Thesis (MMus) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is an account of Paul Hindemith's life between 1919 and 1939 with special reference to his compositional development through the three sonatas for viola and piano. The introduction to the dissertation initially provides a list of Hindemith's vast output for the viola followed by insight into the reason and need for undertaking this research, literary sources used and their function in the context of this study and the conclusion that there is a lack of extant research on the three sonatas for viola and piano. This is followed by comments on Hindemith as a viola player and composer, supported by opinions of scholars and performers. An overview of the contents and aim of the dissertation completes the introduction. This first of the two comprehensive chapters briefly discusses Hindemith's character traits as viewed by a number of scholars and continues by introducing the political, social and financial circumstances in Germany in 1919. The chapter progresses into a division of the period 1919-1939 into six sub-sections of dates within this time span. Each section focuses on the political, financial and musical circumstances in Hindemith's life, with special attention given to the periods of greatest change and conflict. Included in this chapter are also the specific circumstances surrounding the composition, first performances and publication of the three sonatas for viola and piano, alongside mention of other works written at the same time. This is supported by references and quotations from correspondence between Hindemith and his wife, colleagues and friends, as well as translations of newspaper articles, letters and articles which thus far have not been translated into English. Special attention is given to possible reasons for the late publication of op.25 no.4 in 1977. Chapter 2 looks deeper into the significance, success and development of Hindemith through these three works. His stylistic development beginning with the influences of Debussy and Reger, his identification with the 'Neue Sachlichkeit' until the beginning of his later conservatism can be seen clearly in these three works. The aim of the study is to assimilate the available information into an accurate and coherent picture of the composer's life and stylistic development between 1919 and 1939 in a way that has not been presented before. It is my intention through this work that the unique style of the sonatas as well as their important place in the viola repertoire is apparent, and consequently of interest to other viola players, hopefully encouraging them to play the works themselves. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word Paul Hindemith se lewe tussen 1919 en 1939 beskryf, met spesiale verwysing na sy ontwikkeling as komponis soos dit waargeneem kan word in die drie sonates vir altviool en klavier. Die inleiding tot die tesis verskaf 'n lys van Hindemith se omvangryke oeuvre vir die altviool, gevolg deur 'n motivering waarom hierdie studie onderneem word. Die omvattende literatuurstudie dui daarop dat daar tot op datum baie min navorsing oor die drie altvioolsonates gedoen is. Vervolgens word kommentaar gelewer op Hindemith as altviolis en komponis, ondersteun deur opinies van uitvoerende kunstenaars en musikoloë. 'n Oorsig oor die inhoud en die doelstellings van die tesis sluit die inleiding af. Die eerste van die twee omvattende hoofstukke begin met 'n bespreking van Hindemith se karakter, gevolg deur 'n oorsig oor die politieke, sosiale en ekonomiese omstandighede in Duitsland rondom 1919. Die tydperk 1919-1939 word dan in ses onderafdelings verdeel. Elke onderafdeling plaas die fokus op spesifieke politieke, finansiële en musikale omstandighede in Hindemith se lewe. Die jare waarin konflik en verandering op besondere wyse na vore tree word meer omvattend bespreek. Teen die agtergrond van ander werke uit hierdie tyd word die spesifieke omstandighede rondom die komposisie, eerste uitvoering en publikasie van die drie altvioolsonates in detail beskryf. Dit word aangevul deur verwysings na en aanhalings uit korrespondensie tussen Hindemith en sy vrou, kollegas en vriende, sowel as deur vertalings van koerantartikels en briewe wat tot dusver nog nie in Engels beskikbaar was nie. Hoofstuk 2 plaas die klem op Hindemith se stilistiese ontwikkeling, soos dit in the drie sonates waargeneem word. Die sonates illustreer Hindemith se ontwikkeling vanaf sy bewondering vir Debussy en Reger, oor sy vereenselwiging met die ideale van die 'Neue Sachlichkeit' tot by die meer konservatiewe benadering wat hy later gevolg het. Hierdeur word gepoog om die unieke waarde van die sonates, asook die belangrike plek wat hulle in die algemene altvioolrepertorium beklee, te beskryf. Hopelik sal die studie die belangstelling van altvioliste wek en hulle aanmoedig om die werke ook self te speel. Die doel van die studie is dus om die beskikbare inligting tot 'n samehangende en akkurate beeld van die komponis se lewe en stilistiese ontwikkeling tussen 1919 en 1939 te voeg op 'n wyse wat nog nie voorheen gedoen is nie. Hierdeur word gepoog om die unieke waarde van die sonates asook die belangrike plek wat hulle in die algemene altvioolrepertorium beklee, te beskryf. Hopelik sal die studie die belangstelling van altvioliste wek en hulle aanmoedig om die werke ook self te speel.

Thesis (MMus) – Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The sonata for violin and piano has a well-deserved place within chamber music in South Africa. It has always been one of the most prominent chamber music genres within Western art music. Between 1800 and 1900 this genre took up 21% of all composed sonatas at the time. This study provides insight into the situation in South Africa about 100 years later and it provides a critical text analysis of three violin sonatas by three of the most prominent composers of art music in South Africa. These composers are Roelof Temmingh (1993), Peter Klatzow (1996) and Hendrik Hofmeyr (2008). These are the only sonatas for violin and piano written by these three composers. There is a limited amount of violin sonatas in South Africa. A list acquired from SAMRO, statistically the most reliable source of worklists in South Africa, contains only eleven sonatas for violin and piano. These do not even include the violin sonatas of Temmingh and Hofmeyr. The limited amount of sources forces a unique aspect of research method, namely conversations with two of these composers themselves (Klatzow and Hofmeyr). This primary source of information from the two living composers assisted in the analysis of the music. European influences can be seen in all three of these sonatas. The three composers adapt and transform the music to fit their individual use of sonata form. Each of these three works contains three movements, as is customary with traditional sonata form. The second movements function as intermezzi, that leads the narrative through from the first to the last movement. Each of the three composers have their own unique sense of tonality and thematic use. Temmingh uses a main theme that resurfaces throughout the three movements – leading the whole work to sound like one large movement. Klatzow uses complicated thematic structures and thick textures. From these thematic material he extracts smaller parts later in the movement to recapture the essence of the main theme complex and to add unity to the work as a whole. Hofmeyr uses carefully planned structures and this makes his sonata the most structured of the three. His textures are thick and his tessituras are wide, and he is the only one of the three composers who uses key signatures. Like Temmingh he also makes use of a main motto-theme that resurfaces in the last movement adapted to fit the movement’s structure. In terms of the traditional use of form structure these three sonatas fit the 19h century conventions. The main outcome of this study is to introduce these works to especially the younger generation of performers in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Soos menige ander kunsmusiek-genre het ook die (begeleide) vioolsonate ‘n stewige plek in die Suid-Afrikaanse musiek verkry. Die sonate vir viool en klavier is een van die mees prominente kamermusiek-genres in Westerse kunsmusiek. Tussen 1800 en 1900 was soveel as 21% van alle sonates, werke vir viool en klavier. Dit is dus van spesiale belang om kennis te neem ten opsigte van hierdie situasie in Suid-Afrika ongeveer 100 jaar later. Die kern van hierdie tesis is ‘n stylkritiese teksanalise van drie Suid-Afrikaanse vioolsonates deur drie prominente Suid-Afrikaanse komponiste, nl. Roelof Temmingh (1993), Peter Klatzow (1996) en Hendrik Hofmeyr (2008). Met uitsondering van ‘n sonate vir solo viool deur Klatzow, is hierdie werke die enigste vioolsonates deur dié komponiste. Daar is ‘n beperkte aantal vioolsonates in Suid-Afrika. Selfs by SAMRO, wat ‘n aanvaarde statistiese bron van die werkslyste van komponiste in Suid-Afrika is, is daar slegs elf vioolsonates op rekord (dit sluit die vioolsonates van Temmingh en Hofmeyr uit). Die skaarste aan bronne wat oor dié onderwerp handel, dwing die navorser om onderhoude met die oorlewende twee komponiste te voer. Dit is uniek om musiek te kan bespreek met die komponis daarvan. Hierdie primêre bron van inligting vertoon unieke insigte, wat ‘n invloed op die analises van die musiek gehad het. Europese invloede is by al drie komponiste sigbaar. Die toepassings van die struktuurelemente van sonatevorm kom by al drie komponiste voor. Al drie werke is driedelig en die eerste bewegings is almal in aangepaste sonatevorm. Die tweede bewegings vorm deel van ‘n deurloop (ter ondersteuning van die narratief) na die laaste beweging toe en die laaste bewegings sorg by elke werk vir ’n unieke vorm van “konflikoplossing”. Al drie komponiste toon hul eie spesifieke sin vir tonaliteit en tematiek. Temmingh se sonate loop amper as ‘n eenbewegingstruktuur, deur middel van ‘n “motto”-tema, wat deurgaans in dieselfde toonsoort voorkom. Klatzow gebruik ‘n verskeidenheid teksture en tessiture, asook lang temakomplekse, waaruit sekere kleiner motiewe gehaal word om die musiek se eenheidsin weer te gee. Hofmeyr se uiteengesette vormplanne maak sy werk meer gestruktureerd. Ook by hom is die teksture omvangryk, maar sy gebruik van toonsoorttekens (wat afwesig is by die ander twee komponiste) vertoon nie deurgaans die toonsoort waarin die musiek werklik is nie. Hy maak ook van ‘n motto-tema gebruik. Die eerste beweging open daarmee en in die derde beweging keer dit in ‘n aangepaste vorm terug. In terme van die tradisionele Europese vormgebruike, kan hierdie drie vioolsonates onder 19de-eeuse kunsmusiek geklassifiseer word. Hierdie studie poog om ‘n bydrae te maak tot die bekendstelling van hierdie werke by veral jong musici in Suid-Afrika.

The essay begins with the overview of Russian-Soviet piano music from the second half of the 19th century to the end of the 20th century. Then, biographical information about Sergei Slonimsky and an overview of his major compositions is provided. The majority of the paper focuses on Slonimsky's Sonata for Piano (1963). A brief discussion of the Sonata's compositional history is followed by the formal analysis of the overall structure of the work. Slonimsky's original principle of organization of the music is emphasized: the system of constant interrelation of the main thematic material combined with elements of the sonata-allegro form. In the analysis of the harmonic language of the piece, the composer's extensive use of Russian folk elements such as diatonic melodies, sigh motives, parallel triads, and simultaneous use of the lower third with the major triad is pointed out. The rest of the paper focuses on issues of interpretation and performance. Special notice is given to the problem of incorporating a percussive type of playing with the elements of folk cantilena singing. The paper concludes with the history of Sonata's performances and a discussion of current recordings.

A collective description and analysis of the first three Prussian sonatas of Bach

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George Enescu (1881-1955) is known primarily today in conjunction with the world of violin playing. Celebrated as a violin virtuoso throughout the capitals of Europe and North America in the first half of this century, and later admired as a teacher of luminary talents such as Yehudi Menuhin, Arthur Grumiaux, and Ida Haendel, Enescu exerted a considerable influence on the developments of the international music scene. This was nowhere more apparent than in Paris and Bucharest, cities in which Enescu spent most of his life active as performer, conductor, and composer. As his career progressed, Enescu dedicated an increasing amount of time and energy to composition, producing an impressive list of works, many of which were of monumental proportions. Contemporary with Bartok and Kodály, Enescu found himself caught in the current of nationalism that asserted itself in Europe during the first decades of the twentieth century. Seeking a personal, expressive idiom in which he could fuse the musical elements of both Western tradition and his native Rumanian folk heritage, Enescu experimented with diverse compositional trends and styles. Expanding the reaches of tonality with heightened chromaticism, in which microtonal as well as modal inflections were both to play significant roles, Enescu’s idiom evolved into a highly plastic language, comprising a great variety of stylistic characteristics. In order to assimilate the heterogeneous elements into one unified expression, Enescu relied on traditional compositional techniques such as sonata form, cyclic thematic structure, and motivic development. The focus of this paper is to examine to what extent these compositional techniques are incorporated into his work and to direct attention to those elements, i.e., both structural and non-structural, that were most distinctive of Enescu’s musical style. Owing to its concentration of key stylistic elements and its stature as perhaps the most accomplished piano composition in Enescu’s output, the Sonata for Piano in D Major, Op. 24, No. 3 (1934) will serve as model for this analytical study. Chapter One provides by way of an introduction a brief overview of the formative years in Enescu’s life and defines the position of the Sonata within the complete ceuvre. Chapters Two, Three, and Four constitute the main body of the paper and contain analyses of each of the Sonata’s three movements. In these chapters discussion revolves around the more significant structural features of the work such as the overall cyclic design, simultaneously examining the methods Enescu employs to integrate folk inflection throughout the Sonata. Chapter Five comprises the summary. The most significant features of the Sonata are recapitulated and parallels to numerous other works are drawn, in an attempt to present the Sonata as a culmination of Enescu’s compositional style.