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Ferruccio Busoni – the Six Sonatinas: an Artist’S Journey 1909-1920 – His Language and His World

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Ferruccio Busoni – the Six Sonatinas: an Artist’S Journey 1909-1920 – His Language and His World Ferruccio Busoni – The Six Sonatinas: An Artist’s Journey 1909-1920 – his language and his world Jeni Slotchiver Part I of an in-depth appreciation of these greatly significant piano works The summer’s accomplishments also inc- lude several transcriptions of Bach’s he Six Sonatinas, written between 1910 ado Springs: “No year in my life has been Chorale Preludes and a musical comedy Tand 1921, are Busoni’s finest and most so full up as this one which is just over: libretto titled Frau Potiphar. In addition, compelling collection of composit ions. the richest in work, experiences and Busoni writes his explorative treatise, Although they are not programmatic in achieve ments – and I feel that I am still Attempt at an Organic Notation for the any aspect, the set tells a cohesive story going upwards. Everything good, my Pianoforte, and prepares new material for of an artist’s journey. These are deeply Gerda, is with us.” The date is 1 April, an anticipated second edition of his personal, quasi-autobiographical comp os- 1910, and the composer marks his 44th Outline of a New Aesthetic of Music. He itions: each Sonatina serves as chronicle, birthday surveying a year of fertile and begins orchestration on his important and marks a gathering and culmination of extravagant artistic discovery. opera, Die Brautwahl and in July, com- Busoni’s spiritual searchings and growth. In December 1908, Busoni composes pletes Act 1 part 1. Fluid and timeless, the Sonatinas also the sparkling miniature for piano, Nuit de The Berceuse élégiaque is inscribed in encompass Busoni’s temporal world. Noël, as a musical offering to the New memory of Anna Busoni, and Fantasia Beginnings and departures are marked. Year. He often acknowledges Christmases, nach Johann Sebastian Bach is comp- They are a diary of contentment, of agg- New Years, and other important dates osed for Ferdinando Busoni. Both parents ressive experimentation, of the war and with musical works. Nuit de Noël is a died a few months apart in 1909, and chaos, and peace and reconciliation. The masterpiece of colour and style, an ausp- these pieces are personal eulogies, Sonatinas are contemplative works, and icious beginning for the New Year. After musical gestures of bereavement and although all end softly, they are unres - completing his concert tours in 1909, mourning. The remaining compositions ervedly expressive, with abundant Busoni begins one of his most prolific and are dedicated to the young generation of contrasts and highly developed intense periods of artistic achievement. composers. instrumen tal writing. From June until October 1909, his Sonatina, 1910, is born from An die The Sonatinas are also efforts appear impossible: Jungen. The composer, Bernard van premonitory; they fore- Berceuse, for piano. June 1909 Dieren, offers to clarify the misleading title, tell Busoni’s orch- Fantasia nach Johann Sebastian An die Jugend. He writes, “Busoni inten - estral and operatic Bach, for piano. June 1909 ded them as visionary sketches of aspects language as it exp- Preludietto, Fughetta ed Esercizio which, in his belief, music was to assume ands, evolves, and Book 1 An die Jugend, for piano. and dedicated them to Youth which crystalizes. June 1909 would see the full Busoni writes to Preludio, Fuga e Fuga figurata growth. On Youth his wife, Gerda, Book 2 An die Jugend, for piano. July all his hopes from Color - 1909 centered.” Van Giga, Bolero e Variazione Book 3 An die Dieren Jugend, for piano. July 1909 adroitly Concertante transcription of con- Schoenberg’s Klavierstück, op. 11 no. cludes: 2. July 1909 ▼ Introduzione e Capriccio (Paganinesco) & Epilogo Book 4 An die Jugend, for piano. August 1909 Berceuse élégiaque, for orchestra. October 1909 MUSICAL OPINION QUARTERLY JULY-SEPTEMBER 2015 25 “He did not resist the Composing only Jugend has lighthearted Mozart’s peculiar rhythms and harmonies temptation to leave connotations, the mature further afield in a celebration of ‘free possibilities of confusion. It deserves the name composer is on consec - tonality’. points to a didactic strain rated ground, with Bach, In his essay, Value of the Transcription, in his mind which avoided when it busies itself Mozart, and Liszt stand- 1910, Busoni discusses the borrowing, the danger of pedantry by ing guard. quoting and passing on of musical themes. an impish sense of ever with new The four books are a He asks, “But where does the transcription humour, and by a rom- devotional collage of the begin?” Busoni examines two of Liszt’s antic delight in erudite, problems… composer’s love of form, compositions, Spanish Rhapsody, and poetic complex it ies.” Busoni and polyphonic explorat - Great Fantasy on Spanish Airs. They share explains the title to Schoen - ions, or ‘free polyphony’. The the same themes, and Busoni poses the berg in 1909, An die Jugend is intended volumes contain his original music, as well question, “Which of them is the trans- to signify that the publications are as transcribed material. Musical puzzle- cription? The one which was written later? conceived for the new generation,” and as games of dazzling complexity are But is not the first one already an with his Elegies, Busoni dedicates the interspersed with creative gest ures, arrangement of a Spanish folk-song? That pieces to promising young musicians: acknowledging the great masters. Spanish Fantasy commences with a Josef Turczinski, Louis Theodor Gruenberg, References to various compositions sugg- theme which tallies with the dance motive Leo Sirota, Louis Closson, and Emile R. est musical and philosophical subtexts. in Mozart’s Figaro and Mozart took this Blanchet. Busoni writes, in his forward to ‘Free polyphony’ reigns as unrelated and from someone else too. It is not his, it is An die Jugend: “My love belongs to the related themes combine contrapuntally transcribed. Moreover the same theme young and shall always belong to them. with breathtaking facility. Uncanny harm- appears again in Gluck’s ballet Don Juan.” Their impossible plans, their open-minded onies are an important side effect of these After more investigations, he reveals, “We questions, disarming criticisms, defiant explorations. have been able to bring the motive contradictions and fast-beating hearts … The pieces in An die Jugend have a material of both Spanish Fantasies by Liszt Very fine, but unf ortun ately optimistic. complex and cohesive relationship. For in conjunction with the names of Mozart, Youth is mostly con serv ative and its prom - instance, Book 2 is an exercise based on Gluck, Corelli, Glinka, Mahler. My humble ise is often deceptive … the ‘best’ stand the D major Prelude and Fugue from name too, is now added.” An die Jugend alone in every generation.” Busoni speaks Bach’s Well-Tempered Klavier, Book 1. is the realisation of Busoni’s ‘Eternal as both the eternal optimist and the worldly Busoni writes, in his edition of the 48 Calendar of Music’, and by extending the cynic. The opposing forces of Faust, the Preludes and Fugues: “The thematic relat- musical language of Bach and Mozart, he seeker of knowledge, and Mephistoph- ions between the Prelude and Fugue are furthers ‘free polyphony’ and ‘free tonality’. eles, the incessant doubter, become more closer than may generally be assumed; Antony Beaumont notes an entry in pron ounced as the composer matures. their common harmonic basis would Busoni’s diary, 5 October, 1909, “An die This duality forged opportunistic energy render it possible to superimpose the one Jugend! The source of the palimpsest.” and balance, giving shape to his operas piece on the other.” The Fuga figurata, a Busoni often references Thomas De and mature works. contrapuntal combination of both the Quincey’s Suspira de Profundis. An essay Busoni writes, “Composing only des- Prelude and Fugue, is proof of his con- from this collection, The Palimpsest of the erves the name when it busies itself ever cept. Although slight modifications occur, Human Brain, is a meditation on con- with new problems.” He hopes a new the work is not a technical prank, it is sciousness and memory. De Quincey generation will further explore and Busoni’s concrete demonstration in the explains the term Palimpsest: “Hence it develop the musical aspects he foresees underlying unity of Bach’s music. Another arose in the middle ages, as a consid - as significant in the development of 20th example is in Book 3, the ‘Mozart’ volume erable object for chemistry, to discharge century music. Busoni is forever Janus- of An die Jugend. Busoni freely transcribes the writing from the roll, and thus to make faced, and the gift for future generations Mozart’s Kleine Gigue, K574. The hist - it available for a new succession of is also homage and memorial to gen er - orian Alfred Einstein relates that Mozart thoughts. The Greek tragedy, the monkish ations past. Early on, Ferdinando Busoni was in Leipzig in 1789 and legend, the knightly romance, introduces his wonder child to Bach, and inscribed this brilliant 3-voice each has ruled its own during adolescence, Busoni completes a gigue in the Court Organist period.” Readings of ob- 15-month course of study with his only Engel’s notebook as a scured texts were made formal composition teacher, Wilhelm creative homage to Bach. Busoni is the time possible by chemists in Mayer-Rémy. This teacher fortifies an In the same volume, the early 1800s. De already marvellous gift of counterpoint, Busoni follows Gigue with traveller, unearthing Quincey comments, and instills the 14-year-old with a lifelong Bolero, drawn from Act lll “They are not dead, but dedication to Mozart. As Busoni grows, he of Mozart’s Le Nozze di past treasures, sleeping ... the Grecian initiates himself into the world of Liszt, Figaro. Busoni transposes, revealing hidden tragedy had seemed to gaining complete mastery over his transcribes, and re-visions be displaced, but was not technique.
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