A Musical Analysis and Poetic Interpretation of Ned Rorem's "Ariel" (1987)

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A musical analysis and poetic interpretation of Ned Rorem’s

“Ariel”
Claflin, Beverly Hubbard, D.M.A.

Arizona State University, 1987
U M I
300N.ZeebR4
Ann Arbor, MI 48106
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A MUSICAL ANALYSIS AND POETIC INTERPRETATION
OF NED ROREM'S ARIEL
by
Beverly Hubbard C la flin
A Research Paper Presented in P a rtia l Fu lfillm en t

o f the Requirements fo r the Degree
Doctor o f Musical Arts
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
December 1987
A MUSICAL ANALYSIS AND POETIC INTERPRETATION
OF NED ROREM'S ARIEL
by
Beverly Hubbard C la flin
has been approved
December 1987
APPROVED:
/A . A
:’u ' <.• c b ^ -c . < . ________________________ . Chairperson
// F lv l
■'O f v -
v - - f t y ,.-4 — - • .
Supervisory Committee
ACCEPTED/-,
JJ 7 / /?
D irecto r, S o h o o lo f Music
Dean, Graduate College
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this study was to examine the song cycle
A riel by Ned Rorem. The study was divided in to three main
sections: 1) musical analysis; 2) poetic in te rp re ta tio n ; and 3)
compositional in te rp re ta tio n .
In analyzing the musical elements, attention was given to
horizontal m a te ria l, v e rtica l structures, and formal aspects.
The poetry was examined to determine the theme or central idea,
and to id e n tify imagery, metaphors, and other poetic devices.
The compositional in terp re ta tio n contained an examination of the
relationship between text and music. Consideration was given to word
expression, poetic atmosphere, and poetic meaning.
This study serves as a reference guide for performers of A r ie l.
iii
DEDICATION
This study Is dedicated to my parents, Charles and Rekah
Hubbard, whose continuing support has helped make possible the
attainment o f this degree.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The w rite r wishes to extend her appreciation and thanks to a ll
the members o f her doctoral committee. Special thanks are extended to
Dr. James DeMars. His appreciation fo r the topic as well as his
advice and encouragement were o f great value.
Lastly, a heart f e l t thank you to my husband, Craig, whose love
and constant encouragement helped bring th is project to successful
completion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF EXAMPLES ............................................................................................ v i i i
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1
Statement o f the Problem ................................................. 6

Significance o f the Study ................................................. 7
Specific Questions Answered ............................................ 8
Lim itations ............................................................................ 9
II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE...................................................... 10
III. PROCEDURE......................................................................................... 21
Musical Analysis ................................................................. 21

Poetic In terp retatio n ......................................................... 21
Compositional In te rp re ta tio n ......................................... 21
Organization ......................................................................... 22
IV . MUSICAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 23
V. POETIC INTERPRETATION.................................................................. 66
V I. COMPOSITIONAL INTERPRETATION...................................................... 88
V II . SUMMARY...................................................................................................112
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS, continued
BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................................................114
APPENDIX A Personal Correspondence ........................................................ 118
APPENDIX B The Hanged Man ............................................................................ 123
v ii
LIST OF'EXAMPLES
Example Page
1. "Words" measures 1 - 2 ......................................................................... 25

2. "Words" measures 2-4 . . . ......................................................... 25
3. "Words" measures 7 - 8 ......................................................................... 26
4. "Words" measures 30-34 ..................................................................... 27
5. "Words" measures 5 - 6 ......................................................................... 27
6. "Words" measures 1 4 - 1 6 ..................................................................... 28
7. "Words" measures 1 ............................................................................. 29
8. "Words" measures 9 - 1 1 ..................................................................... 30
9. "Words" measure 2 4 ............................................................................. 31
10. "Words" measures 27-29 ..................................................................... 32
11. "Words" measures 36-37 ..................................................................... 33
12. "Words" measure 2 5 ............................................................................. 33
13. "Words" measures 3 1 - 3 2 ..................................................................... 33
14. "Words" measures 39-42 ..................................................................... 34
15. "Words" measures 38-39 ..................................................................... 35
16. "Poppies in July" measures 1 - 3 ..................................................... 35
17. "Poppies in July" measures 12-14 ................................................. 36
19. "Poppies in July" measures 7 - 1 0 ................................................. 37
24. "The Hanging Man" measures 1 - 3 ..................................................... 40
25. "The Hanging Man" measure 4 ......................................................... 41
26. "The Hanging Man" measures 22-24, 30-33 .................................. 42
27. "The Hanging Man" measures 8-13, 25-27 ..................................... 43
28. "The Hanging Man" measure 1 4 ......................................................... 44
29. "The Hanging Man" measures 17-21 ................................................. 44
30. "The Hanging Man" measure 2 6 ......................................................... 45
31. "The Hanging Man" measures 4-7 . ; ......................................... 46
33. "Poppies in October" measures10-13 .......................................... 47
34. "Poppies in October" measures 1 - 1 0 ............................................. 48
35. "Poppies in October" measures1 9 - 2 0 .......................................... 49
36. "Poppies in October" measures1 6 - 1 8 .......................................... 50
40. "Lady Lazarus" measures 1 - 3 .......................................................... 54
41. "Lady Lazarus" measures 4 - 6 .......................................................... 55
42. "Lady Lazarus" measure 7 .................................................................. 56
43. "Lady Lazarus" measures 1 1 - 1 2 ...................................................... 57
v iii
LIST OF EXAMPLES, continued
44. "Lady Lazarus" measures 13, 2 3 ..................................................... 58

45. "Lady Lazarus" measures 1 6 - 1 9 ..................................................... 59
46. "Lady Lazarus" measure 3 9 ............................................................. 60
47. "Lady Lazarus" measures 58-62 .................................................... 61
48. "Lady Lazarus" measures 83-85 .................................................... 62
49. "Lady Lazarus" measure 5 7 ............................................................. 63
50. "Lady Lazarus" measures 47-48 ...................................................... 64
51. "Words" measure 1 .............................................................................. 89
52. "Words" measures 4 - 6 .......................................................................... 90
53. "Words” measures 6 - 8 .......................................................................... 90
54. "Words" measures 1 6 -1 7 ...................................................................... 91
55. "Words" measure 1 8 .............................................................................. 91
56. "Words" measures 31-34 ...................................................................... 92
57. "Words" measures 27-29 ...................................................................... 93
58. "Words" measures 35-42 ...................................................................... 94
59. "Poppies in July" measures 7, 1 3 ................................................ 95
60. "Poppies in July" measures 1 7 - 2 1 ................................................. 96
61. "The Hanging Man" measures 8 - 1 0 ................................................ 97
62. "The Hanging Man" measures 1 6 - 1 7 ................................................. 98
64. "The Hanging Man" measures 1 1 - 1 3 ................................................. 99
65. "Poppies in October" measures1 5 - 1 9 .................................................100
66. "Poppies in October" measures1 0 - 1 3 ................................................ 101
67. "Lady Lazarus" measures 3, 8, 9 ........................................................103
68. "Lady Lazarus" measures 1 9 - 2 0 .......................................................... 104
70. "Lady Lazarus" measure 4 3 ......................... 105
71. "Lady Lazarus" measure 53-54 ..................... 105
72. "Lady Lazarus" measure 5 6 ...................................................................106
75. "Lady Lazarus" measures 21, 38,57, 58 ........................................ 108
77. "Lady Lazarus" measure 8 5 ...................................................................110
ix
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Ned Rorem, American composer, d ia r is t and essayist, was born 1n
Richmond, Indiana on October 23, 1923. Referred to In Time Magazine
as " . . . undoubtedly the best composer o f a r t song now liv in g
. . ." 1, Rorem has hundreds o f songs in p r in t, many o f which have
been sung and recorded by leading a r tis t s .
His ea rly tra in in g 1n piano and composition was augmented by the
study of recordings o f the music o f Debussy, Ravel, Varfese, and the
blues singer, B i l l i e Holiday. His formal education includes the study
of composition with Leo Sowerby a t The American Conservatory in
Chicago (1938-1940), Northwestern U niversity (1940-1943), The C urtis
In s titu te in Philadelphia (1943), and J u illia r d School of Music
(1945-1948) where he received both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in
Music. His teachers o f composition included Bernard Wagenaar, Aaron
Copland, V ir g il Thomson, Arthur Honegger, and David Diamond.
Rorem has been the recipient o f several awards. In 1948, his
The Lordly Hudson was voted the best published song of th at year by
the Music Library Association. He has also received the Gershwin
Memorial Award (1948), Li 11 Boulanger Award, Prix de B ia r r it z , two
* "Frozen In te rp la y ", Time. November 1965, p. 83.
2
Guggenheim Fellowships (1957 & 1977), and the P u litz e r Prize fo r his
A ir Music (1976).
In 1949, Rorem studied with Honegger in Paris on a Full bright
scholarship. A fte r two years o f musical composition in Morocco, Rorem
returned to Paris under the patronage of Viscountess Marie Laure de
N o ailles. Included in his social circles were Poulenc, Auric, and
Cocteau, and his lite r a r y in terests found release in song settings,
upon which his recognition la rg e ly rests. "C ertain ly i t is in the
solo songs, of which there are l i t e r a l l y hundreds, th a t Rorem makes
his bid fo r consideration beside the creators o f German and French
lie d e r . . .
Much o f Rorem's popularity as a songwriter perhaps is due to his
ly r ic a l s ty le o f vocal w ritin g and his g i f t of melody. "Like Barber,
he w rites in a tonal and somewhat eclectic s ty le , which has helped
make his songs accessible and pleasing to performers and

3
audiences." "Rorem . . . perhaps because he tends to specialize in
song, w rites in a musical language th at is d ire c t, communicative,

4
personal and engaging."
The v a rie ty of styles in Rorem's total songwriting output is
extensive. According to Bennie Middaugh this s t y lis t ic v a rie ty can be
a ttrib u te d to " . . . the d iv e rs ity o f influences and compositional
2 V ir g il Thomson, American Music Since 1919 (New York: H olt,

Rinehart & Winston, 1971), p. 87.
3 Charles Hamm, Music in the New World (London, New York:
W.W. Norton and Company, 1983), p. 458.
4 Charles Osborne, The Concert Song Companion. A Guide to the
Classical Repertoire (London: V ic to r Gollancz LTD, 1974), p. 243.
elements which he has incorporated in to his s ty le ," and p rin c ip a lly ,
"to the wide v a rie ty of his chosen te x ts . To these - - to th e ir poetic
meters and in fle c tio n s , and especially to th e ir verbal meanings and
d erivative moods — he always appears to subjugate his musical
resources."5
Rorem's regard fo r poetry has been a dominating influence in his
compositions.
I am drawn to poetry, to words. At the age of

fifte e n I was setting e. e. cummings and Geoffrey
Chaucer. I have set French, some Ita lia n and L a tin ,
even two in ancient Greek. But I w ill never w rite
music to a foreign language again — only American
L ite ra tu re .6
In his e a r lie r years he used the poetic works o f Paul Goodman.
Later he turned to Theodore Roethke and Walt Whitman. At certain
times Rorem concentrated on single poets; George D arley, Tennyson,
Demetrios Capetanakis, Kenneth Koch, Howard Moss, Wallace Stevens, and
Sylvia P lath. His wide range o f in te re s ts , is thus exem plified in his
music.
To confirm his consideration o f poetry, Rorem has, upon numerous
occasions, stated his philosophy o f choosing appropriate texts for
song w ritin g . "The composer's i n i t i a l job is to fin d an appropriate
6 Bennie Middaugh, "The Songs o f Med Rorem: Aspects o f Musical

S ty le ," The NATS Journal 24-25 (May 1968): 39.
6 Arthur Satz, "Ned Rorem: Musician o f the Month," High
F id e lity . Aug. 1976: p. MA-5.
4
poem. The te x t of th is is a poem's fin a l enhancement bymusic

M7
• • •
Rorem outlined in d e ta il the various elements necessary in
defining a song, and the significance of u tiliz in g choice poetry in an
essay delivered by the composer a t a Symposium on Contemporary Music
sponsored by the American Music Center in New York.
My three mottos fo r songwriting: Use only good

poems — that is , convincing marvels in English o f a ll
periods. Write g ra c efu lly fo r the voice — th a t is ,
make the voice lin e as seen on paper have the arched
flow which singers lik e to in te rp re t. Use no tric k s
— th a t is , since singing is already such a r t i f i c e ,
never repeat words a r b it r a r ily , much less ask the
voice to groan, shriek, or rasp. I have nothing
against special e ffe c ts , they are ju s t not in my
language. I betray the poet by framing his words, not
by d is to rtin g them.8
In 1971, Rorem composed a song cycle fo r soprano, c la rin e t and
piano, based on fiv e poems from the Ariel collection w ritte n by the
American Poet, Sylvia Plath. The work was premiered November 1971, at
the Library o f Congress, Washington, D.C., by P hyllis C u rtin , soprano,
David G lazer, c la rin e t, and Ryan Edwards, piano. Like many of his
compositions since the 1960's, the piece is w ritten in an cyclic form,
and stresses rhythmic v a rie ty as well as a disjunct vocal lin e .
A rie l is a compilation o f poems by Plath which were published
two years posthumously. These poems were w ritten during the la s t
7 Phi l i p Lieson M ille r , "The Songs o f Ned Rorem," Tempo 127

(December 1978): 25.
8 Ned Rorem, "Why I compose the Way I Do," High F id e lity .
September 1974, p. MA-17.
months of her life , and are f ille d with elements of su fferin g ,
violence, and death. "The poems written during the la s t months o f her
l i f e (collected in the volume, A r ie l) are f i l l e d with a quiet rage and

g
desperation." "In her la s t and best poems, . . . emotions take
over in appalling outbursts o f madness and f u r y ." 10
The paradox o f her b r ie f l i f e , and her suicide in London a fte r
one o f the worst snowstorms o f the century, has unalterably fused the
facts of her biography to the in terp re ta tio n o f the A riel poems.
" ( I t ) is quite d i f f i c u l t to read Sylvia P la th 's poetry and fic tio n and
not think o f her s u ic id e ."11 "Sylvia Plath would have been a good
poet even i f she had not committed suicide, but not exactly the poet
she has since become. Our knowledge o f her suicide comments on the
poetry as we read i t . The image of the poet th a t rises out o f the

12
poetry as we read it wears the aspect o f her fa te ." Thee n tire
assemblage consists o f fo rty three poems which were " . . . rushed out
13
at the rate of two or three a day." Rorem chose fiv e of these
poems and preserved the t i t l e A riel for his cycle o f songs: "Words",
"Poppies in July", "The Hanging Man", "Poppies in October", and "Lady
Lazarus".
9 Ronald De Feo,Contemporary L ite ra ry C ritic is m , ed. Carolyn

Riley 43 Vols. (D e tro it: Gale Research Company, 1985), 1:270.
10 Martha Duffy, "The Triumph o f a Tormented Poet," L if e .
November 1971, p. 38B.
11 De Feo,Contemporary Literary C ritic is m . 1:270.
12 George Stade, Foreword to A Closer Look a t A rie l: A Memory
of Svlvia P la th . by Nancy Hunter Steiner (New York: Harper's Magazine
Press, 1973), p. 3.
13 Robert Lowell, Foreword to A rie l: Poems of Svlvia P la th .
by Sylvia Plath (New York: Harper and Row, 1965), p. v i i .
6
Statement of the Problem
Over the past few years a welcome trend has begun in vocal
music: to learn and perform 20th Century American music. " I t seems
there is an increased in terest in new music on the part o f performers

14
and directors o f music fe s tiv a ls ." This movement has led to an
increase in the number of American composers using American poetry to
create a n a tio n a lis tic song s ty le . This evolution is supported by
Ruth Friedberg, " . . . a p a rtic u la r aesthetic strength emerges from
the cultu ral reinforcement o f American composers setting the work of

15
American poets."
With th is outpouring of lite r a tu r e there appears to be very
l i t t l e accompanying source material fo r the performer. "A source book
w ritten by a singer/musicologist is rare indeed."16
Often singers neglect to perform a work because of the lack of
understanding of the text and of the new styles of musical
composition. "Frequently exaggerated awe fo r the formidable task of
learning and understanding the compositions o f this century leads to
an avoidance o f th is re p e rto ire ."17
^ S h a r o n Mabry, "New D irections: A Recital o f 20th Century

Music fo r Soprano," The NATS Journal 43 (January/February 1987): 26.
Ruth C. Friedberg, American A rt Song and American Poetry:
Vol I America Comes of Aae (Metuchen, New Jersey and London:
Scarecrow Press, In c ., 1981), p. 4.
16 S h irlee Emmons and Stanley Sonntag, The A rt o f the Sona
Recital (New York: Schirmer Books, 1979), p. 172.
17 Ib i d . , p. 212.
This a ttitu d e can create e ith e r an absence o f the lite ra tu re on
r e c ita l programs, or poor performances of the contemporary works. If
performers are to give q u a lity interpretations and performances, they
must examine the lit e r a r y , as well as the musical dimensions of the
musical works. "Literary research supplies singers with a rich source

18
of in te rp re tiv e ideas." Understanding the poetic te x t and its
meaning, is necessary to successfully in terp re t the music to which the
te x t has been set. Paula F rijs h , one of the great in te rp re te rs , has
said th a t whenever she decided to add a song to her re p e rto ire , she
began by memorizing the words. In this way she shed lig h t upon the
19
composer's work.
In summary, resource m aterial is b eneficial in order to
in te rp re t and perform 20th century music e ffe c tiv e ly . Musical
analysis and the discussion of poetical in te rp re ta tio n is mandatory
fo r performance. Although Ned Rorem's work has been acclaimed, there
has been no analysis done fo r in terp reters of A r ie l.
Significance o f the Study
This study makes av aila b le to performers of 20th century
contemporary music a reference guide to the song cycle A rie l by Ned
Rorem. Rorem's works have in general, been given much attention by
performers as well as c r it ic s . However, the song cycle A rie l has been
overlooked. The avoidance of th is p a rtic u la r cycle by performers
TO Ib id . , p. 172.
19 P h illip M ille r , Foreword to The Ring o f Words. An Anthology
o f Song Texts (NewYork: W.W. Norton & Company, 1963), p. x x v ii.
8
conceivably is due to the lack of resource m a te ria l, as well as to the
nature o f the poetry. This paper serves as a musical, p o e tic , and
in te rp re tiv e reference fo r performers o f A r i e l.
Specific Questions Answered
I. What was the result of musical analysis with regard given
to:
A. Horizontal Elements
1. Melodic Construction
2. Range
3. Tessitura
B. V e rtic al Elements
1. Harmonic Structure
2. Texture
3. Tonal Center
C. Formal Aspects
II. What was the result of poetic in terp retatio n with regard
given to:
A. Theme or central idea
B. Use o f imagery, metaphors, and poetic devices (word
rhythm, word sound, word rhyme)
III. Through musical analysis and poetic in te rp re ta tio n , what
compositional in terp retive elements were presented?
IV. What were the musical and poetical relationships of the
individual songs to the e n tire cycle.
Li mi tatio n s
The study was lim ited to the investigation o f a contemporary
American song cycle, A rie l, composed by an American composer, Ned
Rorem, and based on the poetry o f an American poet, Sylvia P la th . It
did not attempt to analyze or discuss any additional works by Rorem or
P lath.
The musical analysis was w ritte n from a performers perspective.
H o rizo n ta l, v e r tic a l, and formal elements were examined. An extensive
analysis o f dynamics was omitted in order to focus the observations on
less obvious structural devices.
The poetry was examined in order to assist future performers
with in te rp re tiv e ideas. No attempt was made to o ffe r a comprehensive
poetic analysis.
CHAPTER I I
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The primary focus o f th is study was to o ffe r a musical and
poetical analysis of Rorem's A r ie l. The categories o f reviewed
lite r a tu r e and the c r it e r ia fo r th e ir inclusion are as follow s.
Regarding Ned Rorem p a rtic u la rly ; a rtic le s and books were
reviewed th at mentioned s p e c ific a lly the A riel cycle, or th at offered
insight in to his compositional s ty lis tic t r a it s . A d d itio n a lly , books
and diaries w ritten by Rorem th a t s p e c ific a lly mentioned the composing
or performing of the A rie l cycle, as well as dissertations that dealt
with the vocal works o f Rorem were examined.
Dissertations were reviewed to investigate previously used
methods o f research and discovery, with specific regard to musical
analysis and textual in te rp re ta tio n .
Selected a rtic le s and books about Sylvia Plath th a t mentioned
s p e c ific a lly the A rie l poems were reviewed. P a rtic u la r attention was
given to structural elements o f and in terp retatio n o f the fiv e poems
used by Rorem.
Although much has been w ritten by Rorem and about Rorem, very
little has been said about the composition A r ie l. In the a r tic le "The
Songs of Ned Rorem", found in Tempo magazine, the author P h ilip M ille r
examined b r ie fly the dominant influence of Rorem's in terest in
poetry. Sylvia Plath was mentioned as one of the many poets whose
works were used by Rorem in composing song cycles. Short musical
excerpts were given as examples o f the composer's concern fo r textual
s e ttin g and it s in fle c tio n . M ille r stated that the composer achieves
his s ty le through syncopation, time changes, and displaced stresses.
The conclusion was drawn th a t the poetry was the major fa c to r in the
determination o f melodic lin e . I t was in this section th a t A riel was
mentioned as an example o f Rorem's alleged “bow toward s e ria lis ts " .
The a r t ic le concluded with a short examination of both form and

20
p ia n is tic elements found in his songs.
Bennie Middaugh, author o f the a r tic le "The Songs o f Ned Rorem:
Aspects o f Musical S tyle", analyzed compositional techniques prevalent
in Rorem's songs. Much o f the a r t ic le concentrated on the composer's
regard fo r contrapuntal or lin e a r considerations rather than
homophonic te xtu re. Middaugh examined various contrapuntal devices
such as ostin ato , parallelism , im ita tio n , and contrary motion. The
a r t ic le proceeded in analyzing Rorem's use of v e rtic a l harmonic
s tru ctu res, including chords based on superimposed th ird s , chords
arranged in fourths, polyharmony, the trito n e , and harmonic uses which
emphasize tonal contradictions. A short section d e a lt with the
s tru ctu ral elements of the songs, and a strong emphasis was placed on
the importance o f the te x t and the ro le it assumed with regard to
20 M ille r , "The Songs o f Ned Rorem," p. 25.
12
formal structure and variety 1n s ty le . Written 1n May o f 1968, the

21
a r tic le was published before A rie l was composed.
In An Introduction to the A rt Song by Barbara M eister, a b rie f
paragraph was w ritte n about the cycle A r ie l. Meister examined, 1n a
general manner, some o f the compositional elements found 1n the work.
The analysis was w ritten 1n an attempt to demonstrate Rorem's "taste

22
fo r the macabre".
As a re s u lt o f the lit e r a r y output o f Rorem, much has been
published about his musical philosophy as well as his personal l i f e .
The published books include The Paris Diarv o f Ned Rorem (1966), The
New York Diary (1967), Music from Inside Out (1967), Music and People
(1968), C r itic a l A ffa irs (1970), Pure Contraption: A Composer's Essavs
(1974). The Final Diary (1974) contains a short journal entry 1n
which A riel was mentioned.
Having composed my settings from A riel I no

longer need Sylvia Plath. People bring me essays
about, o r newly recovered verses by, Plath; I am no
longer in tere s ted . Not th a t having once live d
"within" her I now find her less good; i t ' s simply
that the urge is exhausted . . . 23
An extensive search fo r related doctoral studies completed to
date revealed approximately fifte e n dissertations on Rorem. Three of
the documents re la ted s p e c ific a lly to his songs.
21 Middaugh, "The Songs o f Ned Rorem,", p. 39.

22 Barbara Meister, An Introduction to the A rt Sona (New
York: Taplinger Publishing Company, 1980), pp. 192-93.
23 Ned Rorem, The Final D iarv. 1961-1972 (New York: Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston, 1974), pp. 382-83.
13
The most recent dissertation was w ritten by Mary Lois Sumners
e n title d The Songs of Ned Rorem on Religious Texts and Themes (1982).
The paper provided an 1n-depth analysis of Rorem's songs on religious
texts and themes. Conclusions were drawn about s ty le characteristics,
e ffects of Rorem's a th e is tic beliefs on his sacred music, and
performance preparation. Although Plath refers to the presence o f God
in the A rie l poems, the poems cannot be Included 1n the category o f

24
religious te x ts .
Marvin Robert Bloomqulst wrote a dissertation e n title d Sonas o f
Ned Rorem: Aspects o f the Musical Settings o f Sonas 1n English fo r
Solo Voice and Plano (1970). The paper analyzed Rorem's published
songs fo r solo voice and piano. An attempt was made to determine his
basic s t y lis t ic t r a it s . Bloomqulst Included a d e ta ile d study of vocal
melody, poetry, and accompaniment. Because of the date of the
d is s e rta tio n , A riel was not mentioned as it had not yet been
composed.25
The dissertation, Ned Rorem As A Twentieth Century Song
Composer, by William S ills Wright North, (1965), was a comparison o f
th irty -tw o o f the songs o f Ned Rorem with selected songs of twelve
acknowledged leaders in the f ie ld o f contemporary song. The paper was
w ritten from the point o f view o f the a rtis t-s in g e r rath er than that
23 Mary Lois Summers, "The Songs o f Ned Rorem on Religions

Texts and Themes" (D.M.A. dissertation, Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary, 1982).
25 Marvin Robert Bloomquist, "Songs o f Ned Rorem: Aspects o f
the Musical Settings of Songs in English fo r Solo Voice and Piano"
(D.M.A. d iss e rtatio n , U niversity o f Missouri, 1970).
14
of the th e o re tic ia n . Emphasis was placed upon relationships between
poetry and music. Although w ritten before A rie l was published, the
paper offered in sig h t to performance practices o f Ned Rorem's music.
V ir tu a lly hundreds of dissertations of this nature have been
w ritten about other composer's works. Four were chosen as guidelines
fo r procedure and content.
The Relationship Between Poetry and Music in the O riginal
Solo-Vocal Works of Beniamin B ritten Through 1965 by Robert Gene
Brewster (1967) explored two facets o f B ritte n 's compositions. F ir s t ,
the poetry and it s re la tio n to music; and second, the purely musical
aspects. The follow ing d etails were addressed: overall form, melodic
organization, rhythmic aspects, harmonic p ractices, and accompaniment
in relationship to the vocal lin e .27
Analyses and Interpretations o f Selected Sonas of David Diamond
by Raymond Friday (1984), though s im ila r to the work of Brewster,
placed more emphasis on the relationsh ip of text to music. It
examined the follow ing categories: e x p lo ita tio n of word sound fo r
26 W illiam S ills Wright North, "Ned Rorem As A Twentieth

Century Song Composer" (D.M.A. d is s e rta tio n , University of I l l i n o i s ,
1965).
27 Robert Gene Brewster, "The Relationship Between Poetry and
Music in the O riginal Solo Vocal Works o f Benjamin B ritten Through
1965" (Ph.D. d is s e rta tio n , Washington U n iv e rs ity , 1967).
15
mood and textu re, word evocation o f chord or key change, relationsh ip
o f word rhythms to musical rhythms, changes o f in te n s ity , and location

28
o f climaxes.
The following two dissertations were w ritte n as manuals to be
used by singers, teachers, and coaches fo r guidance in the preparation
and performance of specific words.
A Performer's Commentary on To Be Sung Upon the Water bv
Dominick Arqento w ritten by T ru c illa Marie Sabatino (1980) stated it s
th re e -fo ld purpose: 1) to examine each song fo r structural cues;
2) to study how closely the music and poetry are intertwined in the
cycle; and 3) to demonstrate the logical construction of the cycle in

2Q
order to expedite the learning and teaching process.
A Performer's Manual To The Solo Vocal Works of Frank Martin
(1890-1974) by Craig Norris Hodges (1983) examined the eight published
solo vocal works by Frank M artin. The chapters each contained a
contextual setting of the work, a textual analysis including
tran s la tio n s and tran scrip tio n into In ternatio nal Phonetics
30
Association symbols, and a musical analysis.
ZERaym ond Friday, "Analyses and In terp retatio n s of Selected

Songs o f David Diamond" (Ph.D. dissertation, New York U niversity,
1984).
29 T ru c illa Marie Sabatino, "A Performer's Commentary on 'To
Be Sung Upon the Water' by Dominick Argento" (D.M.A. d iss e rtatio n ,
Ohio State University, 1980).
30 Craig Norris Hodges, "A Performer's Manual To The Solo
Vocal Works o f Frank Martin" (D.M.A. d is s e rta tio n , Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, 1983).
16
The four dissertations provided two main insights: 1) the
importance o f the examination o f thete x t to the music; and 2) the
appropriate level o f musical analysis fo r a paper w ritten from a
performers perspective.
Innumerable books and a rtic le s have been w ritten on Sylvia
P lath. Unfortunately, many o f these resources were the re s u lt o f
in te re s t in her suicide. The lite ra tu re is divided into three
sections: 1) orig inal or primary sources; 2) biographies; and
3) c r it ic a l reviews o f P lath 's work.
Primary sources other than her actual published works are The
Journals o f Svlvia P la th . edited by her husband Ted Hughes and Francis
McCullough, and Letters Home, a collection o f correspondence between
the years 1950-1963, edited by Plath's mother, A u relia Plath-Schober.
These books o ffe r in sig h t in to the personality o f Plath, but they
illu m in a te only a short period o f her l i f e , and they were edited

31
versions.
Two biographies which are considered by many to be highly
questionable with regard to th e ir academic c ritic is m are Edward
Butscher's Svlvia Plath. Method and Madness, and Svlvia Plath. The
Woman and the Work. Some analysis of the poetry was offered, but the
Ted Hughes and Francis McCullough, ed s., The Journals o f

Svlvia Plath (New York: Dial Press, 1982); A u relia Schober-Plath,
e d ., Letters Home. Correspondence 1950-1963 (London: Faber & Faber
L td ., Paperbacks, 1978).
17
m ajo rity of the lit e r a t u r e contained only information on P lath's
childhood and college days, and recollections o f her school teachers

32
and boy friends.
The book, A Closer Look at A r ie l. A Memory of Svlvia Plath by
Nancy Hunter S teiner, is a recollection o f the author's memories and
impressions of P lath. Steiner was P lath's roommate a t Smith College,
and presented us with a catalogue of events, p a rtic u la rly the crucial

33
period a fte r the poet's f i r s t suicide attempt.
In the area o f c r it ic a l reviews o f P la th 's work, three books are
to be mentioned. The A rt of Svlvia P lath . A Symposium, edited by
Charles Newman, is a c o lle ctio n of a rtic le s by various authors which
are divided in to fiv e parts: 1) a r tic le s about Sylvia Plath;
2) analysis of S y lvia P lath's work through imagery and meter;
3) biographical re fle c tio n s with regard to specific poems; 4) short
reviews o f various persuasions; and 5) essays which deal with single
works not s p e c ific a lly discussed in preceding contributions. Also
included is an appendix o f some unpublished, uncollected poems and
prose, pen drawings by P la th , and an extensive bibliography.34
32EdwardButscher, Svlvia Plath. Method and Madness (New

York, Seabury Press, 1976); EdwardButscher, e d ., Svlvia P lath. The
Woman and the Work (New York: Mead & Company, 1977).
33 Nancy Hunter Steiner, A Closer Look a t A rie l: A Memory of
S v lvia Plath (New York: Harper's Magazine Press, 1973).
3^ Charles Newman, ed., The A rt o f Svlvia Plath. A Symposium
(Bloomington: Indiana U niversity Press, 1970).
A continuation of Newman's book is Svlvia P la th . New Views on
the Poetry edited by Gary Lane. This collection o f current a rtic le s
is divided into three parts; 1) Achievement and value; 2) Process and

3C
in flu en ce; and 3) Personal and public contexts.
A rie l Ascending, edited by Paul Alexander, is one of the most
recent collections o f w ritings about Plath. Published in 1985, this
anthology re fle c ts a sampling of current c r it ic a l thinking about the
author, S ylvia Plath. The e d ito r's intent was to provide essays which
would not sensationalize her l i f e and death, but would only examine
36
the c r a f t o f her poetry and prose.
Because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the publication
o f her work a fte r her suicide, many readers and c r it ic s have studied
P la th 's work with the hope o f explaining more completely the facts and
d e ta ils o f her personal life , and o f unearthing in her writing some
motives fo r the way she chose to end i t . Consequently, this has led
to an outpouring o f commentary on Plath's work with regard to specific
themes. David Holbrook's Svlvia Plath Poetry and Existence attempts
to use in terp retatio n s from psychoanalysis and kindred disciplines to
improve the understanding o f the poetry of P la th . Holbrook isolates
her poetry from biographical and sociological contexts, and views i t
35 Gary Lane, e d ., Svlvia Plath. New Views on the Poetry

(B altim ore, London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979).
36 Paul Alexander, e d ., A riel Ascending (New York: Harper &
Row, 1985).
as a c o lle c tio n of mad confessions. The investigation of her
psychological state leads him to diagnose that the author was
schizophrenic, and suffered a c h a ra c te ris tic sense of e x is ten tia l

• a. 37
in security.
Svlvia P la th . by Susan Bassnett, is a resu lt o f the alleged
neglect of the study of women's w ritings by a "male c r itic a l

38
establishment". The book, w ritte n by a female, is designed to
o ffe r a fem inist review o f a female poet's work. The book is
concerned with such subjects as P la th 's poetry, God, nature, fam ily,
love, and the struggle to survive.
Two studies contemplate the poetry fo r Plath fo r it s own sake,
and follow s im ila r concepts of a mythic structure behind the fin a l
poems. Judith K ro ll's Chapters in a Mythology. The Poetry o f Svlvia
Plath deals b a s ic a lly with the A rie l collection. The book is a
systematic in terp re ta tio n of every c o lo r, object, and fig u re . Kroll
distinguishes three sets of p o la ritie s behind P lath 's mythology:
1) the male as god and d e v il; 2) the fa ls e s e lf and the true s e lf; and
3) the death in l i f e and l i f e in death.
3 7 Da v i dHol br ook , Svlvia P lath. Poetry and Existence

(London: Athlone Press, 1976).
38 Susan Bassnett, Svlvia Plath (Houndmills, Basingstoke,
Hampshire and London: MacMillan Education LTD, 1987).
39 Judith K ro ll, Chapters in a Mythology. The Poetry of
Svlvia Plath (New York: Harper & Row, 1978).
20
S vlvia Plath. The Poetry o f I n it ia t io n , by Jon Rosenblatt
perceives the d is tin c t elements in Plath's work to be b irth and death,
creation and destruction, and death and r e b irth . In the analysis of
some o f Plath's poetry, Rosenblatt studies two aspects of her work
which are powerfulimages and rhythms, and r itu a l or q u a s i-ritu a l
p a tte rn s .4®
The review o f lite r a tu r e on Plath would not be complete without
mention o f the hundreds o f a rtic le s found in the Contemporary L ite ra ry
C ritic is m volumes. The wide variety of c ritic is m covers a ll aspects
o f P la th 's writings and l i f e . Many of the a rtic le s are included in
the books previously discussed.41
^ J o n Rosenblatt, Svlvia Plath. The Poetry o f In it ia t io n

(Chapel H i l l : University o f North Carolina Press, 1979).
41 Carolyn R ile y , e d ., Contemporary L ite ra ry C ritic is m . 43
vols. (D e tro it: Gale Research Company, 1985).
CHAPTER I I I
PROCEDURE
The procedure for the study of each o f the fiv e individual songs
in A rie l was divided into three steps: 1) musical analysis; 2) poetic
in te rp re ta tio n ; and 3) compositional in te rp re ta tio n .
Musical Analysis
In the musical analysis, attention was given to the s a lie n t
compositional features o f each song, those musical elements which,
made apparent to the reader, contribute to a more knowledgeable
performance o f the song. The musical relationsh ip o f the individual
songs to the en tire A riel cycle was examined.
Poetic In terp retatio n
The poem in its o rig in a l form was presented and analyzed to
determine what the w rite r was attempting to express, and what, i f any,
were the poetical devices used. The poetical relationship of the
in divid ual poems to the e n tire A rie l song cycle was examined.
Compositional In terp re ta tio n
The relationship of te x t to music with regard to word
expression, poetic atmosphere, and poetic meaning, were considered to
f a c i l i t a t e the preparation o f, and to help strengthen the presentation
o f each song.
Organization
The body of the study was divided into three chapters:
1) Musical Analysis; 2) Poetic In terp retatio n ; and 3) Compositional
In te rp re ta tio n . Each song o f the cycle A riel was discussed in its
respective order as created by the composer.The fin a l chapter
contains a summary of the research. Appendix A consists o f copies of
personal correspondence with both Ned Rorem, the composer, and with
P h yllis C u rtin , the soprano who premiered the work, and to whom the
work is dedicated. Appendix B is a copy of the ta ro t card The Hanged
Man.
CHAPTER IV
MUSICAL ANALYSIS
In the musical analysis o f Rorem's A r ie l. horizontal material or
melodic motives were examined f i r s t . The motives were extracted and
surveyed in order to determine th e ir compositional significance.
While closely reviewing the m a terial, the various elements o f pitch,
rhythm, tes situ ra, range, and contrapuntal im ita tio n were considered.
Secondly, the work was examined v e rtic a lly . Tonal centers were
determined by analyzing ‘ harmonic structures, pedal points, and
cadences. The v e rtic a l analysis concluded th a t melodic motives
preceded harmony. The analysis was completed by examining formal
aspects. Form was ascertained through observations o f the melodic
motives, the harmonic im plications, and the poetic te x t.
The A riel cycle consists o f fiv e songs fo r soprano, c la rin e t,
and piano. Through correspondence with P hyllis C u rtin , questions
concerning the instrumentation o f the cycle were answered.
Some months p rio r to a performance a t the Library o f

Congress, in planning a program with David Glaser,
c la rin e te s t, I re a lize d that there was little
repertory fo r piano, c la r in e t, and voice which I had
not often performed. I called Mr. Rorem, an old frien d
24
and asked him i f he might have a work fo r th a t

combination lying about in his f i l e s . He said he did
not, but th a t he would w rite a piece for me as a
g ift.4 2
Rorem, when asked why he chose Sylvia Plath's poetry, and why
s p e c ific a lly these fiv e poems, re p lie d , "Plath's verses, which had
ju s t been published at the time, 1970, seemed apt fo r C u rtin 's sound
and s ty le , and fo r my view o f the w orld."43
The fiv e songs of the cycle contain key motives or phrases.
Within the individual songs, the motivesare recycled providing a
sense o f cohesion and formal c o n tin u ity . The motives are varied in
fiv e basic ways: 1) the pitch order is changed; 2) the rhythmic
pattern is changed; 3) the motive is augmented, diminished or
fragmented; 4) the motive is transposed; and 5) the motive is
m e trica lly displaced.
The cycle, while dissonant and no ntrad ition al, consists of
numerous tonal im plications. The tonal centers are vague and quickly
s h iftin g , yet specific key areas reappear.
The formal patterns o f the songs r e fle c t the te x t. There is no
evidence o f c la s s ic a lly defined sections. The duration o f a song is
determined by the length o f the poem. Lines and words are repeated
musically only when they are also repeated p o etica lly .
The most s ig n ific a n t motive o f the f i r s t song "Words" is the
d is tin c t opening c la rin e t lin e . This motive or phrase serves as a
42 P h y llis Curtin, personal le t t e r , August 31, 1987.

43 Ned Rorem, personal le t t e r , August 31, 1987.
25
44
Example 1. "Words" Meas. 1-2
fade /T n
ffi
A x -e s
[very long pau
<T>
basic compositional element to the entire song. Harmonically it
contains a major seventh and a minor th ird . These intervals are
evident in many of the piano chords, as well as in the vocal and
c la rin e t lin e s . The f i r s t vocal statement is a varied fragment of the
c la rin e t motive. M elodically and rhythmically the motive is
inverted. In measure four the e n tire c la rin e t motive is imitated by
the voice. The clarinet repeats the opening motive in an embellished
Example 2. "Words" Meas. 2-4 ^
A f - te r whose stroke the wood rings,
[very long pat se|

iff*
/7\
, . 1
4 4 Ned Rorem, "Words," in A rie l. Five Poems o f Svlvia Plath
(New York: Boosey & Hawkes, 1974), p .4.
45 Ib id .
26
version in measures 7 -8 .This example demonstrates the G major emphasis
Example 3. "Words” Meas. 7-8 46
o- chocs! E- chocs
found w ithin the song. The c la rin e t's descending lin e consists of
in te r v a llic leaps which emphasize an arpeggiated G major chord. G
major chords are also outlined in both the vocal and piano parts.
Dissonance surrounds these tr ia d ic structures.
The pitches of the opening motive, D, E*7 and B are found
extensively throughout the piece in every instrument. Every new
melodic entry begins on one of these three pitches with the exception
of measures 30-33. This section demonstrates im ita tiv e counterpoint
of the i n i t i a l vocal phase.
4 6 fbi dT
27
Example 4. "Words" Meas. 30-34 47
rid-' er-less, ihie in-de - f a t - i-g»-blehoof-taps.

¥ Mrtt rfrv a m l
■ | T = -------------------- Bjfg t -—
r 1 It tfcjfT
U ■- - L . -1Ldt -----------------------------------------------
W'- ----------------- 'L i t 1 ^1
The three pitches are occasionally used as pedal tones,
(measures 9-11, measures 20-21). When the pitches are employed w ithin
a chord, they are usually placed a t the top or the bottom which allow
them to be e a s ily heard. In measure 1, D Is the lowest note o f the
second piano chord and Eb Is near the highest (example 1 ). The l e f t
hand piano chord in measure 5 consists o f the two outer notes o f E*?
and 0.
48
A nd the
I b i d . , pp. 6-7
48 I b i d . , p. 4.
28
3 b 5
The range of the vocal lin e is B to Av however, the
I? 4 5
tessitura is EK to F . The vocal lin e throughout the piece
consists o f in tervals of major sevenths and minor thirds which are
consistently repeated. Measures 14-16 demonstrate the in terval lie
usage.
49
14 15 16
like the W a-ter striv - ing To r c - e s - tab-lish its m ir-ro r O
» -— ■
-p f-* i
- r -— ■■■; r - - ■ ■ t -------- M -
m mr
The overall key center of the song appears to be G, although not
c learly major or minor. The opening chords of the fir s t measure

5 6
provide a strong G orientation with B and D in the c la rin e t and
4 4
G D and F# in the piano. A coustically, the root o f the second
piano chord based on the lowest most stable interval is G.
4 9 I bi d. , p. 5.
29
Example 7. "Words" Meas. 1 50
In measure 10 the word "horses" outlines an A^Mm7 arpeggio.
This chord is surrounded by two pedal tones. in the c la rin e t and D
in the piano. The section is consequently a harmonically varied
re ite ra tio n of the opening motive.
5U ib id ., p. 4.
30
Example 8 . "Words" Meas. 9-11 51
7 * 1 ' ~ '■ ' '.»■ ~ - = t | <■■■
0 (T from th e c e n - tr e like h o r - s e j.
An additional reference to the D, Eb motive is seen in measures
7-8 (example 3 ). The rig h t hand of the piano im plies a G to n a lity as
do the vocal and c la rin e t lin e s . The le f t hand o f the piano is
s im ila r in construction to the rig h t hand; however, i t is transposed
and implies an P? tonal center. The relatio n sh ip o f P? to G is a
transposed version o f the D to opening motive.
^ Ib id ., p. 5.
The repeated use of the trito n e A E^ , (measures 3-5 voice,
measure 7-piano rig h t hand, measures 9-10 voice, measure 2 4 -c la rin e t),
is instrumental in determining a G tonal center. The significance of
the trito n e lie s in its resolution found in measure 24.
The trito n e resolves to a perfect fourth or an inverted perfect
fifth . The sustained tone of D implies the dominant G. A G to n a lity
c le a rly appears in measure 27. The resolution to the tonic s ig n ifie s
the conclusion o f the A section o f the song.
The B section is based on a pentatonic scale embodied within the
vocal lin e . C#, D#, F#, G#, A#.
52 I b i d . , p. 6.
32
•optn~)
Yean la-ter I En-coun-ter them on th e _
Within the f i r s t measure a B tonal center is implied and then quickly
s h ifts to a continuous chromatic motion. Harmonic s h iftin g provides
movement fo r what would otherwise be a s ta tic B major presence. ‘
The f i r s t vocal lin e o f the codetta (measures 36-37) u tiliz e s
motivic m aterial from both the A and B sections. M elodically i t is
comparable to the c la rin e t lin e of measure 25 and rhythm ically
comparable to the vocal lin e o f measures 31-32.
b3 ibidT
33
Example 11. "Words" Meas. 36-37 54 Example 12. "Words" Meas. 25 55
25/T
W hile From th e b o t- to m o f th e p o o l.
56
rid* er-le ss. te in - d e - f a t - i-g a -b !e h o o f-u p s.
The song's conclusion Is to n a lly ambiguous. A simultaneous
presence o f tonic and dominant chords is evident. The la s t three
measures the piano and c la rin e t lin es suggest both the dominant o f G
major, (DMm7, D F# A C ), and the dominant of G minor, <Dmm7, D F A C).
The F natural in the voice and the Bb of the piano's l e f t hand in the
la s t measure indicates a tonic G minor chord (G Bb D F) as well as a
dominant o f G minor (D F^ A C ).
~o¥ Ib id ., p. 7.
55 Ib id ., p. 6.
56 Ib id ., p. 7.
34
ilow cr
VP PPP
PP
1" : P ff
p- =— pp
frp- ft
=t • * hjT.
r
The musical form of "Words" is AA'B Codetta. The sections are
as follows: A - measures 1-11, A' - measures 12-27, B » measures
28-34, and Codetta - measures 35-42. The A' section u tiliz e s the same
motivic and harmonic material as the A section; however, the motivic
material is varied rhythmically and in pitch order. The extensive
c la rin e t solo in measures 21-26 helps to divide the A' and B sections.
The division between the A* and B sections is fu rth e r supported
harmonically as discussed e a r lie r (example 10). The codetta beginning
at measure 35 harmonically returns to a G to n a lity . The opening
c la rin e t motive reappears in the vocal line of measure 38.
u/ Ib id .
35
i l : i
0 -----------1 ^ . ,
Q lf p J *
fu e d stars G ov- ern~— _ a life--------------
l> "I
| ----------- -- --------------- ------- ------ ^
P -
P
L = u J
iS L
Two important horizontal elements are evident in "Poppies in
July". The fir s t is a motive consisting of a major second which
functions as a lower a u xiliary tone.
Example 16. "Poppies in July" Meas. 1-3 59
C larinet
Voice
L it-tie pop-piej. Lit • tie hell flam es. Do you do You
Piano
The lower a u x ilia ry tone is apparent a t the end of nearly every vocal
lin e . This motive is repeated in an augmented version in the piano's
bass lin e in measures 12-14.
to Ib id .
59 Rorem, "Poppies in July," in A r ie l. p. 8.
36
Example 17. "Poppies in J u ly " Meas. 12-14 60
12
A mouthjua bloodied. Lit-tieblood -y skirts! There
1 — mp
The second notable horizontal element is the employment o f three
motives: 1. G E A D C, 2. F Eb B, 3. D C Bb G. These motives or
pitch series are found in the piano and c la rin e t lines. Their f i r s t
appearance is in measures 4-5.
bU I b i d . , p. 9
37
Example 18. "Popples 1n Ju ly" Meas. 4-5 61
Dick - er. I ca n -n o i to u ch you. I p u t my hands * -i
The pitch series emerge in d iffe re n t registers and in d iffe re n t
instrumental lines throughout the song. The order o f the pitches is
generally unbroken; however, the motives are frequently augmented and
diminished rhythmically, and are occasionally fragmented.
N oth - ing bum s. And it ex-hausts me to watch you Flick-er-ing like th a t. wrinkly and clear red ,
(series 1. - rhythmically augmented)

(series 3. - fragmented and rhythmically augmented)
o'Ibid., p. 8.
62 ib id .
38
(series 1. - rhythmically diminished)
The application of the motives within the accompanying lines
cultivates im itative counterpoint.
The range of the vocal lin e is F4- D^5 . The small range
lim its the interval lie movement within the lin e . The majority of the
lin e is repeated C3 .The vocal line c le a rly demonstrates the C
to n a lity through continual use of the perfect f i f t h C - G.
I put my hands a-m o n g _ the flames.
Ib id ., p. 10.
64 Ib id ., p. 8.
39
The overall key center o f the song appears to be C but not
c le a rly a major or minor to n a lity . A pedal tone of G is evident in
measures 10-14. The prolongation of the dominant of the tonic
to n a lity confirms the key center of C. In measure 17 the to n a lity
changes to D major. The tonal change is apparent through two
methods. Harmonic analysis o f the f ir s t chord o f the measure and
observance of the sustained D pedal tone in the clarin et line
throughout the following three measures.
yo u r n au -seo u s c a p - sulcs?------ I could
l loco
The harmonic "brightening" of this section strengthens the
assertion of the Bsection beginning at this point. At the codetta
the vocallin e repeats a G which serves as an extended dominant
to n a lity o f the returning C tonal center. In measure 17 a G M7 chord
appears in the piano lin e . This dominant chord is resolved to the
tonic in the vocal lin e in measure 28. The song ends with the
5
re p e titio n of a C pitch.
55 ib id ., p. 9.
40
The formal structure o f "Poppies in July" is A B Codetta: A=
measures 1-16, B = measures 17-23, Codetta = measures 24-30. The song
is seamless with no instrumental cadential gestures. However, as
previously mentioned, formal structures are apparent through analysis
o f key tonal centers.
The opening clarin et lin e of "The Hanging Man" reveals a
s ig n ific a n t motivic element. The interval of the trito n e F-B. The
in terval is accentuated through in terv a l lie leaps w ithin the line.
The use o f a trito n e in the f i r s t three measures foreshadows the
reappearance of the interval throughout the song.
Example 24. "The Hanging Man" Meas. 1-3 67

F tM (J)tiM )
Solo
Piano
po Ib id ., p. 10.
67 Rorem, "The Hanging Man," in A r ie l. p. 11.
A second motlvlc element is the melodic phrase th a t fir s t
*
appears in the c la rin e t lin e of measure 4.
Example 25. "The Hanging Han" Meas. 4 68
*8 ibidT
42
This phrase reappears within the same instrumental lin e in measure 23,
denoting the A' section, and measure 30, indicating the Coda.
Example 26. "The Hanging Man" Meas. 22-24, 30-33 69
Ib id ., pp. 13-14.
43
The vocal lin e 1n measures 8-13 and measures 25-29 1s derived
m elodlcally and rhythmically from th is same motlvlc phrase.
Example 27. "The Hanging Han" Meas. 8-13, 25-27 70
By theroctjcfm yhiir lomegod got hold— of me.
tff
Se
siz-zled ui his blue volts like a des-ert pro
Mite
A
* «p ssssssss3 «»
25-1
i t ■J ° l - T l i e ' l l ‘g f c i
A vul-tur-ouj bore • daRipmedme in this tree._ If he were I, he would
w I b i d . , pp. 12-14
44
A s lig h t variation of the c la rin e t's motive reappears in a
transposition o f a minor th ird (measure 14). The change o f to n ality
marks the beginning o f the B section.
Example 28. "The Hanging Man" Meas. 14 71
The vocal lin e in measures 17-21 follows in the same manner as a
varied transposition of this phrase.
The nights snapped out A world o f b ald white— days in a shade-less sock-
Ib id . , p. 12.
72 I b i d . , p. 13.
45
At this po int, the sforzando chord of measure 19 represents the
middle o f the song, as well as the middle o f the entire cycle.
Measures 20-21 are an exact retrograde of measures 17-18 (example 29).
The vocal range of "The Hanging Man" is C4 - B^5. The wide
range is re fle c tiv e o f the large interval li e leaps found within the
angular vocal lin e .
Harmonically, the chord in the piano lin e o f measure 4 functions
as a characteristic chord that is used throughout the entire song
(example 25). A ll single piano chords and tremelos are derived from
this characteristic chord. The chord is occasionally transposed
(measure 14) and/or voiced in a d iffe re n t manner (measure 11, measure
17). Through the use of dissonance the chords are harmonically
designed to destroy any sense of acoustic roots. Tonal key centers of
sections are never e x p lic itly confirmed. Consequently, the to n a lity
of the song is vague. The interval of a tr ito n e , which was previously
mentioned, is one of the few recurring harmonic elements of the entire
song. The characteristic chord as i t normally appears emphasized the
trito n e A - E^.
Example 30. "The Hanging Man" Meas. 26 73

26________________
J_______ m pc
_ in tills tree If
t* Ib id ., p. 14.
46
In the c la rin e t lin e , many A - tritones are apparent.
The use of the F - B trito n e reappears in the fin a l c la rin e t statement
(measures 34-38).
/4 Ib id ., p. 11.
75 ib id ., p. 14.
47
The la s t t r i tone D - outlined in the fin a l three measures leaves
the song to n a lly unresolved. However, the A appears to establish a
relationship with the following song which begins on an A in a G minor
to n a lity .
Formally, the A A' B Coda sections can only be affirmed in two
ways. F ir s t, by transpositions o f a th ird , and secondly, by the use
of long instrumental passages which in it ia t e the beginning of
sections. The divisions of sections are A = measures 1-13, B =
measures 14-22, A' = measures 23-39, and Coda = measures 30-38.
The fourth song of the cycle, "Poppies in October" is sim ilar to
the previously analyzed "Poppies in July". The most obvious
connection, with the exception o f t it le s , is the use of the lower
a u x ilia ry tone at the end of the musical phrase. This motive
consisting o f a major second is found throughout the song in a ll three
of the instrumental lines.
Example 33. "Poppies in October" Meas. 10-13 76
mp
whose red heart blooms through her coat so as - tound- mg - ly.
7b Rorem, "Poppies in October," in A r ie l. p. 15.
48
The f i r s t vocal line is an example o f the long scalar recurrent
phrases which are apparent throughout the piece. The recurrent
phrases or fragments of the phrase usually appear as a v a ria tio n of
the o rig in a l phrase. The varied elements are pitch order, rhythmic
structure, range, and instrumentation. When restated, the recurrent
phrases are consistently applied in a contrapuntal im ita tiv e manner.
Example 34. "Poppies in October" Meas. 1-10 ^

.1 R e m a in e d , but d o n 't drag ( J . 36)
C la rin et
gn sounding)
V oice
E - vcn the sun - clouds this m om - ing can • n o t-
Piano
m an • ag e such skins. N or the worn - an in th e am - bu-lance
w hose red heart
H Ib id .
49
The vocal range of the song is D4 to A5 , however, the

4 5
te s s itu ra is F - D . The extended vocal lines move in stepwise
motion and, as previously mentioned, are usually answered or preceded
by another instrument.
The employment of ostinatos is apparent in the l e f t hand o f the
piano lin e . The ostinatos imply to n a lity but are quickly s h iftin g .
The ostinato phrases are m etrically displaced. This technique aids in
the seamless design of the song by varying the strong and weak beats.
and
Harmonically, the song is f il le d with tonal im plications that
are also consistently s h iftin g . The opening of the piece begins in G
minor. The G^ reference found in the vocal and piano lines serve as
leading tone reinforcement o f the G minor key center (example 34).
78 Ib id ., p. 16.
50
In measure 6 , a reference to an E to n a lity 1s Indicated (example
3 4 ). The reference 1s a tonal anticipation o f the major key center
which becomes apparent 1n measure 16, denoting the beginning o f the B
section. The f i r s t three measures o f the B section strengthen the B*7
major to n a lity through the use o f a dominant F pedal in the l e f t hand
piano lin e .
Example 36. "Popples 1n October" Meas. 16-18 79
~46 JJ 48^ . _
gift, a love gill Ut-tef - ly un-asked for By a
jfc fc p
%
F f
Within th is section many key areas are im plied. Measure 21 - E#
minor, measure 22 - Gif minor, measure 25 - D major. Two o f these
tonal im plications E# (F) and D are reinforcements of the i n i t i a l l y
established B^ major to n a lity . The reinforcement 1s obvious when the
key centers are arpeggiated; B^ D F.
At measure 27 a F# harmonic emphasis a n tic ip a te s the return o f G
minor.
™ Ib id .
51
However, at measure 31 the anticipated return is delayed by the
appearance o f Bb major.
h ill. u it - d e r bow T^ e n .
mp
p ertsc. molto
G minor reappears in measure 39 preceded and followed by tonal
references to Gb and E*7.
80 I b id . , p. 17.
52
Example 38. "Popples In October" Meas. 35-42 81
I that these late mouths should cry_
^ al 1 J
for - est frost,
of com - flowers.
ai Ib id ., p. 17-18.
53
The la s t harmony o f the song is a B^ major chord. This cadence
can be interpreted in two ways. F irs t, as a plagal cadence (IV - I)
in Bb major or secondly, as an unresolved cadence on the dominant (V) .
of Eb.
Example 39. "Poppies in October" Meas. 48-49
The ambiguous ending o f the song is perhaps best understood in
re la tio n s h ip to the follow ing piece "Lady Lazarus". The D in the
fin a l c la r in e t line a n ticip ates the opening vocal pitch of "Lady
Lazarus" while the Bp major chord resolves to the tonic o f Eb in the
f i r s t measure o f "Lady Lazarus".
The formal structure o f "Poppies in July" is A B A '. A »
measures 1-15, B ■ measures 16-30, A1 » measures 31-49. This form was
derived from the previously mentioned harmonic analysis.
w I b id . , p. 18.
54
The fin a l song, "Lady Lazarus", consists of recurrent phrases
which have been analyzed as a series o f episodes. The fiv e episodes
within the song are frequently varied by fragmentation, pitch order,
rhythmic structure, transposition, and instrumentation. The sequences
of these episodes are likewise varied throughout the song.
The fir s t episode is the opening statement introduced in
measures 1-3.
*
Example 40. "Lady-Lazarus" Meas. 1-3 83
J mjk J>.J)
,1 Fast and frantic, but mechanical.
C larinet
(as sounding)
fs e m p n
Voice
w »
I have done it a - g a in . One year in cv-cry ten I man-agc it* A sort o f
Piano
bn
walk - - ingmir- a-cle.
Rorem, "Lady Lazarus," in A r ie l. p. 19.
55
The vocal lin e consists o f small interval li e steps with the range
extending from B^3 to Db 5 . The c larin et lin e is interspersed with
the vocal lin e in a motivic fragment that consists o f two consecutive
h a lf steps. The piano lin e establishes a pedal point of . The
episode reappears numerous times within the song. As previously
mentioned, the reappearances are often varied. Measures 4-5
demonstrate a varied version.
Example 41. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 4-6
My right foot
a4 Ib id .
56
The pitch order of the motive as well as its rhythmic structure have
both been changed. The c la rin e t's motivic fragment has been extended
while the piano's pedal point has been transposed.
The second episode begins in measure 7. This short episode
derives it s interval lie fragments from the c la rin e t line of episode
one. The piano line is an inversion of the motivic fragment and each
instrumental lin e shows a v a riatio n of the rhythmic structure. The
piano's Eb pedal tone remains although i t is veiled within a great
amount o f dissonance.
Example 42. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 7
7 (a) ^
tetteg
jQBQr violent
jg jg r marcatissimo
ab Ib id ., p. 20.
57
The third episode appears at measure 11. This episode is
characterized by the use of a wide range in each of the three
instrumental lines. The vocal lin e is doubled by the clarin et and by
the piano. The motive is played in contrary motion between the two
hands o f the piano lin e . Contrary motion is fu rth e r noted between the
vocal and c la rin e t lines and the vocal and piano lin e s .
Example 43. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 11-12 86
i n 1 i ai '
van - - ish in a day.
full act o f teeth? T h e sour— breath W ill.
The fourth episode consists of rapid scalar material in the
piano and clarin et lin es. The beginning and ending notes of the runs
vary with each reappearance of the episode. The p a ra lle l motion of
the runs also varies with each reappearance.
Ib id ., pp. 20-21.
58
Example 44. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 13, 23 87
13
The fin a l episode begins a t measure 16. The vocal lin e is
markedly more ly ric a l than in many o f the previous episodes. In
a d d itio n , i t Is doubled harmonically, and w ritte n in p a ra lle l motion
to the rig h t hand o f the piano. This episode contains many o f the
same rhythmic structures as episode three (example 4 3 ).
I b id . , p. 21-22.
59
Example 45. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 16-19 ®®
1 am on - ly ihir-ty. And likethe cat lhmnme.timn.la
Measure 39 appears to be new motivic m a te ria l. However, i t is
ac tu a lly derived from episode two. The three note clusters in the
bass lin e o f the piano are the o rig in a l t r ip l e t fig ures o f measure 6
(example 42) but are struck as a chord.
88 ib id .
60
Example 46. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 39 89
39
Measure 58 establishes new m aterial which is c o n tin u ally mixed
with combinations and variations of the preceding episodes. The
episodes become increasingly fragmented. Within the fir s t fiv e
measures o f the new material the use o f im ita tiv e counterpoint is
evident.
83 Ib id . , p. 25.
61
*-------------------- ' 1---- 7— ---------

R>r_ the eye - ing of my scais.'lhenLU a charge Foc—lhe hearing of my heart
mp
It real - lygoeaAndthae.it actaige,a ver-ylatgc For aw otdor a touch O r a bit of blood
vtp
sccco
yu I b id . , p p . 28-29.
62
The song ends with a varied motive from episode three in the
vocal lin e . The phrase spans the range of E^3 to B^5 . The last
two measures o f the piece are s trik in g ly sim ilar to the beginning of
the song. The c la rin e t's motivic fragment appears in the same manner
as i t did in the opening statement. The voice begins the la s t line
with the same intervals as were seen in the f i r s t measure. F in a lly ,
the piano bass line sustains an E^ pedal tone.
ravage
(A bud gasp)
Freer
with my red hair And 1 eat men like air.____
The e n tire range o f the song is E^3 to C6 . The use o f the
voice expands from repeated tones to large in te rv a llic leaps. The one
consistent use o f to n ality o f key center stems from the E^ pedal tone
o f the piano. E^ to n ality is consistent throughout the e n tire piece
with the exception of measures 47-57 where C to n a lity is implied by
the movement of the descending bass lin e , and also implied
harmonically in measure 57.
yi Ib id ., p. 31.
63
hairyelled
mir a - del*
"Lady Lazarus" is the longest poem o f the fiv e poems set by
Rorem, consequently the musical setting of this poem is the longest of
the fiv e songs. The piece moves in a continuous manner, with numerous
presentations of the fiv e episodes. I t might possibly be divided into
A A' B C.
The A section, measures 1-23, begins with episode one and
incorporates a ll fiv e of the episodes. The A' section, measures
24-46, begins with an exact re p e titio n of episode one. Throughout the
A1 section a ll fiv e episodes recur. The B section, measures 47-57, is
marked by three main factors: 1) the eventual change o f to n a lity from
to C; 2) the specific I meter marking; and 3) the d is tin c tiv e fiv e
note pattern in the piano's rig h t hand.
M I b i d . , p. 28.
64
(JJ)47
pp "p
The C section, measures 58-85, begins with new melodic material and
the in it ia t io n o f a canon. This section, as was previously discussed
(example 4 7 ), u tiliz e s a ll of the fiv e episodes in various
combinations and fragmentations.
C yclical Relationship
i
A study of the cycle as a whole is appropriate fo r four reasons:
1. T itle d a "song cycle", the group is designed to form a
musical e n tity .
2. The ending to n a lity and/or note o f three songs indicates
the beginning to n a lity of the next piece.
3. The songs are symmetrically arranged suggesting an overall
arch form.
4. The th ird song, "The Hanging Man", c le a rly marks the middle
o f the cycle through the use o f retrograde motion.
^ Ib id ., p. 26.
65
"Words", "The Hanging Man", and "Lady Lazarus" share sim ilar
c h a racteristics as do "Poppies in July" and "Poppies in October". The
correlations between "Words", "The Hanging Man", and "Lady Lazarus"
are: 1) a l l three songs incorporate the usage of instrumental
passages th a t serve as sectional breaks; 2) the vocal lines of the
three songs are angular phrases th a t contain wide in terv a l lie leaps
and u t i liz e an extensive range; and 3) each song discourages a strong
sense o f aural to n a lity through considerable use o f dissonance.
The second and fourth songs, "Poppies in July" and "Poppies in
October", are comparable in the following areas: 1) the tempos o f
both songs are slow and d ir e c tly re fle c t the moods o f the te x ts ;
2) the use o f the motivic fragment containing a lower a u x ilia ry tone
is found at the end of the musical phrases of both songs;
3) h o riz o n ta lly , both songs incorporate im ita tiv e counterpoint; and
4) the vocal lines of the songs are scalar and narrow in range.
CHAPTER V
POETIC INTERPRETATION
S ylvia Plath was born on October 27, 1932, the oldest child of
German and Austrian emigrants. When Sylvia was e ig h t, her fath er,
Otto P la th , died o f complications from a severe d iab etic condition
which had been mistakenly diagnosed as lung cancer. Understandably,
his death had an immeasurable impact on her. Edward Butscher, in his
biography of her, calls the death of her fa th e r the "central

Q4
obsession" of her life and a rt. In the A riel poems, Plath
explores her ambivalent feelings toward her fa th e r in such works as
"Daddy", "Lady Lazarus", and the beekeeping poems.
In September o f 1950 Plath entered Smith College. Her academic
career was f i l l e d with the winning o f poetry prizes and contests, with
scholastic scholarships, and with the steady publication o f poems and
short sto rie s in periodicals lik e Seventeen. The C hristian Science
Monitor and Mademoiselle. In the summer of her ju n io r year a t Smith,
a fte r a d iffic u lt month 1n New York C ity as a guest e d ito r for
Mademoiselle. Plath attempted suicide. A fter swallowing a large
number o f sleeping p ills , she hid in the c e lla r beneath her mother's
home in Winthrop. Her discovery two days la t e r , was followed by
^ Edward Butscher, Svlvia Plath: Method and Madness (New

York: The Seabury Press, 1976), p. 1.
67
hospital treatment including electro-convulsive therapy. A fte r fiv e
months in a p riv a te in s titu tio n , she was pronounced f u lly recovered.
In 1955 she graduated from Smith, summa cum laude, and was awarded a
Fulbright scholarship to Cambridge, England. In 1956 she married the
B ritish poet, Ted Hughes.
During the follow ing years, shecontinued to publish her poetry
at a s tead ily increasing ra te . Her f i r s t book, The Colossus, was
published in 1960. By the summer o f 1962, her marriage had begun to
fa il. Ted Hughes had moved to London, and Sylvia had in itia te d
arrangements fo r an agreement of legal separation, to be followed by
divorce. A fte r an a lte rn a te ly depressing and hopeful time in Devon,
Plath moved to London. By this point she had completed t h ir t y poems
which she compiled as her second volume. Her health was poor. She
fought the combined hardships of f lu , high fe v er, and cold, damp
weather. However in her la s t days she wrote more urgently than ever
before; I am "w ritin g lik e mad — have managed a poem a day before
95
breakfast. A ll book poems."
On February 11, 1963, Plath was found with her head in the gas
oven of her apartment, and was taken to the University College
Hospital where she was c e rtifie d dead on a r r iv a l. Four days la t e r ,
the coroner's v e rd ic t was returned, 'While suffering from depression
she did k i 11 h e r s e lf .'
The A riel c o lle ctio n was published posthumously in 1965 by Faber
& Faber. The m ajority o f the poems were w ritte n between the end of
™ P la t h - S c h o b e r , Letters Home, p. 466.
68
September 1962, and the date of her death, February 11, 1963.
Specific dates o f composition o f most o f the A riel poems were noted
with the help of Ted Hughes' "The Chronological Order of Sylvia
Plath's Poems". According to the chronological dates, the fiv e poems
of A r ie l. set musically by Rorem, were w ritten by Plath in the
following order. Between October and November of 1962, "Lady
Lazarus", "Poppies in October", "The Hanging Man" and "Poppies in
July" were w ritte n . "Words" was w ritten between January 1963 and
February 11, 1963. This order is an exact reversal o f the order in
which Rorem composed the song cycle A r ie l.
In te rp re tiv e ly , these poems have been unalterably fused with the
facts o f P la th 's life . Although there is admittedly an in terestin g
relationship between the subject matter of her la te poetry and the
unique emotional experience o f her fin a l year, in te rp re ta tio n on this
basis alone is re s tric tin g . Susan Bassnett in the book S vlvia Plath
aptly w rites,
A reading of P lath's poems that hunts fo r

prefigurations o f her suicide is an obviously tempting
approach and many c r itic s have chosen to do ju s t
th a t. But i t is nevertheless ju s t one kind o f reading
and i t is restricted reading a t th a t. The poems are
f u ll o f pain, o f references to suffering and death as
release from suffering but to read them as coded
references to her suicide seems unfair. B etter to
read the poems, as Ann Sexton suggests, fo r th e ir own
69
sake, fo r what they say to those who read them, rather

than in an attempt to use them in the making of the
te x t o f Sylvia P lath's l i f e . All th at is clear in any
reading is the fluency o f expression and the force of
emotion behind the words on the printed page."9®
The poetry was examined to determine the theme or central idea.
Technical poetic devices such as the use of imagery, metaphor, word
rhythm, word sound, and word rhyme were considered.
WORDS
Axes
A fte r whose stroke the wood rings,
And the echoes!
Echoes tra v e lin g
O ff from the centre lik e horses.
The sap
Wells lik e te a rs , lik e the
Water s triv in g
To re -e s ta b lis h its mirror
Over the rock
That drops and turns,

A white s k u ll,
Eaten by weedy greens.
Years la t e r I
Encounter them on the road -
Words dry and riderless,

The in defatigable hoof-taps.
While
From the bottom of the pool, fixed stars
Govern a l i f e . 97
Bassnett, Svlvia P la th . p. 25.

97 Sylvia Plath, "Words," in A riel (New York: Harper & Row,
1961), p. 85.
70
The poem "Words" 1s included 1n the group o f poems w ritten 1n
the la s t week of P la th 'slife . Considered to be one o f her most

QO
b r illia n t, yet desperate poems, i t was w ritte n on February 1 s t,
ten days before her suicide. "Words" is an example o f P lath's use o f
the follow ing technical elements; metaphor, word rhythm, word
placement, and word rhyme. A ll of these elements are used in
combination to assist 1n the in terp retatio n o f the poem.
The major technical element 1s the use o f metaphor. There are
two metaphoric equations in the f i r s t stanza o f the poem: language as
an ax s trik in g against liv in g trees (th e body); and language as the

gg
echo of the ax stroke rid in g o ff lik e a horse (p o etry). The
essential subject o f the poem is the re la tio n s h ip o f the poet to the
poetry which she creates. "Her poetry had fa ile d her as w e ll, i t had
separated from her, going o f f lik e horses' hooves. Words only provide
echoes and re-establish m irrors, they no longer serve the
c re a to r." 100
In the second stanza the imagery converges as the sap and
te a rs . Both are " lik e th e / Water s tr iv in g / To re-establish it s
m irro r/ Over the rock . . ." .
98 Sylvia Lehrer, The Dialectics o f A rt and L ife . A P o rtra it

o f S vlvia Plath as Woman and Poet (Salzburg: In s t it u t Fur A n g lis tik
und Amerikanistik, 1985), p. 251.
99 Rosenblatt, S vlvia Plath. The Poetry of In it ia t io n , p.
137-138.
108 Lehrer, A P o r tr a it of Svlvia Plath as Woman and Poet, p.
251.
In much of P lath's poetry the m irror is a symbol fo r the "true
s e lf of the persona."1®1 Within th is poem the m irro r, lik e the
surface o f the water, has been shattered; ju s t as the s e lf has also
been shattered by the power o f words.
The beginning o f the th ird stanza introduces the image o f death;
"A white s k u ll,/ Eaten by weedy greens". Plath draws a s im ila rity
between the white skull thrown in to the water and the cut o f the axe
in the bark of the tre e . Both the tree and the water attempt to
regain th e ir original status.
Metaphorically, it is language that introduces death into
personal r e a lity ; cutting the liv in g body, as an ax cuts a tre e , and
as the skull breaks the w ater's surface.

Words damage the original
IM
wholeness o f the body by making death a conscious thought.
The la s t part o f the poem demonstrates the hopelessness of the
poet who can no longer id e n tify with her own language o f an e a rlie r
period; "Poems are "words" th a t rid e o f f away form the o rig in a l act of
thought th a t gave b irth to them."10^
The fin a l lines of the poem return to the image o f water. Here,
Plath suggests a fundamental philosophy of doom and f a t a l i t y : L ife is
ruled by stars, fixed stars th a t are permanent and unchanging rulers.
f O l M a r i l y n Rae Hubbard, "Transcending technique: Sylvia

P lath 's A r ie l" (M.A. thesis, Wichita State U niversity, 1978), p. 28.
102 Rosenblatt, S vlvia Plath. The Poetry o f In i t i a t i o n , p.
138.
103 ibid., p. 139.
72
When the end is near there is no escaping i t . There is no re b irth , no

104
transform ation, only death.
Another technical element th a t demonstrates P la th 's poetic
a r tis t r y is found in the comparison between the rhythm o f the words,
and the re fle c tio n upon the content. Within the f i r s t two stanzas,
the use o f trochaic ( - V / ) and d a c ty lic fe e t heightens the
imageo f the reverberating echoes whichare the re s u lt o f the stroke
o f the axe.
A x^
— \_y — v_/ — \_y
A fter whose stroke the wood rings,
— — \_ y
And the echoes!
_ - r \_ / —
Echoes trav e lin g
— \_ /\y - V V —
O ff from tne centre lik e horses.
S pecific words of the poem are stressed by stanzaic division.
Many o f these words are key images w ithin the poem: "axes", "echoes",
"horses", "m irror", and "stars".
TO2* L e h r e r , A P o rtra it o f Svlvia Plath as Woman and Poet.

252.
73
Also demonstrated within the poem is a s e n s itiv ity to sound.
The consistent use of assonance, rep etitio n of vowel without
re p e titio n o f consonants, a u ra lly weave the poem together: “axes" and
" a fte r" , "stroke" and "echoes", " lik e " and " s triv in g ", "mirror" and
"over", "rock" and "drop", "that" and "and", "eaten", "weedy" and
"green", "dry" and "riderless", "from", "bottom", and "govern".
The technical elements demonstrated by Plath work together in
subtle, yet e ffe c tiv e ways. The re s u lt is a poem th a t portrays the
e te rn a lly destructive power o f words against a backdrop o f human
destiny which is changeless.105
POPPIES IN JULY
L i t t l e poppies, l i t t l e h ell flames,

Do you do no harm?
You f lic k e r , I cannot touch you.

I put my hands among the flames. Nothing burns.
And i t exhausts me to watch you

F lic k erin g lik e that, w rinkly and clear red, lik e the skin of
a mouth.
A mouth ju s t bloodied.
L i t t l e bloody skirts!
There are fumes that I cannot touch.

Where are your opiates, your nauseous capsules?
I f I could bleed, or sleep! ------

I f my mouth could marry a hurt lik e that!
Or your liquors seep to me in th is glass capsule,

D ulling and s t illin g .
But colo rless. Colorless.106
TO5 Hubbard, "Transcending Technique," p. 29.

106 p ia th , "Poppies in J u ly ," in A r ie l. p. 81.
74
Two main Images are apparent in "Poppies in July". The f i r s t is
the use o f the flower as a central symbol fo r the poet's inner
s itu a tio n .1®7 The second is the red color o f the flower, which,
according to Judith Kroll in Chapters in a Mythology, "is n a tu ra lly
associated with blood, danger and violence, as well as with
v i t a l i t y . " 108
The image o f the flower stresses the id e n tity o f nature and the
human body. When combined with the image o f the color red, the re s u lt
is a representation o f l i f e with great in te n s ity . Metaphorically,
Plath compares the red poppies to "hell flames". The sight of the
poppies, and th e ir in te n s ity , seem too great fo r the speaker to bear.
"And i t exhausts me to watch you/ Flickering lik e th a t, wrinkly and
clear red, lik e the skin o f a mouth." The desire o f the speaker is to
forget her own existence in one o f two ways; by becoming the flow er,
10Q
or by swallowing the opium which the flower produces. At th is
point two possible kinds o f death are suggested. “I f I could bleed,
or s l e e p ! / I f my mouth could marry a hurt lik e th a t!" One is a
bloody physical death; a natural a f f in it y fo r the poppies as "hell
flames" and "bloody s k irts ." The other is the kind of death that is
pale and colorless. The swallowing o f the poppie's opium offers the
^ Rosenblatt, Svlvia P lath. The Poetry of In it ia t io n ,

p. 102.
108 K ro ll, Chapters in a Mythology. The Poetry of Svlvia
Plath. p. 103.
109 Rosenblatt, Svlvia P lath. The Poetry of In it ia t io n ,
p. 103.
75
speaker a dulled and s t ille d death.110 In e ith e r case, death 1s an
escape from the awareness o f suffering, and would allow the speaker to
merge with the natural world.
In te rp re tlv e ly , the e n tire poem centers around the concept of
death, and the resu lt o f death. Rosenblatt summarized the message In
th is way: "Death can be e ith e r s e lf-la c e ra tio n or salvatio n , agony or
peacefulness."111
The poem appears to be fre e from any kind of m etrical pattern or
arrangement, although the f i r s t stanza is predominantly trochaic.

— vy — \y — \y — —
L it t le poppies, l i t t l e hell flames,
— \y — \y —
Do you do no harm?
Hubbard, in the thesis "Transcending Technique: Sylvia Plath's
A r ie l" , claims that this m etric and syntactic arrangementechoes the
form and rhythm of a nursery rhyme which, ir o n ic a lly , heightens its
impact.
— \ y —\ y — v y —
"Dandelion, yellow as gold,
— vy \ y — —
What do you do a ll day?"
Hubbard asserts that the in ten sity o f the i n i t i a l v io len t image
o f the poem is increased by P lath 's use of the m etrical arrangement of

112
a nursery rhyme.
TT® K ro ll. Chapters in a Mythology. The Poetry o f Svlvia

P la th . p. 18.
1'1 Rosenblatt, S vlvia Plath. The Poetry o f In it ia t io n , p. 30.
112 Hubbard, "Transcending Technique," p. 11.
76
THE HANGING MAN
By the roots o f my h a ir some god got hold o f me.

I s izzled 1n his blue volts lik e a desert prophet.
The night snapped out o f sigh t lik e a liz a rd 's e y e lid :

A world o f bald white days 1n a shadeless socket.
A vulturous boredom pinned me 1n th is tree .

I f he were I , he would do what I d id .113
The t i t l e "The Hanging Man" is borrowed from the Tarot cards.
The cards are a set of twenty-two playing cards which are used 1n
fortune t e llin g . The hanged man usually suggests a p o s itiv e fortune.
However, i f the card is d ealt upside down, as Plath is re fe rrin g , i t
is a negative fortune (Appendix B).
The poem was w ritten between October and November o f 1962, and
refers to the e le c tric shock treatments which Plath received during a
time o f depression in the summer o f 1953, and a fte r her f i r s t suicide
attempt on August 24, 1953.
The f i r s t series of shock treatments was an experience which was
la te r described in Plath's novel, The Bell Jar.
Then something bent down and took hold of me and shook

me lik e the end o f the world. Hhee-ee-ee-ee-ee, i t
s h r ille d , through an a i r crackling with blue lig h t ,
and with each flash a great j o l t grabbed me t i l l I
though my bones would break and a sap f ly out o f me
lik e a s p lit plan t. I wondered what te rr ib le thing i t
was I had done.114
TI3 P la th , "The Hanging Man," in A r ie l. p. 69.

114 S y lvia Plath, The Bel 1 Jar (London: Faber &
Faber, 1968), p. 151.
77
In P lath 's Incarnations, by Lynda K. Bundtzen, the author claims
Plath fe lt th a t such punishment implied selection. She was being
chosen fo r some special oracular task. However, la te r in the poem she
discovers th at God's smiting is a rb itra ry , and when the v e il between
her and God is to rn , there is no revelation, but a v o id .115"A
world of bald white days in a shadeless socket./ A vulturous boredom
pinned me in his tre e ."
An important technical element is the use of specific words that
also incorporate specific sounds. "Words are more expressive when
they are somehow lik e what they mean: fa s t or slow or g ru ff or
s h r ill , . . . ". "These are e ffects beyond mere onomatopoeia - which
we can find too in Plath when i t is called fo r, . . Numerous
such words are apparent in "The Hanging Man": "sizzled ", "snapped",
"volts", "boredom". These words a ssist in the description of the
shock treatments, which adds to the in te n s ity of the poem.
The use of a llite r a tio n and consonance also help to r e fle c t the
violence o f the act i t is describing.
A llit e r a t io n , or the re p e titio n o f the in it ia l consonants, is
evident in the follow ing examples: "By the roots of my h a ir some god
got hold of m e.", "The night snapped out o f sight lik e a liz a rd 's
eyelid", "A world o f bald white days in a shadeless socket.", " I f he
were I , he would do what I d id ." .
TT5 Linda K. Bundtzen, P lath's Incarnations (Ann Arbor: The

University of Michigan Press, 1983) p. 177.
116 John Fredrick Nims, "The Poetry o f Sylvia P la th ," in Ariel
Ascending, ed. Paul Alexander (New York: Harper & Row, 1985), p. 49.
78
Consonance, or the paring o f words In which the fin a l consonants
agree while the vowels d if f e r , is recognizable in the following
lin e s : "By the roots o f my h a ir some god got hold o f me.", "I sizzled
in his blue volts lik e a desert prophet.", "The nights snapped out of
sight lik e a liz a rd 's e y e lid :" , "A world of bald white days in a
shadeless socket.", " I f he were I , he would do what I d id ."
POPPIES IN OCTOBER
Even the sun-clouds this morning cannot manage such s k irts .

Nor the woman in the ambulance
Whose red heart blooms through her coat so astoundingly —
A g i f t , a love g i f t
U tte r ly unasked fo r
By a sky
P alely and flam ily

Ig n itin g it s carbon monoxides, by eyes
Dulled to a halt under bowlers.
0 my God, what am I
That these la te mouths should cry open
In a fo re s t of fro s t, in a dawn o f cornflowers.117
As in "Poppies in July", "Poppies in October" incorporates the
flower image as a central symbol fo r the poet's inner situatio n. With
the exception o f the t i t l e , the actual flower is never mentioned.
However, the magnificence and b r illia n c e of the red poppy is described
in contrast to the paleness o f its surroundings. The pale background
is discovered in both the natural world, "In a fo re s t o f frost" and in
the death-haunted human world, “Nor the woman in the ambulance". 118
Tn P lath, "Poppies in October," in A r ie l. p. 19.

1111 Rosenblatt, Svlvia Plath. The Poetry o f In it ia t io n , p.
102 .
79
According to K ro ll, "What is expressed in Poppies in October . .
. [ i s] . . . a state o f being; in this case, the state of being is
d e a th - in - lif e , or the dominance o f the false s e lf , which coexists with

119
the suppressed true s e lf." Kroll continues in claiming these
opposing elements appear in the poem as the v it a l red poppies th a t
rebuke the c h illy landscape, the deadened men w ith "eyes/ Dulled to a
h a lt under bowlers;" and the speaker h erself. The red poppies c a ll to
th e ir counterpart, the dormant true s e lf o f the speaker, and awaken
her, making her aware o f t h e ir sim ilar s itu a tio n s . The poppies are
surrounded by the paleness o f nature, ju s t as the true s e lf is
surrounded by the paleness o f the false s e lf.
The poet, existing in a world of death and fe a rs , gives thanks

120
th at she can witness the b rillia n c e s of the poppies. "0 my God,
what am 1 / That these la te mouths should cry open/ In a forest of
fr o s t, in a dawn of cornflowers." In a memorial broadcast on Sylvia
Plath, Alvarez states "In 'Poppies in October' . . . what starts as a

10*1
description finishes as a way o f defining her own state o f mind."
The most s ig n ific a n t technical elements o f the poem are the use
of s ib ila n c e , the sound resembling that of an "s" or "sh" and
resonance, a quality imparted to voiced sounds by the resonating
Tin Krol 1, Chapters in a Mythology. The Poetry of Svlvia

P la th . p. 15.
120 Rosenblatt, Svlvia Plath. The Poetry of In it ia t io n ,
p. 102.
121 A. Alvarez, "Sylvia Plath," in TheA rt o f Svlvia P la th .
ed. Charles Newman (Bloomington: Indiana U niversity Press, 1970),
p. 60.
80
chamber o f the mouth & pharynx configurations. Within the fir s t
stanza these technical devices are demonstrated. The sounds add to
the "hypnotic1 q u ality of the poem. "Even the sun-clouds th is morning
cannot manage such s k ir t s ./ Nor the woman in the ambulance/ Whose red
heart blooms through her coat so astoundingly — ".
The use o f a llit e r a t io n , which also provides a soothing t r a i t to
the poem, is exhibited within the following lin es: "Even the
sun-clouds th is morning cannot manage such s k ir ts ." , " u tte rly unasked
fo r" , "in a fo re s t of fro s t, in a dawn o f cornflowers."
LADY LAZARUS
I have done i t again.

One year in every ten
I manage i t —
A sort o f walking m iracle, my skin

B right as a Nazi lampshade,
My rig h t foot
A paperweight,
My face a featureless, fin e
Jew lin e n .
Peel o f f the napkin

0 my enemy.
Do I te r r ify ? —
The nose, the eye p its , the f u l l set o f teeth?

The sour breath
Wi l l vanish in a day.
Soon, soon the flesh

The grave cave ate w ill be
At home on me
And I a smiling woman.

1 am only th ir ty .
And lik e the cat I have nine times to die.
This is Number Three.

What a trash
To a n n ih ila te each decade.
What a m illio n filam ents.
The peanut-crunching crowd
Shoves in to see
Them unwrap me hand and fo o t —

The big s trip tease.
Gentlemen, ladies,
These are my hands,

My knees.
I may be skin and bone.
Nevertheless, I am the same, id en tical woman.

The f i r s t time i t happened I was ten.
I t was an accident.
The second time I meant

To la s t i t out and not come back a t a l l .
I rocked shut
As a seashell.
They had to call and call
And pick the worms o f f me lik e sticky pearls.
Dying
Is an a r t , lik e everything else.
I do i t exceptionally w e ll.
I do i t so i t feels lik e h e ll.

I do i t so i f feels r e a l.
I guess you could say I ' v e a c a ll.
It's easy enough to do i t in ac e ll.

It's easy enough to do i t and stay put.
It's the theatrical
Comeback in broad day

To the same place, the same face, the same brute
Amused shout:
"A m iracle!"
That knocks me out.
There is a charge
For the eyei ng of my scars, there i s a charge

For the hearing of my heart —
I t r e a lly goes.
And there is a charge, a very large charge,

For a word or a touch
Or a b it o f blood
82
Or a piece o f my hair or my clothes.

So, so, Herr Doktor.
So, Herr Enemy.
I am your opus,
I am your valuable,
The pure gold baby
That melts to a shriek.

I turn and burn.
Do not think I underestimate your great concern.
Ash, ash —
You poke and s t ir .
Flesh, bone, there is nothing there —
A cake o f soap,
A wedding rin g ,
A gold f i l l i n g .
Herr God, Herr Lucifer,

Beware
Beware.
Out o f the ash

I ris e with my red hair
And I eat men lik e a i r . 122
In 1962, the B ritish Broadcasting Corporation aired a discussion
of confessional poetry by a number o f poets and c r it ic s . One o f the
poems presented was Sylvia P lath 's "Lady Lazarus". Introducing her
poem, Plath said:
The speaker is a woman who has the great and

t e r r ib le g i f t o f being reborn. The only trouble i s ,
she has to die f i r s t . She is the Phoenix, the
lib e rta r ia n s p ir it , what you w i l l . She is also ju s t a
good, p la in resourceful woman.123
122 P la th , "Lady Lazarus," in A r ie l, pp. 6-9.

123 Bassnett, Svlvia P la th . p. 115.
83
According to Rosenblatt, the Lady of the poem 1s a
quasi-mythological fig u re , a parodic version o f the b ib lic a l Lazarus
whom C h ris t raised from the dead.124
The speaker 1n the poem acts out various fantasies o f suicide
and resu rrection In a dramatic monologue. She speaks spontaneously
out o f her pain, and enacts her death repeatedly In order to cleanse
h e rs e lf o f the anguish th a t torments her. According to Susan Bassnett
In S v lv ia P la th . Lady Lazarus, " . . . transcends her torments and
exacts revenge fo r her s u fferin g on men." Bassnett Id e n tifie s Lady
Lazarus as a "fighter" and a "survivor". "The anger . . . 1s directed
against men who wrong women and against the world which stands by and
allows them to do 1 t .1,125
The speaker describes h e rs e lf as four d iffe r e n t Images within
the poem. The f i r s t , a cloth or m aterial; a lampshade, a linen, a
napkin, the second, a body; hand, knees, skin and bone, h a ir. The
th ir d , a physical object; gold, ash, a cakeo f soap; and f in a lly , the
resurrected red-haired demon. The entire suicide resurrection act is
presented to the public. The observers change as each death occurs:
"enemy", "gentlemen and la d ie s ", "Herr Doktor", and "Herr God" and
"Herr L u c ife r " .126
123 Rosenblatt, Svlvia P la th . The Poetry o f I n i t i a t i o n , p. 38.

125 Bassnett, Svlvia P la th . p. 116.
126 Rosenblatt, Svlvia P la th . The Poetry o f I n i t i a t i o n , p. 38.
84
The speaker boasts o f her a b il it y to continually ris e from the
dead, " I have done 1 t again./ One year 1nevery ten/ I manage 1 t — " ,
and speaks 1n a language of acidic comedy. "And I a smiling woman./ I
am only t h i r t y / And lik e the cat I have nine times to d ie ."
The la s t lin es of the poem serve as a warning to a ll men, and to
the society th a t 1s dominated by male values. "Beware/Beware./Out of
the ash/ I r is e with my red h a ir / And I eat men lik e a ir ."
"Lady Lazarus" has often been considered an example o f P lath's
"confessional” w riting s ty le . Many elements of the poem are
biographical, but sole analysis of the poem on th is level is
lim itin g . P la th 's technical a b il it y is demonstrated in numerous
methods. An in te n s ity is derived from the serious te x t set in a
controlled and impudent tone. The poem is w ritten in colloquial
language and incorporates poetic lin e s th a t are fragmented by stanzalc
d ivis io n . This technique gives the impression of an informal
conversation delivered by a spontaneous speaker.However, the
speaker's approach to the subject o f suicide is stra ig h t forward and
d ire c t. "This 1s language poured out o f some burning Inner f i r e ,
though i t re ta in s the rhythmical precision th at we expect from a much

127
less in ten sely f e l t expression."
127 I b i d . , p . 40.
85
Another technical element 1s the re p e titio n of key words and
phrases.
I do I t so 1 t feels lik e h e ll.

I do 1 t so 1 t feels re a l,
I guess you could say I ' v e a c a ll.
I t ' s easy enough to do 1 t 1n a c e ll.

I t ' s easy enough to do I t and stay put.
I t ' s the th e a tric al
The re p e titio n strengthens the power o f the te x t. "As she speaks,
Lady Lazarus seems to gather up her energies fo r an assault on her
enemies, and the staccato repetitions of phrases build up the
In te n s ity o f fe e lin g s ." 12®
The use o f rhyme In "Lady Lazarus" Is obvious, and runs from
stanza to stanza with Id entical rhyme. Six o f the f i r s t ten lines end
In an "n" sound, followed by a series o f long "e". This process is
continued throughout the poem. Nims, in The Poetry of Svlvia P la th .
labels th is device "compulsive rhyme". "The poet seems to carry on a
sound about as long as she can, although not in consecutive lin e s ."
This compulsive rhyme is " . . . deeper than a mere lit e r a r y device,
. . . " and 1s " . . . somehow related to needs of the exacerbated

,,129
psyche.
L a s tly , Plath Incorporates the use o f p o litic a l imagery 1n order
to express v ic tim iz a tio n . The reference to the Nazis and Jews 1s used
as a h is to ric a l reference to the "greatest contemporary example o f
l2B Rosenblatt, Svlvia Plath. The Poetry o f In it ia t io n , p. 40.

129 Nims, "The Poetry o f Sylvia P la th ", p. 52.
86
130
b r u ta lity and persecution". The speaker is then portrayed as an
eternal v ic tim , thus drawing the reader away form the personal
m aterial o f the poet into a wider theme o f social c ritic is m .
Cyclical In te rp re ta tio n
The fo rty -th re e poems o f the A rie l collection are published in a
semi-chronological order. Because the poems were published a fte r the
author's death, there is no way o f determining i f th is was the order
of appearance Plath would have chosen. In addition, i t is unknown i f
Plath intended th a t the fo rty -th re e poems appear as a c o lle c tio n . In
"The Chronological Order of Sylvia P la th 's Poems", Ted Hughes dates
most o f the A rie l poems. Of the f iv e poems set musically by Rorem,
Hughes gives dates to only three. "Lady Lazarus" and "Poppies in
October" were w ritten between October and November of 1962, and
"Words" was w ritte n during the la s t week o f Plath's l i f e . 131 The
other two poems, "The Hanging Man" and "Poppies in J u ly ", used by
Rorem and not mentioned by Hughes, are considered. by many to belong
with the poems w ritten between October and November o f 1962 because of
132
s im ila rity of subject and s ty le . The order of publication for
the fiv e poems o f the Ariel c o lle ctio n is "Lady Lazarus", "Poppies in
October", "The Hanging Man", "Poppies in July", and "Words".
Rosenblatt, Svlvia P lath. The Poetry of I n i t i a t i o n , p. 42.

131 Ted Hughes, "Notes on the Chronological Order o f Sylvia
Plath's Poems," in The Art o f S vlvia Plath A Symposium, ed. Charles
Newman (Bloomington: Indiana U niversity Press, 1970), pp. 187-195.
132 carol ine King Barnard, Svlvia Plath (Boston: Twayne
Publishers, 1978), p. 74.
The s im ila ritie s and differences o f the fiv e poems are c le a rly
demonstrated by the comparison o f "Popples 1n October" to "Popples In
July", and o f "Lady Lazarus" to "Words". The speaker In "Popples 1n
October" describes the flowers 1n b r illia n t terms. She voices her
appreciation fo r th e ir beauty, and considers them to be presents. "A
g i f t , a love g i f t / U tte rly unasked fo r / By a sky . . ." This a ttitu d e
Is 1n contrast with the a ttitu d e o f the speaker 1n "Popples 1n July".
Here, the speaker grows weary from observing the b r i l l i a n t flowers o f
nature. "And 1t exhausts me to watch you/ F lickerin g lik e th a t,
w rinkly and clear red, lik e the skin of a mouth." Instead of
appreciation, the speaker voices a cry of desperation. She asks fo r
release from her pain through the opium of the poppies. "Where are
your op iates, your nauseous capsules?/ I f I could bleed, or sleep!

II
The speaker of "Lady Lazarus" is a woman f i l l e d with boldness.
She faces her oppressors, and rises above them by resurrecting from
her death. "Out of the ash/ I ris e with my red h a ir / And I eat men
lik e a ir ." The fighting a ttitu d e o f "Lady Lazarus" is absent from
"Words". The speaker in "Words" is a t peace with her pain and her
death. She quietly surrenders to the knowledge th a t life is
preordained, and her destiny is inescapabale. "While/ From the bottom
o f the pool, fixed s ta rs / Govern a l i f e . "
CHAPTER VI
COMPOSITIONAL INTERPRETATION
In the a r t ic le , "Poetry and the Composer", Oliphant discussed
three s p e c ific areas that must be addressed by the composer to ensure
a successful composition. The composer should enhance the poetry by
expressing the sense of the words, reproducing the atmosphere of the

133
poem, and revealing the meaning o f the te x t.
These requirements appear to be met in Rorem's composition,
A r ie l. Rorem demonstrates expression o f the sense o f a word in a
va riety of ways; melodic contour, interval l i e usage, rhythmic
structure, use o f range, s y lla b ic stress, and specified vocal and
instrumental techniques. The reproduction of the atmosphere of the
poem is derived by specifying tempo, meter, dynamics, te x tu re , and key
center. The above musical elements combine to reveal the meaning of
the poetry, however, the in te rp re ta tio n of the meaning wi l l vary by
virtu e of the in s tin c tiv e differences of the performers and the
performances. A r ie l. Rorem said, was written fo r soprano Phyllis
Curtin. When questioned about her in terp retatio n of A r ie l. she
re p lie d , "As to performance, I do not believe th at I have ever thought
T 3 3 e .H.C. Oliphant, "Poetry and the Composer," Musical

Q uarterly. 8 (1922): 227.
89
of an In te rp re tiv e position. Living with the te x t 1s my e n tire
direction . . . The absolute presence o f the te x t and the musical
delineations o f the te x t 1s the primary m otivator. . . . The work 1s
so e x p lic it, so rich 1n Its revelation o f the various voices and
thoughts o f S ylvia Plath that devotion to the work It s e lf and release
o f its te x t and music w ill present i t q u ite c le a r ly ." 134
The f i r s t song 1n the A riel cycle contains numerous examples of
musical word expression. The fir s t example is the opening vocal
phrase.
The descending major seventh and the rhythmic structure o f the phrase
r e fle c t the f a l l o f an ax stroke.
■ 3 4 Phyl l i s Curtain, personal le t t e r , August 31, 1987.

135 Rorem, "Words," in A r ie l. p. 4.
90
A second example in measures 4-5 is seen on the word "rings".
the wood tings And the
Due to the re s u lt o f the rhythmic duration o f the word, the voice
"rings" out musically ju s t as the wood "rings" out p o e tic a lly .
The following areas demonstrate the d iffe r e n t usages of syllabic
stress and rhythmic structure. In measure 7 the word "echoes" is set
in a melodic lin e consisting o f major th ird in te rv a ls .
Example 53. "Words" Meas. 6-8 ^37
_ And the o-
DE-I; ffiFT
chocs! E* chocs. tiav - ell • in |
The unstressed syllable of the word is elongated. This technique
results in a vocal im itation o f an echo.
'36 ib id .
137 ibid.
The same melodic contour is found in measure 17; however, the rhythm
is changed.
Within the phrase, the stressed s y lla b le o f the word is musically
accented and rhythmically augmented. Consequently, the musical
setting re fle c ts the movement o f the water over the rocks.
In measure 18 the composer sets the phrase "that drops" in a
descending p a tte rn , and marks the notes as stressed staccatos.
Example 55. "Words" Meas. 18

18
_T nat drops and—.
Again, the voice reflects the actual action referred to in the poem,
as well as the sound o f the word.
I b i d . , p. 5.
!39 ib id .
Many times throughout the cycle, the composer employs the use of
the accompanying Instruments when m usically describing the te x t. An
example o f th is technique 1s evident 1n measure 32.
■rtrnr~n,r7i
The in-de • Tat- i-ga-ble hoof-ups.
The musical phrase on "Indefatigable hoof-taps" continues 1n the piano
lin e . The re s ta tin g of the descending major sixth in te rv a l reflects
the u n tirin g movement of the hoof-taps. The rhythmic pattern o f even
eighth notes Im itates the rhythm o f the hoof-taps.
As previously discussed, the atmosphere of the poem is peaceful
and r e fle c t iv e . The composer's choice o f tempo ( J » 72 Not fa s t)
confirms the serene atmosphere. The serenity is emphasized by the use
o f sustained v e rtic a l chords on the piano lin e .
•40 i b i d . , p. 7,
93
The atmosphere of the poem transforms in measure 28. The key
center of the song changes from G to B.

29
ft27
rr\ ^ ^e rap o
-P & 3 i d
ft /T\ mp esiitf'(-open-) j
Yean la-ter I En-coun-ter them on__ ihe__ road-
ft /a ------ T+ ..hJ-- .... -1

.... ^
1 mp apr. r
The change o f to n a lity reflects the emotional change o f the speaker.
The poet re fle c ts , a fte r years of separation, on words th a t, a t one
time caused pain. The speaker's emotional detachment from these words
evoke the change o f to n a lity .
The song closes with one la s t musical remembrance o f the ax
stroke (measure 35). The voice lin e , apparently unaffected by the
memory, continues in peaceful and quiet resignation.
141 Ib id ., p. 6.
94
© 36
Freer
While— From (he bot-tom of the pool.
lower
PP PPP
wit.
m p™ PP
fued stars Gov- crn* a life..

JL
f it .
The most apparent musical enhancement of poetry in "Poppies in
July" is the vocal lin e , which centers around a single note. The lack
of contour within the vocal lin e reflects the lack of emotion within
the voice o f the speaker. Occasionally the contour of the voice lin e
descends, indicating the emotional state of the speaker which is also
expressed by the range. These notes are placed in the middle o f the
singing range, a range s im ilar to the speaking voice.
Ib id ., p . 7.
The musical use of syllabic stress is demonstrated throughout
the song. Two of these examples are c le a rly seen in measure 7 and
measure 13.
Example 59. "Poppies in July" Meas. 7, 13
lit-tie blood -y skirts!
The small descending melodic movement of the vocal phrase enables the
performer to sing the words with the same s y lla b ic stress that would
be evident in speech.
An element that aids in the production o f effective atmosphere
is the contrapuntal w ritin g between a ll three instruments. The
contrapuntal textures create a sense of constant movement re flectin g
the drug induced state of mind. At measure 17 the intensity of the
poem increases.
I4^ Rorem, "Poppies in July," in A r ie l. pp. 8 -9 .
96
Example 60. "Popples in July" Meas. 17-21 144
Where ire your o • p i-B n , your I codd
loco
H IP
bleed,_____ or. ___ sleep!__
The in te n s ity is heightened musically by the contrapuntal w ritin g o f
the piano and voice. The syncopation between these two lin e s , and the
increased dynamic levels r e fle c t the increased anxiety the speaker
feels as she cries out to the poppies. The lin e climaxes on the
phrase "bleed or sleep" representing a choice between a v io le n t or
calm death.
The song ends m elodically as i t began. The voice contin u ally

5
repeats a C . The word "Colorless" is marked with increasingly
lower levels of dynamics. The fading of sound indicates the
hopelessness of the speaker.
144 Ib id ., pp. 9-10.
97
The tempo is marked Languorous ( J » 5 8 . ) The slow tempo suggests
the e ffe c t o f a drug induced state of mind.
The contour of the melodic lines in "The Hanging Man" relates
d ire c tly to the meaning o f the te x t. As discussed e a r lie r , the piece
refers to ele c tric al shock treatments. The reference is made apparent
m usically by the shape o f the melodic lines of both the c la rin e t and
the voice. The opening vocal lin e consists of wide in te rv a llic leaps
consecutively placed.
Example 61. "The Hanging Man" Meas. 8-10
By the roots ofmy hair some god_ got hold ■■of me.
trem.
Consequently, the l i ne' s contour resembles that of an e le c tric b o lt.
145 Rorem, "The Hanging Man," in A rie l, p. 12.
Musical expression o f the te x t is seen in measure 17.
The nighs sopped out
The word "snapped" is marked as an accented staccato. The range of
the word, as well as the staccato marking allow an accurate expression
of the sound and meaning of the word.
The fin a l lin e of the poem is expressed in defense of the
speaker's actions. The range, increased dynamics, and rhythmic
elongation on the word "I" represent the speaker's s e lf ju s tific a tio n
for the attempted suicide.
28
did.,
The c la rin e t lin e serves an important role in the expression of
the te x t. A choice example is measure 11.
I4t> Ib id ., p. 13.
147 Ib id ., p. 14.
99
jfct.
m p su b.
The verb o f the poetic lin e is "sizzled". The t r i l l in the clarinet
aptly re fle c ts a sizzling motion.
Also incorporated into the song is the use o f anti phonal voicing
between the c la rin e t and the vocal lin e . The c la rin e t in itia te s the
e le c tric b o lt. The vocal lin e answers as the re su lt o f the b o lt. The
piano lin e is added to the texture when the in te n s ity of the poem
increases.
The tempo marking for "The Hanging Man" is Fast (J *= 184.) The
rapid tempo produces an e ffec t which is representative o f the movement
of e le c t r ic it y . The dynamic markings indicate the in te n s ity of the
e le c tr ic ity . The song ends with a c la rin e t solo. The c la rin e t moves
rapidly over a wide range. The range gradually decreases as does the
dynamic level and the rapid movement. The fin a l phrases o f the song
are marked, " rita rd molto". Consequently, the la s t lin e is a slow and
quiet statement indicating the fade of e le c tric ity . The atmosphere of
<48 Ib id . , p. 12.
"Poppies in October" is indicated immediately by the contrapuntal
motion between the voice and piano. The motion continues and is
expanded throughout the song. Each entering melodic lin e re fle cts the
increasing thoughts and emotions o f the speaker. The melodic lines
are long and overlapping. This compositional device creates an
endless and varied stream o f musical sound. The overlapping texture
represents the endless and varied stream of the speaker's thoughts.
Atmosphere is again established in measure 16. The key center
changes from 6 minor to B major. The change of to n a lity from minor to
major is re fle c tiv e of the speaker's a ttitu d e . The speaker, at
measure 16, is expressing her appreciation for the g ift of the
poppies. Her appreciation culminates on the word "sky".
149
Example 65. "Poppies in October" Meas. 15-19
A a love gift Ut - ter - ly un-asked for By a sty.
mp
The ascending contour of the lin e follows the thought o f the speaker.
149 Rorem, "Poppies in October," in A rie l. p. 16.
101
Word evocation o f key center 1s also displayed 1n measure 31.
The speaker's cry to God 1s established In a B major to n a lity . The
in ten sity 1s Increased by dynamics and the ascending melodic lines of
a ll three Instruments.
An example o f word expression Is shown 1n measure 11. The word
"blooms" is lengthened, and placed on a higher pitch than any
preceding pitch es. Musically, the note "blooms” ju s t as the text
suggests.
Example 66. "Popples in October" Meas. 10-13 150
jjjy 11 ,,i %ip=^==g= i"13 »r r ^ ,

t i „ r . i“* * ? r _ _ . i |
----------- «.-----------
. w h o se re d h e a rt b lo o m s th ro u g h her COM m ««- fnimrf- m g . I f
u ■ d fcl J J
f - L»r r — = ----- = --------- 4 - L ...... *J. JT\
1" i ...........
- f ------I f — «—
if
3 — £ —1— *t<. - i j hj j j j
The composer's tempo markings fo r "Poppies in October" are
"Restrained, but don't drag" ( J - 5 6 ) . The slow tempo, s o ft dynamics
markings, and the consistent use o f a narrow range in the vocal line
re fle c t the emotional removal of the speaker from her surroundings.
Her sense of observation changes to emotional re a liz a tio n a t two
points w ithin the song. As previously mentioned, the two points are
represented by the change of key centers and the extension o f the
lbU I b i d . , p. 15.
102
V
vocal range. The song ends as it began. The emotional re s tra in t
returns as do both the narrow range o f the vocal lin e and the soft
dynamic markings.
"Lady Lazarus'" most Important expressive element 1s determined
by the tempo marking; "Fast and fr a n tic , but mechanical", J >132
(-P> J* always). In te rp re tlv e ly , the tempo marking produces a
controlled emotional atmosphere to which a highly emotional te x t Is
set. The use o f repeated In va ria b le eighth-note patterns adds to the
controlled atmosphere, and accents the colloquialism o f the speech.
Several examples of musical syllabic stress through rhythmic
notation are evident within the piece. Three o f these examples are
seen 1n the f i r s t nine measures; measure 3 - "m iracle", measure 8 -
"enemy" and measure 9 - " te r r if y " .
103
Example 67. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 3, 8, 9 151
Jjj H r j y i
3
walk -
' n rJ I
- injm ir- t-de.
Peel o ff the nap - kin 0 my en - e-my.
(Ha
I ter - ri-fy? - The—
Ibt korem, "Lady Lazarus," in A r ie l, pp. 19-20.
104
An example of musical word expression is demonstrated in
measure 19 on the word "die".
19 GD ^ ----- 20
Jj j m arcatissim o
jjj violent ____ ____
Jk !)7
The word is set in a melodic lin e that descends over an e n tire measure.
The same concept of word expression is shown in measures 36 and
43. Measure 36 includes the phrase "la st i t out". The entire phrase
is rhythm ically lengthened through the use of quarter notes and a
t r ip le t marking.
T he sec-ond time I. . To last it out and n o u co cn e back at alL—
m pp
iw I b id . , p. 22.
153 ib id . , p. 24.
105
In measure 43 the melodic contour of the phrase on the word
"sticky", 1n addition to the staccato marking, In d ic a te the sense o f
the word.
Example 70. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 43 ^
pack the warns d i m e lite stick • y p a i k
There are many musical examples which display the exploitation
of word sound. Four o f them are: 1) measure 54, the word "broad" set
to an in te rv a l l i e leap o f an octave;
■=53 54
It's th e th e - a - tri-calCane-bacfcin breed day to the same—
p HP
f — — —
I b i d . , p. 25.
I b i d . , p. 27.
106
2) measure 56, the word "shout", set on a h a lf note which increases
the duration o f the sound;
shout: “A
3) measure 69, the word "shriek" set to a descending interval li e leap
of an octave;
68 70 71
T h e p a t-g o td — ba - by Thai mefcs______to ashricfc__ I Dim and bum.
P a DBS
and 4) the word "rise" in measure 83 set to an ascending arppegiated
tria d .
I5b ib id ., p. 28.
157 ib id ., p. 30.
107
Throughout the song, the composer Indicates s p e c ific attitudes
o f d e liv e ry . The directions are designated in both the c la rin e t and
vocal lin e s . Directions fo r the c la rin e t are in measure 7 "vio le n t",
and in measure 83 "Savage". The vocal lin e is marked in measure 40
"gently", and in measure 31 "h y s te ric a l".
Five additional indications are found within the vocal lin e ;
measure 21 "parlando", measure 38 "shouted", measure 47 "portamento",
measure 57 " h a lf yelled"; and measure 85 "A loud gasp". These
markings in dicate the incorporation o f specific vocal techniques.
I b id . , p. 31.
108
Three of the illu s tr a tio n s are s im ila r, measures 21, 38 and 57.
Example 75. "Lady Lazarus" Meas. 21, 38, 57, 58
I ja r la n d o
half yelled
109
The composer notates pitches fo r a ll three phrases; "what a tras h ",
" a ll" , and "that knocks me out". However, the small crosslike
symbols, as well as the w ritte n directions, in d ic a te the vocal use o f
a speech-like q u a lity . Two of these phrases contain slang
terminology. Consequently, the speech q u ality o f the voice heightens
the impact o f the te x t.
The fin a l illu s tr a tio n s , measure 47 and measure 85, also contain
s im ila r d ire c tio n s . In measure 47, the term "portamento" implies a
gradual g lid e from the E p itc h to the octave below. The subsequent
lengthening o f the word "fe e ls " adds to the e x p lo ita tio n of the sound
o f the word.
I do it so i reds like hell. 1 do it so it feels te d .
y
pppsetnpeelegato
A s lig h tly d iffe re n t instruction is indicated in measure 85.
The composer notates a descending gliding motion between G and E fo r
the voice. The w ritten d ire c tio n of "A loud gasp" indicates the use
o f a vocal sound other than a singing tone. The vocal q u ality o f a
gasp is re fle c tiv e o f the word " a ir" to which the notes are set.
i&u ib id . , p. 26.
Example 77. "Lady Lazarus” Meas. 85 161
(A b ud p sp)
And I cat men fike a i r . _ W

• __
'& 1 Ib id ., p. 31.
CHAPTER V II
SUMMARY
The resu lts of the study contain the follow ing information.
Examination of the horizontal motives in the music concluded that
melody preceded harmony. V e rtic a l analysis indicated the extensive
use o f contrapuntal w ritin g . In addition, many tonal implications
were evident; y e t the im plications were veiled by extensive use of
dissonance. Formal analysis o f the en tire cycle concluded that an
arch form was evident. This was substantiated by the symmetrical
placement o f the songs, and the tonal connections between the songs.
The form o f the individual songs was determined by the te x t.
The poems by Plath are from the posthumous c o lle c tio n e n titled
A r ie l. The fiv e poems used in Rorem's song cycle were w ritten the
la s t months o f the poet's l i f e . The general theme o f the poetry is
death and pain. A ll of the poems u t iliz e metaphor, imagery, word
rhythm, and word rhyme.
The in terp re ta tio n of the composition revealed musical
expression o f word meaning and word sound. The atmosphere of the
poetry was portrayed through the composer's choice o f meter, tempo,
and dynamic markings. On s p e cific occasions, the composer u tiliz e d
various vocal and instrumental techniques which aided in the
expression o f the te x t and it s meaning.
112
In summary, the Information gathered serves as reference
material fo r the performer o f A r ie l. This type o f source material 1s
necessary I f a q u a lity performance o f the work is to be expected.
In determining re la tiv e success or fa ilu re o f a work such as
th is , two questions were asked: 1) Does the poetry co n stitu te good
lite ra tu re ? 2) Has the composer m usically enhanced the poetry, or
conveyed it s meaning?
One may argue th a t Sylvia Plath has been remembered more because
of her suicide than fo r her poetic achievements. However, a fte r close
examination o f the fiv e poems set by Rorem, her mastery o f poetic
technique is revealed. This technique embodies an a b il it y to subtly
express and support the poetic meaning. The results are w e ll-w ritte n
poems o f great emotional in ten sity.
This in te n s ity is also re fle c te d musically by the composer.
Rorem's mastery o f song writing is evidenced through his compositional
in terp re ta tio n o f the poetry as discussed in Chapter V I. He has been
acclaimed as one o f the most important and p r o lific song composers of
our day. This cycle exemplifies his a b il it y to set poetry e ffe c tiv e ly
for the voice.
Nonetheless, individual students and performers of A rie l are the
ones who must determine the essence and worth of P la th 's poetry and
Rorem's music. The subjectiveness o f th is evaluation allows for a
v a riety o f equally expressive in te rp re ta tio n s .
113
As a r e s u lt, an in-depth study o f both poetry and music, such as
th is one, reveals a work worthy o f serious consideration by the
performer.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alvarez, A. "Sylvia Plath." In The A rt of Svlvia P la th . pp. 56-68.

Edited by Charles Newman. Bloomington: Indiana University
Press, 1970.
Alexander, Paul, ed. A riel Ascending. New York: Harper & Row, 1985.
Barnard, Caroline King. Svlvia P la th . Boston: Twayne Publishers,

1978.
Bassnett, Susan. Svlvia P la th . Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire

and London: MacMillan Education LTD, 1987.
Bloomquist, Marvin Robert. "Songs o f Ned Rorem: Aspects of the

Musical Settings o f Songs in English fo r Solo Voice and Piano."
D.M.A. dissertation, U niversity of Missouri, 1970.
Brewster, Robert Gene. "The Relationship Between Poetry and Music in

the O riginal Solo Vocal Works o f Benjamin B ritte n Through 1965."
Ph. D. dissertation, Washington University, 1957.
Bundtzen, Lynda K. Plath's Incarnations. Ann Arbor: The University

of Michigan Press, 1983.
Butscher, Edward. Svlvia P lath. Method and Madness. New York:

Seabury Press, 1976.
______________ ed. Svlvia P lath. The Woman and The Work. New York:
Mead & Company, 1977.
C urtin, P h y llis . Boston, Massachusetts. Personal L e tte r, 31 August

1987.
De Feo, Ronald. Contemporary L ite ra ry C riticism , ed. Carolyn R iley,

43 Vols. D etroit: Gale Research Company, 1985.
Duffy, Martha. "The Triumph o f a Tormented Poet." L if e . November

1971, pp. 38A-38B.
Emmons, S h irle e , and Sonntag, Stanley. The A rt o f the Song R e c ita l.

New York: Schirmer Books, 1979.
Friday, Raymond. "Analyses and Interpretations o f Selected Songs of

David Diamond." Ph. D. d iss e rtatio n , New York U niversity, 1984.
115
Friedberg, Ruth C. American A rt Sono and American Poetry; Vol. I

America Comes of Aoe. Metuchen, New Jersey and London:
Scarecrow Press, In c ., 1981.
"Frozen In te rp la y ." Time. November 1965, p. 83.
Hamm, Charles. Music in the New World. London, New York: W.W. Norton
and Company, 1983.
Hodges, Craig Norris. "A Performer's Manual To The Solo Vocal Works of
Frank M artin." D.M.A. d is s e rta tio n , Southern B aptist Theological
Seminary, 1983.
Holbrook, David. Svlvia Plath. Poetry and Existence. London:

Athlone Press, 1976.
Hubbard, M arilyn Rae. "Transcending Technique: Sylvia P la th 's A riel

Masters thesis, Wichita State U n iversity, 1978.
Hughes, Ted and McCullough, Francis, eds. The Journals o f Svlvia

P la th . New York: Dial Press, 1982.
Hughes, Ted. "Notes on the Chronological Order of Sylvia P la th 's

Poems." In The Art of Svlvia P la th . pp. 187-195. Edited by
Charles Newman. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1970.
K ro ll, Judith. Chapters in a Mythology. The Poetry of S vlvia Plath.

New York: Harper & Row, 1978.
Lane, Gary, ed. Svlvia Plath. New Views on the Poetrv. Baltimore,
London: Johns Hopkins U niversity Press, 1979.
Lehrer, S y lv ia . The D ialectics o f A rt and Live: A P o rtra it o f Svlvia

Plath as Woman and Poet. Salzburg: In s titu t Fur A n g lis tik und
Am erikanistik, 1985.
Lowell, Robert. Foreword to A r ie l: Poems of Svlvia P la th . by Sylvia

P la th . New York: Harper & Row, 1965.
Mabry, Sharon. "New Directions: A Recital o f 20th Century Music fo r

Soprano.'1 The NATS Journal 43 (January/February 1987): 26.
M eister, Barbara. An Introduction to the A rt Sona. New York:

Taplinger Publishing Company, 1980.
Middaugh, Bennie. "The Songs of Ned Rorem: Aspects of Musical S tyle."

The NATS Journal 24-25 (May, 1968): 39.
M ille r , P h illip . Foreword to The Rina o f Words. New York: W.W. Norton
& Company, 1963.
116
M ille r , P h ilip Lieson. “The Songs o f Ned Rorem." Tempo no. 127
(December 1978): 25.
Newman, Charles, ed. The Art o f S vlvia Plath. A Symposium.

Bloomington: Indiana U n iversity Press, 1970.
Nims, John Fredrick. "The Poetry o f Sylvia Plath." In A rie l

Ascending, pp. 46-60. Edited by Paul Alexander. New York:
Harper & Row, 1985.
North, W illiam S ills Wright. "Ned Rorem As A Twentieth Century Song

Composer." D.M.A. d is s e rta tio n , University of I l l i n o i s , 1965.
Oliphant, E.H.C. "Poetry and the Composer." Musical Q uarterly 8

(1922): 227.
Osborne, Charles. The Concert Song Companion. A Guide to the Classical

R epertoire. London: V ic to r Gollancz LTD, 1974.
Plath, S y lv ia . A rie l: Poems of S vlvia P la th . New York: Harper &

Row, 1965.
Plath, S y lv ia . The Bell Jar. London: Faber & Faber, 1968.
R iley, Carolyn, ed. Contemporary L ite ra ry C riticism . 43 v o ls .,

D e tro it: Gale Research Company, 1985.
Rorem, Ned. A r ie l. Five Poems o f S vlvia P lath. New York: Boosey &
Hawkes, 1974.
_____________. The Final Diary. 1961-1972. New York: H o lt, Rinehart,

and Winston, 1974.
_____________. New York, New York. Personal L etter, 31 August 1987.
_____________. "Why I Compose the Way I Do." High F id e lit y .

September 1974, p. MA-17.
Rosenblatt, Jon. Svlvia Plath. The Poetry of In it ia t io n . Chapel

H ill : U niversity of North Carolina Press, 1979.
Sabatino, T r u c illa Marie. "A Performer's Commentary on To Be Sung Upon

the Water by Dominick Argento." D.M.A. dissertatio n , Ohio State
U n iversity, 1980.
Satz, Arthur. "Ned Rorem: Musician o f the Month." High F id e lit y ,

p. MA-5.
Schober-Plath, A u relia, ed. Letters Home. Correspondence 1950-1963.

London: Faber & Faber L td ., Paperbacks, 1978.
117
Stade, George. Foreword to A Closer Look at A r i e l : A memory o f

S v lv ia Plath. by Nancy Hunter Steiner. New York: Harper's
Magazine Press, 1973.
S te in e r, Nancy Hunter. A Closer Look a t A rie l: A Memory of Svlvia
P la th . New York: Harper's Magazine Press, 1973.
Summers, Mary Lois. "The Songs o f Ned Rorem on Religious Texts and
Themes." D.M.A. d is s e rta tio n . Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary, 1982.
Thomson, V ir g i l. American Music Since 1910. New York: Holt,

Rinehart, & Winston, 1971.
APPENDIX A
Personal Correspondence
119
August 20, 1987
H iyllis curtin, Dean

School of the A rts, School of Music
Boston university
855 Ocumcnuealth Awe.
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Ms. curtain:
My name is Beverly Q a flin and I an currently in the process of
w riting a research paper fa r my D.M.A. degree a t Arizona State
university. My major eephasis is in vocal performance.
Because I have performed Ned Rorem's ccnpositicn ARIEL numerous
times, I chose to w rite on the topic, "A Musical Analysis and
Poetic interpretation o f Nad Rorem's ARIEL". I t is fa r thin
reason, I am writing to you in regard to scna questions th a t have
surfaced in ay research and w riting. I would sincerely appreciate
your assistanoe in answering the following:
What were the circumstances surrounding the dedication o f ARIEL?
As a performer of ARIEL, what interpretive position do you assume?
Is i t one of poet persona, the narrative voice, both o r neither?
Interpretatiwely, do you consider the clarin et's ro le to be one of
acccnpaniment or cue th a t is equal to the voice?
Was ycur premier performance of the work in Washington, O.C.
reviewed? i f so, where can I locate a copy of th at review?
Any other insights o r experiences you can give to me about ARIEL
wwld be very helpful. Enclosed is a self-addressed, stamped
envelope for your convenience. Thank you fa r your and
assistanoe. I t is sincerely appreciated.
Cordially,
120
BostonUniveisity
School for the A m
855 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Masiachuietts 02215
Phyllis Cuihn, Dean
August 31, 1987
Hiss Beverly Claflin

518 B. Kerry Lane
Phoenix, AZ 85024
Dear Hiss Claflin:
I am glad to know of your interest In Ariel, and I am sure that with your experi
ence in performance there is really not a great deal I have to add of any signifi
cance.
There are these following facts. Some months prior to a performance at the
Library of Congress, in planning a programwith David Glaser, clarinetist,
I realized that there was little repertoryfor piano, clarinet, and voice
which I had not often performed. I calledHr. Rorem, an old friend, and asked
him if he might have a work for that combination lying about in his files. He
said he did not, but that he would write a piece for me as a gift. That, as
you can understand, has become a most Important gift to the world of musicians
as well as to me.
The premiere performance at the Library was indeed reviewed. I am sure I have
copies, but they are buried deep in boxes in my cellar and I have not time to
set about finding them. Perhaps consulting the libraries of the Washington
Post and other dailies might be helpful.
As to performance, I do not believe that I have ever thought of an interpre

tive position. Living with the text is my entire direction. In these texts
it could be the poet, but in all cases the absolute presence of the text and
the musical delineations of the text is the primary motivator. The clarinet's
role is certainly equal to the voice. Indeed, this is a work for three voices.
The clarinet seems often to be the real delineator of madness quite apart from
the specificity of words.
I chink that you need no more from me. The work is so explicit, so rich in
its revelation of the various voices and thoughts of Sylvia Plath that devo
tion to the work itself and release of its text and music will present it
quite clearly.
Sincerely,
Phyllis Curtin
121
August 20, 1987
Nad Earem
18 W. 70th
New York, New York 10023
Mr. Horen:
My nams is Beverly C laflin and I am currently in the process of
writing a research proj ect fa r my D.M.A. degree a t Arizona sta te
University. K f major esphasis is in vocal performance.
Because I have performed your ccnpositicn ARIEL numerous times, I
chose to w rite cn the topic, "A M isical Analysis and Poetic
Interpretation o f Ned Rorem's ARXEU1. I t is fa r this reason I am
w riting to you in regard to some questions th a t have surfaced in my
research and writing. I would sincerely appreciate your assistanoe
in answering the following:
How did you f ir s t become acquainted with and or interested in
Sylvia P la th 's poetry and ARIEL in particular?
Why aid how did you choose the fiv e selections in your composition
fran a l l o f the ARIEL poems?
Ear what purpose or reason did you choose the combination of
soprano, clarin et and piano as opposed to other voice or
instrumental combinations?
Was there an in terpretative reason fo r choosing the clarinet as the
accompanying instrument?
Was there an Interpretative reason fa r choosing the voice
classi f icat ion of soprano as opposed to the mezzo-soprano voice?
Any other insights or experiences you can give to me about ARIEL
would be very helpful. Enclosed is a self-addressed, stamped
envelope fa r your convenience. Blank you for your time and
assistanoe. I t is sincerely appreciated.
Cordially,
NED ROREM
31 August 37
AHI3L was composed as a g i f t fo r my dear fr ie n d ,

P h y llis S u r t in , and the choice o f instrum ents was h e r s.
P la th 's v e r s e s , w hich had ju s t been published
; rtiO)
a t th a t t i a e \ . seemed apt fo r C u r tin 's sound and s t y l e , and
f o r my view o f the world . rtadriarimtjaaat
In my various books I 'v e w r itte n a t len gth about
my e s t h e t ic regarding words & m u sic, a ls o jqc about ARI31 in
p a r t ic u la r . Forgive me, but I haven’ t the tim e to answer
your q u e s tio n s more d eep ly. Srarrnw-Mnrhi Nor are th ere deeper
answ ers. I t ' s fo r you t o decide w hether th e piece succeeds or
f a i l s on i t s own terms.
Good lu ck .
Send me your paper when f in is h e d .
Best
APPENDIX B
The Hanged Man
124
THE HANGED M AN.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Beverly Hubbard C la flin was born in W ichita, Kansas, on

September 26, 1957. She received her elementary and secondary
education in the Derby Public Schools, graduating from Derby High
School. In 1975 she entered Friends University o f W ichita, Kansas,
and was awarded a Bachelor o f Music Education in 1979. In 1982 she
received a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Wichita State
U n iversity. She moved to Arizona and was accepted in to the doctoral
program in vocal performance a t Arizona State U niversity in 1982. She
has been the recipient o f numerous vocal and operatic scholarships as
well as the 1985 winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in the
Arizona D is t r ic t . She curren tly performs throughout the United States
and Mexico, teaches voice, and serves as President to the Arizona
Central-Northern Chapter o f the National Association o f Teachers of
Singing.

A Musical Analysis and Poetic Interpretation of Ned Rorem's "Ariel" (1987)

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A musical analysis and poetic interpretation of Ned Rorem’s

Claflin, Beverly Hubbard, D.M.A.

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OF NED ROREM'S ARIEL

Beverly Hubbard C la flin

A Research Paper Presented in P a rtia l Fu lfillm en t

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

OF NED ROREM'S ARIEL

Beverly Hubbard C la flin

has been approved

Dean, Graduate College

A riel by Ned Rorem. The study was divided in to three main

sections: 1) musical analysis; 2) poetic in te rp re ta tio n ; and 3)

In analyzing the musical elements, attention was given to

horizontal m a te ria l, v e rtica l structures, and formal aspects.

The poetry was examined to determine the theme or central idea,

and to id e n tify imagery, metaphors, and other poetic devices.

The compositional in terp re ta tio n contained an examination of the

relationship between text and music. Consideration was given to word

expression, poetic atmosphere, and poetic meaning.

This study serves as a reference guide for performers of A r ie l.

This study Is dedicated to my parents, Charles and Rekah

Hubbard, whose continuing support has helped make possible the

attainment o f this degree.

The w rite r wishes to extend her appreciation and thanks to a ll

the members o f her doctoral committee. Special thanks are extended to

Dr. James DeMars. His appreciation fo r the topic as well as his

advice and encouragement were o f great value.

Lastly, a heart f e l t thank you to my husband, Craig, whose love

and constant encouragement helped bring th is project to successful

LIST OF EXAMPLES ............................................................................................ v i i i

Statement o f the Problem ................................................. 6

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE...................................................... 10

Musical Analysis ................................................................. 21

IV . MUSICAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 23

APPENDIX A Personal Correspondence ........................................................ 118

APPENDIX B The Hanged Man ............................................................................ 123

1. "Words" measures 1 - 2 ......................................................................... 25

44. "Lady Lazarus" measures 13, 2 3 ..................................................... 58

Ned Rorem, American composer, d ia r is t and essayist, was born 1n

Richmond, Indiana on October 23, 1923. Referred to In Time Magazine

as " . . . undoubtedly the best composer o f a r t song now liv in g

. . ." 1, Rorem has hundreds o f songs in p r in t, many o f which have

been sung and recorded by leading a r tis t s .

His ea rly tra in in g 1n piano and composition was augmented by the

The most advanced technology has been used to photo

Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are re