Abstract
Abstract This study analyzes electric guitar composition in contemporary concert music and draws conclusions regarding its future use. An examination is made of the expanding role of the instrument in concert music from 1960 to the present. Also explored is the use of the electric guitar as a symbol representing an aspect of modern American culture. As the electric guitar is introduced into the milieu of classical concert music, composers create a symbolic confrontation between modern culture and its European classical heritage. The works analyzed in the study include: String Trio (1960) by Donald Erb, written for electric guitar, violin, and cello; Sonar Plexus (1968) by Francis Thorne, for orchestra with electric guitar obbligato; Songs, Drones, and Refrains of Death (1968) by George Crumb, for mixed chamber ensemble; Dirge (1983) by Jeffrey Lohn, for an ensemble of multiple electric guitars; and Vicious Cycle (1984) by Elliot Sharp, for electric guitar, electric bass, and percussion.
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