An Analysis and Performance Manual of John Musto's Chamber Music for Baritone: River Songs (2002) and the Brief Light (2010)

Abstract

John Musto (b. 1954) is a composer of many genres for voice including song, opera and chamber music. Influences of jazz, ragtime, blues, and popular music have strongly influenced Musto's unique compositional style, which often incorporates contemporary genres with formal classical techniques. Held in high esteem by his colleagues of fellow composers and performers, Musto is often commissioned to compose new works for specific artists and events. This document focuses on two of these compositions, River Songs (2002) and The Brief Light (2010). Examination of these two chamber cycles displays the composer's unique compositional style and lends insight into the choices made by Musto during the composing process. Performers can use this document to better understand Musto's use of harmony, poetry, and instrumentation to inform performances of these songs.