In the scholarship surrounding piano repertoire, Henry Cowell is seen as a kind of “one-hit-experimental-wonder,” being know mostly for his astonishingly progressive piece The Banshee. However, Cowell was an enigmatic composer, a diverse scholar, an influential proponent new music, as well as a music theorist and comparative musicologist. Therefore in order to gain a more complete understanding of Cowell and his deeply influential piano works, this project seeks to explore the philosophical, cultural, and non- Western musical influences that inspired Cowell’s novel experimentation at the piano.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2014-09-08T20:49:14Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Jonathan Taylor de Oliveira - 2014.pdf: 6874426 bytes, checksum: f8916385ae58a9b51e0a55502aea7a8a (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-08T20:49:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Jonathan Taylor de Oliveira - 2014.pdf: 6874426 bytes, checksum: f8916385ae58a9b51e0a55502aea7a8a (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This work discusses the performance of the extended techniques found in three Brazilian pieces for solo piano composed in the 21st Century in light of this researcher’s musical upbringing, which did not include repertoire with extended techniques. The pieces selected are Pó (2008), by Liduino Pitombeira (1962- ), Prélude VII (2008), by Marcílio Onofre (1982), and Pianimbau (2011), by Daniel Wolff (1968). The criteria for selecting the pieces were a contrasting compositional language between the pieces and that they should not be for beginner or intermediate levels. These pieces were the object of both parts of this research: Part A, in which the pieces were studied and prepared for the final recital, and Part B, which consists of a written record of the research. The historical context of the extended techniques found in the selected pieces, based on authors such as Stone (1980), Costa (2004), Burge (2004) and Ishii (2005), guided the investigation of the technical and interpretative aspects of the pieces. The discussions dealt with the following topics: type of extended technique, notation, dynamics, region of the piano on which a technique is performed, ways to perform a technique, parts of the body that are used, physical structure of the piano, materials used, and the sound resulting from the use of a technique. The research that was undertaken made it possible to conclude that the performance of these techniques within the established parameters involved the adaptation of technical abilities acquired previously during this researcher’s musical upbringing, as well as the development of new abilities. This research also revealed that extended techniques are present in the piano repertoire written by present day Brazilian composers, and it is thus pertinent to study such pieces throughout one’s musical upbringing. / Este trabalho discute a realização das técnicas estendidas encontradas em três peças brasileiras para piano solo compostas no século XXI à luz da formação deste pesquisador, que não incluiu repertório contendo técnicas estendidas. As peças selecionadas são Pó (2008), de Liduino Pitombeira (1962- ), Prélude VII (2008), de Marcílio Onofre (1982) e Pianimbau (2011), de Daniel Wolff (1968) que tiveram como critérios de seleção linguagem composicional contrastante entre as peças selecionadas e não serem peças de nível iniciante ou intermediário. Essas peças foram objeto de estudo nas duas partes desta pesquisa: a Parte A, que consistiu no estudo das peças para apresentação no recital de defesa, e Parte B, que consistiu no trabalho escrito. Uma contextualização histórica das técnicas estendidas encontradas nas obras, fundamentada por autores como Stone (1980), Costa (2004), Burge (2004) e Ishii (2005), norteou a investigação técnico-interpretativa das mesmas. As discussões abordaram os seguintes tópicos: tipo de técnica estendida, notação, dinâmica, região do piano em que a técnica é realizada, formas de execução, partes do corpo utilizadas, estrutura física do piano, materiais utilizados e resultado sonoro. A pesquisa realizada permitiu concluir que a realização dessas técnicas dentro do recorte estabelecido envolveu tanto a adaptação de técnicas pianísticas já utilizadas ao longo da formação deste pesquisador quanto a assimilação de novos conhecimentos e habilidades. Esta pesquisa também revela que técnicas estendidas estão presentes no repertório para piano de compositores brasileiros da atualidade sendo pertinente o estudo das mesmas no processo de formação pianística.

A Poem Carved in Stone, a work for piano solo by Washington DC-based Chinese composer Wu Yiming was composed in Spring 2020 and is dedicated to the author of this dissertation. The piece is inspired by the poetry of Han Shan, a recluse who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). His poetry is in Chan (Zen) tradition. Wu depicts the imagery and philosophy in Han Shan's poetry through highly complex rhythms, extreme sound effects and pitches, tone clusters, and extended piano techniques. This dissertation provides practical instructions for achieving these effects and executing the unconventional techniques found in this piece, which include playing inside of the piano, various standing and sitting positions, and coordination and balance. A guide to interpret this piece is from both the composer's and the performer's perspective. Observations are drawn directly from communications and coaching received from the composer. This study briefly explores the historical and cultural context of Han Shan's poetry and discusses how Wu's use of modern western compositional devices reflects the Zen philosophy. An interview with the composer is included along with an overview of both his compositions and those of composers who influenced him. It is hoped that this dissertation will encourage pianists who are not experienced with non-traditional techniques to explore new music from living composers.