In the scholarship surrounding piano repertoire, Henry Cowell is seen as a kind of “one-hit-experimental-wonder,” being know mostly for his astonishingly progressive piece The Banshee. However, Cowell was an enigmatic composer, a diverse scholar, an influential proponent new music, as well as a music theorist and comparative musicologist. Therefore in order to gain a more complete understanding of Cowell and his deeply influential piano works, this project seeks to explore the philosophical, cultural, and non- Western musical influences that inspired Cowell’s novel experimentation at the piano.

George Crumb sought to expand the sounds and techniques of modern pianism in his solo and chamber works for piano. His greatest contribution to the piano repertoire is Makrokosmos I and II for amplified piano. Although the work is widely known; it is typically only performed by specialists in advanced modernist repertoire because of the unfamiliar and demanding techniques that it requires. It is possible, though, for more pianists to learn this work by first mastering the techniques through preparatory pieces. The thirteen such pieces discussed in this dissertation come from different decades of the twentieth century and are in various styles, but they can all be mastered by beginner and intermediate-level students. These include Samuel Adler's Bells and Harp; Béla Bartók's Mikrokosmos Vol. IV, No. 102; Seymour Bernstein's "Phoenix," No. 9 from Birds II; John Cage's "Prelude for Meditation" from Prepared Piano Music Volume 2, 1940–47; Paul Cooper's Cycles, II; Henry Cowell's Aeolian Harp and his "Time Table" from Five Encores to Dynamic Motion; George Crumb's "Berceuse for the Infant Jesu," No. 2 from A Little Suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979; Marti Epstein's "Inside the Piano" from American Etudes; Ross Lee Finney's "Black Notes and White Notes" from 32 Piano Games; Alan Hovhaness's Midnight Bell; Lajos Papp's Forte-Piano; and Jean François Proulx's "Scale Practice" from A Pedagogical Guide to Extended Piano Techniques.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2014-09-08T20:49:14Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Jonathan Taylor de Oliveira - 2014.pdf: 6874426 bytes, checksum: f8916385ae58a9b51e0a55502aea7a8a (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-08T20:49:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Jonathan Taylor de Oliveira - 2014.pdf: 6874426 bytes, checksum: f8916385ae58a9b51e0a55502aea7a8a (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This work discusses the performance of the extended techniques found in three Brazilian pieces for solo piano composed in the 21st Century in light of this researcher’s musical upbringing, which did not include repertoire with extended techniques. The pieces selected are Pó (2008), by Liduino Pitombeira (1962- ), Prélude VII (2008), by Marcílio Onofre (1982), and Pianimbau (2011), by Daniel Wolff (1968). The criteria for selecting the pieces were a contrasting compositional language between the pieces and that they should not be for beginner or intermediate levels. These pieces were the object of both parts of this research: Part A, in which the pieces were studied and prepared for the final recital, and Part B, which consists of a written record of the research. The historical context of the extended techniques found in the selected pieces, based on authors such as Stone (1980), Costa (2004), Burge (2004) and Ishii (2005), guided the investigation of the technical and interpretative aspects of the pieces. The discussions dealt with the following topics: type of extended technique, notation, dynamics, region of the piano on which a technique is performed, ways to perform a technique, parts of the body that are used, physical structure of the piano, materials used, and the sound resulting from the use of a technique. The research that was undertaken made it possible to conclude that the performance of these techniques within the established parameters involved the adaptation of technical abilities acquired previously during this researcher’s musical upbringing, as well as the development of new abilities. This research also revealed that extended techniques are present in the piano repertoire written by present day Brazilian composers, and it is thus pertinent to study such pieces throughout one’s musical upbringing. / Este trabalho discute a realização das técnicas estendidas encontradas em três peças brasileiras para piano solo compostas no século XXI à luz da formação deste pesquisador, que não incluiu repertório contendo técnicas estendidas. As peças selecionadas são Pó (2008), de Liduino Pitombeira (1962- ), Prélude VII (2008), de Marcílio Onofre (1982) e Pianimbau (2011), de Daniel Wolff (1968) que tiveram como critérios de seleção linguagem composicional contrastante entre as peças selecionadas e não serem peças de nível iniciante ou intermediário. Essas peças foram objeto de estudo nas duas partes desta pesquisa: a Parte A, que consistiu no estudo das peças para apresentação no recital de defesa, e Parte B, que consistiu no trabalho escrito. Uma contextualização histórica das técnicas estendidas encontradas nas obras, fundamentada por autores como Stone (1980), Costa (2004), Burge (2004) e Ishii (2005), norteou a investigação técnico-interpretativa das mesmas. As discussões abordaram os seguintes tópicos: tipo de técnica estendida, notação, dinâmica, região do piano em que a técnica é realizada, formas de execução, partes do corpo utilizadas, estrutura física do piano, materiais utilizados e resultado sonoro. A pesquisa realizada permitiu concluir que a realização dessas técnicas dentro do recorte estabelecido envolveu tanto a adaptação de técnicas pianísticas já utilizadas ao longo da formação deste pesquisador quanto a assimilação de novos conhecimentos e habilidades. Esta pesquisa também revela que técnicas estendidas estão presentes no repertório para piano de compositores brasileiros da atualidade sendo pertinente o estudo das mesmas no processo de formação pianística.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T17:06:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 vania.pdf: 7718940 bytes, checksum: 9e8288a31342611478f04cd0b8319dff (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-04-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation looks at the results of an investigation of piano performance (the author's, who is also the research subject) under the light of a dialogue between performance and Ergonomics, applied to the practice of pieces asking for extended techniques. In order to optimize musical and instrumental performance, the dissertation intends to investigate the applicability of ergonomical axioms to the performer's postural behavior in three specific situations during extended techniquepractice. The piano repertoire chosen for study was: Twin Suns, from the set Makrokosmos II, by George Crumb (b. 1929); Aeolian Harp by Henry Cowell (1987- 1965); and Profiles to A, from Vox Victimae, by Didier Guigue (b. 1954), and the practice procedure utilized by the author for these pieces was described. From the same repertoire, three specific situations of instrumental performance containing extended technique were chosen, more specifically string piano technique, in order to discuss them from an ergonomical perspective. Different possibilities for technical and postural situations, as found during practice in two pianos of different models and brands, were investigated. Ergonomics is an interdisciplinary area which deals with the relationship between work and man; it cherishes, first of all, his health and comfort, in order to optimize a given activity and diminish its damaging effects. This research is the result of theoretical reflections which were originated by practice, and the main focus was on physical Ergonomics, which deals with anatomical and postural aspects. In the discussion of the technical-instrumental procedures, a subjective method for the optimization of work was used. Having applied ergonomical concepts to the practice and performance of extended technique pieces, this research and its results may guide similar piano performance situations and eventually be applied or adapted by other pianists in search of optimal solution to their problems, according to their individual physical particularities / Esta dissertação reflete os resultados de uma investigação sobre a prática pianística, neste caso da autora e sujeito da pesquisa, realizada sob a perspectiva de pressupostos da técnica pianística em diálogo com abordagens da ergonomia aplicadas ao estudo de obras com técnicas expandidas. Visando a otimização do desempenho músico-instrumental, objetiva investigar sobre a aplicabilidade de pressupostos ergonômicos a partir do comportamento postural em três situações específicas de estudo envolvendo técnicas expandidas. As peças do repertório pianístico selecionadas para o estudo foram: Twin Suns do caderno Makrokosmos II de George Crumb (1929), Aeolian Harp de Henry Cowell (1897- 1965) e Profiles to A de Vox Victimae- de Didier Guigue (1954), sobre a quais foi realizada uma descrição dos processos de estudo utilizados pela autora. Do mesmo repertório foram selecionadas três situações específicas de execução instrumental contendo técnicas expandidas, mais especificamente string piano, para serem discutidas sob o ponto de vista da ergonomia. Foram investigadas possíveis variedades de situações técnicas e posturais encontradas durante a prática pianística quando da utilização de dois pianos de marca e modelos diferentes. A ergonomia é uma área interdisciplinar que trata da relação entre o trabalho e o homem; preza, em primeiro lugar, pela sua saúde e conforto, visando a diminuição de efeitos nocivos e a otimização da atividade realizada. Esta pesquisa é fruto de indagações surgidas em decorrência de uma prática e a ênfase foi pelo domínio da ergonomia que trata, sobretudo, de aspectos anatômico-posturais. Para a discussão de procedimentos técnicopianísticos foi utilizado o método subjetivo de otimização do trabalho. Tendo sido elencadas contribuições da ergonomia ao estudo e desempenho de peças que contêm tais técnicas, os resultados desta pesquisa poderão servir de orientação para a prática de situações de execução pianística equivalentes àquelas apresentadas e, oportunamente, poderão ser aproveitados, ou adaptados, por pianistas, sempre de acordo com suas características físicas individuais, em busca de solução ótima a problemas

A Poem Carved in Stone, a work for piano solo by Washington DC-based Chinese composer Wu Yiming was composed in Spring 2020 and is dedicated to the author of this dissertation. The piece is inspired by the poetry of Han Shan, a recluse who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). His poetry is in Chan (Zen) tradition. Wu depicts the imagery and philosophy in Han Shan's poetry through highly complex rhythms, extreme sound effects and pitches, tone clusters, and extended piano techniques. This dissertation provides practical instructions for achieving these effects and executing the unconventional techniques found in this piece, which include playing inside of the piano, various standing and sitting positions, and coordination and balance. A guide to interpret this piece is from both the composer's and the performer's perspective. Observations are drawn directly from communications and coaching received from the composer. This study briefly explores the historical and cultural context of Han Shan's poetry and discusses how Wu's use of modern western compositional devices reflects the Zen philosophy. An interview with the composer is included along with an overview of both his compositions and those of composers who influenced him. It is hoped that this dissertation will encourage pianists who are not experienced with non-traditional techniques to explore new music from living composers.