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

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1 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: ; 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 20 th Century. A great deal of general listening to solo and concerto repertoire, including major and smaller pieces by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Serge Rachmaninoff, Serge Prokofiev, Vincent Persichetti, Igor Stravinsky, Dimitri Shostakovich, George Crumb, Alban Berg, Arnold Schoenberg and Philip Glass. 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, 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 Assessment One specific and quantifiable measurement will result when the pre- test and the final are compared. Another assessment will be the result from the project being completed for this course. A more subjective observation will be the increase in participation in and out of class, in terms of performance, teaching and 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. Another reason I would need to rely on you going to your s regularly. My address for CMU is: afchien@andrew.cmu.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. Attendance: 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 print them off online sites, such as the IMSLP. These are free, mainly because the works are in public domain. 3

4 Selected from Below - Works To Be Covered In Class For Listening and Analysis To Be Selected From Below All scores of works below are available online ISMLP except for Philip Glass Claude Debussy ( ) Suite bergamasque ( ) Pour le Piano (1894) Estampes (1903) L'isle joyeuse (1904) Images I & II (1905, 1907) Children s Corner (1906) Preludes Books I & II ( ) 12 Etudes (1915) Maurice Ravel ( ) Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899) Jeux d'eau (1901) Miroirs (1904) Gaspard de la Nuit (1908) Valse Nobles & Sentimentales (1911) Le tombeau de Couperin (1914) Concerto For The Left Hand Only ( ) Piano Concerto in G ( ) Serge Rachmaninoff ( ) Preludes Op.23, 32 Piano Sonata No.2, Op.36 Etudes- Tableaux, Op.39 Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op.42 Piano Concerti Nos.2,3, Rhapsody on Theme by Paganini Arnold Schoenberg ( ) Op.11, 19, 25 Charles Ives ( ) Piano Sonata No.2 Concord ( ) Igor Stravinsky ( ) Piano Ragtime (1919) Petrouchka Suite (1921) Concerto For Piano and Winds (1923) Piano Sonata (1924) Alban Berg ( ) Piano Sonata Op.1 Serge Prokofiev ( ) Piano Sonatas Nos.2,3,4,6,7,8 Piano Concerti No.2,3 Vision Fugitives Op.22 Aaron Copland ( ) Piano Variations (1930) Piano Sonata (1939) Dimitri Shoshtakovich ( ) 24 Preludes & Fugues, Op.87 Samuel Barber ( ) Excursion, Op.20 (1942) Piano Sonata (1949) Vincent Persichetti ( ) Piano Sonata No.12, Mirror (1982) George Crumb ( ) Makrokosmos I & II (1972, 1973) Philip Glass ( ) Etudes for Piano (1-16, to be 20) No.2 4

5 There are only a few days I have selected to do video conference, due to commitments here at Allegheny. However, there might need to be additional video conferencing days. Especially in the winter months of January and February, traveling from Meadville to Pittsburgh might be difficult due to ice/snow white- outs. Sometimes, I would not know whether I could come until that morning. I usually leave by around 9:30am. If any of these days happens to be treacherous, I shall and text each of you that morning to let you know we would need to do VIDEO CONFEREING that day. 1/14/2014 Introduction - background, logistics, s, remote video conferencing Pre- Test Overall Glance at course Decide who will play what piece and on which day French Impression: 1- Debussy Debussy Preludes I: 3,4,5; Images I detail investigation for interpretative directions 1/21 Debussy and 2- Ravel Detail investigation for interpretative directions Ravel: Valse Nobles & Sentimentales (1911), Le tombeau de Couperin (1914) 1/28 Detail investigation for interpretative directions Ravel: Valse Nobles & Sentimentales (1911), Le tombeau de Couperin (1914), continue 2/4 Scheduled VIDEO CONFERENCE Russian: 3- Rachmaninoff, 4- Prokofiev 2/11 Detail investigation for interpretative directions Rachmaninoff Concerto (2, 3), Rhapsody on Theme by Paganini; Prokofiev Piano Sonata No.7, 6 2/18 Scheduled VIDEO CONFERENCE 5- Stravinsky Detail investigation for interpretative directions Petrouchka Suite 2/25 6- Shostakovich Detail investigation for interpretative directions Preludes & Fugues, compare with Bach s WTC 5

6 3/4 LISTENING TEST French and Russian Debussy Preludes I (3,4,5) Ravel Toccata, Alborato gracioso, Ondine, Concerto in G Major Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.3, Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini Prokofiev Piano Sonata Nos.6; Concerto No.3 Shostakovich Prelude & Fugue 3/11 3/18 German: 7- Berg, 8- Schoenberg Detailed analysis of 12- tone role Due: Communication with me about the PAPER you need to do, due T 4/15. See 4/15 for details. me your thoughts by today. 3/25 American: 9- Vincent Persichetti, 10- Samuel Barber, 11- Charles Ives Detailed analysis of Persichetti Mirror Sonata and Barber Piano Sonata 4/1 Scheduled VIDEO CONFERENCE 12- Aaron Copland Listening to multitude of works by Copland and Ives and familiarize with their music world 4/8 4/15 PAPER: A brief presentation of the composer s life and his works in general. More in depth explanation for the one selected work, from the standpoint of your interpretative decisions, as we have covered in class this semester. It is your choice as to which composer and which work by that composer. Want you to communicate with me early on in the semester to discuss about your choice and what you might want to say about the work. See 3/18. 4/ Philip Glass, 14- George Crumb Listening to multitude of works by Copland and Ives and familiarize with their music world 4/29 Scheduled VIDEO CONFERENCE LISTENING TEST II: Listening German and American all works listed in chart under Berg, Schoenberg, Copland, Ives, Persichetti, Stravinsky, Crumb, Glass 6

7 GRADE FOR THE COURSE Test I = 35 points Test II = 35 points Paper on Interpretation = 35 points = D = D = D = C = C = C = B = B = B = A = A = A+ Yes, it is possible to get 105 out of 100 points. This bonus is given for you to earn your curve. I m nice like that. 7

8 Course Calendar Piano Literature & Repertoire IV, 20 th Century Spring Semester, 2014 Course Background Information Last Name:, First Name: Cell Phone Number (will not be given out without your permission: CMU Address: (this is especially critical if you don t have a cell phone) Home Town (Country): Your Career Goal with Piano: Performance Teaching Other Period of Style With Which You Are Most Familiar: Composer (any period) Whose Works You Feel Most Comfortable Performing: Composer (any period) Whose Works You Feel Most Comfortable Teaching: Course Pre- Test Composer Work Movement (if applicable) Theme/Section

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

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