's Ciclo Brasileiro. An analytical approach was used to project formal aspects, compositional techniques, and a comparison of traditional folk music elements and their application in these works. The study was developed through chapters introducing and analyzing the transference of folk materials into the two suites by Nobre and Villa-Lobos. A conclusion and bibliography are included.