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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
Partner: UNT Libraries
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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
Partner: UNT Libraries

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
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Date: May 2023
Creator: Lee, Jenny JungYeon
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Lowell Liebermann's "Four Etudes on Songs of Brahms," Op. 88 (2004) and "Four Etudes on Songs of Robert Franz," Op. 91 (2005): A Pedagogical Guide

Description: The purpose of this dissertation is to introduce and provide a pedagogical guide for two etude works by Lowell Liebermann (b. 1961): Four Etudes on Songs of Brahms, Op. 88 (2004) and Four Etudes on Songs of Robert Franz, Op. 91 (2005). It includes a brief biography and observations on the compositional style of the composer; a history and development of the etude from the eighteenth century to Liebermann's time; research on Liebermann's works based on songs of other composers; and a pedagogical… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Lee, Jieun
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Musique Concrète Instrumentale in Helmut Lachenmann's "Child's Play" (1980): A Pedagogical Study for Late Intermediate Students

Description: Helmut Friedrich Lachenmann is a German composer of contemporary music. In his 1980 work for piano, Child's Play, Lachenmann develops one of his own signature concepts, musique concrète instrumentale, in which he uses the "standard" (not prepared) piano in non-conventional and innovative ways to explore new sounds and techniques. This dissertation is a pedagogical study that provides a teaching guide for educators who would like to use Child's Play as an introduction to some of the sounds and t… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Kong, Byung Sook
Partner: UNT Libraries
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On Wings of Song: Exploring the First-Generation Chinese Art Song Composer Ellinor Valesby (1894-1969)

Description: The dissertation presents a female German composer Ellinor Valesby, who composed Chinese art songs in Chinese with classical Chinese poetry. For political reasons, she used her pseudonym rather than her given name Irmgard Heinrich (1894-1969). As a western composer, also the wife of a Chinese poet and composer Ching-chu, who lived in China for 25 years, Valesby's songs present various interpretive challenges stemming from the combination of traditional Chinese poetry, folk music vernacular, and… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Xu, Jing
Partner: UNT Libraries

A Pedagogical Analysis of Zhao Zhang's "Pi Huang": Representing Peking Opera on the Piano

Description: In Chinese musical history, piano works have played an important role in modern times. The flourishing of the instrument and its music have in fact greatly developed Chinese modern music. Zhao Zhang's masterpiece Pi Huang, with its elements of Peking Opera, is one representative of the latest Chinese classic solo piano works. By coincidence, the introduction of the first Western keyboard instrument to China and the rise of Peking Opera came almost at the same time, during the Qing dynasty (1644… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Chen, Dongmin
Partner: UNT Libraries
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A Performance Guide to Gervais-François Couperin's Offertoires

Description: This dissertation considers Gervais-François Couperin (1759-1826) and his offertories, providing a performance guide relevant to French organ literature of the beginning of the nineteenth century. To fulfill this purpose, the research is divided into five chapters and a conclusion. Chapter 1 is an introduction explaining the purpose of the research and significance of the research. Chapter 2 presents the Couperin Dynasty and their lineage at Saint-Gervais, as well as the evolution of the musica… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Yu, Yang Sun
Partner: UNT Libraries
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A Schenkerian Analysis and Interpretation of Joseph Jongen's Eclectic "Vingt-quatre petits préludes dans tous les tons pour piano," Op. 116 (1940-1941)

Description: Belgian composer Joseph Jongen (1873-1953) was an eclectic composer who successfully maintained his own unique musical vocabulary—particularly in his piano compositions. Jongen composed very little between 1940-1941—the period in which he and his family fled to the countryside of Mazères, France, living as refugees for several months before returning to Sart-lez-Spa, Belgium, due to the outbreak of WWII. Reflective of this time in his life, Vingt-quatre petits préludes dans tous les tons pour p… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Liu, Yi
Partner: UNT Libraries
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"Instants d'un Opéra de Pékin" by Qigang Chen (b. 1951): A Blend of Peking Opera and French Influences

Description: Chinese contemporary composer Qigang Chen describes himself as "a Chinese tree replanted in France." His piano solo work Instants d'un Opéra de Pékin presents both Eastern and Western elements equally. While the main motives and melodic ideas are based on Chinese modes and scales, Chen incorporates many Western compositional techniques, particularly those of Olivier Messiaen, such as fragmentation and elimination, rhythmic augmentation and diminution, octave displacement among others. In this d… more
Date: May 2022
Creator: Jiang, Xue
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Introducing Technical Skills through Russian Piano Repertoire from the Elementary to Advanced Level

Description: Piano teachers tend to approach pedagogy by treating technical studies and repertoire as separate parts of the curriculum, often using etudes by Charles-Louis Hanon, Josef Pischna, and Carl Czerny to build the student's technique. Yet, although these methods are popular, pedagogues disagree about their value. In any case, many pieces suitable for intermediate pianists integrate technique and musicality, such as Friedrich Burgmüller's 25 Etudes, Op. 100, Muzio Clementi's Preludes and Exercises, … more
Date: May 2022
Creator: Kim, Su Hyun
Partner: UNT Libraries
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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
Partner: UNT Libraries
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An Introduction to the Piano Works of William Mason (1829-1908) and a Performance Guide to Selected Repertoire for Intermediate Students

Description: William Mason (1829–1908) was a well-known American composer, pianist, and pedagogue. Researchers have mainly focused on Mason's career as a pedagogue in the United States and his pedagogical treatises, which are widely considered and used as the conceptual core of teaching materials on the nineteenth century. However, there has been only an annotated catalogue of Mason's music works, and no performance guide to his piano compositions. This dissertation is designed to be the first performance g… more
Date: May 2021
Creator: Chen, Ying-Chieh
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Piano Concerto No. 1 In E Minor, by Emil Sauer: A Stylistic and Historical Argument for Its Relevance to the Piano Literature

Description: In 1895, Emil Georg Conrad Sauer (1862-1942), a world-renowned German pianist and former student of Franz Liszt wrote his first piano concerto, which was published five years later in 1900. Sauer performed it extensively to enthusiastic crowds in Europe and the United States while on tour during the next several years. Then it vanished from the concert repertoire. It is no longer performed and has only been commercially recorded once. The purpose of this dissertation is to establish why it migh… more
Date: May 2021
Creator: Ulasiuk, Dzmitry
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Seven Nocturnes for Solo Piano: An Original Composition with Critical Essay and Suggestions for the Performer

Description: The present dissertation consists in an original composition for solo piano, titled Seven Nocturnes (2020). The score is preceded by a critical essay in which I discuss the overall aesthetic and formal qualities of the work, its musical, philosophical, theoretical, and historical background, as well as specific performance suggestions for future interpreters. Particular emphasis is given to the work's experimental use of musical time and original approach in relating expanded time with directio… more
Date: May 2021
Creator: Schwan, Thomas, 1985-
Partner: UNT Libraries
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The Rise and Fall of Piano Improvisation in Western Classical Music Performance: Why Today's Piano Students Should be Learning to Improvise

Description: Improvisation is an art form which has arguably been present since the existence of music itself. Inventing music on the spot, like spontaneous speech, is a common expression of artistry throughout history and across musical boundaries. While improvisation has maintained its importance in jazz, classical organ music and the music of many eastern cultures, this dissertation will focus on the presence of improvisation as acceptable performance practice within the tradition of western classical mu… more
Date: May 2020
Creator: Vigran, Joshua
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Soviet Music as Bricolage: The Case of the Piano Works of Nikolai Rakov (1908-1990)

Description: Much socialist realism art from Soviet-era Russia has been misunderstood by scholars. It has been considered "synthetic art," which ordinary citizens were forced to admire under the Soviet regime. It also has been interpreted as peasant kitsch art because of its seemingly unacademic and unchallenging theoretical language utilized in order to meet the expectations of Soviet communism. This ideology conditioned artists to make art accessible and nationalistic to serve the perceived needs of the R… more
Date: May 2020
Creator: Kumamoto, Yuki
Partner: UNT Libraries
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An Introduction to Contemporary Characteristics in Twentieth-Century Piano Music for the Late-Intermediate Student: A Pedagogical Analysis of the Bagatelles, Opus 5 by Alexander Tcherepnin

Description: Alexander Tcherepnin (1899-1977) was a Russian-born American composer, his musical style represents the modern and diverse features of much twentieth-century piano music. The purpose of this research is to conduct a comprehensive pedagogical analysis of Alexander Tcherepnin's Bagatelles, Op. 5 with the goal of introducing contemporary characteristics in twentieth-century piano music for the late-intermediate student. Chapter 2 contains overall biographical information regarding Alexander Tchere… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Ai, Meilin
Partner: UNT Libraries

Stephen Chatman's Piano Fantasies (1993): An Instructional and Performance Guide for Teachers and Intermediate Piano Students

Description: Contemporary repertoire is not commonly taught or explored by teachers during the intermediate level, when a student's musical training is transitioning to an advanced level. Nonetheless, it is important for piano instructors to be open-minded about contemporary music and have some perspective on the development of music repertoire in the future. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a performance and pedagogical guide to Stephen Chatman's (b. 1950) Fantasies, from both technical and a… more
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Date: May 2019
Creator: Li, Hanhan
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Conducting from the Piano? A Tradition Worth Reviving?

Description: Is conducting from the piano "real conducting?" Does one need formal orchestral conducting training in order to conduct classical-era piano concertos from the piano? Do Mozart piano concertos need a conductor? These are all questions this paper attempts to answer.
Date: May 2018
Creator: Marshall, Eldred
Partner: UNT Libraries
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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)
Partner: UNT Libraries
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John Ireland's Piano Sonata (1918-1920) and the Influence of Johannes Brahms

Description: John Ireland is one of the most important British composers of the twentieth century. Many scholars believe the works of his early period were deeply influenced by Brahms. After graduating from the Royal College of Music, Ireland went on to develop a much more individual musical language, with influence from contemporary French composers. However, the young composer found himself confronted with the challenge of finding a new and personal style without turning wholly to impressionism or to chro… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Su, I-Shan
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Ross Lee Finney's 32 Piano Games and Stephen Chatman's Amusements: A Comparison of Two Pedagogical Approaches to Contemporary Musical Elements and Techniques

Description: Piano instructors often have to work as a bridge connecting music from the past and the future. From a pedagogical viewpoint, contemporary works should be considered just as important as those in the standard repertoire. Yet, most piano instructors are skewed towards modern music and their teaching materials are focused on eighteenth and nineteenth century repertoire. It is essential for them to introduce various kinds of music from different periods and cultures in order to fully develop a stu… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Kim, Sooyun (Pianist)
Partner: UNT Libraries
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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
Partner: UNT Libraries
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