Three Rock Music Compositions and the Groups that Inspired Them: The Beatles, Yes, and Led Zeppelin, From 1967 to 1972

This thesis presents three of my popular music compositions and places these works in their historical context. The discussion spans the years 1967 to 1972, when British popular music in general and the Beatles in particular reached their zenith of creativity. In this era, the Beatles absorbed and reflected their cultural environment while exercising a strong influence on younger musicians. While social context is important to any discussion of the Beatles and their rivals, my primary focus will be the music and the process of making it. Using the Beatles and psychedelic rock in 1967 as a point of departure, I will explore two alternative genres that emerged: progressive rock and progressive blues-rock. Yes and Led Zeppelin will be emphasized as the groups that best illustrate these genres and are most relevant to my original compositions.