Analysis of Robert Schumann’s “Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano”, opus 73, for a Greater Understanding of a Standard in Western Classical Solo Repertory

In a mere two days, Robert Schumann composed a duet that would become a lasting symbol of romanticism in chamber music. “Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano”, Op. 73 is now a standard in clarinet repertoire. As such, the piece is frequently performed and analyzed. Schumann and his “Fantasy Pieces” are well known and broadly discussed, which leads one to wonder: how does one contribute to and interpret such a standard? To answer this question, it is proposed that research is utilized to examine the history surrounding the composer and the work alongside theoretical analysis to find and interpret key features of the work. The product of this would be a thesis examining these factors and how they relate to performance related decisions along with a complete performance of the work. True understanding relies upon examination of factors beyond the literature itself. These factors include the time during which the piece was composed, where it was composed, the historical events of this time and place, the musical standards of the time, the composer’s life, and the composer’s repertoire. Knowledge of these factors allow insight to how they may have impacted the composition of the work, whether or not the composer was aware of this impact himself. With an understanding of the historical context, the theoretical analysis will then be performed. The construction of the piece will be analyzed and interpreted. This includes musical features such as the overall structure and form, the harmonic structure, the use of rhythm, the melodic contour, the intervallic structure, the use of tendency tones, and the appearance of ornamental techniques. The information compiled from the research and analysis discussed above can provide a complex understanding of “Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano”. Understanding these concepts is vital for musicians of all walks of life. Historians communicate with the composer through evaluation of history. Theorists communicate with the composer through examination using technical and mathematical methods. Performers use an understanding of techniques and effects to communicate with everyone. They communicate with the composer through evaluation and study of the piece, with their peers through rehearsals, and finally with the audience, providing a complex mixture of the composer’s musicality and their own. These relationships are the very core of musical study. Thus, study of Robert Schumann’s “Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano” adds another line of communication within the musical community

The products of hydrolysis of cascara resin

Thesis (B.S.)--University of Illinois, 1920.Typescript.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 13)

To the Bone: Spaceflight and the Skeletal System

During spaceflight, astronauts experience weightlessness and are exposed to novel types of radiation. These environmental conditions may contribute to bone loss and reduction of structural integrity of the skeleton, which have negative implications for long-duration missions. The aim of this talk is to provide an overview of skeletal changes observed both in astronauts and in ground-based models of spaceflight, focusing on the fundamental biology and the prevention of deleterious skeletal changes

Proteus: An Examination of the United States Domestic Water Crisis

My work acknowledges, reflects upon, and gives form to the crisis of domestic water contamination due to the runoff of three pillars of pollution: industrial manufacturing, corporate agriculture, and consumer products. Drawing from my experiences in water infrastructure, I use biomorphic ceramic sculptures and PVC pipes found in domestic water systems as a metaphor for the insidious presence of microscopic toxins within household water. The exploitation of Earth\u27s resources presents an ecological hierarchy that positions humans as the controllers of nature. This dynamic perpetuates a neglectful hubris towards water quality, putting all organisms at risk. Proteus consists of two separate, but interconnected sculptural installations. The first work, The Indicator Species consists of semi-rectilinear networks of PVC pipe that meander and meld with biomorphic forms throughout three sections of the gallery, quietly implying persistent contamination given the sculptures\u27 fixed positions on the pipes. These abstract ceramic sculptures reference various microscopic contaminants and appear to be attached or emerging from the pipe networks. The forms refer to several pollutants detected in the water supplies of my hometown of Hanna City Illinois but are left intentionally ambiguous. Their range of surfaces allude to variations of a super pollutant, an unidentifiable amalgamation of contaminants unaffected by current water treatment processes. I frame the biomorphic sculptures within a domestic context through the use of PVC pipes that have the same specifications of those used to transport potable water to homes, but they also produce an uncanny effect through shifts of scale, skewed perspectives, and an erratic overall composition. This prompts associations with the unpredictable movement of waterborne contaminants within supply systems. Three totemic, human-scale sculptures comprise The Body Burden series. Similarities in form and surface to relate The Body Burden to The Indicator Species conceptually, and each monolithic sculpture is positioned in proximity to The Indicator Species. This spatial relationship highlights formal similarities in the anthropomorphic and biomorphic forms while it also implies a cyclical dynamic between polluters and pollutants. The contrast of abstraction and representation elicits themes of uncertainty, commonality, and infiltration, and parallels the state of domestic water in the United States. My goal is to engage viewers personally through the work\u27s domestic context and to create a broader dialogue regarding the domestic water quality

So Dress up Your Dollars in Khaki : And Help Win Democracy\u27s Fight

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/4696/thumbnail.jp

Concert recording 2022-04-09

[Track 1]. Arabesque for clarinet and piano / Germaine Tailleferre -- [Track 2]. Fastasie on The game prologue for clarinet and piano / Kailey Miller -- [Track 3]. Ballade for bass clarinet and piano / Eugene Bozze -- [Track 4]. Fantasy pieces for clarinet and piano, op. 73. I-III / Robert Schumann

Concert recording 2022-04-09

[Track 1]. Arabesque for clarinet and piano / Germaine Tailleferre -- [Track 2]. Fastasie on The game prologue for clarinet and piano / Kailey Miller -- [Track 3]. Ballade for bass clarinet and piano / Eugene Bozze -- [Track 4]. Fantasy pieces for clarinet and piano, op. 73. I-III / Robert Schumann

Skeletal Micro-RNA Responses to Simulated Weightlessness

Astronauts lose bone structure during long-duration spaceflight. These changes are due, in part, to insufficient bone formation by the osteoblast cells. Little is known about the role that small (approximately 22 nucleotides), non-coding micro-RNAs (miRNAs) play in the osteoblast response to microgravity. We hypothesize that osteoblast-lineage cells alter their miRNA status during microgravity exposure, contributing to impaired bone formation during weightlessness. To simulate weightlessness, female mice (C57BL/6, Charles River, 10 weeks of age, n = 7) were hindlimb unloaded up to 12 days. Age-matched and normally ambulating mice served as controls (n=7). To assess the expression of miRNAs in skeletal tissue, the tibia was collected ex vivo and cleaned of soft-tissue and marrow. Total RNA was collected from tibial bone and relative abundance was measured for miRNAs of interest using quantitative real time PCR array looking at 372 unique and well-characterized mature miRNAs using the delta-delta Ct method. Transcripts of interest were normalized to an average of 6 reference RNAs. Preliminary results show that hindlimb unloading decreased the expression of 14 miRNAs to less than 0.5 times that of the control levels and increased the expression of 5 miRNAs relative to the control mice between 1.2-1.5-fold (p less than 0.05, respectively). Using the miRSystem we assessed overlapping target genes predicted to be regulated by multiple members of the 19 differentially expressed miRNAs as well as in silico predicted targets of our individual miRNAs. Our miRsystem results indicated that a number of our differentially expressed miRNAs were regulators of genes related to the Wnt-Beta Catenin pathway-a known regulator of bone health-and, interestingly, the estrogen-mediated cell-cycle regulation pathway, which may indicate that simulated weightlessness modulated systemic hormonal levels or hormonal transduction that additionally contributed to bone loss. We plan to follow up these findings by measuring gene expression of miRNA-regulated genes within these two pathways with the aim of furthering our understanding of the function of miRNAs in the skeletal response to spaceflight

Late Effects of Heavy Ion Irradiation on Ex Vivo Osteoblastogenesis and Cancellous Bone Microarchitecture

Prolonged spaceflight causes degeneration of skeletal tissue with incomplete recovery even after return to Earth. We hypothesize that heavy ion irradiation, a component of Galactic Cosmic Radiation, damages osteoblast progenitors and may contribute to bone loss during long duration space travel beyond the protection of the Earth's magnetosphere. Male, 16 week old C57BL6/J mice were exposed to high LET (56 Fe, 600MeV) radiation using either low (5 or 10cGy) or high (50 or 200cGy) doses at the NASA Space Radiation Lab and were euthanized 3 - 4, 7, or 35 days later. Bone structure was quantified by microcomputed tomography (6.8 micron pixel size) and marrow cell redox assessed using membrane permeable, free radical sensitive fluorogenic dyes. To assess osteoblastogenesis, adherent marrow cells were cultured ex vivo, then mineralized nodule formation quantified by imaging and gene expression analyzed by RT PCR. Interestingly, 3 - 4 days post exposure, fluorogenic dyes that reflect cytoplasmic generation of reactive nitrogen/oxygen species (DAF FM Diacetate or CM H2DCFDA) revealed irradiation (50cGy) reduced free radical generation (20-45%) compared to sham irradiated controls. Alternatively, use of a dye showing relative specificity for mitochondrial superoxide generation (MitoSOX) revealed an 88% increase compared to controls. One week after exposure, reactive oxygen/nitrogen levels remained lower(24%) relative to sham irradiated controls. After one month, high dose irradiation (200 cGy) caused an 86% decrement in ex vivo nodule formation and a 16-31% decrement in bone volume to total volume and trabecular number (50, 200cGy) compared to controls. High dose irradiation (200cGy) up regulated expression of a late osteoblast marker (BGLAP) and select genes related to oxidative metabolism (Catalase) and DNA damage repair (Gadd45). In contrast, lower doses (5, 10cGy) did not affect bone structure or ex vivo nodule formation, but did down regulate iNOS by 0.54 - 0.58 fold. Thus, both low and high doses of heavy ion irradiation cause time dependent, adaptive changes in redox state within marrow cells but only high doses (50, 200cGy) inhibit osteoblastogenesis and cause cancellous bone loss. We conclude space radiation has the potential to cause persistent damage to bone marrow derived stem and progenitor cells for osteoblasts despite adaptive changes in cellular redox state