This thesis aims to compare Korngold’s treatment of altered states of reality in his 1920 opera Die tote Stadt to that of other composers and apply a theoretical approach to explain the transitions between the diegetic realms, or multiple narrative levels, that the work is contained within. These are outlined by William Cheng in his article entitled “Opera ‘en abyme’: The prodigious ritual of Korngold’s ‘Die tote Stadt.’” An overview of Cheng’s article is provided, recounting the claims that he posits and the analyses that he uses to explain the transitions between these diegetic realms. Next, other instances of altered states of reality in compositions and research are considered; Katherine Syer’s dissertation entitled “Altered States: Musical and Psychological Processes in Wagner” is used to draw aesthetic comparisons between Korngold’s Die tote Stadt and Wagner’s operatic output. Finally, an analysis of meter is employed to explain three passages that represent diegetic transitions within the work. The use of metrical ambiguity in these passages aids in creating a sonic environment that smooths the transitions.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis aims to compare Korngold’s treatment of altered states of reality in his 1920 opera <em>Die tote Stadt</em> to that of other composers and apply a theoretical approach to explain the transitions between the diegetic realms, or multiple narrative levels, that the work is contained within. These are outlined by William Cheng in his article entitled “Opera ‘en abyme’: The prodigious ritual of Korngold’s ‘Die tote Stadt.’” An overview of Cheng’s article is provided, recounting the claims that he posits and the analyses that he uses to explain the transitions between these diegetic realms. Next, other instances of altered states of reality in compositions and research are considered; Katherine Syer’s dissertation entitled “Altered States: Musical and Psychological Processes in Wagner” is used to draw aesthetic comparisons between Korngold’s <em>Die tote Stadt</em> and Wagner’s operatic output. Finally, an analysis of meter is employed to explain three passages that represent diegetic transitions within the work. The use of metrical ambiguity in these passages aids in creating a sonic environment that smooths the transitions.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brandon, Tyler"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Music (MM)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Douglas Rust","Danny Beard","Joseph Brumbeloe"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:45:19Z","subjects":["yeston","syer","cheng","mise en abyme","diegetic","consciousness","Music Theory"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/783","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Douglas Rust","Danny Beard","Joseph Brumbeloe"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Brandon, Tyler"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-10-10T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Music (MM)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["yeston","syer","cheng","mise en abyme","diegetic","consciousness","Music Theory"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/783"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis aims to compare Korngold’s treatment of altered states of reality in his 1920 opera Die tote Stadt to that of other composers and apply a theoretical approach to explain the transitions between the diegetic realms, or multiple narrative levels, that the work is contained within. These are outlined by William Cheng in his article entitled “Opera ‘en abyme’: The prodigious ritual of Korngold’s ‘Die tote Stadt.’” An overview of Cheng’s article is provided, recounting the claims that he posits and the analyses that he uses to explain the transitions between these diegetic realms. Next, other instances of altered states of reality in compositions and research are considered; Katherine Syer’s dissertation entitled “Altered States: Musical and Psychological Processes in Wagner” is used to draw aesthetic comparisons between Korngold’s Die tote Stadt and Wagner’s operatic output. Finally, an analysis of meter is employed to explain three passages that represent diegetic transitions within the work. The use of metrical ambiguity in these passages aids in creating a sonic environment that smooths the transitions.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Korngold's Dream States: An Analysis of Transitional Passages in Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Opera \"Die tote Stadt\""]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Douglas Rust","Danny Beard","Joseph Brumbeloe"],"dc:creator":["Brandon, Tyler"],"dc:date.available":["2021-10-10T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis aims to compare Korngold’s treatment of altered states of reality in his 1920 opera Die tote Stadt to that of other composers and apply a theoretical approach to explain the transitions between the diegetic realms, or multiple narrative levels, that the work is contained within. These are outlined by William Cheng in his article entitled “Opera ‘en abyme’: The prodigious ritual of Korngold’s ‘Die tote Stadt.’” An overview of Cheng’s article is provided, recounting the claims that he posits and the analyses that he uses to explain the transitions between these diegetic realms. Next, other instances of altered states of reality in compositions and research are considered; Katherine Syer’s dissertation entitled “Altered States: Musical and Psychological Processes in Wagner” is used to draw aesthetic comparisons between Korngold’s Die tote Stadt and Wagner’s operatic output. Finally, an analysis of meter is employed to explain three passages that represent diegetic transitions within the work. The use of metrical ambiguity in these passages aids in creating a sonic environment that smooths the transitions.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/783"],"dc:subject":["yeston","syer","cheng","mise en abyme","diegetic","consciousness","Music Theory"],"dc:title":["Korngold's Dream States: An Analysis of Transitional Passages in Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Opera \"Die tote Stadt\""],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Music (MM)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:45:19Z"}