Looking Back while Moving Forward: Four Musical Works that Signify Complex Emotions regarding the Passage of Time through Ambiguous Endings

Author

Bailey Griggs, University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow

Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Music

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Music

Advisor/Mentor

Gosman, Alan

Committee Member

Bentley, Christa

Second Committee Member

Sonn, Richard D.

Third Committee Member

Warren, Ron

Abstract

Defying expectations is a useful and overlooked tool in music composition. Despite all their differences, the final movement of Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony, Joe Hisaishi’s score to the 2001 film Spirited Away, Joni Mitchell’s popular song “Both Sides Now,” and electronic artist The Caretaker’s album set Everywhere at the End of Time all share similar programmatic content. Each presents a protagonist who is coming to terms with the passage of time and is conflicted about how they should cope with change. Upon examination of these four works, they all use unexpected and ambiguous endings to signify complex ideas about time through music. Using such techniques allows listeners to grasp each work’s message on a deeper level.

Keywords

music theory; music composition; music analysis; temporality

Citation

Griggs, B. (2025). Looking Back while Moving Forward: Four Musical Works that Signify Complex Emotions regarding the Passage of Time through Ambiguous Endings. Music Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/muscuht/9