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.

Western art music is relatively new in Vietnam, with a colonial history that started in the late nineteenth century. Early European music exposure in Vietnam was part of French mission civilisatrice and was later taken over by the Vietnamese with the establishment of the Vietnam Academy of Music in 1956. The development and progress of classical music, however, was hindered by the Vietnam war and facility limitations throughout most of the country’s modern history. Despite the obstacles, Vietnamese musicians continued to operate the school and to train generations of musicians. Vietnamese composers also managed to produce a substantial amount of repertoire in various genres: orchestra, chamber, solo instrument, songs, and more. Within the relatively small solo instrumental output, piano music occupies a major part. These works, however, remain unknown due to lack of performance and information. Given the author’s main interest and focus as a pianist, the first chapter of this paper offers an overview of the development and dissemination of European classical music in Vietnam as context for the subsequent chapters, which focuses on compositions for piano. The next chapter provides some discussion about the general development of style and aesthetics of Vietnamese classical music. The final chapter provides a closer look at some representative composers and their piano works, with historical background, musical analysis, and performance commentary. / Music Performance

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published_or_final_version / abstract / Humanities / Master / Master of Philosophy

The lecture recital, "Thema med Variationer, Opus 40, By Carl Nielsen" presented a discussion of the composer's general background and the characteristics of his style. Specific points made were related to the Thema med Variationer; the discussion was followed by a performance of the work in its entirety. In addition to the lecture recital, three other recital programs were organized and public concerts presented to provide the platform for the works studied. Two of these programs were of solo piano music and one was of chamber music with the clarinet and viola in partnership with the piano. All programs were recorded on magnetic recording tape. The spoken portion of the lecture recital in written form is filed with the recordings as a part of this dissertation.

This thesis deals in particular with the pianist's approach to the Brahms Sonata for Piano and Violin in D Minor, Opus 108. There are two chapters, the first of which takes the form of a bibliography in which different theoretical aspects for consideration in the learning of the work are presented. One of the sections in the first chapter which is entitled The Pianist, should prove helpful to a prospective piano teacher, as well as a student of the Brahms Sonata in D Minor, Opus 10 8. In this section sources presenting different solutions to technical problems which the pianist is likely to encounter both generally, and specifically with regard to this Sonata, are listed. The other sections in this chapter include a discography and comments concerning recordings of the Sonata in D Minor, Opus 108, which a student of this work and its composer may consult. The second chapter of the thesis deals with specific issues involved in the interpretation based on my performance of the Sonata in D Minor, Opus 108, for the practical examination. Three other possible interpretations by well-known pianists are briefly evaluated. Attached to the thesis is a cassette tape on which recommendations for the practising of certain passages may be heard. / Thesis (M.Mus)-University of Natal, Durban, 1989.

Charles Valentin Alkan (1813-1888), one of the great genii in music history, was widely misunderstood by his contemporaries because of his highly idiosyncratic ideas. From the perspective of the late twentieth century, his innovations can be better understood, and his music is now gaining wider appreciation. Yet, today many musicians still do not know even his name, much less his achievements. The year 1988 marks the one hundredth year since his death. In commemoration of this centennial anniversary, this thesis is presented as a plea for a greater awareness of the achievements of this important figure in the development of piano music.

The two major research questions were: “What is the current status of 20 prominent piano pedagogy programs?” and “what is the vision of an ideal future piano pedagogy program from the perspective of 20 piano pedagogy leaders?” Subjects were the leaders of the top 20 US university piano pedagogy programs. A survey study with interview questions was used as the instrument for the study. The results showed that faculty, curriculum, and teacher training were three top factors that contributed to the quality of the programs. Most interviewed subjects held a doctoral degree in music. The curricular content and degree options were diverse across the selected programs. The content of teacher training included private and group teaching. The perceived best qualifications of a piano pedagogy instructor were to have a balanced education. Most programs had small or little to no budget, however, the preparatory program was perceived to be an enhancement to teacher training program finances. The greatest challenges were faculty acquisition and financial limitations. Gaining more money was the most common improvement priority for programs. To envision an ideal future piano pedagogy program, most leaders stated that an ideal program should contain encourage: (1) collaborating with other divisions' faculty members for developing a diverse curriculum, (2) providing multiple types of teacher training, (3) offering knowledge that is highly pertinent to students' future careers, (4) continually adjusting topics in the curriculum, and (5) utilizing all the possible resources to establish up-to-date facilities. The chief obstacle was a lack of money. However, finding a major donor, and developing a preparatory program to generate money may help to overcome the obstacles. Having administrators with positive attitudes toward pedagogy could help programs to gain more resources. Encouraging students to participate in workshops and conferences could enrich the training. Several recommendations may help emerging pedagogy programs, such as : (1) raising faculty's visibility in public, (2) developing a diverse curriculum and collaborating with other faculty from different divisions, (3) establishing a preparatory program, (4) offering diverse degree options, (5) developing a general pedagogy degree, and (6) educating administrators on the importance of piano pedagogy.

The musical developments of the 20th century have expanded the role of the accompanist. As the compositional output of our time increases, and the opportunity to perform as soloist with an orchestra diminishes, piano reductions of an orchestral score are becoming the most frequent vehicle for concerto performances of twentieth and twenty-first century instrumental literature. While the current state of research provides solid support to many accompanists, it is in the area of instrumental accompanying, especially with regard to the challenges of playing a reduction of an orchestral score with an instrumental soloist, that the lack of discourse becomes strikingly evident. It is the goal of this study to provide the instrumental accompanist with concrete, practical approaches and considerations in order to perform an orchestral reduction in a manner consistent with the integrity of the score. Problems such as identifying the represented orchestral instruments, delineating importance of musical lines, and basic uses and misuses of pedal, articulation, and rubato are discussed. The pianist is led through ways of deciphering and negotiating specific passages, in order to guide the accompanist through the possible pitfalls and challenges unique to many orchestral reductions. By focusing on twentieth century reductions, providing examples of problems and discussing ways to solve them, the pianist will able to apply these to any reduction encountered, not just those specifically illustrated here. These basic principles of discerning common problems and appropriately reconciling them are then applied in a more advanced form to Robert Nelson's Concertino for Baritone Saxophone (1996). Through commentary from the composer, and a comparison of the orchestral score to the reduced piano score, the accompanist will explore detailed techniques of performing this work in a manner that upholds the original “orchestral” intent of the music.