Abstract:
The song cycle of Over the Rim of the Moon presented in this study comprises works
performed in the master’s recital of the author on November 14, 2020. The study explores the
composer’s early life and style of writing in the four pieces of the song cycle “The Ships of
Arcady,” “Beloved,” “A Blackbird Singing,” and “Nocturne” and seeks to define the influences
on Michael Head’s compositional style and specifically his early works. The study also gives a
detailed musical analysis on “The Ships of Arcady,” “Beloved,” “A Blackbird Singing,” and
“Nocturne” from Michael Head’s Over the Rim of the Moon song cycle.