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Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) composed primarily for his instrument, the piano. He did, however, compose five major works for orchestra and a piano concerto. Scriabin's last work for orchestra, Prometheus: Poem of Fire, Op. 60 (1910), exemplifies his mature compositional style. The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute a solo transcription of Prometheus to the piano's rich literature in that genre. Furthermore, the dissertation aims to identify and examine the problems encountered in transcribing this work for solo piano and the decision-making that led to musically acceptable solutions. Throughout the process of arrangement, one major question became apparent: What informs the transcription? In turn, this question and its numerous answers served as a guide during the transcription's realization and are the focus of the project.

This thesis will attempt to explain how people relate to the piano preludes of Claude Debussy. It is because we as people have experiences in life that relate to the specific titles of his pieces. When hearing the piece we recall those events and relate them to the piece. This allows us to interpret the music and make meaning of its motives and such. This paper will discuss the composer's life and background history. It will then define areas that are necessary to understand Claude Debussy's classification as a composer and the psychological basis of music. It will then discuss the compositional techniques used in the music and finally the discussion of the relation of people's memories to the actual music. This study will make evident Debussy's goal to have the listener associate the music with extra-musical experiences.

Antônio de Sá Pereira é um dos pioneiros da Pedagogia do Piano no Brasil. Seu tratado Ensino Moderno de Piano (1933) aborda a técnica pianística cientificamente e abrange questões diversas como a leitura à primeira vista e o desenvolvimento da audição crítica do aluno. Esta obra refere-se pela primeira vez no Brasil à fisiologia dos movimentos pianísticos, sistematiza o emprego da técnica de peso do braço na execução, aplica estratégias racionais de estudo e visa ensinar o aluno a pensar e a ouvir por conta própria. A pesquisa analisa o tratado relacionando-o com as principais teorias que o fundamentaram. Ao mesmo tempo aponta seu pioneirismo em relação ao meio musical brasileiro da época, o grau de originalidade de seu conteúdo e a atualidade das ideias que defende. A obra é circunstanciada por dados biográficos de Sá Pereira, material documental e bibliográfico. Sá Pereira consegue através de um trabalho de síntese e objetividade, tornar acessível e compreensível uma visão da técnica até então praticamente desconhecida no Brasil. Embora haja grande afinidade entre suas ideias e as dos principais teóricos da época, a adesão de Sá Pereira aos princípios que norteiam a moderna técnica pianística não é dogmática, pois Sá Pereira encontra o equilíbrio entre a abordagem técnica que utiliza o peso do braço e a técnica de dedos. Ao considerar que ambas se completam, demonstra uma visão atual da técnica pianística. Mais do que um tratado de técnica pianística, o Ensino Moderno de Piano buscou transformar e modernizar o ensino pianístico praticado no Brasil. / Antônio de Sá Pereira was a renowned scholar and a pioneer of Piano Pedagogy in Brazil. His treatise on piano teaching and technique, Ensino Moderno de Piano (Modern Piano Teaching -1933), encompasses several related subjects such as sight reading and critical listening. This is the first time a Brazilian work describes the physiology of piano playing movements and systematizes the use of the arm-weight technique. The work also applies rational strategies toward practice in order to teach the students to think and listen by themselves. This thesis analyzes Ensino Moderno de Piano relating it to the theories on which it was based and pointing out its originality in the context of related Brazilian works on piano technique. This thesis also verifies the modernity of its ideas. Biographical, documental and bibliographical data on Sá Pereira contextualize the treatise. Sá Pereiras work synthesizes the modern piano technique theory using an accessible and objective language. At that time, arm-weight technique was a barely known subject in Brazil. On the other hand, Sá Pereira does not follow the principles of Modern Piano Technique in a dogmatic way. Although there is great affinity with his ideas and those of the great theorists of the period, Sá Pereira still finds a balance between the two different types of piano technique approach the arm-weight and the finger technique. He considers them complementary to each other, a contemporary perspective on piano technique. More than a treatise on piano technique, the work Modern Piano Teaching aims to transform and to modernize piano teaching methods employed in Brazil.

Antônio de Sá Pereira é um dos pioneiros da Pedagogia do Piano no Brasil. Seu tratado Ensino Moderno de Piano (1933) aborda a técnica pianística cientificamente e abrange questões diversas como a leitura à primeira vista e o desenvolvimento da audição crítica do aluno. Esta obra refere-se pela primeira vez no Brasil à fisiologia dos movimentos pianísticos, sistematiza o emprego da técnica de peso do braço na execução, aplica estratégias racionais de estudo e visa ensinar o aluno a pensar e a ouvir por conta própria. A pesquisa analisa o tratado relacionando-o com as principais teorias que o fundamentaram. Ao mesmo tempo aponta seu pioneirismo em relação ao meio musical brasileiro da época, o grau de originalidade de seu conteúdo e a atualidade das ideias que defende. A obra é circunstanciada por dados biográficos de Sá Pereira, material documental e bibliográfico. Sá Pereira consegue através de um trabalho de síntese e objetividade, tornar acessível e compreensível uma visão da técnica até então praticamente desconhecida no Brasil. Embora haja grande afinidade entre suas ideias e as dos principais teóricos da época, a adesão de Sá Pereira aos princípios que norteiam a moderna técnica pianística não é dogmática, pois Sá Pereira encontra o equilíbrio entre a abordagem técnica que utiliza o peso do braço e a técnica de dedos. Ao considerar que ambas se completam, demonstra uma visão atual da técnica pianística. Mais do que um tratado de técnica pianística, o Ensino Moderno de Piano buscou transformar e modernizar o ensino pianístico praticado no Brasil. / Antônio de Sá Pereira was a renowned scholar and a pioneer of Piano Pedagogy in Brazil. His treatise on piano teaching and technique, Ensino Moderno de Piano (Modern Piano Teaching -1933), encompasses several related subjects such as sight reading and critical listening. This is the first time a Brazilian work describes the physiology of piano playing movements and systematizes the use of the arm-weight technique. The work also applies rational strategies toward practice in order to teach the students to think and listen by themselves. This thesis analyzes Ensino Moderno de Piano relating it to the theories on which it was based and pointing out its originality in the context of related Brazilian works on piano technique. This thesis also verifies the modernity of its ideas. Biographical, documental and bibliographical data on Sá Pereira contextualize the treatise. Sá Pereiras work synthesizes the modern piano technique theory using an accessible and objective language. At that time, arm-weight technique was a barely known subject in Brazil. On the other hand, Sá Pereira does not follow the principles of Modern Piano Technique in a dogmatic way. Although there is great affinity with his ideas and those of the great theorists of the period, Sá Pereira still finds a balance between the two different types of piano technique approach the arm-weight and the finger technique. He considers them complementary to each other, a contemporary perspective on piano technique. More than a treatise on piano technique, the work Modern Piano Teaching aims to transform and to modernize piano teaching methods employed in Brazil.

At most universities internationally, secondary piano instruction is compulsory for all music students regardless of their field of specialisation. Vocal art students studying at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) are also expected to complete three years of basic piano tuition. Since the researcher teaches secondary piano at the Department of Performing Arts: Vocal Art (TUT), the aim of this study was to determine the objectives of the tuition, and appropriate methods through which they can be best achieved. The research is based on an investigation of relevant literature on secondary piano instruction for music majors at universities in South Africa and abroad. Since the researcher was primarily trained to teach basic piano to very young beginners, it was thought necessary to firstly investigate the field of adult education and basic piano instruction for adults and college-age students. The results of the literature search confirmed that basic piano tuition for children differs greatly from that for older beginners. It became clear that the success of basic piano instruction for adults greatly depends on the teacher’s understanding of these fundamental differences as well as knowledge of appropriate approaches and methods with which to accommodate adults’ unique characteristics. Subsequently, the purpose of teaching piano playing skills to non-piano music majors was investigated. Results indicated that there is a broad spectrum of skills which can aid the musician in his future career. These include technique, sight-reading, accompanying, harmonisation, transposing, repertory study, vocal score-reading and reduction, instrumental score reduction, improvisation, playing by ear, playing of folk songs, developing musicianship skills, critical listening, performance skills, chord playing, ensemble playing, realisation of figured bass, modulation, memorisation, music analysis, playing two or more parts from multiple staves, playing warm-up exercises, singing a vocal part while playing other parts, and jazz piano playing. The most important piano playing skills for non-piano music majors to acquire were identified as technique, sight-reading, accompanying, repertory study and improvisation. Controversies exist about the importance of each of these skills, but most teachers agree that they should all be present in the secondary piano curriculum. The most common method used to teach these skills to instrumentalists and singers was identified as group tuition. This method of teaching is not used merely because it is more economical but also for various musical and sociological reasons. Musical advantages include the acquisition of a broad spectrum of skills such as critical faculties, listening skills, ensemble activities, self-assessment skills, improved practice habits and progress, rhythmic stability, improved intonation, memory training and notational reading. Social advantages include interaction, peer-learning, motivation, encouragement, discovery-learning, enjoyment, involvement and the development of individuality and self-esteem. At the end of each chapter, specific guidelines for teaching basic piano to vocal art students at TUT are given. The study culminates in conclusions and recommendations drawn from the results of the literature investigation Copyright / Dissertation (Music)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Music / unrestricted

Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of Maryland, College Park, 2007. / Compact discs. Includes bibliographical references.

During Aaron Copland's long and productive life, he has written many compositions of distinction; among his piano compositions are the Passacaglia, Piano Variations, and Four Piano Blues. These three piano works were composed during a span of over twenty years and reflect many different influences in the composer's musical life. The Passacaglia, an early work, was written under the direction of Copland's teacher, Nadia Boulanger. It was strongly influenced by her and the French neoclassic school. The influence of jazz is most prominent in the Four Piano Blues, whereas the Piano Variations were influenced by Arnold Schoenberg and other composers of the twelve-tone school. This study contains an examination of each of three piano pieces mentioned, with emphasis upon aspects of thematic development, harmony, rhythm, and sonority; then a comparison between the pieces is made.

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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