The two enclosed essays reflect a growing portion of my musical interests over the past several years. The first essay looks into the history and transformation of Quan Ho folk singing in northern Vietnam's Bac Ninh region, with critical analysis of the many ways in which this tradition is being reshaped and molded to conform with contemporary ideals. The second essay traces the development of Alexander Scriabin's harmonic and symbolic language through his late piano sonatas, exploring the impact of this revolutionary Russian composer on the history and development of music in the 20th century, specifically within the genre of the pianoforte sonata.