Henry Cowell (1897-1965), American composer in 20th century, is the first who proposed the concept of tone clusters and placed many new techniques in his piano music. Innovative music theories and unique thoughts were displayed in his compositions and critiques. For developing both new visual and audio effects of piano music, Cowell played tone clusters with arms, palms, and fists, and also played strings inside piano to give new gesture and timbre of piano. This thesis is divided into three parts besides introduction and conclusion. The first part describes the origin and development of new piano techniques in the 20th century. The second part investigates Cowell¡¦s compositional career, compositional methods and thoughts for piano music. The third part analyzes ways of performing tone clusters and strings in Cowell¡¦s solo piano pieces with new techniques. Through analyzing these particular techniques, the compositional methods and uniqueness of Cowell¡¦s piano music could be understood. In the meanwhile, the performers will pay more attention to avoid performing injuries and damaging pianos.

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.

There are no figures available, but if a survey were made, possibly more people would be found engaged in the study and teaching of piano than any other musical instrument. It is much to be desired for both teachers and students to have an intimate acquaintance with the principles underlying the structure of modern piano technique. The situation as it generally exists contrasts sharply with the ideal situation. The ignorance of this important phase of piano study causes an enormous annual waste of time and money on the part of students. With an adequate technical knowledge, teachers, instead of allowing their pupils to practice blindly and mechanically, would be able to explain the reason for each movement they ask them to perform. Many failures in both classes occur because of the lack of understanding of what piano playing requires.

abstract: This research will explore the compositional approaches of Henry Cowell and John Cage to reveal piano techniques for the practice and performance of selected works. The discussion will focus on Henry Cowell’s Three Irish Legends and Six Ings, as well as John Cage’s The Perilous Night. An important contribution of Cowell was to further the use of tone clusters, applied in his Three Irish Legends by playing directly with the forearm, fists, and palm. Cowell’s Six Ings employ rhythmic experimentation, particularly in the first, second, and sixth pieces. He also uses tone color to portray specific programmatic features. John Cage greatly advanced the prepared piano from its earliest beginnings, as evidenced significantly in The Perilous Night. The present study will include advice on piano preparation, along with performance challenges and solutions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2020

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.

Le piano, instrument de musique occidental, détient une position historique unique dans la musique persane. La musique d’Iran est constituée à partir d’un repértoire canonique classique qui fait état de caractéristiques transmises de génération en génération, avec quelques innovations apportées au fil du temps. Lorsque des échelles musicales ont été portées sur un piano à Téhéran dans les années 1870, les membres de la cour impériale étaient le seul public témoin de l’évènement. À l’époque, Sorourolmolk, musician du palais Qajar sous le règne de Nāsseredin Shah Qajar (1848-1896), a tenté de changer l’accordage du piano et de jouer les airs traditionnels persans, inspirés par les techniques du santur et du tār. Ainsi, la pratique du piano en Iran a immédiatement été associée à la musique qui existait déjà depuis des générations. On parlera alors de “piano persan.” Plus tard, l’élite instruite de la société et les étudiants de la première école de musique militaire à Téhéran (Sho’beh-ye Music-e Dārolfonoun) ont été parmi les premiers “praticiens” du piano Persan. Cette thèse étudie l’art du piano persan à Téhéran depuis son introduction dans les années 1880 jusqu’à la revolution de 1979. Durant cette période, la pratique du piano persan a progressivement mûri, culminant dans les compositions et interprétations de Moshir Homāyoun-e Shahrdār (1886-1969), Mortezā Mahjoubi (1900-1965), et Javād Ma’roufi (1915-1993). Mahjoubi est considéré comme le plus eminent compositeur et interprète qui a instauré le piano traditionnel persan (Piano-ye Sonnati) comme une forme d’art distinctive. Les éléments les plus remarquables du piano persan traditionnel, les techniques de jeu, et les systèmes de réglage en microtones, de même que les innovations apportées à la pratique canonique par Ma’roufi, constituent les axes principaux de cette recherche. En outre, avec l’essor de la musique classique occidentale, la pratique du piano persan qui était presque entièrement fondée sur des techniques instrumentales ainsi que sur des formules et mélodies persanes autochtones n’a pas été maintenue au sein du Téhéran du XXe siècle. Le piano classique occidental coexista alors avec le style persan. Ce mémoire s’attache donc à étudier la place du piano classique occidental dans la société persane en présentant les contributeurs majeures en ce demaine, ce qui comprend aussi le style de Emanuel Melik-Aslāniān (1915- 2003). Cette recherche met aussi un accent particulier sur les claviéristes femmes, leur enseignement, leur style de jeu et leur performances publiques de la période de Qajar à celle de Pahlavi. Aujourd’hui, on constate de plus en plus de tentatives prometteuses pour revitalizer l’art du piano persan. Cela est particulièrement vrai pour le style de Mahjoubi dont l’héritage remarquable marque l’histoire d’évolution de la pratique du piano persan. Actuellement, la meilleure élève de Mahjoubi, Madame Fakhri Malekpour, enseigne le style traditionnel du piano persan en cours privés à Téhéran. L’effort fait pour éveiller l’interêt et former une nouvelle génération de pianistes pourrait faire en sorte qu’à l’avenir, cette forme unique d’art de piano sera plus connue et advantage pratiquée aux côtés des autres styles pianistiques. / Piano, a western musical instrument has a unique historical position in Persian music. Iran has its own music as part of its culture, a classical canon with an enduring repertoire and characteristic techniques handed down from generation to generation with some improvements made along the way. When the first keys were played on a piano in Tehran in the 1870s, the members of the imperial court were the exclusive audience. At the time, Sorourolmolk, the master musician of the Qajar palace during the reign of Nāsseredin Shah Qajar (1848-1896), attempted to change the tuning of piano and play traditional Persian tunes in a way inspired by santur and tār techniques. Thus, the practice of piano in Iran was immediately associated with the music that had already existed for generations. This would eventually become known as “Persian piano.” Later, the educated elite of the society, and students of the first military music school in Tehran (Sho’beh-ye Music-e Dārolfonoun) were among the first practitioners of Persian piano. This dissertation studies the art of Persian piano in Tehran from its introduction in 1880s until the Revolution of 1979. During this period, Persian piano practice gradually matured, culminating in the compositions and performances of Moshir Homāyoun-e Shahrdār (1886-1969), Mortezā Mahjoubi (1900-1965), and Javād Ma’roufi (1915-1993). Of this group, Mahjoubi is considered the most prominent composer and performer, and is the one credited with establishing Persian piano as a distinctive art form. This study looks at his work, and also focuses a spotlight on Ma’roufi’s style and contributions to Persian piano. With regard to the most notable elements in traditional Persian piano, the dissertation offers a thorough analysis of the techniques and tuning systems linked to the Persian microtone, and explores innovations in the canonic practice of traditional Persian piano. With the rapid expansion of western classical music in Iran in the twentieth century, the practice of Persian piano based almost entirely on indigenous Persian instrumental techniques, forms, and melodies, no longer held an exclusive place in piano performance. Accordingly the dissertation moves on to the practice of piano in Iran in the twentieth century and finds that Western classical piano co-existed with the Persian style. The study delves into the establishment of the western classical piano in Persian society and presents the major contributors in this field including Emanuel Melik-Aslāniān (1915- 2003). The dissertation places particular emphasis on female keyboard players, their musical education, style of play, and public performances from the Qajar period through the Pahlavi era. Today, promising attempts to revitalize the art of Persian piano are on the rise. This is especially true for Mahjoubi’s style whose outstanding legacy marks a milestone in the evolution of Persian piano practice. Presently, Mahjoubi’s best student, Fakhri Malekpour, is teaching the traditional style of Persian piano in private lessons in Tehran. The effort to awaken interest, and to train a new generation of practitioners just might mean that this unique form of piano art will become more well known and practiced alongside other pianistic trends on into the future.

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.