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12 Études Caractéristiques, Opus 2, by Adolf von Henselt: A Pedagogical Guide with Practical Exercises on Selected Etudes

Description: Adolf von Henselt (1814–1889) was one of the most renowned German pianists and composers of his day. The majority of his compositions are for the piano, one of his most successful being the set of Piano Études, Op. 2. It consists of twelve etudes, each of which is designed for developing a particular technique. Henselt's etudes are as demanding as Chopin's and Liszt's, so this pedagogical guide is designed for advanced-level students. Henselt uses many finger extensions and stretches larger tha… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Kim, Hyunsuk

"Allegro de Concert," op. 46, by Frédéric Chopin: A Performance Guide

Description: Frédéric Chopin produced a remarkable body of piano works. Even though most of his works are essential repertoire in piano literature, some of them remain less familiar. One such significant work is the Allegro de Concert in A major, op. 46, which was apparently intended to be the first movement of a third piano concerto. Despite the praise the work has received, it is rarely heard, and references to performance are lacking in the scholarly literature. Some reasons include the substantial techn… more
Date: August 2022
Creator: Jeong, Jiyoon
open access

The Amalgamation of Western and Eastern Influences in Julius Schloss's "First Chinese Rhapsody"

Description: The dissertation seeks to rediscover Julius Schloss, a German Jewish composer victimized by the Nazis. Except for the promising start of his career in his early years, Schloss suffered a hard life as an exiled refugee. However, his unusual experiences inspired him to compose two Chinese Rhapsodies during his last years of exile in Shanghai, in which he synthesized Western composition techniques and Chinese folk materials, amalgamating influences from both Western and Eastern music cultures. Foc… more
Date: August 2021
Creator: Cai, Ying (Pianist)
open access

An Analytical Perspective of the Developing Aesthetic Concepts in Sergey Prokofiev's Choses en soi, Op. 45

Description: The purpose of this study is to analyze the compositional techniques in Choses en soi op.45, by Sergey Prokofiev, and to explore the new aesthetic concepts he claimed to include in this composition. Through the examination of the compositional elements and discussion of its salient characteristics.
Date: December 2017
Creator: Liu, Tzu-Yi
open access

The Art of Borrowing: Quotations and Allusions in Western Music

Description: Music travels across the past in the form of composers borrowing from each other. Such musical borrowings and quotations involve not only the use of melodic materials but also musical structures, texts, symbolism and other types of inspiration. The pre-existing musical idea being used is linked to a specific memory of a particular composer and time. The artistic allusions of composers connect the present and the past. Music also travels across the present and into the future. The outcome of con… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Lee, Myung-Ji
open access

The Artistic Image in "Twelve Children's Pieces of Medium Difficulty," Op. 31 by Reinhold Gliere (1875–1956)

Description: In his Art of Piano Playing, the renowned Russian pianist and teacher Heinrich Neuhaus asserts that the concept of an "artistic image" can give musical meaning to the score, help pianists to understand the musical content of a composition, and help students to find pianistic expression in the details. The concept of artistic image can be applied in pedagogy, guiding young pianists to learn content and organize their practice. The artistic image is the picture of a musical idea and the musical l… more
Date: August 2021
Creator: Wu, Yuan Nessa
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Assessing Perception and Attitude of Pianists toward Ergonomically Scaled Piano Keyboards (ESPK): Raising Awareness about ESPK and Evaluating Changes of Attitude through an Educational Survey

Description: As epidemiologic research demonstrates health concerns for hand problems among pianists, scientists are measuring historic piano keyboards and realizing that much of the piano literature was composed for and played on pianos with smaller keys compared to what is used on the modern piano. Having to play this literature on a larger keyboard is especially difficult for small-handed piano students and professionals. Fortunately, smaller keyboards are now available for use with standard pianos - and… more
Date: August 2018
Creator: Son, Youjoo
open access

Beethoven's Orchestra at the Romantic Piano: Understanding the Piano Transcriptions of "Marcia alla turca" from Beethoven's The Ruins of Athens by Franz Liszt and Anton Rubinstein

Description: The transcriptions of Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894) on Beethoven's "Marcia alla turca" serve as unique examples within the area of transcription since each of these important virtuosos transcribed the movement with drastically different results. Liszt's Capriccio alla turca (1846) is built on Beethoven's thematic materials although it is presented with a greatly embellished accompaniment providing countermelodies, expanded passages, and vigorous rhythmic features. In… more
Date: August 2021
Creator: Yoon, Jeongmi
open access

Bohuslav Martinů's Oboe Concerto, H. 353: A New Piano Reduction of the Orchestral Score

Description: Bohuslav Martinů's "Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra" is one of the most frequently played pieces in the oboe repertoire. For this reason, it is often played with the piano reduction instead of the orchestra in oboe recitals. However, the existing piano reductions include many errors and discrepancies from the orchestral score, misrepresent the orchestration, sometimes fail to make the oboe entries clear, and tend to be unplayable for pianists. Moreover, the scores were published after th… more
Date: December 2020
Creator: Jeoung, Ko Eun
open access

Brazilian Adaptations of Baroque and Classical Elements in the Piano Sonata in F Minor, Op. 9, by Alberto Nepomuceno (1864–1920)

Description: Alberto Nepomuceno was one of the leading figures in developing Brazilian art music at the turn of the twentieth century. He became widely known for his Brazilian art songs and kept promoting Brazilian music and the use of Portuguese as an "art language" throughout his life. Nepomuceno has widely been seen as a nationalist composer, yet some of his works adopt a more European style. In this study, I argue that Nepomuceno incorporates European musical languages in his Piano Sonata in F Minor, Op… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Wu, Qifan
open access

Building an Effective Piano Technique while Avoiding Injury: A Comparison of the Exercises in Alfred Cortot's "Rational Principles of Pianoforte Technique" and Carl Tausig's "Daily Studies for the Pianoforte"

Description: It is the teacher's responsibility to guide students in building an effective and injury-free piano technique. Improper technique, poor training and bad posture at the instrument all may cause problems such as lack of muscle control, weakness, or tension in the hands. Many teachers are interested in finding information about specific exercises dealing with finger strengthening, stretching, and warm-up strategies, as well as guidelines for safe practicing. It is therefore important for both teac… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Woo, Laehyung
open access

A Comparative Analysis of the Orchestral and Piano Versions of Finlandia by Jean Sibelius in Relation to His Compositional Style, 1899–1904

Description: While he was composing his important orchestral tone poem Finlandia in 1899–1900, Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) made his own piano arrangement of it. The purpose of this study is to compare the piano arrangement and orchestral version and to see further the similarities with Sibelius's other piano compositions from the same time period (1899-1904). Through this study I have found compositional patterns, which are typical for the composer and defined his composition style for piano during his "Kalev… more
Date: May 2021
Creator: Teppo, Ruusamari
open access

A Comparative Study of Piano Etudes by György Sandor Ligeti and Unsuk Chin: A Technical and Stylistic Guide to Mastering the Difficulties of Their Etudes

Description: Unsuk Chin (b.1961), a Korean-born woman composer, was a student of Gyorgy Sandor Ligeti (1923-2006). Chin's work reflects the influence of Ligeti but also undeniably has its own style. This study investigates the six piano etudes so far published from 12 Piano Etudes (1995-2003) by Unsuk Chin and compares them with Ligeti's piano etudes to highlight the influence of the teacher on the student and to aid pianists in facing the unique technical challenges posed by both sets of etudes. The practi… more
Date: December 2018
Creator: Jang, Miyoun
open access

A Comparative Study of Polyphonic Techniques in Chang-Lei Zhu's Ballade for Solo Piano

Description: In Chinese contemporary piano music, large-scale piano compositions featuring innovative polyphonic musical languages are rarely found. Chang-Lei Zhu's Ballade for Solo Piano represents his development of contrapuntal techniques passed on from J. S. Bach and Dmitri Shostakovich in their polyphonic works for solo keyboard or piano. This study focuses on an analysis of Zhu's Ballade as an idiosyncratic composition that makes a significant contribution to the Chinese contemporary piano music reper… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Rong, Xing
open access

Composer/Performer Collaboration as Seen in the Solo Piano Part of Percy Grainger's Edition of the Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto in A Minor Opus 16

Description: The purpose of this document is threefold. First, it demonstrates what Grieg contributes to the musical text compared with the original Peters edition, particularly, those additions that refer to expression, interpretation, and style. Second, this document focuses on presenting Grainger's changes that were approved by Grieg. Third, the document evaluates Grainger's own suggestions for pedaling, hand redistribution and fingering, addition of notes, tempo markings, and other performance guideline… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Lee, Sungyo

Expansion of Pianism through a Reinterpretation of Bartók's Dance Suite for Solo Piano (1925)

Description: This project offers a comprehensive performance guide to Bartók's Dance Suite for solo piano based on a renewed interpretation of the piece. The Dance Suite (Táncszvit/Tanz Suite) is a unique work in Bartók's oeuvre, presented by the composer in two versions: one for orchestra (1923) and one for solo piano (1925). There has been little research done on this piece to enhance its popularity even though it may be a piece that illuminates one of Bartók's compositional philosophies: the unity of all… more
This item is restricted from view until June 1, 2028.
Date: May 2023
Creator: Lee, Jenny JungYeon
open access

First Movement of Robert Schumann's Piano Sonata Op. 14 in F Minor from the Performer's Perspective: An Analytical Study of Four Editions

Description: The objective of this dissertation is to review the discrepancies between Concert Sans Orchestre and Grande Sonate edited by Ernst Herttrich, Grosse Sonate No.3 Op.14 Erste and Zweite Ausgabe edited by Clara Schumann of Robert Schumann's No.3 Op.14, providing assistance for performers by clarifying inconsistencies between the three editions. Information in reference to major aspects such as notes, rhythms, metronome marking and expression signs is presented. Examples of discrepancies found thro… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Wang, Xiao (Pianist)
open access

The First Movements of Sergei Bortkiewicz's Two Piano Sonatas, Op. 9 and Op. 60: A Comparison including Schenkerian Analysis and an Examination of Classical and Romantic Influences

Description: The purpose of this study is to analyze the first movements of Sergei Bortkiewicz's two piano sonatas and compare them with works by other composers that may have served as compositional models. More specifically, the intention is to examine the role of the subdominant key in the recapitulation and trace possible inspirations and influences from the Classical and Romantic styles, including Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. The dissertation employs Schenkerian analysis to elucidate the structure … more
Date: August 2021
Creator: Chen, Yi Jing
open access

Franz Liszt as Transcriber and Editor: A Historical Overview and Analytical Study of His Three Versions of Franz Schubert's "Wanderer Fantasy," D.760

Description: This dissertation is divided into six chapters. The first chapter explains the purpose and significance of the study. The second chapter presents an analysis about Wanderer Fantasy, D.760 composed by Schubert, employing Schenker analysis to elucidate important motives. Chapter 3 provides an analysis of Schubert-Liszt, Wanderer Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, S. 366 and shows how Liszt transcribed the original to emphasize certain motives, and further, describes the development of the piano his… more
Date: August 2021
Creator: Kwon, Jin Ah
open access

Functional Orchestral Collaboration Skills for Wind Band Pianists: A Study Guide

Description: As opportunities to perform as a soloist diminish, more pianists consider chamber and orchestral playing as an alternative solution. By so doing, ample performance opportunities are introduced. Although most university music programs offer ensemble courses for pianists and have begun to offer degrees with an emphasis in accompaniment, their curriculum lacks instructions specifically designed to train and prepare pianists for playing in large ensembles, especially wind bands. This dissertation a… more
Date: August 2016
Creator: Kim, Grace Jisoo
open access

A Guide to Franz Liszt's Piano Transcriptions of Franz Schubert's Songs

Description: Franz Liszt (1811-1886) made fifty-six transcriptions of Schubert's songs over a period of eight years (1838-46) to introduce the name of the composer, who was little known both in and outside Vienna during his lifetime. Because Liszt intentionally preserved all the details of the original songs, these transcriptions present challenges for a pianist, such as how to produce a vocal line on the piano, as well as interpretive issues such as ornamentation, style, and conveying the meaning of the ly… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Kim, Ah Young
open access

A Holy Night: 10 Arrangements of Timeless Carols: Preparing Early Advanced Piano Students for Standard Repertoire

Description: It is often challenging for early advanced piano students to move from intermediate level repertoire to standard repertoire because the techniques and difficulties present in the new repertoire are simply too overwhelming for them. "A Holy Night: 10 Arrangements of Timeless Carols" can help bridge the gap between the two repertoire categories by introducing several advanced techniques and combinations of techniques to early advanced students in a non-overwhelming way. Several standard technique… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Nahkur, Hando
open access

The Influence of Adolf von Henselt on Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Comparative Analysis of Henselt's Piano Concerto Op. 16 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto Op. 18

Description: Sergei Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto is one of the most frequently performed and beloved works. It is ironic that, however, despite its huge popularity, there are not many in-depth studies of this concerto, offering pianists few opportunities to examine the work from an analytical perspective. The detailed analysis presented in this study reveals that the main structure of this concerto is directly related to a motto comprising three-notes, designated the 6-5-1 motto. In his use of this … more
Date: August 2021
Creator: Kim, Meenha
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