Interpretation of extended techniques: Flute solo compositions by Mexican composers. Analysis and performance recommendations

This dissertation is about contemporary performance of works that incorporate new instrumental or extended techniques. Generally speaking, extended performance techniques for the flute refer to all innovative sonorities produced by non-conventional approaches of articulation, blowing and breathing that may include unusual fingerings or disposition of the instrument, lips, tongue, vocal cavity, throat, vocal chords, body movements as well as stage effects.;This research provides the contemporary performer with valuable ideas that can potentially make him a more resourceful artist in the selection of interpretive as well as technical alternatives and/or strategies necessary to approach any piece with contemporary instrumental techniques. In order to do that, the author integrates musical analysis strategies with the technical aspects related to the production of new sounds.;The works selected to illustrate the utilization of extended techniques are two solo flute pieces by Mexican composers: Lamento for Bass Flute (1981) by Mario Lavista (b. 1943); and De Pronto for Alto Flute (1987) by Arturo Marquez (b. 1950). The study includes a recording of the pieces performed by the author.;The research is divided into four chapters. The first starts with a brief contextual reference section about influential pieces for the flute composed during the twentieth century. It is a brief overview regarding the utilization of contemporary instrumental techniques in relation to the pieces selected. The following section of the same chapter is devoted to the literature concerning those techniques. Here, he mentions treatises, methods and articles that have concentrated mainly on either the physical aspects of execution of new sounds, or on the notation to represent them. None seems to consider interpretation as a relevant issue, and this is the gap the author intends to fill with this research. The following section of the first chapter is devoted to preliminary comments and recommendations on the musical interpretation of new sounds. Finally, it ends with a section about the relationship between music analysis and new instrumental techniques.;In the second and third chapters, he works on the two Mexican pieces selected.;Finally, the fourth chapter is devoted to the conclusions, where the most relevant aspects discussed are related to interpretive issues--including the role of the performer, and some strategies to overcome the most common difficulties in the process of transforming new sounds into artistic musical resources.