Carnegie Mellon University School of Music Piano Literature & Repertoire II, Classical Spring Semester, 2015

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1 Carnegie Mellon University School of Music Piano Literature & Repertoire II, Classical Spring Semester, 2015 lec Chien, Professor School of Music, College of Fine rts Room CF 160 Tuesdays, 12:30-2:20 PM Phone: cell; office at llegheny Office Hours: By appointment for chat or phone calls, OR s Course Description This course explores many of the major works for the piano repertoire in the Classical Era. great deal of general listening to solo and concerto repertoire, including major works, starting with those by J.C. Bach, Clementi, Haydn, Mozart and concluding with sonatas by Beethoven. In depth look into a few works will be done as a group with the intention to come to musically valid interpretative decisions. With comparisons of performances, looking at scores analytically, learning to listen as an audience member and then to interpret the composers intentions as a critical pianist preparing to perform these works, those in this class will familiarize themselves with vintage repertoire, most of which are still performed regularly in major concert halls and competitions. Pianists in this course will have opportunities to play for each other and to discuss in class our interpretative reasons. Comparing different pianists performing these works will add to our interpretative decisions. 1

2 Course Objectives By the end of this semester, and certainly, by the end of all four courses in the Piano Literature and Repertoire (I- IV), those in this course should: Become better musicians, raising the bar from being already fine pianists with tour de force technique to well- rounded musicians of depth and maturity. Become more effective in performance and teaching preparations when interpretative decisions are based more accurately on ideas and goals intended by the composers. Be invigorated to learn and expand their active performing repertoire. Become a more sensitive listener to the music. Become a critical thinker and performer with decisions on interpretation that are based on stylistic validity and rather than intuition or preference. Deepen their aural and musical understanding of individual sound world of these composers when we investigate in depth with respect to the aspects of their harmonic, thematic, textural and structural treatments. Have better discernment in understanding these composers views from the different stages of their lives. Have added perspective of the pianist in relationship to an orchestra and its role in these masterpieces. Have a clear idea in programming their present and future solo recitals with decision of the different combinations of works based on musically intricate reasons. Gain sensitivity to the audience and the cultures of these people coming to hear the concerts will greatly guide the musical philosophy behind the programming. Be stimulated to want to apply our research technique on for their own performance and teaching careers. Course ssessment One specific and quantifiable measurement will result when the pre- test and the final are compared. nother assessment will be the result from the listening tests and projects being completed for this course. See Grades at the end of syllabus. more subjective observation will be the increase in participation in and out of class, in terms of performance, teaching and analytical discussions. 2

3 Course Expectations E- mails: Due to the fact that a few classes will be done remotely, and that I would not have office hours (I don t have an office), it is important that you communicate with me via s. I will rely on that method of correspondence. I communicate frequently. I want you to go to your s daily, as a habit to see if there is something from me. Sometimes, if the weather is bad, I might NEED to do a class via remote technology even on a day this syllabus says I am to teach at CMU. I live two full hours of driving north of Pittsburgh and weather north of I- 80 can be like another world, foreign to people familiar with Pittsburgh weather. nother reason I would need to rely on you going to your s regularly. My address for CMU is: afchien@andrew.cmu.edu llegheny College achien@allegheny.edu Cell phones: I would like to have your cell phone number, again for communication purposes only, for reasons cited above. Your number will not be given out to others without your permission. My cell phone # is Texting me is fine. Your homework: Your listening to music as homework can be done via Naxos and/or youtube or other CD s you might have available to you. This course is intended to expand your aural knowledge of the piano repertoire and perhaps resulting in expanding your performing repertoire as well. Your frequent and attentive listening will be needed to achieve this goal and for you to do well on listening tests. ttendance: If you have to miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out from others in class what you have missed. You can opt to ask me, but I will only be able to tell you in an outline manner and would not have the time to go over all details again for you. Your classmates can help you with that. Music Scores: I would like you to bring your scores to the class, pertaining to the works to be covered. When you listen to music, it s sometimes very helpful to have in front of you, the score to follow. Sometimes, we enjoy just listening. But sometimes, having the scores really help, particularly when I talk about the structures of the work. You probably personally own scores to these masterpieces listed in this syllabus. If you don t, and if your intention with your piano is to have a performing- and- teaching career, you probably should have them in your possession. You can also use/print them off online sites, such as the IMSLP. These are free, mainly because the works are in public domain. 3

4 Classical Era Clarity Consistency Formal Structure Expectation Logic Orderliness nalytical Study on how Haydn and Mozart achieved the above effects from which Beethoven wanted to deviate. Classical Sonata 1 st movement 2 nd movement 3 rd movement 4 th movement Sonata- llegro Form Binary Ternary Theme & Variations Sonata Minuet- Trio (Scherzo- Trio, Beethoven) Rondo Sonata- llegro Theme & Variations majestic, fast slow, songful dance, leisure tempo, 3/4 quickest, happy- ending Sonata- llegro Exposition 1. Introduction, optional, often slow if there 2. First theme in home key, majestic 3. Bridge, transits thematically and harmonically 4. Second theme in new key, lyrical 5. Closing theme in same new key, reminds of first theme Development 6. Bits and pieces of themes, harmonically exploratory Recapitulation 7. First theme, home key, majestic 8. Bridge, transits but to stay home harmonically 9. Second theme in home key, lyrical 10. Closing theme in home key Coda (optional) 11. Materials from (?) no new materials 4

5 Classical Concerto 1 st movement 2 nd movement 3 rd movement First Movement Concerto Form Binary Rondo and its variants Sonata Concerto Rondo Majestic, lengthiest Slow, melodious, lyrical, songful fast, playful, exciting First Movement Concerto Form Orchestral Exposition 1. First theme area, majestic, home key 2. Bridge transits to second theme, thematically and harmonically 3. Second theme (optional), lyrical, new key 4. Closing, introducing the soloist, majestic mood returns, transits back to home key 5. Solo entrance short passage, new materials Solo Exposition 6. First theme area, elaborated with soloist, home key 7. Bridge transits to second theme area, harmonically and thematically 8. Second themes If there is a second theme in Orchestral Exposition, that second theme will be coupled with a new second theme. If there was no second theme in Orchestral Exposition, the appearance of a second theme here will still have new materials. New materials are intended to occur here regardless. Harmonically in new key(s) 9. Closing themes in new second theme key, positive cadences to declare assurance of what soloist has just played, followed immediately by orchestral passage 10. Orchestral Confirmation I Orchestra only, victorious concurrence of events in Expositions, and transits onto Development Development 11. Soloist joins orchestra in exploratory passages of themes from Expositions with harmonic departures from both stated keys and will also serve as return to Recapitulation Recapitulation (recapitulates solo exposition) 12. First theme see Solo Exposition 13. Bridge transits to stay at home harmonically 14. Second theme see Solo Exposition, and remains in home key 15. Closing see Solo Exposition 16. Orchestral Confirmation II Similar to concurrence in first orchestral confirmation, except this sets up harmonically and thematically for the cadenza (passage usually cadences on a I 6/4 chord) 17. Cadenza Soloist alone improvising themes from first movement 18. Coda Orchestra returns with closing of movement, usually without soloist 5

6 Binary Form B, BB, No specific tempo expectation No specific character expectation Ternary Form B (sample: abcdefabc) No specific tempo expectation No specific character expectation Usually simple Usually B has new materials Theme & Variations Form Theme: a,a;ba,ba. Variations of Theme {a,a; ba,ba.} No specific tempo expectation No specific character expectation Minuet- Trio Form Minuet: a,a;ba,ba. Trio: c,c; dc,dc. Minuet (unrepeated): a; ba. Leisure tempo, not too fast, not too slow, laid- back Dance Meter of 3 Minuet tutti (all, full orchestra, full sound); Trio thinner texture, usually sections of orchestra in dialogue Scherzo- Trio Form Scherzo: a,a;ba,ba. Trio: c,c;dc,dc. Scherzo unrepeated: a, ba. Dramatic, fast, exciting, busy, energetic Meter of 3 Scherzo tutti; Trio dialogue, fewer instruments, but not necessarily thinner in sound Rondo Form BCB, Fast, light- hearted, cheerful, happy ending Not complicated Concerto Rondo Form B fermata before returns (cadenza optional) C fermata before returns (cadenza optional) B sets up for cadenza Cadenza returns 6

7 Selected from Below - Works To Be Covered In Class For Listening and nalysis To Be Selected From Below J.C. Bach Kuhlau Clementi Mozart Haydn Beethoven ll scores of works should be available online ISMLP, always listen and study with scores for this class 1/13/ 15 Introduction - background, logistics, your addresses, cell numbers Pre- Test Overall Glance at course Decide who will play what piece and on which day Classical Style 1/20 J.C. Bach, other early classical Detail investigation for interpretative 1/27 Difference between Mozart and Haydn, solo repertoire Haydn piano sonatas 2/3 Haydn and Mozart piano sonatas 2/10 Mozart piano sonatas and piano concerti 2/17 Mozart and Haydn piano concerti 2/24 Listening Test I, Project I due 3/3 No class, concerts and residency 3/10 No class, Spring Break 3/17 Beethoven Three Periods of Style; sonatas, other forms, concerti 3/24 Beethoven Piano Sonatas - Early 7

8 3/31 Beethoven Piano Sonatas - Middle 4/7 Beethoven Piano Sonatas - Late 4/14 No Class Recital at Kresge Hall, 8:00PM. ll- Chopin 4/21 Beethoven Piano Concerti 4/28 Listening Test II, Project II Due GRDES: Listening Test I 10 points (Mozart and Haydn, sonatas and concerti) Exact pieces to be included on test will be provided two weeks in advance of due date Listening Test II 20 points (Mozart, Haydn, other than those in Test I and Beethoven, sonatas and concerti) Exact pieces to be included on test will be provided two weeks in advance of due date Project I 15 points (Mozart or Haydn Sonata, one piece) Use chart provided as basis. Fill in boxes in chart and color the themes on score to indicate. Hand in chart plus score Exact work to be analyzed to be determined, given to you two weeks in advance of due date Project II 25 points (Beethoven Early and Middle Sonatas, two pieces) Use chart provided as basis. Fill in boxes in chart and color the themes on score to indicate. Hand in chart plus score Exact work to be analyzed to be determined, given to you two weeks in advance of due date Project III 35 points (Beethoven late Sonata and one concerto, two pieces) Use chart provided as basis. Fill in boxes in chart and color the themes on score to indicate. Hand in chart plus score Exact work to be analyzed to be determined, given to you two weeks in advance of due date 8

9 Paste this Chart for the Sonata on Separate W Document and fill in the information 1 st Movement Harmonic Describe Interpretation Sonata- llegro Exposition 1. Introduction, optional, often slow if there 2. First theme in home key, majestic 3. Bridge, transits thematically and harmonically 4. Second theme in new key, lyrical 5. Closing theme in same new key, reminds of first theme Development 6. Bits and pieces of themes, harmonically exploratory Recapitulation 7. First theme, home key, majestic 8. Bridge, transits but to stay home harmonically 9. Second theme in home key, lyrical 10. Closing theme in home key Coda (optional) 11. Materials from (?) no new materials 2 nd Movement Fill in form yourself 3 rd Movement Minuet- Trio Form Minuet: a,a;b a,ba. Trio: c,c; dc,dc. Minuet (unrepeated): a; ba. Leisure tempo, not too fast, not too slow, laid- back Dance Meter of 3 Minuet tutti (all, full orchestra, full sound); Trio thinner texture, usually sections of orchestra in dialogue 4 th Movement Fill in form yourself, most likely either rondo or sonata form Paste this Chart for the Concerto on Separate W Document and fill in the information 9

10 1 st Movement Harmonic Describe Interpretation Orchestral Exposition 1. First theme area, majestic, home key 2. Bridge transits to second theme, thematically and harmonically 3. Second theme (optional), lyrical, new key 4. Closing, introducing the soloist, majestic mood returns, transits back to home key 5. Solo entrance short passage, new materials Solo Exposition 6. First theme area, elaborated with soloist, home key 7. Bridge transits to second theme area, harmonically and thematically 8. Second themes If there is a second theme in Orchestral Exposition, that second theme will be coupled with a new second theme. If there was no second theme in Orchestral Exposition, the appearance of a second theme here will still have new materials. New materials are intended to occur here regardless. Harmonically in new key(s) 9. Closing themes in new second theme key, positive cadences to declare assurance of what soloist has just played, followed immediately by orchestral passage 10. Orchestral Confirmation I Orchestra only, victorious concurrence of events in Expositions, and transits onto Development Development 11. Soloist joins orchestra in exploratory passages of themes from Expositions with harmonic departures from both stated keys and will also serve as return to Recapitulation Recapitulation (recapitulates solo exposition) 12. First theme see Solo Exposition 13. Bridge transits to stay at home harmonically 14. Second theme see Solo Exposition, and remains in home key 15. Closing see Solo Exposition 16. Orchestral Confirmation II Similar to concurrence in first orchestral confirmation, except this sets up harmonically and thematically for the cadenza (passage usually cadences on a I 6/4 chord) 17. Cadenza Soloist alone improvising themes from first movement 18. Coda 10

11 Orchestra returns with closing of movement, usually without soloist 2 nd Movement Fill in form yourself 3 rd Movement Fill in form yourself, most likely either rondo or sonata form Concerto Rondo Form B fermata before returns (cadenza optional) C fermata before returns (cadenza optional) B sets up for cadenza Cadenza returns 11

Carnegie Mellon University School of Music Piano Literature & Repertoire IV, 20 th Century Spring Semester, Course Description

Carnegie Mellon University School of Music Piano Literature & Repertoire IV, 20 th Century Spring Semester, 2014 Alec Chien, Professor School of Music, College of Fine Arts Room CFA 160 Phone: 1-814- 573-2597;