The structural use of colour in the music of Michael Whiticker : an analytical study

This dissertation is an exploration of the musical language of Australian composer Michael Whiticker (b. 1954) with specific reference to his use of instrumental colour as a unifying compositional force. Beginning with Robert Erickson’s book Sound Structure ofMusic as a theoretical base this analytical study examines the role sound plays in the development of Whiticker’s compositional language: that timbre, the unique sounds of the musical instruments themselves are a major structural motivation, more so than pitch or duration. The pieces selected for study are: Quidong (1983) for oboe/cor anglais, guitar and percussion, Ad Parnassum (1991) for flute, mandolin, guitar, harp, percussion, violin, viola and double bass, Planggé (1987) for percussion quartet, Min—amé (1988) for alto flute, bass clarinet and piano, and Winamin (1986) for violin and piano