Both Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) and Maurice Ravel (1875-1837) were outstanding composers of the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century who followed and transmitted the specifically French tradition. Ravel studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Gabriel Faure (1845-1924), who was a student of Saint-Satins. SaintSaens's Trio No. 1, Op. 18, was written in 1863, while he was teaching a the Ecole Niedermeyer. As one of the earliest works by the composer, it reveals his conservative style in the well-defined four-movement structure, particularly characterized by classical periodization and clarity of texture. Saint-Sadns's Trio No. 2, Op. 92, was written in 1892, when he was more mature and better known as both composer and performer. Written twenty-nine years after the first trio, the second trio is more ambitious and complicated than the first trio. The second trio exhibits elaborate harmonies and extensive sonata structure, including a fugue within an unusual five-movement framework.Ravel's trio was completed in 1914, shortly after the start of the First World War, at Saint-Jean-de-Luz in Basque country. I The trio displays new sonorities and expression achieved by brilliant string techniques and powerful, vertical piano writing, as well as the employment of various kinds of non-traditional scales. Within a four-movement structure, the second movement, entitled Pantown, a poetic form of Malayan origin, is most original, including the middle section in polymeter.The analyses of these three trios reveal significant similarities in stylistic and formal characteristics. All three trios preserve the outline framework of the traditional sonata concept. Saint-Sa&ns's second trio and Ravel's trio include passacaglia movements, based on the Baroque form. All three trios employ folk elements: the modal style of certain themes, and certain rhythms; e.g., the Basque dance rhythm, zoriko, appears in Saint-Saans's second trio and Ravel's trio. The use of quintuple time in both trios also shows the Basque influence. Among other common characteristics are rhythmic ostinato and thematic juxtaposition. All three trios represent trends in French music between the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century: nationalism and neoclassicism. / School of Music

One of the remarkable features of Brahm's B-flat major Intermezzo for piano, Op. 76, no. 4 is the ambiguity of its tonal definition. The work disclosed a contrapuntal tension between its fundamental structural-harmonic organization, which is based on an incomplete harmonic progression (V7-I), and its more remote intermediary tonal areas, which Brahms implies throughout the Intermezzo but to which he never wholly commits. / The aim of this investigation is to illustrate how tonal ambiguity is achieved though recurrent "incompletions" of the expected (or at least the more likely) harmonic progressions. The thesis undertakes a detailed study of Brahms' Intermezzo, Op. 76, no. 4, in B-flat major, with additional reference to the openings of Opp. 118, no. 1 (A minor); 118, no. 6 (E-flat minor); 119, no. 1 (B minor); 117, no. 2 (B-flat minor) and 76, no. 8 (C major). The study combines a Schenkerian linear-reductive approach with observations based on phenomenology--after Leonard Meyer and David Lewin--and narrative, after Edward T. Cone.

This study concentrates on the piano music of Hubert du Plessis, a South African composer who, apart from some years spent studying in England, has lived and worked in this country. He was born in 1922 on a farm in the Malmesbury district. After completing his schooling, he studied at the University of Stellenbosch , gaining a B A degree. Later, he continued his studies at Rhodes University, obtaining a B Mus degree. The Performing Right Society's scholarship gave him the opportunity of studying in London for three years (1951-1953). After his return, he became involved in the academic sphere, and lectured simultaneously at U C T and Stellenbosch, and then later just at Stellenbosch until his retirement in 1982. A number of his compositions for piano are as yet unpublished. This thesis has been limited to the published works for solo piano . The works studied are: Four Piano Pieces (Op. 1 ), Six Miniatures (Op. 3 ), Sonata No . 1 (Op. 8 ), Seven Preludes (Op. 18), Toe ek 'n kind was (Op. 33). Some biographical details have been given - in most cases to provide the background for the writing of each work - but the main thrust of this study has been towards a detailed structural analysis of each work. In my analysis, I have favoured the type of "Formal analysis" defined by Groves¹ in the article on analysis. In other words, I have used the traditional structural patterns i.e. Binary and Ternary form , Sonata form etc. insofar as it applied to the music under discussion. However, I felt that this was not sufficient for a study in depth of the music, as I had envisaged. Like Beethoven, du Plessis is a meticulous craftsman, who constructs and re- constructs , revises and rethinks. This means that the fullest attention is given to every detail of composition. Hence, like Tovey in his analysis of Beethoven sonatas, I have tended towards a bar-by-bar approach which, I hope, will reveal not only the structural detail, but also the relationships between phrases and motifs, where this is relevant. I felt that it was imperative to take this down to the real fundamentals, for without that basic approach, certain compositional techniques might be overlooked. Hence, I then hoped to draw some general conclusions about du Plessis' work. Groves¹ says of Tovey's method that it " represents the tradition of analysis and descriptive criticism in Britain as a whole . " However , despite this rather dry and academic approach there are times when, like Tovey, my analysis contains metaphor, or personification of the music. I have chosen what may be criticised as a rather old-fashioned approach to the analysis because of the basic intention behind this piece of research. As a school teacher I am aware of the pitiful paucity of source material on the music of the South African composers, which are set for study by Matriculation candidates. By this work, I had hoped to shed some light on at least one corner of this section of the syllabus, for both teacher and pupils. Hence, I did not attempt a distributional analysis or a category analysis , coded by computer and shown in graphical form. I chose a straightforward linear and logical progression through the pieces which, even with the limited musical vocabulary of the average school pupil, should be easily comprehensible. ] have also attempted to draw attention to interrelationships between movements or sets of pieces, and to see each work as a unit. In a study limited, by necessity, in its subject matter, as this is, it would be presumptuous to draw conclusions about du Plessis' work in general. This would necessitate an indepth survey of his other genres, especially his vocal works, which are so important an area of his creativity. However, it is possible, even in so limited a study, to gain an appreciation of Hubert du Plessis' meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail that must gain him his rightful place among the South African musical "greats " of this century.

Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph (1948-) is South Africa's most prominent female art music composer. Her compositional output includes most of the music genres. An expert pianist herself, the instrument has remained central to her educational and creative career. The purpose of this thesis is to elucidate the musical structure of three of Zaidel-Rudolph's piano compositions. They are the Sonata no.l (1969), the Three Dimensions (1974) and the Virtuoso I (1987). The research investigates a possible synthesis of technical and aesthetic elements. Comprehension of the music's architecture allows the performer to convey its true character. The thesis is presented in nine chapters. The first two constitute the motivation for the research as well as the composer's biography. The following three chapters form the greater part of the thesis, comprising in-depth analyses of the three works respectively. The research method moves from the broader to the finer musical details to ascertain the formal organisational shaping of Zaidel-Rudolph's compositional language. The three-movement Sonata no.l shows the neoclassical approach of Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) in its well-proportioned and balanced sectional moulding. Motivic and rhythmic transformations as well as contrapuntal treatments suggest Bela Bartok's (1881-1945) influence. Tonal centres are implied, never fully expressed. The Three Dimensions bears witness to Gyorgy Ligeti's (1923-) inspiration. The avant-garde style experiments with novel sonic effects e.g. the plucking of the piano's strings. Indigenous African rhythms are juxtaposed with Eastern scalar sonorities. Vertical structuring constitutes the superimposition of dissonant intervals. Horizontal structuring features the repeated use of specific intervals to lend motivic unity. The Virtuoso I also represents an eclectic approach. Western, African and spiritual elements are integrated into a mature style. A traditional Hebrew melody provides the germinal motives for thematic construction. Instances of bitonality and triadic harmony are present; the tonal system however remains free. Perpetual rhythm predominates with ostinato figurations and jazzy accentuation. The following three chapters comprise re-edited versions of the complete manuscripts of the three respective compositions. Printing errors are brought to the attention; extensive suggestions regarding performance practice are added. The thesis concludes with a chapter listing all Zaidel-Rudolph's compositions, a bibliography and a discography. / Thesis (D Mus (Performing Art))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Music / unrestricted

No description available.

No description available.

Although Louis Moreau Gottschalk's works are not generally recognized as being exceptionally significant in the development of musical style, they do serve as a link between the music of Frederic Chopin and that of Charles Ives. Certain stylistic characteristics of Chopin are seen in many of Gottschalk's works, especially those which incorporate "Scherzo" and "Mazurka" passages. Simultaneously, Gottschalk's concept of using popular tunes as prominent melodies and themes was later expanded by Charles Ives. Gottschalk's works include some of America's first experimentations with form through utilization and expansion of the basic form of ABA Coda. Through his use of varied ABA form with repeated and parallel passages, Gottschalk developed his particular style of phrasing, texture, and rhythm, all of which figure prominently in his works. Four pieces are examined with these concepts as the basis for analysis.

鄭中. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2004. / 參考文獻 (p. 240-259). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in English. / Zheng Zhong. / Lun wen (Zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2004. / Can kao wen xian (p. 240-259).

Not available / text

Not available / text