The purpose of this thesis is to document what the author has experienced and learned in his search for answers to the question “how do I play piano without discomfort or pain?”. In this thesis, the question is specifically investigated through the author’s experiences trying to retrain a playing technique riddled with severe tension into one with enough comfort and ease to enable him to play the Etudes Op. 10 by Frédéric Chopin according to his musical wishes. First, an exploration of the existing piano technique literature to find information on what constitutes a “healthy” technique was conducted. Next, an extensive period of experimentation with the various ideas encountered followed, where a variety of issues with the author´s technique were identified, many setbacks were encountered, and some insights were gained. Finally, these ideas were applied on the author´s study of the Etudes until a take of the author playing through the set was recorded. The thesis ends with documenting the conclusions the author has made regarding piano technique based on this process, and finally with some reflections over the experience as a whole. / <p>Frédéric Chopin - Etudes, Op. 10</p><p>Leo Gavel, piano</p>

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John Field (1782-1837), an Irishman, was the first composer to use the French term "nocturne," and was the inventor of the nocturne for piano. It can be seen with a glance at the scores that the orchestral notturni by the eighteenth century composers were very different than what is generally thought of today as a nocturne. Field introduced the idea of the nocturne that has remained much the same since. Frederic Chopin enlarged and improved the genre invented by Field, but it was Field's originality that brought this type of piece to piano literature. Indeed, John Field is hardly remembered today except as the inventor of the nocturne for the piano and for his influence on Chopin's Nocturnes. For that alone musicians will remain indebted to him.

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Though delicating himself to piano solo music writings, Frederic Chopin did compose the piano trio op.8 around 1828-29. According to the literature discussion, Chopin visit Austria few times and gain quite a few new ideas and experiences in music during 1820¡¦s. This brought him boundless inspiration and excitement on music creating. Because of these influences, he attempted to compose some chamber music and piano concertos. At the same time, Chopin followed his professor Joseph Elsner to study 18th century theory. The piano trio op.8 was created under this situation. Many scholars¡¦ point out Chopin¡¦s compositions of this time was overtaken by whatever he was taught. Though piano trio op.8, Chopin shows a great deal of Romantic spirit and personal idea in this music. This paper includes five parts. First, the development of piano trio before 1830¡¦s is explored. The second part focuses on chamber works of Chopin. The third part includes the early musical style of Chopin and the historical background of the piano trio op.8. The fourth part epitomizes the functions of theme and motive in piano trio op.8. The fifth part includes the interaction among three instruments and the tempo rubato for practical performances. Finally, a conclusion will be made.

Thesis (B.M.)--Butler University, Cum Laude, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 37).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 69). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Die beiden hier vorgelegten Beiträge sind als Vorträge am 23. und 27. Februar 2010 gehalten worden. Anlass waren die Kongresse im Jubiläumsjahr zum 200. Geburtstag von Frédéric Chopin an der Uniwersytet Muzyczny Fryderyka Chopina Warszawa und der Uniwersytet Warszawski zusammen mit der Polska Akademia Chopinowska. Sie werden hier beide in deutscher Sprache im Vorgriff auf die Tagungsberichte zusammen veröffentlicht, da sie einen gewissen inneren Zusammenhang aufweisen, der bei getrennter Publikation verloren geht.:Vorbemerkung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Schumann und Chopin – noch einmal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Chopin im Spiegel der Briefe Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys . . . . . . 17

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<p>In The Awakening we meet Edna, a woman in search of her female identity. She is uncomfortable in her role as the “patriarchal woman” and has trouble becoming either a “modern woman” or an “emancipated woman” To fully understand Edna’s search one must understand the patriarchal society in Chopin’s works and what it means to internalize this system. Edna searches for a different female role than that of the “patriarchal woman” but she has problems internalizing any one of the roles due to her previous choices, current social position and lack of support in her quest. This essay explores what these previous choices are and why they have placed her in her current position. She has a lack of support, which is crucial if she is to break out of her current female position. Edna’s realization that she cannot obtain a full acceptance in either one of these three female roles finally led to her choosing suicide. This essay also explores why she chooses this final way to resolve her problem. Critics have said that the suicide is not in tune with the rest of the novel, but I will in contrast show how the ending is indeed very much in tune with Chopin’s portrayal of Edna. The confusion that Chopin shows in Edna’s character throughout the novel explains why Edna in the end takes her own life. Our protagonist is a woman who searches for an identity that she cannot find due to choices she has already made and a society which she cannot change, and in that light suicide is a viable alternative.</p>