The purpose of this study was to design and develop instructional units for teaching jazz piano comping to collegiate music students possessing basic piano skills but limited experience in jazz performance. In establishing bases and rationale for the instructional units, a number of issues were considered. These issues were (1) the need for teaching jazz piano comping, (2) a definition and explanation of the musical elements and characteristics of jazz and jazz comping, (3) an understanding of the African and European transmission traditions and musical characteristics that contributed to the development of jazz, (4) a review of literature relating to jazz piano comping, including jazz, music teaching and learning, and learning theory literature, and (5) a review of jazz piano comping practice from the swing era to the present, as reflected in the work of selected central jazz pianists. The twenty-four instructional units present basic harmonic and rhythmic materials of jazz piano comping. Harmonic materials include seven basic chord structures, harmonic extensions and alterations, upper-structure triads, II-V-I cadences, tritone substitution, chord successions, and typical chord progressions. Rhythmic materials include typical jazz rhythms. Each instructional unit is comprised of (A) presentation of a theoretical concept, (B) exercises for learning the particular concept, (C) a chord progression containing the particular concept, (D) a list of recorded examples of the chord progression for examination, and (E) suggested song titles for realization by the student. The instructional units are organized into four chapters of six units each. Instructional Units I through VI focus on individual voicings, organized into cycles of descending fifths. Units VII through XII focus on the II-V-I cadence and tritone substitution. Units XIII through XVIII focus on short chord successions. Units XIX through XXIV serves as a "summing up" of material presented in the first eighteen units. Overall, this work is designed to guide the student to technical proficiency, theoretical understanding, idiomatic fluency, and a creative approach to jazz piano comping. / School of Music

Thesis--Chicago Musical College. / "Original two-piano music": p. 340-362. "Recorded two-piano music": p. 363-373. "Annotated bibliography": p. 374-384.

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.

Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961) made significant contributions to the piano literature for the left hand through numerous commissioned works as well as his own transcriptions. In the transcriptions, Wittgenstein preserved the texture of two-hand music, aiming for the simulation of the original works. This requires special techniques in the performance by the left hand alone. This dissertation investigations technical means and performance problems associated with the transcriptions as well as Wittgenstein's own recordings of selections from his works. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction, providing a historical overview of the role of the left hand in two-hand piano literature. Chapter 2 gives biological information on Paul Wittgenstein and discusses the commissioned works. Chapter 3 investigates special techniques in the transcriptions, in the areas of arpeggios, widespread chords, fingering, pedaling, and others. Chapter 4 discusses Wittgensteins's performance style based on his recordings. Chapter 5 presents a conclusion pointing to the benefits of performing left-hand music in two-hand piano playing.

Title from accompanying document. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Fantasiestucke : op. 73 ; Stucke im Volkston : op. 102 / Robert Schumann -- Sonata, op. 40 / Dmitri Shostakovich. / text

John Cage, (1912-1992) pioneer in new music, innovator, inventor of the happening and philosopher, writer and artist was one of the most creative forces of the twentieth century. His earliest works were 25-tone contrapuntal compositions. He later developed a strong interest in writing for percussion ensembles and collected instruments that were both found and made. He conducted his own percussion orchestras and discovered that they were the answer to his philosophy of the sounds of the future. He considered percussion music the transition from keyboard-influenced music to music which allowed for all sounds and silences. From 1939-1951 John Cage composed several works for prepared piano that used time as a structural device. Many of these works were written for the dance in collaboration with Merce Cunningham. This document addresses the historical significance of these works and relates Time to other areas that influenced Cage--including Zen and the Dance. This document provides descriptive analyses of Bacchanale, Music for Marcel Duchamp and selected Sonatas from the Sonatas and Interludes. To this writer's knowledge there have not yet been any analyses of Bacchanale or Music for Marcel Duchamp. The analyses reveal Cage's primary structural techniques in which he uses duration of spaces of time. Time lengths and the square root method appear to be the most important. These techniques first appeared in Imaginary Landscape #1 and First Construction in Metal--both dating from 1939. A brief description of all his prepared piano works is included to demonstrate Cage's commitment to rhythmic structuring. All of these works have been studied by this writer and several have been performed in concert by this writer. These include: Music for Marcel Duchamp, Primitive, For a Valentine Out of Season, A Room, Prelude for Meditation, Amores (Movements I and IV), and selected Sonatas from Sonatas and Interludes. A section has been included which explains the nature of materials used for preparations and their timbral effects. A Conclusion is provided demonstrating that Cage chose rhythm over harmony to structure his music. This information is drawn from the influences on Cage, his early percussion works, procedures employed in the percussion works and transferred to the prepared piano and the influence of dancers and Oriental philosophy. An Appendix is included with charts of the Sonatas. A Bibliography which shows the references consulted is included.

No description available.

This thesis begins by describing the piano's history and development and then goes into how Claude Debussy used the piano in his music and the style in which he composed for the piano.

Thesis (M.M.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01