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1
Noulis, Christos. "Somatic education and piano performance." Thesis, Birmingham City University, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.646162.
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Research in the area of piano performance supports the concept of pianists engaging in problem-free piano methods. Existing pedagogical methods examine piano performance from a localised perspective, specialising in instruction of the detailed movements of the fingers, hands and arms. The present research aims to look at piano performance through a holistic lens. This is done by means of three theoretical and practical axes of somatic education: The Pilates Method, Yoga and the Alexander Technique. The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the three methods of somatic education can be conducive to piano performance. Secondary purposes are to determine whether the nature of educational delivery applied is appropriate in the exposure of pianists to somatic education, the stage of piano education at which pianists’ exposure to somatic education is most beneficial and the components of piano performance that can be enhanced from somatic education. Bibliographic review of relative literature reveals that, although there is amplitude of information on the application of some somatic methods to piano performance, there does not exist a comprehensive and structured educational system which incorporates principles of somatic education in piano performance. Ten workshops in Somatics for Pianists© were conducted in music conservatoires of Northern Greece in the span of three years. As a result, 385 valid questionnaires were produced by participating pianists of all levels, aged 15 and above, and with varying capacities as pianists (soloists, students, teachers etc). The questionnaires focused on issues of piano playing, methods of somatic education, workshop delivery and implementation of somatic education to piano performance. Six email interviews were conducted in order to triangulate results relating to the effectiveness of somatic education on piano performance and the related practical applications. These interviews were given by pianists/piano teachers who are also qualified instructors in one of the three somatic methods examined in this thesis.
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Evans, Richard Walter. "Key concepts in musical performance : practice, performance, interpretation." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1983/f4b0771f-0d5a-4e90-906e-b2c3ae91783b.
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Huntingford, James. "Tasteful piano performance in classic-era Britain." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2021. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2439.
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In recent decades, British solo piano repertoire of the Classic era has attracted increasing interest from researchers. A number of scholars have sought to identify the compositional elements that comprise late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century British piano music. Despite this interest, there has been little research into the conventions of performance with which this repertoire is inextricably associated. Moreover, scant attention has been given to the notions of taste that are so often encountered in contemporaneous music treatises and philosophical writings. This thesis addresses these gaps in the existing literature by examining tasteful piano performance in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain. The thesis provides a survey of contemporaneous British writings on the subject of taste—first, the broad notion of taste in British culture during the period, then the notion of taste in music performance in general, and finally the notion of taste specifically in relation to piano music. This survey includes a comprehensive investigation of selected performance practice issues, again as discussed in contemporaneous British primary sources. The study shows that taste was a vital aspect of music performance in Classic-era Britain. Furthermore, the thesis reveals that tasteful performance was intimately connected with issues arising from performance practice, and that decisions made in relation to these issues involved a degree of freedom on the part of the performer. The findings of the study are manifested in annotated scores of selected contemporaneous repertoire, then performatively applied by the author in a recorded performance of the repertoire using an early nineteenth-century English piano.
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Li, Chenyin. "Piano performance : strategies for score memorisation." Thesis, City University London, 2007. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/8530/.
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Accurate live performance demands that player equip him/herself with a secure memorisation of the work. Most professional pianists are familiar with the four aspects of music memory, namely Kinaesthetic, Aural, Visual and Analytical Memories. However, these may not be enough in themselves to ensure freedom from momentary memory lapses on the stage. After a discussion of issues concerned with psychological memory and music cognitive memory, the dissertation outlines a memory technique, here labelled MM, which draws on the use of music mnemonics. The technique is intended to help pianists retrieve relevant information as quickly and effectively as possible during the performance, therefore avoiding or minimising mistakes. Various types of music mnemonics which the author has herself used are identified. Following this is an account of a project undertaken by the author which involved the examination of the memorisation techniques of five professional pianists while learning two contrasting pieces. The extent to which they applied the MM technique, and the specific mnemonics described in the dissertation thus far, is examined closely. So is the effectiveness of the various mnemonics in dealing with very varied repertoires.
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Anderson, Amelia. "Performing Upon Her Painted Piano: The Burne-Jones Pianos and The Victorian Female Gender Performance." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/22641.
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This thesis centers around three pianos designed and/or decorated by the Victorian artist Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones: the Priestley Piano, the Graham Piano, and the Ionides Piano. I read and interpret the Burne-Jones pianos not only as examples of the artist’s exploration of the boundaries of visual art and music, but also as reflections of the Victorian era female gender performance. Their physical forms and decorations, both designed and executed by Burne-Jones, enhance the piano as an instrument and accentuate their respective female performers. The music emanating from these pianos and the domestic space in which they inhabit prompt and contribute to the Victorian female performance of gender.
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Lee, Suan Liu. "Czerny's interpretation of Beethoven's piano sonatas." Thesis, Bangor University, 2003. https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/czernys-interpretation-of-beethovens-piano-sonatas(feb6fd76-4266-471f-a1e0-5dd95dff5b83).html.
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The teaching of Carl Czemy was influential in the first half of the nineteenth century. His Complete Theoretical and Practical Piano Forte School and its supplement, The Art ofPlaying the Ancient and Modern Piano Forte Works, are especially relevant to the performance of Beethoven's piano sonatas. Much of the information in this monumental treatise reveals how Beethoven would have performed his sonatas. His pedalling techniques, for example, are similar to those described in Czerny's treatise. Although The Art was published in 1846, some of the ideas in tl-ds book date back to Czemy's Haslinger II edition of the late 1820s, thereby showing a. certain consistency over a period of about twenty years. Most of Czemy's teaching on the performance of Beethoven's piano sonatas, hs recorded in his piano treatise, stem from Beethoven's own practice. However, he sometimes altered Beethoven's directions because he considered his solution to be better (such as the fingering. in the trio of Op. 2/l/iii), or because they did not conform to contemporary performing styles, or simply because they did not suit the more resonant pianos of his day.
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Slade, Teri. "Measurable Changes in Piano Performance Following a Body Mapping Workshop." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/37593.
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Body Mapping has emerged among movement education techniques as one of the only somatic methods to focus specifically on musicians. Little research has been conducted to determine what changes, if any, participants in Body Mapping workshops experience. This study used MIDI to examine pitch, tone, tempo, and articulation of scale and arpeggio piano performance one day before and after a Body Mapping workshop. Participants were found to exhibit few measurable changes in these aspects of scale and arpeggio. A series of exploratory analyses were then conducted, which found greater changes in the visually observable aspects of piano performance than in aurally perceptible ones. The results suggest that immediately following a Body Mapping workshop, piano performance may improve in visually observable measures, but not in the aurally perceptible measures of scale and arpeggio performance.
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Wan, Blanc Chun Pong. "Contemporary Russian piano school : pedagogy and performance." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2017. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/contemporary-russian-piano-school(4f66a698-3d93-472c-9e80-6c0a1670fce5).html.
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This research identifies primarily the characteristics of modern Russian pianism. In the process of exploring performance practice, this study throws light on the inter-locking relationship between pedagogy and performance. Further, it will take the opportunity to expand on the ‘Russian Piano School’ ideology and to examine how this ideology has affected the interpretation of Russian pianists. This thesis uses written documentary sources, observations, interviews as well as sound recordings to form its conclusions. Chapter one takes the opportunity to examine the current scholarship and aims to demonstrate the relative depth of this thesis. The second chapter focuses on the contemporary idea of the ‘Russian Piano School’ and sets the scope of the discussion for this research. The term Russian School or Tradition – occurs throughout the last century and has been widely used in association with a particular style of performance. This chapter, however, disputes the implication of the term and its connection with performance style, and provides another perspective to current scholarship. Chapter three embarks on further investigation of Russian piano pedagogy at present, and expands the subject-matter with reference to three distinctive principles of the Russian School of playing: the idea of a long melodic line, a cantabile singing tone and a solid technical foundation. This section reveals some particularly striking observations. It should be of interest to note that globalisation has already made a significate impact on the Russian pedagogical approach. The fourth, fifth and sixth chapters present the three characteristics of Russian pianism separately. Chapter four places the spotlight on the technical foundation. In contrast to other schools, Russian pianists pay heavy attention to technique at an early age. This chapter aims to deconstruct their current curriculum for technical exams, and analyses a number of études and technical excises. It should be of interest to note that this section considers the tutor books used throughout the student period, leading to the solid technical foundation with which generations of Russian pianists seem to have been equipped. Chapter five looks closely at the long melodic line in the performance of Russian pianists and explores the effectiveness of long lines in Romantic music. It does, however, suggest this particular feature has been ‘embedded’ into their playing unconsciously, which has influenced some of their performance decisions. The sixth chapter, as its title suggests, focuses on the cantabile sound quality in Russian performances – another noticeable feature of the Russian musical aesthetics. The ways in which Russian pianists construct their tonal layers at different levels can be studied in depth and can be examined from a number of different angles. It proves helpful to use Tchaikovsky’s B flat minor Piano Concerto, Op. 23, and Mozart’s Piano Sonata in F major KV 332, as case studies to furnish examples. Finally, a concluding chapter draws together the strands of the preceding discussion. In sum, the thesis reconsiders the modern ‘Russian Piano School’ in relation to the globalisation of teaching and practice, and concludes with suggestions for further study.
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Eun-Kalil, Jisun. "Extended program notes for thesis piano recital." FIU Digital Commons, 2010. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3156.
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This thesis presents extended program notes for a sixty-minute piano graduate recital consisting of the following repertoire for solo piano:
Georg Philipp Telemann's Fantasia No. 9 in B Minor and No. 10 in D Major; Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Fantasia II in C Major, H. 284 (Wotq. 59/6); Joseph Haydn's Andante con Variazioni in F Minor, Hob. XVII: 6; Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata in F- sharp Major Op. 78; Clara Wieck Schumann's Notturno Op.6, No. 2 and Le Ballet des Revenants Op. 5, No. 4; Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn's Das Jahr: Juni and November. The content of this thesis features detailed information on these works through historical study, musical analysis, and research in performance practice.
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Cheng, Chung-kei Edmund, and 鄭頌基. "Executive mismatch and Robert Schumann's hand injury : tranquil execution, widely-extended texture and early nineteenth-century pianism." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/212640.
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This dissertation is about a peculiar conflict that occurs in the process of music performance, a conflict that exists between the body and the mind. What I call “executive mismatch,” this conflict tends to occur when music performance is treated only as an art, and not also as a kind of a sport; that is, when music is valued only for its artistic expression and representation, and not also for its kinetic essence.
Executive mismatch happened, for example, during the second quarter of the nineteenth century, a critical time that shaped our modern views on how the piano should be played. While many – among them Liszt, Thalberg, Chopin, and Mendelssohn – managed to find their rightful places in this process of development, individuals like Schumann struggled for theirs. Focusing on this influential but overlooked nineteenth-century dilemma, this dissertation examines the inharmonious collaboration between kinetics and aesthetics as evident in pedagogical writings, training materials, witness accounts, and compositions.
This dissertation argues that musical performance mandates a proper matching of the body and the mind, and it does so at two levels. First, it argues historically that Schumann’s famous hand injury was as much about the executively mismatched world he lived in as about biographical details. His pursuit of a performing career was always doomed to end badly, whether or not he tried to use machines to accelerate progress. Accordingly, his injury was unlikely to be self-inflicted, nor was it entirely medical/pathological by nature. Second, it argues that executive mismatch, which found perfect expressions in Schumann’s life and in early nineteenth- century pianism, still influences our modern world through performers, music-score editors, and researchers.published_or_final_version
Music
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy
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Albasini, Garaulet Olga. "Piano and memory : Strategies to memorize piano music." Thesis, Kungl. Musikhögskolan, Institutionen för klassisk musik, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kmh:diva-3331.
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This study was carried out in order to discover new strategies to memorize piano music. There are six different types of memory involved in performing: auditory, kinesthetic, visual, analytical, nominal and emotional. There are two main ways of practicing: playing practice and non-playing practice. I tried to find out if the order in which we use these two kinds of practice affects the quality of the memorization. During one week I practiced three different pieces following three different methods: 1 Using only playing practice; 2 using first playing practice and then non-playing practice; 3 using first non-playing practice and then playing practice. The second method had a much better result than the other two. The whole process was registered with a video camera and a logbook.The exam concert is archived for copyright reasons until 2023.
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Morenus, Carlyn Gay. "An analysis of advanced pianists' use of damper pedal, finger legato, and finger touch to achieve legato performance of two Beethoven excerpts /." Digital version accessible at:, 1999. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/main.
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Borges, Maria Caridad. "A graduate piano recital : an analytical study." FIU Digital Commons, 2003. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1733.
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The purpose of this thesis is to provide a historical and musical analysis that illustrates characteristic features of musical compositions from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Twentieth century styles. The structural analysis of the pieces reveal the evolution in the musical expression regarding line, texture, form, and the technical skills employed by the composers through polyphonic, homophonic, and twelve-tone procedures.
The works of this recital represent four different styles: The prelude and fugue among the important forms of the Baroque style; the sonata embodying the principles of balance and unity of the Classical style; the etude and waltz as representative of the Romantic style; and the nocturne as an illustration of the transformation of the melody, harmony, and rhythm in the music of the 20thcentury.
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Elton, Kim Cecile. "Tango, from Perception to Creation: A Pianist’s Quest to Capture and Embody Tango in Performance and Composition." Thesis, Griffith University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366016.
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Tango is an established genre in the international music scene, as exemplified by the compositions of Horacio Salgán, Mariano Mores, Astor Piazzolla and others. However, commercially produced Tango sheet music, with melodies and harmonic changes, does not fully correlate with the music expression one hears performed by musicians – Tangueros from Montevideo and Buenos Aires. The main problem is that the distinctive music expressions that elicit emotional responses and appear to define the uniqueness of tango, are not notated on the page. This constitutes a learning challenge for the musician who is foreign to the genre and its original context. Therefore, she must attune her perception of what may be missing and implement a more robust notation of those emotion inducing features. This need is justified as the musician is seeking to compose, arrange and perform music utilizing standard music notation. This thesis presents an attempt to bridge the gap, through performance-centred learning, to reveal Tango’s inherent characteristics. The outcome will give an outsider the opportunity to develop skills in Tango music to achieve a performance style closer to the genre’s authentic musical practice. Therefore, contextual knowledge and mastery of Tango piano vocabulary in an accessible form provides an avenue to play, arrange and compose in a manner that reflects a different approach to understanding pianism in the Argentinean Tango.Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
Queensland Conservatorium
Arts, Education and Law
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Jenkins, Matthew B. "Contemporary percussion performance an overview of aesthetics and performance practices /." Diss., Connect to a 24 p. preview or request complete full text in PDF format. Access restricted to UC campuses, 2008. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ucsd/fullcit?p1453661.
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Thesis (M.A.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008.Accompanying disc is DVD-ROM and contains sound files of the recording of the recital. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Jun. 25, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Includes bibliographical references: P. 7.
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Callner, Anna. "A recital of works for cello and piano." FIU Digital Commons, 2005. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1981.
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Suite No. 4 in E-flat major - J. S. Bach Prelude Courante Sarabande Gigue
Sonata, Op. 102, No. 1 - Ludwig van Beethoven Andante-Allegro vivace Adagio Allegro vivace
Concerto in A-minor, Op. 129 - Robert Schumann Nicht zu schnell Langsam Sehr lebhaft
Requierbros - Gaspar Cassado
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Yang, Eun-Kyoung. "The Piano Sonatas of Carl Vine: A Guideline to Performance and Style Analysis." Columbus, OH : Ohio State University, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1048801477.
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Thesis (D.M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2003.Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 97 p.: ill., music. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Caroline Hong, School of Music. Includes bibliographical references (p. 96-97).
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Ono, Mariko. "John Ireland's piano works : towards an informed performance." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.509853.
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Yong, Kerry. "Performance practices in music for piano with electroacoustics." Thesis, Royal College of Music, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.576937.
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Chi, Ju-Yang. "Musical Instrument Ergonomics in Violin and Piano Performance." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/30064.
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The compatibility of the instrument with human physical abilities and characteristics is one of the principles in ergonomics. Inadequate instrument set-ups and sizes that mismatch the player’s physical attributes is frequently cited as one of the risk factors contributing to the development of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) in violin and piano performers. For violinists, playing in a sustained asymmetric posture is inevitable and it has been observed that the left upper limb, which is the side that supports the instrument, is predominantly symptomatic in upper string players (violinists and violists). The use of adaptive accessories, such as a chin rest and/or a shoulder rest, has been proposed to be a way to improve the interface between the instrument and the player. For pianists, a “one-size-fits-all” keyboard has been the available industry standard with respect to the size of the keyboard in modern piano manufacturing, teaching and performing. However, recent demographic evidence proposes that this standardised piano keyboard discriminates against many pianists who have relatively smaller hand sizes. Controversies persist in best methods to ergonomically fit the instrument to the player among players and pedagogues of both these instruments, and no reviews to date have been conducted to determine whether a collection of evidence to support ergonomic ideals exists. This doctoral thesis presented the synthesis of work on investigating ergonomics in violin and piano performance and addressing knowledge gaps regarding optimising the interface between the instrument and the player.
A systematic review of this topic was undertaken in Chapter 2. The results revealed that only scarce evidence with heterogeneity and low quality of methodology available on instrumental ergonomics in violin and piano performance. An observational study on interaction between hand span and different sizes of keyboards on muscle activity in pianists was conducted in Chapter 3 to investigate the biomechanical responses under ergonomic modifications, while hand size was identified as a potential risk factor for PRMDs (Chapter 2). The results of this experiment showed less muscular loads in pianists while they were playing on a matched size of keyboard regarding their hand spans, suggesting a compatible interface between the player and instrument can enhance performance biomechanics.
Chapter 4 and 5 presented an interview study conducted to explore the factors that contribute to optimising the instrument-player interface in violin playing while the lack of comprehensive understanding of violin set-up was shown in Chapter 2. In Chapter 4, interview data was extracted in a way to present how the violin instrument should fit to a player. The results suggested there were fundamental inconsistencies in the use of physical elements (e.g. violin accessories and position the violin instrument) and the attitudes and beliefs towards instrument set-up while participants held onto different sources of knowledge. On the other hand, comfort and budget were commonly seen as the considerations in selecting the ergonomic set-up. Chapter 5 presents the findings from the aspect of how violinists should fit with their instruments, showing the biomechanics greatly varies but having a neutral posture may be the common aim in violin playing. It is also revealed the phenomenon that violinists tended to prioritise musical performance over monitoring their own posture and movement. Results in both Chapter 4 and 5 showed teacher plays an important role in either pedagogically providing ergonomic suggestions or working with body health professionals on improving a performance interface in violinists, and the process can be time-consuming.
The data presented in this thesis showed the complexity of optimising the interface between the musical instrument and the player. From the investigations on violinists and pianists, interdisciplinary collaborations and crossover trainings in the professionals are recommended so that musicians are able not only to be trained with adequate ergonomic supports but to sustain their desirable musical outcomes. Future research building upon the findings of this thesis will further facilitate the inclusion of ergonomics in the industry of musical performance.
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Murakami, Kazuo. "Japanese piano sonatas: a discussion and performance guide." Diss., University of Iowa, 2011. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2748.
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Japan has been influenced by Western culture since the end of the nineteenth century when the country opened its doors to the outside world. In 1873, the Japanese government adopted a policy of thorough and rapid modernization and westernization, including its music. Japanese composers of westernized music became active around 1900, and often worked in three idioms: 1) a Western-style composition, which was influenced by German and French music, 2) a Japanese-style, which blended traditional elements such as the pentatonic major and minor scales from Japanese music with the compositional constructs of Western music, and 3) a globalization-style, which combines Western, Japanese and other musical elements in a post-modern tradition. Their compositions are unique, and make a significant contribution to the music available to performers. However, after conducting a survey, this author found that most American musicians have no knowledge of Japanese composers and their piano works. This essay will specifically examine Sonata pour piano (1958) by Akira Miyoshi (b. 1933) and Sonata pour piano (1961) by Akio Yashiro (1929-1976).
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譚詠基 and Wing-Kei Ruth Tam. "Accent markings in Schubert's piano sonatas." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1992. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31211902.
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Tam, Wing-Kei Ruth. "Accent markings in Schubert's piano sonatas /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1992. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B14292440.
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Nicolls, Sarah Louise. "Interacting with the piano : absorbing technology into piano technique and collaborative composition : the creation of 'performance environments', pieces and a piano." Thesis, Brunel University, 2010. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/5511.
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This thesis explores the expansion of the piano performance environment, using technology to augment the sound, the playing area of the piano and its surroundings, and/or the performer's own body in controlling electronic elements of the music. In particular I examine the extension of piano technique and how this is affected by adding technology. I also discuss collaborative compositional processes in creating co-authored musical works and have given a critical appraisal of the different technological systems used in all of these pieces. I have also introduced ideas about developing the structure of the piano to better suit contemporary techniques and the addition of technological elements in piano playing. These ideas are represented by my own "Inside-out Piano", illustrated within the thesis. Throughout this work many new pieces for piano and live electronics have been generated and I hope these may also be useful as a resource for other pianists exploring their own interactions with the piano.
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Benson, Cynthia Ann Stephens. "The effects of instructional media on group piano student performance achievement and attitude /." Digital version accessible at:, 1998. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/main.
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Iliadis, Ioannis. "Samuel Barber's piano Sonata Op. 26| A performance guide." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10111174.
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This paper will serve as a practical performance guide for students and young pianists who wish to explore this sonata, and will provide knowledge that will help them shape their own interpretation. Interpretations vary from pianist to pianist and this paper will not propose a unique interpretation of Barber’s Sonata Op. 26. Instead, I will analyze the piece step by step, so as to point out the harmonic and melodic material which should be followed in order to understand the structure of the music. With specific technical advice and aesthetic suggestions both from recordings and my own experience I will try to elucidate the very thick texture and give another perspective of the piece.
A brief sketch of the composer’s biography will serve to establish an understanding of the historical background of the piece. Also, a stylistic analysis of the piece will be made through a study of the score. The original recording is the one by Vladimir Horowitz, whose relationship with Barber could absolutely be the subject of a whole new research project.
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Brewer, Abbie Corrine. "A performance guide to selected character pieces of Edward MacDowell." Diss., University of Iowa, 2013. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2444.
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The music of American composer Edward MacDowell has, until recently, been largely dismissed by the academic musical community. It is often seen as sentimental and simplistic, not in keeping with the advanced trends in music at the turn of the 20th century. He and his contemporaries have been over-shadowed by composers such as Ives, Cowell, and other American composers of the twentieth-century whose music is perceived as more innovative and progressive. It is important, however, to remember that MacDowell's music was immensely popular during his lifetime, both in the United States and abroad.
In order to understand a composer's music, one must understand the culture in which he lived and worked, as well as the training he received as a musician. Learning about the composer's life, education, and the important political, social, and cultural events during the period in which he lived helps to inform the decisions we make as performers. Like all artists, Edward MacDowell was a product of his time. During his childhood and young adult years, Romanticism reigned. Impressionism, an extension of Romanticism, was beginning to develop in France. Nationalism was also a strong force as American composers were struggling to separate themselves from European traditions and create music that was uniquely reflective of their country. These philosophies and the effects they had on music have been discussed in great detail by many scholars. Another important philosophical movement during MacDowell's lifetime is the development of Transcendentalism.
This essay will examine the influence MacDowell's music education and life experiences had on his late character pieces. Woodland Sketches, op. 51, Fireside Tales, op. 61, and New England Idyls, op. 62 are three sets of character pieces that were composed by MacDowell during the last decade of his career. Small in scope and diverse in character, these works contain a noteworthy blend of Romantic and Impressionistic elements. MacDowell's philosophy of music as presented in his lectures also appears to be a strong influence in these pieces. Chapter 1 will begin by providing an overview of MacDowell's biography including his music education and his music philosophy. Chapter 2 will provide a summary of four of the ideologies that seem to have had the strongest impact on MacDowell (Romanticism, Impressionism, Nationalism, and Transcendentalism), highlighting key traits and characteristics of each philosophy. Chapter 3 will present a performance guide for Woodland Sketches, Fireside Tales, and New England Idyls, with reference to the influences discussed in chapter 2.
MacDowell's late character pieces contain a unique blend of elements from the traditions that influenced him as a composer. Through the process of studying these traditions, one can better understand MacDowell as a musician and make well-informed decisions as a performer of his music.
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Cheng, Tian. "Exploiting piano acoustics in automatic transcription." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2016. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/18421.
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In this thesis we exploit piano acoustics to automatically transcribe piano recordings into a symbolic representation: the pitch and timing of each detected note. To do so we use approaches based on non-negative matrix factorisation (NMF). To motivate the main contributions of this thesis, we provide two preparatory studies: a study of using a deterministic annealing EM algorithm in a matrix factorisation-based system, and a study of decay patterns of partials in real-word piano tones. Based on these studies, we propose two generative NMF-based models which explicitly model different piano acoustical features. The first is an attack/decay model, that takes into account the time-varying timbre and decaying energy of piano sounds. The system divides a piano note into percussive attack and harmonic decay stages, and separately models the two parts using two sets of templates and amplitude envelopes. The two parts are coupled by the note activations. We simplify the decay envelope by an exponentially decaying function. The proposed method improves the performance of supervised piano transcription. The second model aims at using the spectral width of partials as an independent indicator of the duration of piano notes. Each partial is represented by a Gaussian function, with the spectral width indicated by the standard deviation. The spectral width is large in the attack part, but gradually decreases to a stable value and remains constant in the decay part. The model provides a new aspect to understand the time-varying timbre of piano notes, but furtherinvestigation is needed to use it effectively to improve piano transcription. We demonstrate the utility of the proposed systems in piano music transcription and analysis. Results show that explicitly modelling piano acoustical features, especially temporal features, can improve the transcription performance.
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Li, Hanhan. "Stephen Chatman's Piano Fantasies (1993): An Instructional and Performance Guide for Teachers and Intermediate Piano Students." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2019. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1505243/.
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Contemporary repertoire is not commonly taught or explored by teachers during the intermediate level, when a student's musical training is transitioning to an advanced level. Nonetheless, it is important for piano instructors to be open-minded about contemporary music and have some perspective on the development of music repertoire in the future. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a performance and pedagogical guide to Stephen Chatman's (b. 1950) Fantasies, from both technical and artistic viewpoints. The collection, which consists of eleven pieces, features a wide variety of contemporary idioms, styles, and means of notation. For instance, there are jazz-like syncopated rhythms, asymmetrical accents reminiscent of Primitivism, and Impressionistic or dissonant sonorities. Fantasies is not only a valuable tool for students to explore new sounds and improve their performing techniques while executing nontraditional notations and contemporary idioms, it is also a great teaching resource for instructors to promote students' musicality through hearing, seeing, and thinking. In this study, I provide individual, detailed descriptions for each of the pieces in the score, adding examples on how to address the difficulties they present to the performer. As a result, instructors can better understand how to help students prepare to perform this collection and spark their interest in playing contemporary music.
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Duvall, David C. "Real-time MIDI performance evaluation for beginning piano students." Connect to this title online, 2008. http://etd.lib.clemson.edu/documents/1219869971/.
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Choi, Hanna. "Documenting developing performance : rethinking Nikolai Medtner at the piano." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16528.
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This research illustrates the performer-researcher's artistic process of reaching an understanding of music through performance, and explores how an effort to understand music at the instrument and in the context of music-making could influence our critical evaluation of the music. Engaged in the process of learning music, I seek to document my artistic practices as a reflective practitioner: to open up the performer-researcher's workspace, communicate the performativity of the music, and reveal my embodied doing-thinking as a performer. By involving in the performer-researcher's physical and intellectual trajectory, the focus of musicological research could be shifted from the study of music as writing to a practice-based study that communicates and values music as performance. This shift provides a chance to rethink musical works at the piano and place the music in a context in which music can be understood, communicated, and valued through performance. This has the potential to shed light on the performative value of music, and may challenge the existing critique of musical works by emphasising the centrality of musical performance in the realm of music research, perhaps revealing what has been neglected by the text and outcome-focused approaches to music. I believe this could lead us to assess musical works in a different value system by considering the music in and as performance.
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Humphries, Carl. "The effect of left-hand training on piano performance." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42396.
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The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of left-hand training on
piano performance among college students with no piano background. A pilot study and
an expanded study were conducted over a two year period. Volunteers for each study
were randomly assigned to either a control group or a treatment group. The control group
was instructed in the traditional manner, using simple melodies in the right hand and
chordal figures in the left hand. The treatment group, however, was instructed using
simple melodies in the left hand and chordal figures in the right hand. At the end of the
training period, a posttest was given.
The areas tested included "Pitch Accuracy in the Left Hand," "Pitch Accuracy in
the Right Hand," "Rhythmic Accuracy in the Left Hand," "Rhythmic Accuracy in the
Right Hand," and "Overall Technical Proficiency." The results of both studies consistently
showed significantly improved playing skills in the treatment group.
Future experimental research was recommended. This should include an extended
training period, larger sample size, different age groups, different socioeconomic
backgrounds, and different preferred hands.
Master of Arts
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Humphries, Carl Prescott. "The effect of left-hand training on piano performance /." This resource online, 1996. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05022009-040507/.
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Illescas, Agnes Eliane Leimann. "Motivação e prática musical: uma investigação sobre o estudo cotidiano do piano por crianças." reponame:Repositório Institucional da UFBA, 2008. http://www.repositorio.ufba.br/ri/handle/ri/9141.
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Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo principal a investigação dos processos motivacionais intrínsecos e extrínsecos que norteiam a aprendizagem pianística, a partir da análise das práticas de estudo diário do instrumento vivenciadas pelos alunos de piano dentro e fora da sala de aula. A metodologia escolhida para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa foi o estudo multicasos, onde foram realizadas entrevistas com seis alunos, divididos em dois grupos, e seus respectivos professores, além dos pais ou responsáveis, procurando levantar dados de forma a trazer o máximo de informações sobre hábitos e contextos de estudo domiciliar e escolar. A principal justificativa está na idéia de que o aprofundamento de questões que envolvem a performance no piano e motivação para o estudo, podem contribuir para o reconhecimento de processos significativos de ensino, além de processos para o conhecimento vinculados à realização da prática musical. Diante disso, após a análise dos dados da investigação pode-se apresentar como resultados a confirmação de que a motivação para o estudo do piano é parte fundamental do aprendizado e que se configura por meio de fatores diversos como o interesse no programa a ser executado, os procedimentos da condução docente, a participação dos pais/responsáveis no acompanhamento e incentivo ao estudo, o ambiente de estudo, a auto-estima e o gerenciamento das metas. De modo geral os dados apontaram para a conclusão de que a motivação intrínseca é o fator fundamental para a persistência na prática musical dos participantes, enquanto que os processos de motivação extrínsecos não foram significativos no contexto estudado.
Salvador
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Kruja, Mira. "PIANO INSIDE OUT: THE EXPANSION OF THE EXPRESSIVE, TECHNICAL, AND SONOROUS SPECTRUM IN SELECTED TWENTIETH-CENTURY ART-MUSIC REPERTOIRE FOR THE MODERN ACOUSTIC PIANO." Lexington, Ky. : [University of Kentucky Libraries], 2004. http://lib.uky.edu/ETD/ukymuar2004d00228/Mkrujadma.pdf.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) --University of Kentucky, 2004.Title from document title page (viewed on August 17, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains: vii, 201 p. : music. Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (p.187-197).
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Humm, Mary Mosher. "Selected Contemporary Performance Problems as Found in Karel Husa's Sonata No. 2 for Piano." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1990. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330721/.
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The purpose of this study is to identify some of the performance problems associated with contemporary piano music, using the Sonata No. 2 for Piano by Karel Husa (1921 - ) as the basis for the discussion. In so doing, this study identifies Karel Husa as an important contributor to twentieth century piano repertoire. Personal interviews and correspondence with the composer provided biographical, analytical, and stylistic insight for this study. Supplemental information on Karel Husa was obtained from journals, newspaper articles, and dissertations. The first chapter provides biographical information gleaned from the interview, with emphasis on Husa's keyboard compositions and early compositional influences. The second chapter offers a detailed formal analysis of the Sonata No. 2 from the perspective of motivlc development and cyclic unity. The final three chapters focus on twentieth century performance problems as exemplified in Karel Husa's Sonata No. 2 for Piano. In Chapter 3, the discussion of notation provides a general background on notational developments in pitch and rhythm in the twentieth century, with the Sonata illustrating these procedures. The fourth chapter concentrates specifically on Husa's individual rhythmic language. The final chapter is devoted to Husa's coloristic use of the piano, addressing his unique contributions to the tonal and timbral resources of the instrument. Innovations in dynamic gradations, playing inside of the piano, and extensive use of all three pedals are discussed, as well as the special techniques required to achieve these sounds. In all the chapters, musical examples from the Sonata Illustrate the discussion, and reprinted by permission from the publisher. Throughout the dissertation, Karel Husahas provided Invaluable assistance and insight thus offering readers an important link to both the Sonata No. 2 and the composer himself.
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Cardoso, Edgar Dinis Almeida. "Expressão interartística na performance pianística." Master's thesis, Universidade de Aveiro, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/13909.
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Mestrado em Ensino de músicaO presente trabalho descreve a implementação de uma série de workshops para alunos de piano do Curso Básico. Nas diferentes sessões de experimentação criativa, os alunos foram convidados a participar em jogos dramáticos e a articular diversas formas de expressão artística, tais como o movimento e a expressão dramática. A aplicação das competências adquiridas à performance ao piano possibilitou o desenvolvimento de ferramentas criativas para o estudo e a análise do repertório pianístico, bem como para a improvisação.
The present work describes the implementation of a series of workshops for piano students of beginner levels. In the different sessions of creative experimentation, the students were invited to take part in drama games and to articulate various forms of artistic expression, such as movement and creative drama. The application of the acquired skills to piano performance enabled the development of creative tools for study and analysis of the piano repertoire and also for improvisation.
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Michalak, Filip. "Piano Competitions : Preparation and Purpose." Thesis, Kungl. Musikhögskolan, Institutionen för klassisk musik, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kmh:diva-2854.
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Marshall, Eldred. "Conducting from the Piano? A Tradition Worth Reviving?" Thesis, University of North Texas, 2018. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1157619/.
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Is conducting from the piano "real conducting?" Does one need formal orchestral conducting training in order to conduct classical-era piano concertos from the piano? Do Mozart piano concertos need a conductor? These are all questions this paper attempts to answer.
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Renault, Lenny. "Neural audio synthesis of realistic piano performances." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Sorbonne université, 2024. http://www.theses.fr/2024SORUS196.
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Musicien et instrument forment un duo central de l'expérience musicale.Indissociables, ils sont les acteurs de la performance musicale, transformant une composition en une expérience auditive émotionnelle. Pour cela, l'instrument est un objet sonore que le musicien contrôle pour retranscrire et partager sa compréhension d'une œuvre musicale. Accéder aux sonorités d'un tel instrument, souvent issus de facture poussée, et à sa maîtrise de jeu, requiert des ressources limitant l'exploration créative des compositeurs. Cette thèse explore l'utilisation des réseaux de neurones profonds pour reproduire les subtilités introduites par le jeu du musicien et par le son de l'instrument, rendant la musique réaliste et vivante. En se focalisant sur la musique pour piano, le travail réalisé a donné lieu à un modèle de synthèse sonore pour piano ainsi qu'à un modèle de rendu de performances expressives. DDSP-Piano, le modèle de synthèse de piano, est construit sur l'approche hybride de Traitement du Signal Différentiable (DDSP) permettant d'inclure des outils de traitement du signal traditionnel dans un modèle d'apprentissage profond. Le modèle prend des performances symboliques en entrée, et inclut explicitement des connaissance spécifiques à l'instrument, telles que l'inharmonicité, l'accordage et la polyphonie. Cette approche modulaire, légère et interprétable synthétise des sons d'une qualité réaliste tout en séparant les différents éléments constituant le son du piano. Quant au modèle de rendu de performance, l'approche proposée permet de transformer des compositions MIDI en interprétations expressives symboliques. En particulier, grâce à un entraînement adverse non-supervisé, elle dénote des travaux précédents en ne s'appuyant pas sur des paires de partitions et d'interprétations alignées pour reproduire des qualités expressives. La combinaison des deux modèles de synthèse sonore et de rendu de performance permettrait de synthétiser des interprétations expressives audio de partitions, tout en donnant la possibilité de modifier, dans le domaine symbolique, l'interprétation généréeMusician and instrument make up a central duo in the musical experience.Inseparable, they are the key actors of the musical performance, transforming a composition into an emotional auditory experience. To this end, the instrument is a sound device, that the musician controls to transcribe and share their understanding of a musical work. Access to the sound of such instruments, often the result of advanced craftsmanship, and to the mastery of playing them, can require extensive resources that limit the creative exploration of composers.This thesis explores the use of deep neural networks to reproduce the subtleties introduced by the musician's playing and the sound of the instrument, making the music realistic and alive. Focusing on piano music, the conducted work has led to a sound synthesis model for the piano, as well as an expressive performance rendering model.DDSP-Piano, the piano synthesis model, is built upon the hybrid approach of Differentiable Digital Signal Processing (DDSP), which enables the inclusion of traditional signal processing tools into a deep learning model. The model takes symbolic performances as input and explicitly includes instrument-specific knowledge, such as inharmonicity, tuning, and polyphony. This modular, lightweight, and interpretable approach synthesizes sounds of realistic quality while separating the various components that make up the piano sound. As for the performance rendering model, the proposed approach enables the transformation of MIDI compositions into symbolic expressive interpretations.In particular, thanks to an unsupervised adversarial training, it stands out from previous works by not relying on aligned score-performance training pairs to reproduce expressive qualities. The combination of the sound synthesis and performance rendering models would enable the synthesis of expressive audio interpretations of scores, while enabling modification of the generated interpretations in the symbolic domain
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Buck, Bryony. "Gestural communication of music structure during solo classical piano performance." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2016. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/7452/.
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The production and perception of music is a multimodal activity involving auditory, visual and conceptual processing, integrating these with prior knowledge and environmental experience. Musicians utilise expressive physical nuances to highlight salient features of the score. The question arises within the literature as to whether performers’ non-technical, non-sound-producing movements may be communicatively meaningful and convey important structural information to audience members and co-performers. In the light of previous performance research (Vines et al., 2006, Wanderley, 2002, Davidson, 1993), and considering findings within co-speech gestural research and auditory and audio-visual neuroscience, this thesis examines the nature of those movements not directly necessary for the production of sound, and their particular influence on audience perception. Within the current research 3D performance analysis is conducted using the Vicon 12- camera system and Nexus data-processing software. Performance gestures are identified as repeated patterns of motion relating to music structure, which not only express phrasing and structural hierarchy but are consistently and accurately interpreted as such by a perceiving audience. Gestural characteristics are analysed across performers and performance style using two Chopin preludes selected for their diverse yet comparable structures (Opus 28:7 and 6). Effects on perceptual judgements of presentation modes (visual-only, auditory-only, audiovisual, full- and point-light) and viewing conditions are explored. This thesis argues that while performance style is highly idiosyncratic, piano performers reliably generate structural gestures through repeated patterns of upper-body movement. The shapes and locations of phrasing motions are identified particular to the sample of performers investigated. Findings demonstrate that despite the personalised nature of the gestures, performers use increased velocity of movements to emphasise musical structure and that observers accurately and consistently locate phrasing junctures where these patterns and variation in motion magnitude, shape and velocity occur. By viewing performance motions in polar (spherical) rather than cartesian coordinate space it is possible to get mathematically closer to the movement generated by each of the nine performers, revealing distinct patterns of motion relating to phrasing structures, regardless of intended performance style. These patterns are highly individualised both to each performer and performed piece. Instantaneous velocity analysis indicates a right-directed bias of performance motion variation at salient structural features within individual performances. Perceptual analyses demonstrate that audience members are able to accurately and effectively detect phrasing structure from performance motion alone. This ability persists even for degraded point-light performances, where all extraneous environmental information has been removed. The relative contributions of audio, visual and audiovisual judgements demonstrate that the visual component of a performance does positively impact on the over- all accuracy of phrasing judgements, indicating that receivers are most effective in their recognition of structural segmentations when they can both see and hear a performance. Observers appear to make use of a rapid online judgement heuristics, adjusting response processes quickly to adapt and perform accurately across multiple modes of presentation and performance style. In line with existent theories within the literature, it is proposed that this processing ability may be related to cognitive and perceptual interpretation of syntax within gestural communication during social interaction and speech. Findings of this research may have future impact on performance pedagogy, computational analysis and performance research, as well as potentially influencing future investigations of the cognitive aspects of musical and gestural understanding.
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Kim, Seon Ok. "Analysis and Performance Aspects of Donald Harris’ Sonata for Piano." The Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1268251022.
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Pereira, André Bruno Dias Vaz de Deus. "Manuel Faria e o piano: das fontes primárias à performance." Master's thesis, Universidade de Aveiro, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/1227.
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Mestrado em MúsicaManuel Faria, compositor e padre português, detinha uma profunda admiração pelo povo e por temas populares, bem como pela música de cariz religioso. Estas duas “paixões”, quando combinadas com a sua busca por novas estéticas e formas de composição, foram decisivas na sua produção musical. Este Documento de Apoio ao Projecto visa resumir, através de seis peças, os vários estilos em que Manuel Faria se inspirou. A relação entre o compositor e os vários contextos em que se inseriu ao longo da vida foram determinantes na sua produção musical. O contacto com a música popular, com a religião, bem como o contexto académico onde teve contacto com outros estilos de composição, formaram uma relação de simbiose de onde surgiram estas seis peças para piano. Esta teia de relações deve-se em muito ao espírito pró-activo de Manuel Faria, procurando nos vários movimentos estéticos (nacionalismo, modernismo, expressionismo, neoclassicismo, polimodalismo e também o neomodalismo) uma forma de enfatizar a sua paixão pelo povo e pela religião bem como pela música enquanto linguagem. Assim, as seis peças para piano que datam desde a sua juventude (1934) até um ano antes da sua morte (1982), são uma síntese dos vários estilos que influenciaram a sua obra. ABSTRACT: Manuel Faria, a Portuguese composer, had a deep admiration for the people and traditional folk music. He also admired the religious repertoire. These two passions, when combined with his constant inquisitiveness about 20th-century aesthetics were decisive in his musical production. This document reflects the various 20th-century compositional techniques that inspired the composer work through a closer look at six piano pieces. The relationship between Manuel Faria and the social contexts in which he lived were also decisive in his work. The contact with traditional folk music, religious music and the academic context in which he studied new composition techniques formed a symbiotic relation from which these six pieces emerged. These relations are the result of a constant research for new ways to emphasize his passion for the people and his music presents several aesthetics currents (nacionalism, modernism, expressionism, neoclassicism, neomodalism and also polimodalism). The earliest piece was composed during his youth (1934) and the last, one year before his death (1982); they synthesize the various styles that influenced his work.
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Kelly, Campbell Alexander Kingswood. "The Feldenkrais Method in Practice and Performance at the Piano." Thesis, Griffith University, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/384936.
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This dissertation explores the process of applying principles from the Feldenkrais Method, a form of somatic practice focused on developing physical awareness, to the author’s practice as a pianist performing Western Art Music. The study examines the author’s experience with the Feldenkrais Method over an 18-month period and its influence on his approach to practising, teaching, and performing at the piano which culminated in the presentation of three recitals. The research is grounded on a flexible research design which gathered data from multiple sources including literature, video recordings, reflective journaling, and interviews. Through the analysis of this data a multifaceted perspective is obtained that expresses the unique experiences, insights, and changes which occurred throughout the study.
The Feldenkrais Method promotes a holistic approach to learning, one that views the mind and body as equals in the act of music-making. The enquiry uncovered deep rooted physical habits that were inhibiting the author’s ability to perform with freedom and ease. These habits were linked to broader psychological perspectives concerning anxiety and instability. The investigation drew several conclusions from the findings, these are: the importance of an inclusive physical mindset while practising, the influence of physical awareness on interpretation, developing technique on the basis of dynamic equilibrium, and the importance of cultivating physical awareness within the domain of artistic research. Furthermore, findings are also drawn concerning the elements that would characterise a piano pedagogy influenced by somatic practices through the analysis of five semi-structured interviews. These elements are firstly, an understanding of the importance of viewing the student from the border perspective of the mind and body, an aspect that is reminiscent of the Feldenkrais concept of the self-image, and secondly, the cultivation of an explorative mindset in the practice room.Thesis (Masters)
Master of Music Research (MMusRes)
Queensland Conservatorium
Arts, Education and Law
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Bascom, Brandon Roger. "The legacy of József Gát on piano performance and pedagogy." Diss., University of Iowa, 2012. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3564.
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Ding, Shiau-Uen. "Sitting at the Piano, Cradled by Speakers: Developing a Rhythmic Performance Practice in Music for Piano and “Tape”." Cincinnati, Ohio : University of Cincinnati, 2007. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?acc%5Fnum=ucin1179467001.
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Thesis (Dr. of Musical Arts)--University of Cincinnati, 2007.Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed Jul.10, 2007). Includes abstract. Keywords: contemporary music; computer music; electroacoustic; electro-acoustic; piano; tape; Christopher Bailey; Balladei; Luigi Nono; sofferte onde serene; Mario Davidovsky; Synchronisms; Jonathan Harvey; Tombeau de Messiaen; James Mobberley; Caution to the Winds; Into the Maelstrom; Katherine Norman; Trying to Translate Includes bibliographical references.
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Noble, Colin Dennis George. "An Exploration of Performance Practice Issues for the Piano in Olivier Messiaen's Quatuor pour le fin du Temps (1941), Visions de l'Amen (1943) and Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus (1944)." Thesis, Griffith University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/376757.
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This thesis explores the performance practice of three major works involving
piano composed by Olivier Messiaen between 1940 and 1944. These are considered
through a descriptive analysis of historic commercial recordings that are known to
have been directly influenced by the composer, a survey of existing interview
material and secondary sources, and interviews with selected leading exponents of
Messiaen’s piano music.
Many issues of interest are apparent in the historic recordings analysed.
Some involve factors not accorded detail in the score, others depart from
instructions in the score, and some appear to be permanently intended changes to
the published score. This suggests that a well informed performance practice of this
music requires consideration of many elements that extend beyond the instructions
in the printed score.
Comparisons of recordings by pianists who studied the Vingt Regards sur
l’Enfant-Jésus with Messiaen, or with his primary exponent Yvonne Loriod, reveal
that their approaches diverged in some significant ways on the playing of this solo
work, but to a much lesser extent when playing Visions de l’Amen or the Quatuor
pour la fin du Temps. This suggests that at some point Loriod began to perform and
teach Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus in a more independent way, while Messiaen
remained a guiding figure in rehearsals and recordings of the ensemble works. As a
result, appropriate interpretation of Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus may require
consideration of the performances of pianists who worked on the repertoire directly
with the composer. It is also evident that Messiaen genuinely intended the very slow tempi in certain movements of the works studied, and that he encouraged full use of these tempi in performance.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Queensland Conservatorium
Arts, Education and Law
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Orduz, Ana Maria. "Integrating contemporary world music into our teaching: discussion on the pedagogical value and performance practice of seven commissioned pieces by four Colombian composers." Diss., University of Iowa, 2011. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1050.
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In this essay I discuss a collection of seven piano pieces that I commissioned by four emerging young Colombian composers. It contains two parts: the first explains the importance of involving contemporary and world music in piano education and includes a brief history of music in Colombia. The second part discusses in detail each of the piano pieces and the contemporary and folkloric references that each one uses. It also illustrates the technical challenges that each piece presents and provides suggestions on how to practice each work. The two pieces by Castaño include taped electronic sound as part of them. The two files are attached with the paper.
I have always believed in the responsibility and importance that teachers have in the creation of new music and discuss the importance of educators working with composers. I also explore the importance of teaching and learning world music and contemporary music from the beginning of a piano education. The commissions are the first step towards the creation of a piano pedagogical anthology of Colombian contemporary music for the late intermediate and early advanced level for which there is very little Colombian repertoire.
Colombia's rich rhythms, dances and musical traditions are not reflected in the formal music education in the country. Heightened security and the resulting economic growth have brought significant changes over the last ten years to the country providing a moment of possibility to advance an agenda in musical education as well. If the piano teachers take charge of the education of the new generation, beyond simply teaching them how to play the piano, the classical music tradition in Colombia will grow at the same time that high quality music will be provided around the world to play.
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Vigran, Joshua. "The Rise and Fall of Piano Improvisation in Western Classical Music Performance: Why Today's Piano Students Should be Learning to Improvise." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2020. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1703338/.
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Improvisation is an art form which has arguably been present since the existence of music itself. Inventing music on the spot, like spontaneous speech, is a common expression of artistry throughout history and across musical boundaries. While improvisation has maintained its importance in jazz, classical organ music and the music of many eastern cultures, this dissertation will focus on the presence of improvisation as acceptable performance practice within the tradition of western classical music. At several points in history, this musical tradition was encouraged and even expected to be a regular part of a musician's life, and yet in the classical music tradition of the twenty-first century, improvisation is rarely, if ever, heard from the concert stage, nor is it regularly included in the general education of the conservatory student.
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Oliveira, Rafael Cesário. "A sonata para violoncelo e piano de Almeida Prado: análise técnico/intepretativo." Universidade de São Paulo, 2015. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/27/27158/tde-13112015-101808/.
Full textAbstract:
A Sonata para Violoncelo e Piano de Almeida Prado merece ocupar um papel de destaque na produção recente para o Violoncelo. Esse trabalho servirá como ponto de apoio para violoncelistas interessados na performance da Sonata, bem como à instrumentistas de cordas que buscam melhor compreender as peculiaridades da interpretação das peças deste compositor. O procedimento metodológico constou de quatro etapas. Em primeiro lugar foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico explorando os autores que discorreram sobre a vida e obra de Almeida Prado. Em um segundo momento, foram coletados dados através de entrevistas e aulas com o compositor e entrevistas com Sonia Rubinsky, pianista responsável pela estreia e encomenda da obra. Na terceira etapa, a peça foi apresentada em diferentes ocasiões, incluindo um recital com a pianista Rubinksy. Estas experiências, juntamente com os dados coletados, resultaram na edição da parte de Violoncelo e gravação em vídeo. Por fim, foi realizada uma análise técnico/interpretativa da obra, utilizando-se dos dados coletados nas entrevistas, pesquisa bibliográfica e recitais.The Sonata for Cello and Piano de Almeida Prado deserves to occupy a prominent position in the recent production for Cello. This work will serve as support for cellists interested in the performance of the Sonata, as well as string instrumentalists seeking to better understand the peculiarities of interpretation of this composer\'s works. The methodological procedure consisted of four stages. First off a review of the literature was conducted exploring the authors who wrote about the life and work of Almeida Prado. Secondly, data was collected through interviews and lessons with the composer, as well as interviews with Sonia Rubinsky, pianist responsible for the premiere and commission of the sonata. In the third stage, the piece was presented on several occasions, including a recital with pianist Rubinksy. These experiences, together with the collected data, resulted in the edition of the Cello part and a video recording. Finally, a technical/interpretive analysis of the work was carried out, utilizing the data collected during the interviews, bibliographic research and recitals.