Dissertation
Stretched afar over the dome of eternity
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2025
DOI: 10.25820/etd.007994
Abstract
<<Stretched Afar Over the Dome of Eternity>> (2021) is the first large-scale composition in my ongoing <<Eternity>> mega-project—a work that explores vast musical forms and conceptual depth. This 24-minute piece, along with its counterpart <<Wandering on the Border of Infinities>>, forms a dualistic exploration of structure and imagination. While <<Stretched Afar Over the Dome of Eternity>> delves into expansive musical architecture, <<Wandering on the Border of Infinities>> focuses on the fluidity of rondo form. These compositions are scored for drastically different instrumentations, ranging from solo piano to a large ensemble of 14 performers, and vary in length from 9 to 25 minutes.
Both compositions are interwoven through recurring motifs and sonic symbolism:• Long, airy tones evoke an infinite "open space."
• Tremolo and overpressure embody the sensation of being "stretched."
• Ascending glissandi trace the curvature of the "dome."
• Additional textures—muted piano, col legno battuto, multiphonics, and tremolo glissandi—further enrich the soundscape, though they remain abstract in meaning.
The work unfolds in five evocative movements, each with its own structural and narrative role:1. "Exploration" – A gradual unfolding, as if discovering new terrain.
2. "Borders" – Ethereal long tones trace invisible boundaries.
3. "Breaking" – A dialogic clash, fracturing established limits.
4. "Eternity" – Built on variations of a three-note motif (B♭, D, E), divided into three micro-variations.
5. "Debris" – A fractured recapitulation, where earlier materials reassemble in unexpectedways.
Through these sections, the piece revisits and transforms its core ideas, creating a meditation on time, form, and perception.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Stretched afar over the dome of eternity
- Creators
- Ziang Han
- Contributors
- Jean-François Charles (Advisor)Matthew Arndt (Committee Member)David Gompper (Committee Member)Sam Young (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Music (Composition)
- Date degree season
- Spring 2025
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.007994
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xi, 78 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2025 Ziang Han
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/23/2025
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Stretched Afar Over the Dome of Eternity (2021) is the first installment of Ziang Han’s ambitious Eternity project—a series of large-scale compositions exploring vast musical forms and philosophical themes. This 24-minute work unfolds in five evocative sections: "Exploration," "Borders," "Breaking," "Eternity," and "Debris." Through a surreal, non-linear narrative, the music grapples with humanity’s perpetual struggle against invisible boundaries—both material and spiritual—only to dissolve into dust and merge with the infinite.
Shifting between tension and transcendence, the piece mirrors the cyclical nature of time and space, inviting listeners to contemplate their own place within the cosmos. The composer’s expansive sonic language weaves together fragility and force, leaving traces of a journey that is as personal as it is universal.
- Academic Unit
- School of Music
- Record Identifier
- 9984830728002771
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