No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Mus.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

Scriabin's piano miniatures are ideal for the study of evolution of his style, which underwent an extreme transformation. They present heavily concentrated idioms and structural procedures within concise form, therefore making it more accessible to grasp the quintessence of the composer's thought. A plethora of studies often reviews isolated genres or periods of Scriabin's legacy, making it impossible to reveal important general tendencies and inner relationships between his pieces. While expanding the boundaries of tonality, Scriabin completed the expansion and universalization of the piano miniature genre. Starting from his middle years the 'poem' characteristics can be found in nearly every piece. The key to this process lies in Scriabin's compilation of certain symbolical musical gestures. Separation between technical means and poetic intention of Scriabin's works as well as rejection of his metaphysical thought evolution result in serious interpretive implications. Music of Scriabin provides an excellent opportunity for a performer to find a proper balance between rational and intuitive. The lack of any of these qualities will impoverish his works, making their interpretation incomplete. Following one of main Scriabin's ideas - synthesis of all arts - this study approaches his music not from the narrow analytical, but broad synthetic standpoint. The suggested solution is an informed performance, based on Heinrich Neuhaus's teaching method that encompassed all arts. 'Cross-art' comparative analysis justifies the composer's artistic searches and highlights significance of his ideas, which disclose a strong correlation with the characteristic features of the creative faculty, the nature of music and its synergetic aspects.

Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin is a Russian composer in the late nineteenth century. His compositions can be divided into three periods. Influenced by the romantic music and Frederic Chopin, the early period is from 1888 to 1902 in which his works are tonal music. In the second period, 1903-1908, Scriabin started to use more dissonances and chromaticism resulting in lacking tonality. In the late period, 1909-1915, Scriabin was impacted by mysticism, and his music style became more atonal. Scriabin¡¦s Mazurkas composed between 1889 to 1903, are in three sets, op.3, op.25 and op.40. The music style of these three sets is quite different and varied. This thesis focuses on the analysis of Scriabin¡¦s Mazurkas. Excluding the introduction and conclusion, there are three main parts. The first part stresses on the origin and history of the music genre ¡§Mazurka.¡¨ According to the historical document, the styles of three types of Mazurka and Frederic Chopin¡¦s Mazurka will be presented in this part. In the second part, the compositional background of Scriabin¡¦s Mazurkas, musical background of late nineteenth century in Russia, and Scriabin¡¦s music style in the three periods are fully discussed. The third part will give a detailed analysis of Scriabin¡¦s three Mazurkas (op.3, op.25 and op,40 ) showing the specific changes in style and different characters between his early and middle period of works.

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The left hand has always been perceived as the weaker of the two hands and since about 1840, a substantial amount of piano repertoire for the left hand has seen the light. Composers continue to show an interest in composing works in this genre and the reasons are mainly because of injuries to the right hand, to aid in the pianist's technical development, because of the challenge it poses to the composer and finally to delight audiences with an unique technical display. The technical challenges that are present in these works, differ greatly from the difficulties found in piano music for both hands. In order to give a commanding performance, the pianist is required to make certain adjustments. In music for the left hand alone, this hand is suddenly solely responsible for both the melodic lines and accompanying textures simultaneously. By addressing the technical difficulties of a composition, the interpretation of the work is invariably influenced. One of the most well-known works in this genre, A. Scriabin's Prelude for the left hand, Op. 9, no. 1, has been used to identify the technical aspects in piano music for the left hand. The question that arises, is: which specific technical aspects can be identified in A. Scriabin's Prelude for the left hand, Op. 9, no. 1? The following questions are subsequently raised: firstly, how will the pianist approach these technical aspects, and secondly, how will certain technical adjustments benefit the performance and interpretation of the work? The hypothesis holds that the pianist will have to identify and address the unique technical aspects of piano works for the left hand alone, in order to perform these works successfully. Four specific areas have been identified that could be considered the main factors contributing to the technical challenges idiomatic of music for the left hand: fingering, pedalling, balance and voicing and physical flexibility. / Thesis (M.Mus.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The left hand has always been perceived as the weaker of the two hands and since about 1840, a substantial amount of piano repertoire for the left hand has seen the light. Composers continue to show an interest in composing works in this genre and the reasons are mainly because of injuries to the right hand, to aid in the pianist's technical development, because of the challenge it poses to the composer and finally to delight audiences with an unique technical display. The technical challenges that are present in these works, differ greatly from the difficulties found in piano music for both hands. In order to give a commanding performance, the pianist is required to make certain adjustments. In music for the left hand alone, this hand is suddenly solely responsible for both the melodic lines and accompanying textures simultaneously. By addressing the technical difficulties of a composition, the interpretation of the work is invariably influenced. One of the most well-known works in this genre, A. Scriabin's Prelude for the left hand, Op. 9, no. 1, has been used to identify the technical aspects in piano music for the left hand. The question that arises, is: which specific technical aspects can be identified in A. Scriabin's Prelude for the left hand, Op. 9, no. 1? The following questions are subsequently raised: firstly, how will the pianist approach these technical aspects, and secondly, how will certain technical adjustments benefit the performance and interpretation of the work? The hypothesis holds that the pianist will have to identify and address the unique technical aspects of piano works for the left hand alone, in order to perform these works successfully. Four specific areas have been identified that could be considered the main factors contributing to the technical challenges idiomatic of music for the left hand: fingering, pedalling, balance and voicing and physical flexibility. / Thesis (M.Mus.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

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