Lera Auerbach’s Postmodernist Artistic Expression: The Styles of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, op. 31 and 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 41

A document submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Musical Arts

in the Keyboard Studies Division of the College-Conservatory of Music

by

Inyoung Kim

July 2020

B.M., Seoul National University, 2014 M.M., New England Conservatory of Music, 2016

Committee Chair: Catherine Lees, D.M.A.

Abstract

Russian-American composer Lera Auerbach is currently active as a multi-dimensional and internationally known artist. A prolific composer-pianist, Auerbach has published over 100 compositions for orchestra, ballet, opera, chamber music, and other solo instruments, in addition to more than a dozen works for solo piano. The immense value of her contributions to music have earned Auerbach recognition from many institutions.

Auerbach’s postmodernist artistic expression (couched within conventional compositional syntax) appears throughout her keyboard works, as she intuitively melds musical devices of all periods and genres into a unique compositional language. As a result, the only category of the postmodernist school that can be said to include Auerbach is polystylism.

Exhibiting the possibilities for polystylistic pandemonium, Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, op. 31, and 24 Preludes, op. 41, serve as testaments to Auerbach’s postmodernist approach to composition. The Chorale, Fugue and Postlude situates new applications of modern musical languages within a trilogy that includes the traditional forms of chorale, fugue, and postlude, while 24 Preludes expands its generic scope through idiosyncratic integration and polystylism.

Much of the challenge in understanding her pieces might stem from Auerbach’s complex artistic philosophy, which is one that incorporates aesthetic, stylistic, and metaphysical themes.

But in identifying the vital need to research her challenging yet rewarding piano works thoroughly, this document provides a deeper knowledge of the aforementioned opuses to aid future engagements between performers, scholars, and Auerbach’s postmodernist piano compositions.

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Copyright © 2020 by Inyoung Kim

All rights reserved.

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Acknowledgements

First, I would like to give all my thanks to the master: Lera Auerbach. Despite causing me much frustration and tears during my study, Auerbach’s compositions have nonetheless challenged and refined my skills as a professional musician. Playing and studying her creations has been an honor, an achievement, and a source of happiness. For all the reasons stated and many more, Auerbach has been my continual source of inspiration. In many ways, she has become the muse of my life. With much respect and gratitude, I offer this document in the hope that more musicians will come to cherish and love her music as I have.

In the spring and summer of 2020 as this document is being created, the world seems to have halted as we face the unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19. With more than ten million people infected worldwide, several borders have been locked and everyone has been under quarantine with stay-at-home orders issued. Although we are equally in this desperate situation, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has nonetheless helped me present this paper to the world.

Lastly, I would love to express my deepest gratitude to my family for their endless support, encouragement, and love. With them, and thanks to them, every moment of the last 28 years of my life has shone brilliantly. I close by expressing the wish I share with my sister,

Sunghyun, that we become musicians devoted to music academia.

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Table of Contents

Abstract ...... ii List of Tables ...... vii List of Musical Examples ...... viii

Chapter One INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ...... 1 Introduction ...... 1 Significance ...... 3 Purpose ...... 4 Organization ...... 4

Chapter Two THE MANY FACES OF LERA AUERBACH ...... 6 Native of the Soviet Union ...... 6 Pianist Auerbach...... 9 Composer Auerbach ...... 11 Composer, Collaborator, and Creator Composer of Our Time Composer of Postmodernism Composer of Polystylism An Overview of Auerbach’s Works ...... 17 A Descriptive Catalog of Piano Solo Music by Lera Auerbach

Chapter Three CHORALE, FUGUE AND POSTLUDE, OPUS 31...... 23 Compositional Background ...... 23 History of the Chorale, Fugue, and Postlude ...... 25 History of the Chorale History of the Fugue History of the Postlude Auerbach’s Compositional Idiosyncrasies ...... 34 Auerbach’s Performance Contexts: Balancing Directives and Discretion Beyond Quotations: Unity, Coherence, and Development Paradoxical Ways of Modernity: Dissonance Behind Consonance Rhythmic Tools: How Anomalous Devices Overcome Simplicity Pedaling the Piano: Extension, Resonance, and Blur Formal Construction: Layers The End: Personal Gesture Signatures

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Chapter Four 24 PRELUDES FOR PIANO, OPUS 41 ...... 65 Compositional Background ...... 65 History of the Prelude ...... 67 Auerbach’s Compositional Idiosyncrasies ...... 70 Auerbach’s Performance Contexts: Balancing Directives and Discretion Motivational Legacies: Alluding to Previous Composers Beyond Quotations: Unity, Coherence, and Development Paradoxical Ways of Modernity: Dissonance Behind Consonance Fixed Materials: Rhythm as Form Modern and Old Traditions: Borrow, Blend, and Reconstitution

Chapter Five CONCLUSION ...... 111

Bibliography ...... 113 Appendix: Permissions ...... 119

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List of Tables

Table 1. Description of Each Individual Piece in Auerbach’s op. 31...... 34

Table 2. Description of Each Individual Directive in Auerbach’s op. 31...... 36

Table 3. List of Performance Lengths for the Fermatas in Auerbach’s Chorale...... 38

Table 4. Description of Each Individual Prelude in Auerbach’s op. 41...... 71

Table 5. Description of Each Individual Directives in Auerbach’s op. 41...... 73

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List of Musical Examples

Example 1. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 17-21 (lower system only)...... 40 Example 2. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4 (upper system only)...... 40 Example 3. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4 (upper system only)...... 41 Example 4. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 30-36 (middle system only)...... 42 Example 5. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 42-43 (middle system only)...... 42 Example 6. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, m. 1...... 44

Example 7. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 2-3...... 45

Example 8. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 6-8...... 46

Example 9. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 16-18...... 46

Example 10. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 50-55...... 47

Example 11. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 8-9...... 47

Example 12. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-2...... 49

Example 13. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 12-15 (upper system only)...... 49 Example 14. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, m. 22 (upper system only)...... 50 Example 15. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4...... 50

Example 16. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 52-57...... 51

Example 17. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4...... 52

Example 18. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 6-8...... 53

Example 19. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 34-36 (upper and middle systems only)...... 53 Example 20. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 38-39...... 54

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Example 21. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 2-3...... 59

Example 22. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 28-35...... 60

Example 23. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 30-31...... 60

Example 24. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, m. 22...... 62

Example 25. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 64-67...... 63

Example 26. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 50-55...... 64

Example 27. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 6, mm. 1-2...... 75

Example 28. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 6, mm. 16-19...... 75

Example 29. Rachmaninoff, Moments Musicaux, op. 16, no. 4, m. 1...... 77

Example 30. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, m. 1...... 77

Example 31. Rachmaninoff, Moments Musicaux, op. 16, no. 4, mm. 45-46...... 78

Example 32. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, m. 19...... 78

Example 33. Chopin, Preludes, op. 28, no. 4, mm. 1-11...... 79

Example 34. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, mm. 2-9...... 79

Example 35. Chopin, Études, op. 25, no. 12, mm. 1-5...... 80

Example 36. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 16, mm. 2-7...... 81

Example 37. Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, “Gnomus,” mm. 84-88...... 82

Example 38. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, m. 82...... 82

Example 39. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 1, mm. 1-5 (middle system only)...... 84

Example 40. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 4-6 (upper system only)...... 85

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Example 41. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 1, mm. 9-14...... 86

Example 42. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 18, mm. 18-23...... 86

Example 43. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, mm. 2-3...... 87

Example 44. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 10-12...... 87

Example 45. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 21, mm. 1-4...... 88

Example 46. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 62-66...... 89

Example 47. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 1, mm. 1-3...... 90

Example 48. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, m. 1...... 91

Example 49. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 24-25...... 92

Example 50. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 32-33...... 93

Example 51. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, m. 40...... 93

Example 52. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 44-45...... 93

Example 53. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 2, m. 8 (upper system only)...... 94

Example 54. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 19, m. 15 (lower system only)...... 95

Example 55. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 16, mm. 30-31...... 96

Example 56. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 1-2...... 98

Example 57. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 3-4 (lower system only)...... 98

Example 58. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 5-6 (lower system only)...... 98

Example 59. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 15-18 (lower system only)...... 99

Example 60. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 14, mm. 1-3...... 100

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Example 61. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 14, mm. 12-14...... 100

Example 62. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 1 (upper system only)...... 101

Example 63. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 5 (first half of fifth section)...... 101

Example 64. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 7, mm. 1-2 (upper system only)...... 102

Example 65. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 7, mm. 7-10...... 102

Example 66. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 22, m. 1...... 103

Example 67. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 10, mm. 9-10...... 105

Example 68. The Five Main Elements in Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3...... 107

Example 68a. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 1 (excerpt of the first eight notes on upper system only)...... 107 Example 68b. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 5 (excerpt of the middle part on lower system only)...... 107 Example 68c. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 2 (excerpt of the middle part on lower system only)...... 107 Example 68d. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 2 (excerpt of the first four notes on middle and lower systems only)...... 107 Example 68e. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 5 (excerpt of the first six notes from upper part only)...... 107 Example 69. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 5 (first half of fifth section)...... 108

Example 70. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 15, mm. 1-8...... 109

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Chapter One

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

Introduction

Russian-American composer Lera Auerbach (b. 1973) is currently active throughout the world, producing many types of art, such as visual, audio, and multimedia, pieces.1 With a growing reputation as a prolific composer and performing concert pianist, Auerbach has also written more than a dozen works for the piano besides ballets, operas, chamber pieces, and compositions for other solo instruments.2 In her works, Auerbach cannot be pinned down to any particular style, in part because she neither cares for classifying her work,3 nor analyzing it.4

Nonetheless, polystylism5 is the only category in the postmodernist school6 that can be said to

1 “Full Biography,” Profile, Lera Auerbach, accessed April 13, 2020, http://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/short-biography.

2 A catalog of Auerbach’s solo piano works is covered in the Chapter Two section, “An Overview of Auerbach’s Works.” Additional information on her repertoire is available on Auerbach’s official website or through her publisher, Sikorski. “Compositions,” Works, Lera Auerbach, accessed April 15, 2020, https://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/published-compositions.

3 In an email interview with Meily Mendez on September 17, 2012, Auerbach indicates that she wants to keep her music away from being typified by definitions and labels. At the same time, however, Auerbach says being described as polystylistic is good because it allows her to transcend the cages of other “isms.” Meily J. Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections in Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 41” (DMA diss., University of Arizona, 2016), 31, ProQuest (AAT 10107685).

4 In an email interview with Mendez on April 5, 2013, Auerbach says she is disinclined toward analyzing her own works, referring to her intuitive compositional style. Ibid., 21.

5 Polystylistic music (“eclecticism in composition”) is a term coined by Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (1934-1998) in 1971. The term may apply either to composers who use musical amalgamations of different historical or current styles across their work. It can also refer to a single piece that contrasts disparate aesthetics, in which the choice of style or period is unlimited. Nicolas Slonimsky and Richard Kassel, Baker’s Dictionary of Music (New York: Schirmer Books, 1997), 779.

6 The term “postmodernism” has a wide range of meanings. Among other perspectives, Auerbach has been studied among scholars for following the “ism” as a reaction against modernism, which, stylistically, has more traditional musical syntax. For further information on the history of the ism and its 1 apply to Auerbach, as, according to her, it gives her absolute freedom to transcend formulaic style or form.7 Utilizing the polystylistic approach, Auerbach eschews dichotomies at every glance: tonality versus atonality; simplicity versus complexity; orthodoxy versus revolution; ambiguity versus distinctiveness; intuition versus logic; and humanism versus religion.

Auerbach’s Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, op. 31 and 24 Preludes, op. 41, exhibit these possible ways of evoking polystylistic pandemonium.

Understanding Auerbach’s pieces requires in-depth research because of the challenges that might stem from her complex artistic philosophy, which incorporates aesthetic, stylistic, and metaphysical themes. However, unlike her other works that have been commissioned and performed by prominent artists, orchestras, and ballet companies, Auerbach’s compositions for piano have attracted less study and performance than their value mandates. To fill this gap in current literature, this dissertation will highlight Auerbach’s musical and compositional postmodernistic and polystylistic idiosyncrasies, arguing for Auerbach as a significant figure in piano composition by acknowledging her influences on, and contributions to, contemporary piano masterpieces.

association with Auerbach’s music, please refer to the “Composer of Postmodernism” section in Chapter Two.

7 Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 31. 2 Significance

Auerbach is currently active throughout the world, building an international reputation as a multi-dimensional artist. Working primarily in the United States and Europe, Auerbach’s outstanding artistic features and values are illuminated by the support and advocacy of masters in various art fields. The immense value of her work and contributions to music have also earned her recognition in many academic institutions.8

Compared to Auerbach’s other works, her compositions for the solo piano have been given far less attention by music experts and professionals. There are currently fewer than ten academic dissertations published in the United States that prioritize researching Auerbach’s piano music. Most contemporary musicologists and critics study Auerbach’s unique history as one of the last composers of the Soviet Union. However, in their analyses of her work, their impressions are often too vague and superficial to provide any insight into the complex intricacies and musical theory woven into her compositions. While Chorale, Fugue and Postlude and 24 Preludes are not yet part of the standard piano repertoire, these compelling works can significantly motivate pianists to overcome performance challenges and enrich their musical abilities. Thus, these pieces deserve recognition as cornerstones in musical theory and should be more widely studied for public performance.

8 Auerbach has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards while collaborating alongside today’s leading artist groups and individuals for a variety of projects. Her art works have been heard and enjoyed by worldwide audiences. For further information, please refer to the “Composer, Collaborator, and Creator” section in Chapter Two of this document; Lera Auerbach, “Full Biography.” 3 Purpose

This dissertation introduces Auerbach’s piano music and demonstrates the suitability of her works as a repertoire for the solo piano. It also examines how her postmodernist artistic approach functions and how it contributes to the development of select genres. This document also takes a close look at each of Auerbach’s multiple musical devices, which are complexly connected and completed in cycles of pieces. Additionally, this dissertation also provides a guide for properly interpreting her pieces; and, finally, establishes a foundation for future research by classifying and providing data on the structure of Auerbach’s compositions.

Organization

Given the lack of formal academic material and study on opp. 31 and 41, this paper seeks to curate and consolidate existing information and expand upon it. The main body consists of four chapters: the first two chapters shed light on Auerbach and her music world, and the second set of chapters compiles her compositional idiosyncrasies through her representative piano solo works (i.e., opp. 31 and 41) and follows her music styles and techniques. Following these sections, Chapter Five provides a concluding summary of the analyzes within this document.

In the first chapter, the introduction and overview will array my statement of purpose, including the introduction, significance, purpose, and organization of this document. The second chapter will give a detailed background about Auerbach’s life and her status as a native of the

Soviet Union, pianist, and composer. A descriptive catalog of piano music by the composer will follow to provide information on her compositions.

4 Chapters Three and Four include the compositional background of Auerbach’s Chorale,

Fugue and Postlude and 24 Preludes; the musical history and development of the chorale, fugue,

postlude, and prelude; and the elements that constitute Auerbach’s idiosyncratic composition

styles. The main elements found in her music will be classified and analyzed through a

postmodernist lens, and musical influences will be investigated to further understand where and

how Auerbach pays homage to her forerunners. Preparation suggestions will also follow briefly

to aid in the successful performance of her compositions. In this section, observations from a

recorded performance by Auerbach will be outlined to provide more precise and in-depth

interpretations of those compositions.9

The last chapter will conclude the document by assessing Auerbach’s Chorale, Fugue

and Postlude and 24 Preludes as important contributions to the piano repertoire that deserve

more recognition.

9 Auerbach’s compact disc Preludes and Dreams includes recordings of 24 Preludes for Piano, Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, and Ten Dreams performed by the composer herself. Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams, Lera Auerbach, Piano, Cedille Records, BIS 1462 Digital, July 10, 2006, compact disc. 5 Chapter Two

THE MANY FACES OF LERA AUERBACH

Lera Auerbach notes that one of the most important aspects of her career is, by far,

“creativity.” She claims that “music emerges from silence, poetry from a white page, painting

from a blank canvas,” adding that it is an artist’s obligation to express the amorphous with

boundless possibilities as art through their resourcefulness.10 In practicing this innovational

artistic belief, Auerbach constantly brings her creative process into different mediums, defining

herself not only as a pianist and composer but also as a poet, writer, painter, sculptor, and art

photographer.11 One can discover much about her compositional process by looking back at her

life and identifying the sources of her musical inspiration and also by examining her art across

other mediums to uncover common themes and philosophies. Understanding all of these

components can help listeners connect more personally to Auerbach when hearing her music.

Native of the Soviet Union

Valeria Lvovna Auerbach, known outside Russia as Lera Auerbach,12 was born to a

Jewish family in the Russian-border city of Chelyabinsk on October 21, 1973.13 Growing up in

10 Auerbach, “Borderless Creativity,” Huffington Post, April 12, 2014, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/borderless-creativity_b_4761375.

11 Andrey Ustinov and Pavel Raygorodsky, “Lera Auerbach: ‘To be honest in every work,’” MO, July 6, 2015, https://muzobozrenie.ru/lera-aue-rbah-by-t-chestny-m-v-kazhdom-proizvedenii.

12 Dmitry Babich, “Lera Auerbach–the unnoticed treasure of Russia,” RIA Novosti, February 1, 2011, https://ria.ru/20110201/329168905.html.

13 Donne365, “Women composers 365 days a year,” Donne365, October 21, 2019, http://donne365.blogspot.com/2019/10/21-october-2019.html. 6 its industrial center, which held no future for her, art came to serve as an escape from her boredom, helping her to reach beyond the dull reality of her environment and toward the fantastical. Despite the potentially inhibiting effects of living in the Soviet Union during the Cold

War, the education Auerbach received was relatively extensive. With the influences of her parents’ enthusiastic support, the composer was naturally able to grow up with music. Her mother, in particular, was her first music teacher. Beyond that, Auerbach had many opportunities to learn from renowned musicians and philosophers of music, such as Boris Mikhailovich

Beretsky, one of the few people who inspired her while she lived in Chelyabinsk.14 She also devoted herself to studying music in earnest, touring several cities.15

In 1991, when she was only seventeen years old, she got the opportunity to visit the

United States by participating and concert-touring through a cultural exchange program, “New

Names,” as a guest pianist.16 One day, after performing at the Colorado Convention Center in

Denver, an audience member suggested Auerbach visit the Aspen Music Festival. She participated in the festival as an approved visitor, and this event became a turning point in her life. During the festival, Auerbach observed master classes, toured the campus, and became attracted to the freedom she saw everywhere in the United States. As Auerbach became more immersed and enamored with the atmosphere of the United States, she was confronted with a difficult choice: whether to stay alone in America or to return home to her family. If she returned

14 At the age of twelve, Auerbach began studying under Beretsky. Vladimir Nuzov, “Lera Auerbach: Poet, Pianist and Composer,” Russian Bazaar Newspaper, May 19-26, 2005, http://russian- bazaar.com/ru/content/6975.htm.

15 Auerbach’s first opera also was composed at this time. She wrote an opera for children (poetic libretto and music), a continuation of the tale of the Snow Maiden, when she was only twelve. Ustinov and Raygorodsky, “To be honest.”

16 Ibid. 7 home, she could not be sure she would be able to leave there again (it was still six months before

the Soviet Union would dissolve). After much thought, when she finally arrived in New York

City, which was the last stop of her concert tour, she decided not to miss the opportunity of a

lifetime and opted to stay in the United States, so she could pursue her musical career.17

As one who had grown up in the Soviet Union, her new life in the United States was

never easy. Even more than that, she had only prepared (financially, logistically, etc.) for the

two-week schedule of her concert tour and was left without resources for a longer stay.

Furthermore, Auerbach was struck with a severe case of culture shock; arriving in New York

City from Chelyabinsk, a closed city that had no information about the Western world of

America, was like going to another planet.18 Despite all these difficulties, Auerbach committed

to staying in the United States for her own growth and development as a musician. After making

this decision, she called a woman named Ilya Lehman, the only emergency contact she had kept

from her mother before leaving the Soviet Union, to introduce herself and arrange a meeting. In

the meeting, Auerbach met with Lehman and her friend, who was a conductor, and performed for

both of them. They were fascinated by Auerbach’s playing and immediately called the president

of the Manhattan School of Music. Remarkably, this led to an impromptu audition arranged by

the president of the school, after which she was accepted for study the next year. Everything

happened in just one day.19

17 In the article, Auerbach states, “I felt like I was discovering this exotic place, Aspen,” and “it felt like a fairy tale, like one of my childhood dreams. It was a first step on my crucial line.” Stewart Oksenhorn, “Russian-born pianist Lera Auerbach Returns to Aspen,” The Aspen Times Weekly, July 12, 2012, https://www.aspentimes.com/news/russian-born-pianist-lera-auerbach-returns-to-aspen.

18 Millionaire.ru, “Lera Auerbach: ‘I carry Russia in myself!’,” ClassicalMusicNews.Ru, September 22, 2015, https://www.classicalmusicnews.ru/interview/lera-auerbah-ya-nesu-rossiyu-v-sebe.

19 Ustinov and Raygorodsky, “To be honest.” 8 Before its collapse, Auerbach was one of the final artists to leave the Soviet Union. New

York City became her new home and remains so to this day. Despite this, however, the composer

spends much of her time traveling the world alone, seeking a variety of inspirations for her art.

She believes that the only way she can navigate the madness of her life is by completely

removing herself from the world.20

In an interview, Auerbach indicated her displeasure when it happens that Russian

composers are better known in the West than in their own country. But today in Russia, more

and more musicians have begun to include her work in their concerts. The subject of Russia sets

itself up as an important factor in her work, stressing that she has not been lost to the oppressive

regime of her home.21 As such, Russia’s spirit and culture are still firmly rooted in her inner

mind and speak to the freedom she has gained by moving to a wider world, all of which is

expressed in her creations.

Pianist Auerbach

As she had been playing the piano and composing since the age of four, one of

Auerbach’s primary dilemmas was whether to be a composer or a concert pianist. At the age of

twelve, she wrote an opera that was produced and even toured around Russia, but it was met with

dismissiveness from her piano mentors who thought concentrating in only one field was required

in the age of specialization. Even when Auerbach wrote poetry and prose, her publishers advised

20 Anna Katsnelson, “Anna Katsnelson interviews Lera Auerbach,” East European Jewish Affairs 46, no. 3 (September 2016): 371-76, Taylor and Francis Online, https://doi.org/10.1080/13501674.2016.1243025.

21 This phrase is part of interviews that were originally published in Russian. Millionaire.ru, “Russia in myself!” 9 her that publishing both poetry and novels would confuse readers. Undeterred by criticism,

Auerbach dreamt of expanding the horizons of her art, such as by blending visual art with mixed media, photography, and sculpture.22

After coming to the United States, Auerbach began studying piano and composition at the

Manhattan School of Music. She later transferred to Juilliard, where she studied with Joseph

Kalichstein (b. 1946) and received a Bachelor of Music in piano performance and composition in

1996, earned a Master of Music degree in composition in 1999 at Juilliard studying with Milton

Babbitt (1916-2011) and Robert Beaser (b. 1954). Auerbach then went to Germany for a postgraduate piano program (Konzertdiplom) at the Hannover University of Music, Drama, and

Media (Hochschule für Musik, Theater, und Medien Hannover), where she worked with Einar

Steen-Nøkelberg (b. 1944).23 Since finishing her studies, Auerbach’s enterprising career as a concert pianist has continued.

The biggest challenge Auerbach has faced with her creative process is reconciling her life as both a concert pianist and composer.24 Despite this challenge, and even though her work as a composer has recently garnered her as much, or greater, fame as her achievements with the piano, Auerbach’s passion towards the piano remains steadfast. In an age of specializing one’s craft, Auerbach is devoted to her multidisciplinary approach. As a spirited pianist, Auerbach is esteemed in performing both traditional repertoires and works of her own. Records of Auerbach

22 Auerbach, “Borderless Creativity.”

23 Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 27-28.

24 DesignME, “Pianist/Composer/Poet/Visual Artist/Lera Auerbach-Surreal Creativity!” Get Classical, October 10, 2011, https://www.getclassical.org/pianistcomposerpoetvisual-artist-lera-auerbach- surreal-creativity. 10 playing her own repertoire are available from Deutsche Grammophon, Nonesuch, BIS, Cedille, and other labels.25

Composer Auerbach

Composer, Collaborator, and Creator

Auerbach has been commissioned by today’s leading orchestras, performers, and choreographers for a variety of projects, demonstrating her esteem in the field of composition.

She has published more than 100 musical works of all kinds, including orchestra, opera, and ballet, as well as smaller ensemble works such as choral, chamber music, and solo concertos, all in an effort to connect with different audiences.26 As a composer, Auerbach is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards: the Hindemith Prize—Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival

(Germany, 2005), ECHO Klassik award—Best Music DVD of her Little Mermaid ballet

(Germany, 2012), and the Golden Mask—for The Little Mermaid ballet (Russia, 2012), to name a few.27 She has also continued her various compositional activities since 2001 through her career as a composer-in-residence in renowned organizations (e.g., Marlboro Music Festival,

USA, 2012; Verbier Festival, Switzerland, 2009-2011).28 Likewise, her creations continue to be presented in all genres without restrictions or boundaries, operating within operas, ballets,

25 Auerbach, “Full Biography.”

26 Auerbach, “Compositions.”

27 “Additional Information,” Profile, Lera Auerbach, accessed April 28, 2020, https://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/additional-information.

28 “Composer in Residence,” Profile, Lera Auerbach, accessed April 28, 2020, https://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/composer-in-residence. 11 symphonies and symphonic chorals, concertos, string quartets, piano trios, solos, and duo works, choral music, and accompanied choir, and transcriptions.29

Auerbach’s concertos as well as her solo pieces for instruments have been performed by the world’s acclaimed instrumentalists, including pianists Awadagin Pratt, Alessio Bax, and

Valentina Lisitsa; violinists Gidon Kremer, Leonidas Kavakos, Vadim Gluzman, Hilary Hahn, and Vadim Repin; violists Kim Kashkashian and David Aaron Carpenter; cellists Alisa

Weilerstein, Gautier Capuçon and Alban Gerhardt, and many others.30

Auerbach’s symphonic and symphonic choral works are performed by well-known orchestras (e.g., Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic) under the batons of esteemed conductors, including Christoph Eschenbach, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Vladimir Spivakov,

Neeme Järvi, Vladimir Jurowski, Charles Dutoit, Andris Nelsons, Andras Keller, and Osmo

Vänskä.31 These repertoires not only include pieces for a traditional orchestral format (e.g., her first symphony for orchestra), but also feature her creative experimentations: Requiem: Ode to

Peace for Two Boys’ Voice, Countertenor, Bass, Baritone, Boys’ Choir, Male Choir and

Orchestra; Russian Requiem for Boy’s Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Bass, Boys’ Choir, Mixed

Chorus and Orchestra; Eterniday (Homage to W. A. Mozart) for Bass Drum, Celesta, and String, among many others.32

Auerbach’s three-act wrote both the libretto and music for her three-act opera, Gogol, which was commissioned by and premiered at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. When it

29 Auerbach, “Compositions.”

30 “Collaborators,” Profile, Lera Auerbach, accessed April 28, 2020, https://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/collaborators.

31 Ibid.

32 Auerbach, “Compositions.” 12 opened, it was the first major opera produced in Vienna to be written by a female composer.

With performances in Germany, Norway, Russia, the United States, and Austria, Auerbach’s The

Blind is a one act, a-cappella opera for 12 singers.33

Auerbach has also collaborated on three highly popular ballets (Tatiana, The Little

Mermaid, and Preludes CV) with famous choreographer John Neumeier. Their production of The

Little Mermaid has had over 300 performances worldwide and received the 2012 ECHO Klassik

award for Best Music DVD as well as two Golden Mask awards. Auerbach’s other creations for

ballet include Faust, Cinderella, Watch Her, Helden, Shine a Light, and Anne Frank.34

Composer of Our Time

Audiences may be able to feel the philosophical depth revealed in Auerbach’s work by

listening to her various worldviews of music. Since her musical expressions and interpretations

cover all ranges of human history and human nature, the listeners may experience the

composer’s symbolic message on an emotional level, reproduced as a form of art beyond time

and space.35

Auerbach’s music has a peculiar reputation for reimagining significant historical events

beyond the constraints of realism. In line with her objective to compose music that best reflects

our time, she aims to capture historical events in her music,36 such that her listeners have a more

33 Auerbach, “Full Biography.”

34 Ibid.

35 Ji Eun Kim, “An Analysis on Postmodern Music in Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 41” (DMA diss., Yonsei University, 2018), 16, RISS (15005722).

36 Anastasia Rakhmanova, “From Chelyabinsk to Musical Olympus: The Secret to Lera Auerbach’s Success,” Deutsche Welle, July 19, 2008, https://www.dw.com/ru/a-3489306. 13 reflective emotional experience of human tragedy. The personal and social issues she addresses

in her work not only cover events of past and present, but also issues of human nature, and the

greater questions of universal humankind.37 For example, Auerbach mentioned that the cycles of

her prelude sets each have twenty-four preludes to look “like a human life.”38 The twenty-four

preludes symbolize the cycle of life from birth to death, and her philosophical expression

attempts to capture human nature even in works written in a classical style framework. Other

examples of her inspirational breadth related to social issues or events are found in each of these

works: the opera Gogol, which was dedicated to victims of Stalin’s oppression and the violent

history of Russia,39 Poseidon’s Dream and Whisper, which was written for shipwreck victims,

and her second violin sonata, which was dedicated to victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist

attacks on New York.40 Auerbach’s compositional philosophy can be associated with works that

express, in music, the issues and concerns of social phenomena, existing among many whose

musical expressions can be evaluated as a way to read and remember the phenomena that define

society, rendered artistically.41

37 Kim classified the personal and social issues addressed in Auerbach’s work in three categories: modern historical events, historical events of the past, and the universal, or “natural,” problems of human beings. She describes Auerbach’s views of humanity by citing Auerbach’s Russian Requiem, Job’s Lament, and The Little Mermaid. For a detailed understanding of the concepts related to each piece, please refer to Kim’s document: Kim, “Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano,” 16-18.

38 Rakhmanova, “Lera Auerbach’s Success.”

39 Auerbach remarks that “Gogol” is ultimately a Russian opera, and Russian history is a nightmarish fairytale from which this country may never awaken. Auerbach, “Gogol by Lera Auerbach,” The Best American Poetry, April 1, 2011, https://blog.bestamericanpoetry.com/the_best_american_poetry /2011/04/gogol-by-lera-auerbach.html.

40 Svetlana, “Lera Auerbach,” Musical Seasons, January 13, 2017, https://musicseasons.org/lera- auerbax.

14 Composer of Postmodernism

The term “postmodernism” has been used since the late 1970s with a wide range of meanings. Some come from close links to “modernism” and others from disagreements over what the prefix “post” implies toward the “modernism” (e.g., contestation or extension).42

Discerning the nuances of these arguments is important to understanding musical postmodernism. This section posits the “-ism” as against modernism, as Auerbach’s music exhibits postmodernist artistic expression to shadow the legacy of past composers while maintaining a connection with miscellaneous traditions.43

Since the 1960s and particularly by the 1980s when the avant-garde ended, some composers working within Western art traditions have increasingly refused to utilize the difficult, and often intellectual, musical approach of modernists. The postmodernists, rejecting the modernist style of compositional difficulty that manifests through constant changes and inaccessible originality, have returned to the concept of accessible music, renewing their links to the past by re-examining the harmony and contexts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Musical postmodernism (or so-called “postmodernism of reaction” or “neo-romanticism”) mainly features traditional musical syntax with select modernistic musical devices, returning to tonality through the new concepts of consonance and the integration of popular idioms couched

41 These kinds of inspirations also appear in the work of other twentieth-century composers, such as in Sergei Prokofiev’s (1891-1953) War Sonatas (nos. 6, 7, and 8); Leoš Janáček’s (1854-1928) 10.5. 1905; Frederic Rzewski’s (b.1938) The People United Will Be Never Defeated; Krzysztof Penderecki’s (1933-2020) Victims of Hiroshima; and in Joan Tower’s (b. 1938) 9/11.

42 Jann Pasler, “Postmodernism,” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.40721.

43 In “2.3.2 Auerbach’s Main Trend and Techniques” of Kim’s document, the author explains Auerbach’s follows the anti-modernism (and anti-avant-garde spirit), among the two conflicting stems of postmodernism. She additionally discusses that this trend is manifested in two different ideologies: (1) neo-romanticism, which revived the historical tradition of the past, and (2) polystylism, which inherits the new tradition of modern times. Kim, “Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano,” 25. 15 in conventional narratives. Such examples are found in many postmodernist composers, including George Rochberg (1918-2005), Arvo Pärt (b. 1935), William Bolcom (b. 1938), and

Wolfgang Rihm (b. 1952).44 In following postmodernism as a reaction against modernism,

Auerbach can be added to this lineage because her musical tendency manifests through neo- romanticism and polystylism.45

Composer of Polystylism

In Auerbach’s masterpieces, traditional and modern languages are naturally mixed as polystylistic elements. Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (1934-1998) is cited by Auerbach as her major influence in adopting polystylism—a free device that embraces every musical period and allows the composer total freedom to create. Auerbach refers to herself as someone who is clearly receptive to different musical influences and strives to keep an open mind toward music from other cultures, regardless of where the music comes from.46 As such, Auerbach belongs to a next generation of musicians who continue and advance the modern tone of Schnittke’s established style and have been building a holistic picture of the genre and style.47

44 Pasler, “Postmodernism.”

45 Since Auerbach’s integration abilities are labeled “polystylistic,” her trend of returning to the past is “postmodernistic,” and her emphasis on tonality and strong chromatic progression is “neoromantic,” many scholars define her music in terms of those “-isms.”

46 In the interview with Zeit Online, Auerbach mentioned, “Schnittke was one of the composers who brought me into connection with polystylism.” Burkhard Schäfer, “Music Can Make People Cry,” Zeit Online, trans. Google Translate, September 9, 2009, https://www.zeit.de/kultur/musik/2009-09/lera- auerbach.

47 Mendez provides a good analysis of Auerbach’s study of piano music from a polystylistic point-of-view, paying attention to polystylistic influences, motivic connections, as well as Auerbach’s homages to different composers. Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections.” 16 An Overview of Auerbach’s Works

Within Auerbach’s diverse oeuvre, her solo piano compositions exemplify a creative and

efficient use of the keyboard through the simultaneous injection of piano expertise and general

repertoire knowledge into her own compositions. Consequently, this section examines

Auerbach’s compositions for solo piano and provides a current descriptive catalog (as of July 1,

2020).48 While this catalog is not a complete compendium of Auerbach’s music, it is intended to

be a study reference for piano enthusiasts interested in her compositions. Each listing has a small

snippet of information about the composition. For those pieces written by Auerbach and

published by Sikorski, a current product code or the music numbering system ID and/or a

discography of recordings featuring Auerbach’s music is included.49

A Descriptive Catalog of Piano Solo Music by Lera Auerbach

Title: Fantasia for Piano Year of composition: 1986 Duration: 6’ CD: Ksenia Nosikova, Flight and Fire, PH07064

Title: Memento Mori for Piano 1. Requiem–Canon–Requiem 2. Back to Childhood–Let’s Play Grownups–Childhood 3. Adulthood–Memento mori Year of composition: 1992 Duration: 12’ CD: Ksenia Nosikova, Flight and Fire, PH07064

48 Organized by genre, her entire worklist can be found on the following website. Auerbach, “Compositions.”

49 The Sikorski’s PDF file, “Composers Works: Auerbach, Lera.” is a main resource to make “A Descriptive Catalog of Piano Solo Music by Lera Auerbach.” The contents of file include Auerbach’s biography in English and German and her worklists classified as stage works, orchestra works, chamber music, solo works, choral works, and music for the young. “Solo Works,” Work List, Sikorski, PDF File, accessed April 15, 2020, https://www.sikorski.de/media/files/1/12/190/222/225/14600/auerbach_werkverzeichnis.pdf. 17 Title: Chorale, Fugue and Postlude for Piano, op. 31 Year of composition: 1994/2003 Commission: Brigitte Feldtmann Dedication: Brigitte Feldtmann Duration: 10’ Number of pages: 9 Premiere performance: March 29, 2008, Cologne, Lera Auerbach Score: SIK8569 CD: Lera Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams, BIS CD 1462

Title: Twenty-Four Preludes for Piano, op. 41 1. C Major Moderato 2. A Minor Presto 3. G Major Moderato 4. E Minor Appassionato–Nostalgico 5. D Major Andantino sognante 6. B Minor Corale 7. A Major Andante 8. F sharp Minor Presto 9. E Major Allegretto 10. C sharp Minor Largo 11. B Major Misterioso 12. G sharp Minor Allegro bruto 13. F sharp Major Andante 14. E flat Minor Allegretto 15. D flat Major Moderato 16. B flat Minor Allegro ma non troppo, tragico 17. A flat Major Adagio tragico 18. F Minor Grave 19. E flat Major Adagio religioso 20. C Minor Misterioso 21. B flat Major Allegro moderato 22. G Minor Andante 23. F Major Allegretto 24. D Minor Grandioso Year of composition: 1999 Commission: co-commissioned by Tom and Vivian Waldeck and the Caramoor International Music Festival Dedication: Tom and Vivian Waldeck Duration: 39’ Number of pages: 59 Premiere performance: July 23, 1999, New York, Lera Auerbach Score: SIK8536 CD: Lera Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams, BIS CD 1462; Eli Kalman, Homo Ludens, CRC3441

18 Title: Suite for Piano–Nine Preludes from Op. 41, op. 41a 1. Andantino (no. 5) 2. Allegretto (no. 14) 3. Presto (no. 8) 4. Grave (no. 18) 5. Allegro moderato (no. 21) 6. Misterioso (no. 20) 7. Moderato – Allegro ma non troppo (no. 16) 8. Adagio (no. 17) 9. Grandioso (no. 24) Year of composition: 1999 Duration: 15’ Premiere performance: July 12, 2001, Lockenhaus, Lera Auerbach

Title: Ten Dreams for Piano, op. 45 1. Allegro ma non troppo 2. Andante 3. Andante misterioso 4. Allegro ma non troppo 5. Tempo di un lamento 6. Lento assai 7. Allegro assai 8. Moderato 9. Vivo misterioso 10. Allegro moderato Year of composition: 1999 Commission: Tom and Vivian Waldeck Duration: 16’ Premiere performance: July 13, 2008, Plön, Lera Auerbach Score: SIK8612 CD: Lera Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams, BIS CD 1462; Eli Kalman, Homo Ludens, CRC3441

Title: Images from Childhood–Twelve Pieces for Piano, op. 52 Question What a Story! Dialogue Quarrel An old Photograph from the Grandparent’s Childhood After the War (The Field of the Dead) Decision Family Holiday Stubborn E-Creatures Shadows on the Wall Prayer

19 Year of composition: 2000 Dedication: Page and Elisabeth Johnson Duration: 11’ Premiere performance: April 8, 2001, Boston Number of pages: 16 Score: SIK2405 CD: Ksenia Nosikova, Flight and Fire, PH07064; Eli Kalman, Homo Ludens, CRC3441; Georg Michael Grau, TXA 15068

Title: La Fenice–Sonata for Piano, no. 1 1. Anzi che introduzione Moderato 2. I cavalli di San Marco Allegro ma non troppo 3. Riflessioni L’istesso tempo 4. La prigione di Casanova Moderato ma con moto 5. La Fenice Andante 6. Corale per la chimera Adagio religioso Year of composition: 2005 Commission: Ksenia Nosikova Duration: 20’ Premiere performance: October 8, 2007, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA, Ksenia Nosikova CD: Ksenia Nosikova, Flight and Fire, PH07064

Title: Il Segno–Sonata for Piano, no. 2 1. Adagio tragico 2. Toccata Allegro 3. Grave 4. Allegro–Molto meno mosso Year of composition: 2006 Commission: Deutschlandfunk, Cologne Duration: 15-17’ Premiere performance: July 3, 2006, Bonn, Lera Auerbach CD: Ksenia Nosikova, Flight and Fire, PH07064

Title: Ludwig’s Nightmare for Piano Year of composition: 2007 Commission: Deutsche Telekom AG for the Second International Beethoven Competition for Piano Bonn 2007 Duration: 7’ Number of pages: 12 Premiere performance: December 11, 2007, Bonn Score: SIK8559 CD: Georg Michael Grau, TXA 15068

20 Title: Milking Darkness for Piano Year of composition: 2011 Commission: ARD Music Competition 2011 Duration: 10’ Number of pages: 16 Premiere performance: September 8, 2011, Munich Score: SIK8694

Title: Sakura No Yume for Piano–Sakura Dreams Year of composition: 2016 Dedication: Yukihisa Miyayama Duration: 4’ Premiere performance: March 27, 2016, Tokyo, Lera Auerbach

Title: Labyrinth for Piano 1. A Bao a Qu (the Tower of Chitor) Traumwanderer: First Passage 2. Simurgh (The Bird Parliament) Traumwanderer: Second Passage 3. The Norns Tramuwanderer: Third Passage 4. The Chord ofr Fenrir Tramuwanderer: Fourth Passage 5. Swedenborg’s Angels Tramuwanderer: Fifth Passage (Swedenborg’s Demons) 6. The Kilkenny Cats Tramuwanderer: Sixth Passage (The Squonk Mourns The Kilkenny Cats) 7. Haniel, Kafziel, Azriel and Aniel Tramuwanderer: Seventh Passage 8. An Afternoon of a Minotaur Tramuwanderer: Eighth Passage 9. La Liebre Lunar 10. El Aplanador Tramuwanderer: Ninth Passage (El Golem) 11. Bahamut 12. The Library of Babel Year of composition: 2018 Commission: San Francisco Performances Duration: 50’ Source of inspiration: The Book of Imaginary Beings and Other Writings by Jorge Luis Borges Premiere performance: March 27, 2018, San Francisco, Lera Auerbach

21 Title: Diabellical Waltz Year of composition: 2019 Duration: 5’19’’ (based on the pianist Rudolf Buchbinder’s recording) CD: Rudolf Buchbinder, The Diabelli Project, DG483770750 Rudolf Buchbinder, The New Diabelli–Vinyl Edition, DG4838479

50 This recording is pianist Rudolf Buchbinder’s Diabelli Project, programming Beethoven’s 32 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, op. 120, along with new variations on Diabelli’s original waltz written by contemporary composers. Auerbach’s Diabellical Waltz is on the second track of Disc 2. Auerbach’s latest composed piece, Diabellical Waltz, is recorded on August 19 and 20, 2019, by pianist Rudolf Buchbinder and released on March 2, 2020. The piece has not been posted on Auerbach’s official website yet, so the information is extracted from a discography browser. AllMusic, “Overview: AllMusic Review by James Manheim,” Rudolf Buchbinder: The Diabelli Project, accessed May 17, 2020, https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-diabelli-project-mw0003352980. 22 Chapter Three

CHORALE, FUGUE AND POSTLUDE, OPUS 31

This document is the first significant analysis of the Chorale, Fugue and Postlude,

inspired by the absence of resources designed for performers for the purpose of an introduction

to op. 31; it combines technical information about the piece with an in-depth analysis of the

music, hoping that follow-up studies on the piece will continue. Starting with a discussion of the

piece’s compositional background followed by a look at the transformative history of the

chorale, fugue, and postlude, Auerbach’s compositional idiosyncrasies (as they appear in op. 31)

will be a major focus. This chapter aims to demonstrate the suitability of the piece as a solo

piano repertoire and to further present performers with practical suggestions for deep and correct

interpretation and application.

Compositional Background

Auerbach’s op. 31 was composed in 1994, originally with only the Fugue and Postlude.

This version was first performed by Auerbach herself in Chelyabinsk, Russia on December 29,

1994.51 A recording of Auerbach performing, it later won the “Choe de la Musique 2007”

award.52

51 As Auerbach has opened her new website, the previous website appears no longer to be in use. The previous website’s copyright is set to 2009, and the information regarding Auerbach’s compositions, written in 2008, is estimated to be the last update about the works. The website, however, contains detailed information that is not available elsewhere. “Compositions Catalogue,” Worklist, Lera Auerbach, accessed April 15, 2020, http://lera-auerbach.ru/content/compositions_catalogue.html.

52 This recording can be found on Lyricrecords 101 with only Fugue and Postlude of the 1994 version and on BIS CD 1462 with the entire work of the revised version. Sikorski, “Solo Works.” 23 In 2003, Auerbach trimmed the 1994 version and repackaged it as a three-piece set, now

including the Chorale. This revised version was also first performed by the composer herself in

Hamburg, Germany in fall 2004.53 This version was commissioned by and dedicated to Brigitte

Feltmann, the leader of Feltmann Kulturell.54 With the piece completed in 2003, Auerbach

premiered the piece more publicly on March 29, 2008 in Cologne, Germany, and the work has

been published internationally through the Sikorski company.55

Accurate to its title, the piece consists of a chorale, a fugue, and a postlude in a

straightforward format. With a total playing time of about twelve minutes and eight short-length

pages,56 this work might be considered simple. However, a high level of musical intuition and

interpretability is required to properly digest the composer’s detailed indications within the

musical structures of the piece and to create the intended unique atmosphere of the work with

53 Auerbach, “Compositions Catalogue.”

54 Feltmann Kulturell is a family company that celebrated its 100th anniversary in the spring of 2000. The company works on cultural education for young people through various efforts such as sponsoring competent artists who need performance opportunities and providing both long-term financial support and personal support for young musicians through regular concerts or events. “About Feldtmann Kulturell,” Feldtmann Kulturell, accessed April 15, 2020, https://feldtmann-kulturell.com.

55 The source for the first performance of the complete op. 31 referred to (1) Auerbach’s previous website (see Footnote 50), and (2) her publisher, Sikorski. Since the information from the above two sources is different, this could cause confusion among readers. Auerbach’s website states, “First performance of the revised version: Autumn 2004, Hamburg,” and Sikorski’s company listed “Premiere performance: 29.03.2008” and “First performance: 29 March 2008, Cologne” (in their pdf. Worklist). Therefore, the author of this document interprets that the performance in 2008 was more officially concertized, considering that the op. 31 has been published through the signing of copyrights with Sikorski since 2008. “Chorale, Fugue and Postlude for Piano,” Solo Works, Repertoire, Sikorski, accessed April 15, 2020, https://www.sikorski.de/1240/en/0/a/0/solo_works/1032923_chorale_fugue_and_postlude.html.

56 The playing time refers to the performance time of the album: Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams. According to the album, the total duration of Auerbach’s op. 31 is 12 minutes and 15 seconds. Auerbach, Chorale, Fugue and Postlude for Piano, op. 31 (Hamburg: Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, 2008) is referred to for information about the score. For the specific information for each miniature, see Table 1. 24 various sound colors. Moreover, difficulties with the work arise despite presumably simple passages. For example, expressing the thick chords within the fff dynamics and accents in

Chorale is demanding and is suitable for pianists with big hands. Additional demands of the work include analyzing the counterpoint; expressing the Fugue’s contrasting lines independently; and attributing the three layers of Postlude with different qualities. This piece can therefore be considered advanced grade and included in professional programs.

History of the Chorale, Fugue, and Postlude

History of the Chorale

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, most Christians in Europe followed the Roman

Catholic church; however, the Protestant Reformation in the middle of the century changed

Europe’s religious landscape. The Reformation had a serious effect on church music, as changes in worship resulted in new types of music for each Protestant sect. For the Lutheran church, this new music included the chorale.57

As a congregational hymn, Martin Luther (1483-1546) used the chorale to increase participation in the Lutheran Church. This form of the chorale was a metric, rhymed, strophic poem sung in simple rhythm and unison, without harmonization or accompaniment (unlike the four-part harmonies that are known today). New chorales were composed not only as original works, but also by adopting melodies familiar to the congregation, such as Gregorian chants,

German devotional songs, or Contrafactum (secular songs given new lyrics). Once a chorale appeared in church, Lutheran composers would then arrange it into polyphonic forms to sing in

57 Donald Jay Grout, A History of Western Music (New York: W.W. Norton, 1973), 211. 25 groups either at home or school. The chorale has since been arranged in numerous ways over

nearly 500 years. For centuries to follow, the chorale would influence not only Baroque music

but also successive Christian compositions and composers. One may even think of the chorale

genre as a precedent that most classical church compositions have followed since.58

By the early seventeenth century, chorale-based church music continued to be popular.

Composers of that time developed and expanded the form, genre, and musical language of the

sixteenth century, giving the chorale additional unique characteristics. The seventeenth-century’s

instrumental music is also noteworthy, because the chorale genre blends with other genres to

produce a mix of modalities, including chorale prelude, chorale partita, and assorted blends of

existing musical genres.59

During the late-Baroque period, German composers contributed to the emphasis on

instrumental art and combined the best musical features of various genres to consistently

demonstrate a broad appeal, balancing old, new, and different.60 Among them, Bach’s chorale

compositions stand out. As a church organist, Bach wrote organ music focusing on the genre

used in Lutheran services, including over 200 organ chorale sets along with his Little Organ

Book (Orgelbüchlein), BWV 599-644, a set of 45 chorale preludes for the organ.61 Another

58 Luther wrote numerous poems and melodies. He and his colleagues tried to prepare a chorale that could be sung every week to match the church year. As a result, four chorale collections were published in 1524, and over 200 chorales were published in the next 50 years. They also used many of the German religious songs that had been around since the ninth century as chorales, as well as using many well-known secular tunes with added religious lyrics. The lyrics were often newly created, but they were sometimes cleverly adapted from the original poems. Ibid., 214-17; 239.

59 Ibid., 329-53.

60 F. E. Kirby, Music for Piano: A Short History (Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 1995), 53-54.

61 The page and its title indicate that the book will serve as a guide for novice organists, which will contain all kinds of ways to develop the chorales and will also serve as a guide to improving pedal technique. Grout, A History of Western Music, 444-45. 26 example from this period is Johann Kuhnau’s (1660-1722) Biblical Sonata (Musicalische

Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien), a set of six sonatas related to the chorale prelude that

used melodies from hymns to symbolize Biblical stories.62

During the early Classical period, the Enlightenment violently changed church music, as

society focused on reason and the reverence of individual worship. With the development of

opera and vocal music, chorale music was mostly considered old-fashioned, and worship music

was mainly composed with the new galant styles. However, chorale was often still used as a

material for mixing numerous forms of music. For example, Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) mixed a

variety of traditional elements (e.g., the customary chorale fugue) in the conclusion of the Gloria

and Credo in his last six masses. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) also blended the

Baroque chorale-prelude technique with various musical styles of the eighteenth century in his

opera The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte), K. 620. Even in the later period, Felix Mendelssohn

(1809-1847) celebrated the Protestant Reformation, concluding his fifth symphony, op. 107,

Reformation with a movement based on Luther’s chorale, A Mighty Fortress is Our God (Ein

feste Burg ist unser Gott).63

Though at the end of the nineteenth century many different musical traditions appeared,

the chorale genre could still be found in several keyboard pieces. César Franck’s (1822-1890)

Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue is one such example, and is the closest in form to Auerbach’s

Chorale, Fugue and Postlude. In Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue, Franck not only uses a chorale

format, but also introduces a chorale-like melody, which later combines with the opening toccata

texture in counterpoint. Franck’s Three Chorales for Organ (1890) also opens up a new type of

62 Stewart Gordon, A History of Keyboard Literature: Music for the Piano and Its Forerunners (New York: Schirmer Books, 1996), 49.

63 Grout, A History of Western Music, 503; 544-45; 563-64; 644-45. 27 fantastical composition style that is rich in the original chorale melody, which also exemplifies his expert understanding of French organ music.64

During the early twentieth century, many modernists broke from previous musical styles to work with new ones, providing a musical experience that was impossible through traditional means. Paradoxically, some contemporary composers have intentionally blended their new, unique styles with traditional ones. In fact, these contemporary composers see their work as a continuation of what was started by their predecessors who had pioneered the way ahead, embracing the old and leading to the creation of modern classical music.65 As one of the composers in that line, a postmodernist artistic expression couched in tradition is further represented in Auerbach’s work, particularly in her use of older genres in op. 31. Auerbach’s use of chorale in op. 31 broadens the concept of art music through its polystylism.

History of the Fugue

The fugue is a multi-voiced musical style that has the most advanced form of contrapuntal imitation based on its fundamentally equitable distribution of elements.66 Its origins and modifications are closely related to the historical development of multi-voiced music.

In Medieval and Renaissance music, three terms with the same meaning (“fuga,”

“chace,” and “caccia”) referred to a piece of music associated with the canonic technique, which was the earliest type of imitative counterpoint in Western music in the fourteenth century. In the

64 Ibid., 752.

65 Contemporary music’s trend of looking back through postmodernist lenses has already been studied in the “Composer of Postmodernism” section in Chapter Two. The study of a postmodernist approach in this document is mainly based on Pasler’s article and is highly recommended as a source for more detailed information and examples. See Pasler, “Postmodernism.”

66 Slonimsky and Kassel, Baker’s Dictionary of Music, 332. 28 fifteenth century, however, the “fugue” became the only representative term for every work in

which all voices participated in the canonic performance of a single melodic line, as “chace” and

“caccia” were largely out of use. In the middle of the fifteenth century, the fugue gained new

meaning in referring to the compositional technique itself.67

As interest in instrumental music grew, independent forms appeared throughout the

sixteenth century; thus, the history of imitative techniques directly and continuously developed

beyond the boundaries of the centuries, places, and genres. By the seventeenth century, the fugue

eventually came to designate a piece utilizing contrapuntal imitation mainly for keyboard

instruments. Samuel Scheidt’s (1587-1654) Tabulatura nova, Part Three, is an example, as it was

the first important publication to use the term. Composers in the seventeenth century gradually

expanded possible applications of counterpoint techniques within other genres. Venetian

composers in particular combined multiple genres into an all-encompassing one, which includes

the tradition of mixing prelude or toccata with the same group of fugue into a single genre. The

fugue therefore began to function as a piece in a set. Its application during this period can be

seen in Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer’s (ca. 1670-1746) collection, Ariadne Musica, a

predecessor to Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier (Das Wohltemperierte Klavier).68

The Baroque era was the golden age of the fugue genre, and contrapuntal techniques

became the center of composition, integrated into various musical forms. Keyboard suites from

this period frequently finish on a fugal gigue, while the French overture, an expression of the

elegant tastes of seventeenth-century France, features a lively fugal section after a slow

67 Paul Mark Walker, “Fugue,” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.51678.

68 Kirby, Music for Piano, 22-26. 29 introduction.69 Additionally, during this time an increasing number of pieces were composed for pedagogical purposes because of a growing interest in teaching music theory and counterpoint skills (e.g., Johann Joseph Fux’s [1660-1741] Steps to Parnassus [Gradus Ad Parnassum]).

Likewise, most composers of the Baroque period used the fugal technique, including Girolamo

Frescobaldi (1583-1643), Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667), and George Frideric Handel

(1685-1759).70 Among them, Bach represented the best of all possibilities of the counterpoint technique we use today, providing an encyclopedia of fugues through various devices that include inversion, canon, augmentation, diminution, double fugue, and the triple fugue. Some of his notable pieces that use fugal techniques are WTC, The Musical Offering (Das Musikalische

Opfer), and The Art of Fugue (Die Kunst der Fuge).71

Sonatas and symphonies quickly rose to the dominant position with the establishment of the Viennese Classical style as practiced by Haydn, Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-

1827), and the fugue’s central role in music slowed in the late eighteenth century. However, musicians continued to polish important counterpoint techniques for their musical training, and, in the end, none of the three aforementioned composers completely abandoned fugal writing.

Haydn, for example, included the fugue in his masses and instrumental music. Mozart used fugal writing in his masses and requiems as well as numerous works for the keyboard, including

Prelude and Fugue in C Major (K. 394/383a) and Fugue in C Minor for Two Pianos Four Hands

69 George Gow Waterman, “French Overture,” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.1021.

70 Walker, “Fugue.”

71 Slonimsky and Kassel, Baker’s Dictionary of Music, 45-47. 30 (K. 426) (later arranged for Adagio and Fugue in C Minor, K. 546), along with many other examples in his piano sonatas and concertos.72

Beethoven incorporated fugal boundaries into a new style. Learning Bach’s WTC from childhood, Beethoven was familiar with counterpoint techniques and properly melded them throughout his sonatas and variations that represented the Classical era, using counterpoint for specific effects mainly at a piece’s climax or end.73 Such examples are Variations and Fugue for

Piano in E flat Major (commonly referred to as the Eroica Variations), op. 35, consisting of a fugue in the finale, and 33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli (commonly known as the

Diabelli Variations), op. 120, including fugues at Variations 24 and 32. The partial usage of contrapuntal techniques in Beethoven’s late piano sonatas (particularly in Hammerklavier

Sonata, op. 106) also represent this.74

In the nineteenth century, as Bach’s music began to see a resurgence, it was reformed by

Romantic composers to incorporate a Baroque element into their music. Mendelssohn especially expressed his respect for Bach by following the master’s legacy75 regarding the fugue in Six

Preludes and Fugues, op. 35 and Three Preludes and Fugues, op. 37. Other representative works include Frédéric Chopin’s (1810-1849) Fugue in A Minor, B. 144; Robert Schumann’s (1810-

72 Walker, “Fugue.”

73 Ibid.

74 Because of his counterpoint techniques, Beethoven is seen as the master of the fugue following Bach. Beethoven’s work with the fugue has been studied not only in many existing academic resources, but also in recent masterclasses and lectures.

75 It was influenced by many later composers until Bach reached godlike status and raised his reputation: Bach’s more complete discovery began in the nineteenth century with a biographical publication by Johann Nicholaus Forkel in 1802. Carl Friedrich Zelter and Mendelssohn’s contributions into the revival of the St. Matthew Passion inspired interest in Bach’s music. Schumann and others also founded the Bach Society (Bach-Gesellschaft) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Bach’s death. With all these great efforts and influences from later generations, Bach’s status today could be continued, and his music still can be heard everywhere. Grout, A History of Western Music, 466-67. 31 1856) Six Fugues on B-A-C-H., op. 60; Franz Liszt’s (1811-1886) Six Preludes and Fugues by

J.S. Bach, S. 462, Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H, S. 529i/ii, and the fugato of contrapuntal skill in the final recapitulatory section of his piano sonata in B Minor, S. 178; and

Franck’s Prelude, Fugue and Variation, op. 18 and Prelude, Chorale and Fugue, FWV 21.76

By the twentieth century, especially with the emergence of neo-classicism in the 1920s and 30s, several modern composers were once again interested in imitative techniques. Under the influence of Baroque or other, preceding composers, these musicians wanted to tie their own style to the fugal tradition.77 Such examples are found in Paul Hindemith’s (1895-1963) Ludus

Tonalis (i.e., “Tonal Game” or “Play of Tones”) and Dmitri Shostakovich’s (1906-1975) 24

Preludes and Fugues, op. 87, as well as movements in sonatas by Elliott Carter (1908-2012) (the second movement of his piano sonata) and Samuel Barber (1910-1981) (the fourth movement of his piano sonata in E flat minor, op. 26). Pierre Boulez (1925-2016) was also inspired by Bach’s fugues (the fourth movement of his second piano sonata, incorporating the B-A-C-H motif), and he has a style resembling the Baroque era. During the second half of the twentieth century, however, the fugue’s popularity declined, as the post-World War II formation of trends such as total serialism, aleatory music, and minimalism emerged. Interest in the fugue of the late twentieth century settled almost exclusively among composers who wanted to emulate the past traditions of composition and scholars studying the counterpoint’s history.78

76 Bach devised the multi-pronged methods of fugal composition, showing the best possibilities for counterpoint techniques, along with (in his WTC) suggesting how to integrate a prelude and a fugue as a set. Accordingly, many scholars argue that subsequent forms of the fugue (especially grouped as a set with a prelude) inherit Bach’s legacy.

77 Walker, “Fugue.”

78 Ibid. 32 History of the Postlude

The postlude refers to a movement or section that ends a large piece; opposite in concept to the prelude, the postlude can serve the role of coda, conclusion, or epilogue. While the postlude is less known and less used, it nonetheless derives its format on the pattern of the prelude. The postlude is mostly performed on an organ typically as background music following the conclusion of sacred, religious, or ceremonial meetings.79 However, the postlude can also feature any instrument that suits the occasion and place. Thus, even works that are not titled

“postlude” have often been used as a function of finale (e.g., “Wedding March

[Hochszeitmarsch]” from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream [Musik zu Ein

Sommernachtstraum], op. 61).80 Other examples from acclaimed composers include

Mendelssohn’s Postlude (Nachspiel) in D Major for solo organ (MWV W 12), Anton Bruckner’s

Postlude (Nachspiel) in D Minor (WAB 126/1), and of course, the postlude of Hindemith’s

Ludus Tonalis.

Ludus Tonalis is one of the most important masterpieces of twentieth-century compositional history, subtitled “Studies in Counterpoint, Tonal Organization and Piano

Playing.” The composition comprises twenty-five miniatures that begin with a prelude followed by a series of eleven fugues, each separated by a modulatory interlude, with one final fugue followed by a postlude. The postlude has additional significance beyond concluding the entire

79 Michael Tilmouth, “Postlude,” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.22180.

80 In fact, the “Wedding March” is still used for modern-day weddings and has been one of the most beloved pieces of music, and even though it is not titled a postlude, it acts as one.

33 work in that it is written as a retrograde inversion of the prelude and serves to connect the work’s ending back to its beginning, completing the piece as a cycle.81

Auerbach takes a similar approach with the Postlude of her op. 31; Auerbach’s Postlude functions not only to end the work, but also to reprise and rephrase material from previous miniatures to connect back to it (the pitches and rhythms from the Prelude and the theme from the Fugue). Thus, Auerbach’s Postlude can be seen as faithfully performing the role of a conclusion to the Chorale, Fugue and Postlude. The Postlude brings together the trilogy and finishes it up in one place.

Auerbach’s Compositional Idiosyncrasies

This section will discuss Auerbach’s idiosyncrasies in Chorale, Fugue and Postlude. The goal is to give the performer a basic framework for the piece by presenting general information to help them understand the work through analysis. The following table is intended to provide a description of each piece of op. 31. For each piece, the primary structural information and

Auerbach’s performance timing are listed (Table 1).

Table 1. Description of Each Individual Piece in Auerbach’s op. 31.82 Performance Title Tempo Indication No. of Measures Timing83 Chorale Moderato 22 4’57” Fugue Andante 67 4’24” Postlude ♩=75 (from m. 4) 55 2’54”

81 Gordon, A History of Keyboard Literature, 470.

82 The information extracted from Auerbach’s Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, officially published by Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, has been approved for use in this document by the publisher G. Schirmer (see the Appendix). Auerbach, Chorale, Fugue and Postlude.

83 Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams. 34 Auerbach’s Performance Contexts: Balancing Directives and Discretion

An understanding of Auerbach’s exact directives and interpretations of these instructions

is essential when preparing her compositions for performance, as the use of indication is a crucial

factor that stimulates direct inspiration through communication with the performer, giving the

works a multifaceted sound. The directives given by Auerbach can be largely divided into two

groups: (1) the composer’s direct instructions that involve great detail, requiring a close study by

the performer to actively accept and accurately express, or, (2), interpretable improvisational

characters, which allow the performer musical freedom.

To elaborate further on the second group, Auerbach’s experimental directives allow a

performer’s expressive discretion by conveying Auerbach’s artistic inspiration through

metaphorical wording. For example, in “Family Holiday” from Images from Childhood, the

composer, along with molto espressivo cantabile markings for the left hand, provides a direct

metaphor for an instrumental sound: “imitating the sound of a cello.”84 Furthermore, in her

Ludwig’s Nightmare (Ludwig’s Alptraum), the performer is offered exploration and imagination

of sound with suggested abstract instructions like “as if hearing distant bells through the clouds

of memories” and “use long shallow pedaling, so it sounds as in a fog.”85 In addition to the

given suggestions and ideas with direct or abstract metaphors, Auerbach also allows the

performer considerable discretion as described in the performance notes of Milking Darkness. As

the composer explains,

In this work, I strongly encourage exploration and imagination in the approach to the sound, … the depth of pedaling could be varied and adjusted according to the hall’s acoustics, quality of the instrument and performer’s intentions … feel free in an

84 Auerbach, “Family Holiday,” Images from Childhood: Twelve Pieces for Piano, op. 52 (Hamburg: Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, 2000), 13.

85 Auerbach, Ludwig’s Nightmare for Piano (Hamburg: Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, 2007), 3. 35 improvisation-like manner, as if the performer is creating the dramatic unfolding in this very instant with certainty and immediacy of inspiration. Liberties to the rhythmic and tempi gradations can be taken and are encouraged, but only if they feel entirely organic to performer’s own interpretation of this work.86

When the performer plays Auerbach’s works, he or she may use one’s creativity to interpret the directives entirely as one’s own.

The table below lists Auerbach’s instructions for op. 31, a composition that reveals

Auerbach’s balanced use of directives and discretion (Table 2). What follows is given in order not to infringe upon the performer’s discretion or to establish subjective standards based on the author’s personal interpretation, but rather to show objective performance standards based on

Auerbach’s recordings.

Table 2. Description of Each Individual Directive in Auerbach’s op. 31.87

Title Auerbach’s Directives =+15” (m. 1) =+5” (m. 2) Chorale =+4” (m. 9) =+4” (m. 15) =+3’’ and =+12” (m. 22)

Holding the middle pedal until the end of Postlude (m. 55) Fugue It is only necessary to restrike the Si if there is no middle pedal available, or if the Si does not sound long enough (m. 61) ad libitum/ optional (m. 3) Postlude rithmico (m. 4)

86 Auerbach, Milking Darkness for Piano (Hamburg: Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, 2011), 2.

87 The information used in this document from Auerbach’s Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, officially published by Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, has been approved by the published G. Schirmer (see the Appendix). Auerbach, Chorale, Fugue and Postlude. 36 The performer who reads the score of op. 31 may encounter the unusual fermata instruction that appears from the piece’s first note and have doubts about the unusual marking.

Therefore, this section adopts the special instructions of fermatas as an example of Auerbach’s unique directives and contains the process of interpretation based on her recorded performance to present a more reliable reference point: Preludes and Dreams.88

Auerbach’s average tempo of her Chorale is approximately quarter notes at 60 to 70 beats per minute, based on measures between 3 to 15 where there are relatively many quarter notes in a steady pulse. However, catching her exact (metronome) tempo over the entire piece is difficult, because she plays the rubato significantly over the introduction and the ending parts, as well as when she moves on to the next chord with large leaps. Thus, the direction to Moderato she wrote at the top of the movement could be interpreted as a musical gesture to be played in a stable tempo with majestic and heavy atmosphere, rather than to be interpreted literally “at a moderate speed (108-120 BPM).”

An examination of Auerbach’s playing tempo also yields notice of the use of fermatas, which she uses to assay her directives by providing the specific timing with =+ marking; the exact lengths of her playing are referred to in the table below (Table 3). To calculate based on the composer’s exact metronomic speed and the length of fermata, the total amount of time that

Auerbach sustains the note is approximately the original note values twice as long plus the additional seconds she added to the fermata.

88 The Chorale, Fugue and Postlude (and 24 Preludes) was released on compact disc with BIS in 2006, titled Preludes and Dreams. Several other artists have recorded or performed Auerbach’s works; but for Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, the recording by the composer herself is the only available resource. Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams. For specific interpretations of other directives on Fugue and Postlude (stated in Table 2), see the “Pedaling the Piano: Extension, Resonance, and Blur” and “The End: Personal Gesture Signatures” in this chapter. 37 Table 3. List of Performance Lengths for the Fermatas in Auerbach’s Chorale.89

Auerbach’s Approximate Measure Original Notes Indications Performance Lengths 1 Whole note =+15” 20” Whole note =+5” 11”

2 Dotted half note Half note 9 Quarter note =+4” 7” 15 Quarter note =+4” 6” Dotted half note =+3” 6” 22 Whole note =+12” 20”

In her numerous interviews and commentaries, Auerbach’s shows that her works and performances are always intuitive, creative, and unique, rather than embedded in a woven framework.90 From this point of view, “describing seconds” can be interpreted not as an indication that the length should be mathematically counted, but rather, through “relative” numbers, as the composer’s word for implying how much of the sound is to be sustained for sufficient resonance. Auerbach only seems to suggest strict instructions by borrowing the concept of “second (=+),” even though the basic marks are to take fermatas (which can vary depending on the performance), giving a rough structural idea but giving the performer discretion. Through this method, Auerbach keeps the distinction between herself and performer,

89 The use of excerpts in this document from Auerbach’s Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, officially published by Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Auerbach, Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, 2-3.

90 Auerbach (in the email interview with Mendez on April 5, 2013) states she composes her own music mostly intuitively rather than analyze her own works. Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 21. 38 sometimes sharp and sometimes ambiguous, in perfect balance between directives and discretion, motivating both the performer and audience towards their own interpretation.

Beyond Quotations: Unity, Coherence, and Development

In op. 31, Auerbach borrows three different genres of music, using musical forms to show a colorful style through each genre’s traits. As one large set, these three pieces fully display the aspects of a trilogy by connecting motivic materials throughout the entire work.

This is particularly evident in the ostinato rhythmic patterns of Chorale and Postlude.

The repeating of notes on the tonal center B is first introduced at the end of measure 16 in

Chorale. However, notes in these measures are often syncopated, or Auerbach places the extra quarter notes in the middle of the patterns, making it difficult to see the rhythmic figures in measure 16 as a perfected cycle. Eventually, however, the rhythmic cycle is perfected at measure

19. Afterward, the perfected cycles are repeated (Example 1), and the piece finishes with a coda, featuring a structure similar to the introduction.

The aforementioned rhythmic patterns reappear as the main parts of Postlude. However, unlike what was shown as a basso ostinato in Chorale, the elements in Postlude are featured on the right hand as an upper part. The rhythmic patterns in the first three measures are carved out and are gently presented with rests. Then, with a metronome marking, quarter note 60, in the fourth measure, the shared rhythmic materials derived from Chorale eventually emerge again within the 3/4 meter. These fixed elements are responsible for the implication of Postlude in

Chorale and serve main roles in charge of the ostinato pattern in Postlude. The performer may reveal the distinct rhythms clearly in Chorale, so that listeners can perceive the allusion thoroughly when the fixed element returns in Postlude. Moreover, in Postlude in particular, one

39 should serve the definite rhythmic pulses as fixed accompaniments to support the melody line while maintaining the same accuracy, like a metronome (Example 2).

Example 1. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 17-21 (lower system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 2. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4 (upper system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

The “subject” of Fugue is made up of groups of minor second or diminished fifth intervals. In particular, a series of four sixteenth notes appearing in measure 3 is all composed of minor second intervals, which swirl around the central axis of the B flat (Example 3). The melodic figuration reminds listeners of the chromatic lines in the Chorale, shown as accented notes in intense block chords in Chorale (e.g., mm. 3, 4, 8, 9) and retrograded forms (e.g., mm.

2, 10). However, more than the earlier examples of Chorale, the use of the fixed elements in

40 Postlude is more noticeable as expansion. The melodic line of Postlude mainly goes with intervals of the major second and minor second in the middle system (out of the three total staves) from the beginning. In measure 30, the shape of measures 1 and 2 of Fugue with different rhythmic forms is inserted. From measure 34, the melodic figuration is once again revealed with different octave dislocations. This completes the overarching networks by naturally quoting and smoothly melting the theme from Fugue, while maintaining the process of the second intervals that deviated from the Postlude (Example 4).

The coda part of Postlude borrows from measure 3 of Fugue but doubles the length of note values and repeats the melodic form three times until the end. The only other recognizable difference is the interval of the last two notes: Postlude continues here as minor second down— minor second down—major second up (respelled major third as scored), which contrasts from the minor second down—minor second down—minor second up found in Fugue (Examples 3 and 5). This underlines the half-step relationships and further highlights the composition’s tonality by emphasizing the note C as a paradoxical dissonance (Example 5).

Example 3. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4 (upper system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

41 Example 4. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 30-36 (middle system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 5. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 42-43 (middle system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

As such, Auerbach’s Chorale, Fugue and Postlude forms a single, large set with an organic structure through specified devices that link the three pieces representing different genre characteristics. The performer will have the challenge of identifying the different personalities assigned to each prelude from a microscopic perspective, as well as from a macroscopic viewpoint, performing at a higher level while using the method of integration for musical interpretation.

42 Paradoxical Ways of Modernity: Dissonance Behind Consonance

Auerbach mentions, “I think all music is tonal—even the one that strives not to be,” and

says music is based on the principle of sound frequencies according to the thirds in major/minor

and scales. This could be an answer to why the tones are of differing importance and is the basis

for her argument towards the atonality or twelve-tone technique: “the attempt to make them all

equal is not consistent with the whole nature of sound, or how we relate to music.”91

Despite Auerbach’s strong conceptions of tonality, tonal contradictions emerge

throughout her works. They are interpreted as a polystylistic philosophy to freely use and

integrate all musical elements to encompass various period styles (e.g., based on traditional tonal

music but accompanied by insertions of twentieth-century elements). They are also described as

paradoxical devices to further highlight the inherent function of tonal composition (e.g.,

atonality, polychords, dissonances).92

Tone clusters were introduced by Henry Cowell (1897-1965) at the San Francisco Music

Club in 1912. They can manifest as adjacent, diatonic, pentatonic, or chromatic tones on the

piano keyboard. Fists or palms are used on the keyboard for small tone clusters, and whole arms

are used for extensive tone clusters of two octaves or more.93 Many modern composers have

used tone clusters since their introduction, which sometimes are accompanied by tools like

91 David Weininger, “Composer Has Way With and Without Words,” The Boston Globe, July 16, 2010, http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/07/16/a_way_with_and_without_words_lera_ auerbach_excels_at_writing_poetry_and_music/?page=1.

92 Kim mentions that, based on the elements of Auerbach’s essential musical language, the composer uses paradoxical devices to further highlight composition as a unique function. This is from Kim’s study on Auerbach’s 24 Preludes, op. 41, but this view can also be applied to op. 31. Kim, “Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano,” abstract.

93 Slonimsky and Kassel, Baker’s Dictionary of Music, 1047. 43 wooden blocks and are performed to spectacular effect.94 Auerbach is one of the composers who

applies these modern sound effects in her music, although, in op. 31, she neither shows the

aforementioned type of tone cluster technique, nor does she follow Cowell’s earlier tone cluster

scoring.

The chords produced through op. 31 sound like tone clusters due to the stacking of chords

consisting of minor second intervals. This creates a musical sound that is as if it has struck a part

of the chromatic scale all at once. These groups of dissonances appear especially within Chorale

and Postlude. One such example can be found in measure 1 of the Chorale; it takes the B minor

chords with a fermata within fff as the outer voice, then offers the tone clusters with p dynamic,

which contrasts all elements between those two voices (Example 6).

Example 6. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, m. 1.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

94 One such example can be found in “Hawthorne” movement of Concord Sonata by Charles Ives (1874-1954) including tone clusters produced by pressing a 37cm wooden block down on the keyboard to create sympathetic vibration. Ibid. 44 These aforementioned figures continue through measures 2 and 3. The bass note B in measure 2 is continuously presented as a pedal point. Above that, the chromatic melodic line within major third intervals is drawn, creating an extreme contrast to the dissonances created in measure 1 (Examples 6 and 7). Measure 3 begins the vertical progression within the same B minor outer voice. The left hand produces dissonance at narrow intervals, maintaining minor second intervals as in the previous measures, while the right hand subtly crosses between consonances and dissonances. Consequently, both consonant and dissonant chords collide within firmly sustained B minor external chords (Example 7).

Example 7. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 2-3.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

The use of other dissonances is also evident in Postlude. The main melodic part in the middle system crosses up and down, overlapping over the fixed material laid on note B in the upper system, to create various forms of dissonances. The pedal point on C in the bass line is also a factor which creates dissonances alongside the fixed material (Example 8). Succeeding the progressions, the dissonances eventually complete with forms of tone clusters around measure

16: A, B flat, B natural, C (Example 9).

45 Example 8. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 6-8.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 9. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 16-18.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

The collisions of these dissonant intervals continue until the end of the piece, and even the final chord includes the notes E, C, and B. This occurs concomitantly with the right hand, finishing at a tonal center B in op. 31. Consequently, it opens up the possibility of interpreting all the previously featured reproduced B notes as paradoxical material that causes intensity to highlight the last C (Example 10).

46 Example 10. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 50-55.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Unlike the Chorale and Postlude, one can see in the Fugue that the dissonant elements appear not only vertically but also horizontally, rather than being written only as chords. One such example is in measure 8 where the countersubject appears and represents the form of the complete three-voices. In addition to horizontally referring to the major second, minor second, augmented fourth, or diminished fourth intervals, it vertically creates more conspicuous dissonances from the cross-emerge with a perfect fourth and fifth (Example 11).

Example 11. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 8-9.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. 47 As mentioned earlier, Auerbach exposes tone clusters and dissonances throughout the work. This may seem inconsistent with her compositional philosophy of emphasizing and following the importance of tonal elements, but this contradiction can be interpreted as further highlighting the importance of tonality, since the composer stresses that “all music is tonal” and

“tonality is rooted in the physics of sound frequencies, from which follow major and minor triads and scales.”95 Thus, the performer may first have to recognize her concepts of the tonal organization and also contemplate a harmonic analysis, enabling him/her to play the work with a deeper understanding of consonance over dissonance.

Rhythmic Tools: How Anomalous Devices Overcome Simplicity

This piece captures anomalous rhythmic devices in order to overcome the simplicity arising from the repeated fixed elements and its simple rhythmic figurations. The factors infusing the work with constant tension and instability include: absences of meter, frequent changes of meter, and shifted metric irregularity (i.e., hemiola).

Chorale mainly features quarter or eighth notes, with clear and simple rhythms. Auerbach breaks the boredom that results from monotonous rhythmic sequences by (1) not using a standard meter, and (2) blurring the pulses with frequent use of fermatas. One such example is in the introduction section. If the standard beat is set as a quarter beat, measure 1 can be calculated as a meter of 20/4 (or 10/2), while measure 2 can be calculated as a meter of 23/4. The composer also uses unique time concepts within fermata-markings (e.g., =+15” or =+5”), giving freedom of length to each note.96 Moreover, indications (e.g., a comma between measures 1 and 2) are

95 Weininger, “Composer Has Way.”

96 Interpretations of the fermatas are examined elsewhere in this document based on Auerbach’s playing. Please refer to “Auerbach’s Performance Contexts: Balancing Directives and Discretion.” 48 originally materials used in the vocal genre, and they also can be seen as providing rhythmic freedom to create vocal phrasing based on the discretion of the performer rather than being played within precise pulses (Example 12).

Example 12. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-2.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

In regard to the middle section, even though the composer does not give any meter signature, it could be calculated usually as meters of 4/4, 6/4, 8/4 as well as 2/4 at the shortest and 17/4 at the longest, due to the number of quarter notes (Example 13).

Example 13. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 12-15 (upper system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

49 The last measure of this piece, the extended version of the introduction, wraps up the

Chorale. This measure gives the piece freer rhythms within a meter of 27/4 with fermatas, which shows a huge contrast with the block-like framework in the previous part (Example 14).

Example 14. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, m. 22 (upper system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

By omitting certain meter signatures and positioning the notes into different lengths of measure, Auerbach creatively solves the monotony resulting from the repetition of the quarter and eighth notes and expresses multiple rhythmic layouts from a macro-perspective. More than that, the absence of time signatures presents the entire piece as connected within a single line, devoid of boundaries or specific cycles.

Fugue’s beginning meter of 3/4 changes into 5/8 by the end of the “subject” section, faithfully displaying modern music devices (e.g., meter changes) within the traditional framework (Example 15).

Example 15. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

50 From measure 5, it returns to the meter of 3/4 and represents the “answer” above the perfect fifth of the “subject.” Starting with measure 8, the same pitches two octaves under the

“subject” indicate the “countersubject” and complete all three-voiced fugues with the “poco rit.,” also marked in 5/8. The use of 5/8 meter frequently appears as one-measure length between usages of the standard 3/4 meters (in measures 18, 23, 27, 35, 37, 44, 56, 64, and 67); these appear recklessly on the first, middle, or last measures of the phrases, adding to the ambiguity between the standard meters. Additionally, appearing in the stretto section of this Fugue, the use of 4/4 meter with “lunga” and fermata on the fourth beat in measure 55 adds a dramatic moment characterized by a sudden pause and tension based on its rhythmic ambiguity and instability.

This tension continues with the usage of the meter of 5/8 in measure 56 and 3/4 in measure 57

(Example 16).

Example 16. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 52-57.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

51 The work ends with a quarter note with a fermata in 5/8 meter, with a “poco a poco rit.” marking continued from measure 64 (although the rhythmic characteristics of 5/8 are not well highlighted due to the fermatas and the gradually slower pacing.)

The Postlude begins by taking the last note of the Fugue; therefore, the boundaries of the

Postlude are ambiguous due to the tied first note being connected to the last note of the Fugue.

The actual first sounded note of the Postlude is the third beat in measure 1, and then each triplet in measures 2 and 3 appears by alternating the quarter rests with the fermatas. Thus, unless the audience reads the score and listens to the music at the same time, they would not be able to recognize the exact beginning of the work and the beat of each bar. The noticeable and perceivable beginning of a 3/4 meter begins from measure 4, in which the first appearance of perfected ostinato patterns on the right hand begins, after the aforementioned improvisational rhythmic figurations in measures 1 to 3 (Example 17).

Example 17. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 1-4.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Elements such as the hemiola in mm. 7 and 8 break the rhythmic stability as a shifted metric irregularity against fixed materials, making the piece a rhythmic enigma (Example 18).

52 Example 18. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 6-8.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

The meter change to 4/4 in measures 35 and 36 breaks the continuous ostinato patterns that are repeated until measure 34, while appearing in the main theme of the Fugue. The transformation of the broken ostinato patterns into the changed meter of 4/4 highlight the tension of this piece in the calmer sections characterized by their pp dynamic within a narrow structure.

The performer will thus have to correctly interpret the modified ostinato patterns to emphasize the tight construction, which requires a steady and mechanical rhythmic articulation (Example

19).

Example 19. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 34-36 (upper and middle systems only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. 53 Only two measures after, the ostinato patterns return to the standard. As the bass line now shows a strong melody rather than a pedal point, each of the three layers eventually represent an unprecedented rhythmic complexity of 3:2:1. In this regard, the performer should characterize the complexities of the rhythm by making the distinction particularly noticeable between the second eighth note in the quarter beat and the last note in each group of triplets (Example 20).

Example 20. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 38-39.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Auerbach’s op. 31 consists of numerous, constantly repeating and fixed elements that serve to unify the work’s overall texture. In this context, the anomalous rhythmic devices designed to overcome the simplicity resulting from the layers of fixed materials become indispensable, novel elements that infuse endless diversity into the work.

54 Pedaling the Piano: Extension, Resonance, and Blur

The use of pedal is an important element that brings out a fantastic, dimensional ambience by drawing a variety of sounds through the piano. Auerbach’s piano solo works, op. 31 in particular, represent a delicate use of pedaling.

The pedaling of the first piece, Chorale, incorporates the long pedal to intentionally mix several chords, which has the effect of (1) keeping the resonances of the chord in a long line and

(2) melting or sharpening the boundaries between consonances and dissonances, creating a dramatic contrast in the work by making the tonality more distinct.

The first pedal with the instruction “Ped (a.m.10)” at measure 1 connects nearly half of the work; therefore, the pedaling produces a dissonant sound that encompasses all sounds involving tone clusters over seven octaves. On the other hand, the frequent pedal changes from measure 11 form distinct consonances (especially the B minor chords revealed in measures 11 and 13) that make dramatic contrasts with the dissonant sounds from the previous parts.

From measure 16 onward, the effects of overlapping consonant and dissonant chords are shown with “Ped (al fine)” instructions. This long pedal extends to the end of the piece (except for the last three chords). At the last measure (m. 22), with a peak of dissonant resonances and returning tone clusters, the composer ironically emphasizes the cadence of the piece and concludes the work with a clear manifestation of the tonal center B by inserting clear pedal changing instructions into each of the last three notes.97

97 Musical examples are not attached for this explanation, since it cannot contain all the measures that the long pedaling methods are applied to. For brief references for understanding the harmonization, please refer to Examples 6 (m. 1), 7 (mm. 2-3), 13 (12-15), and 24 (m. 22) in this document. 55 The pedaling of the second piece, Fugue, has several functions, such as the basic role of connecting sounds that are difficult to connect by hand and the creative use of the sostenuto pedal to simulate organ pedal point acoustics.

Unlike the Chorale and Postlude, pedal marking in the Fugue is not found until the middle of the work. Instead, slurs are heavily used in great detail for each voice. Therefore, the performer may pay great attention to (1) expressing slurs that reveal different forms of each layer, (2) making the most of the “legato” technique with his/her hands as the composer instructs and (3) reducing the use of pedals as much as possible, except for the given pedaling by the composer. The author recommends that the performer intentionally mimics the limitations of keyboard instruments in the Baroque era (e.g., the absence of pedals, short sustaining duration of sound) and instead reveal the old keyboard performance practices by placing greater emphasis on articulations, taking the idea that the piece comes from a genre that flourished in Baroque times.

The pedal marking eventually first appears in measure 49, where the climax is denoted by a marcato marking, ff and fff dynamics, and a four-voiced layer without slurs. The sudden use of such pedals is interpreted to connect sounds that are difficult to connect by hand alone (bass lines) and to add volume to the overall sound (i.e., the typical roles of the pedal). Hence, the performer will have to understand that pedaling in this piece is being unavoidably used only for the connection of articulations. Therefore, the performer must reduce overuse based on personal interpretation and make the sound clearer with the suggested marcato technique, so that the pedals do not obscure the articulations.

The sostenuto pedaling on the last beat of measure 55 is sustained through the end of the entire op. 31, and its use is accompanied by specific indications from Auerbach to convey this effectively. The first use of instruction can be found as descriptive directives in measure 55 of

56 Fugue: “silently depress note Si while holding middle pedal down, hold middle pedal until the end of Postlude.”98 These comments convey the idea of (1) connecting the Fugue and Postlude with no pause (or attacca), (2) emphasizing tonality by continuing the tonal center B in the bass line, and (3) taking only the resonances of the B overtone, considering that the B note is not to be played again. The sostenuto marking in measure 61 is likewise accompanied by instruction: “it is only necessary to restrike the Si if there is no middle pedal available, or if the Si does not sound long enough.”99 Here the composer provides guidance for inevitable circumstances, which again highlights the importance of holding the note through the sostenuto pedaling. All this is evidence that Auerbach actively utilizes various pedaling as musical elements and tools to produce delicate languages of pianism.

The pedaling of the final piece, Postlude, appears as a long pedal from mm. 4 to 29, while many dissonant chords reveal without the use of special melodic lines. This pedaling method is interpreted to (1) connect the triplet motif (alluded to by Chorale), creating a bell- ringing sound from a distance and (2) sustain the resonances of notes into measures with the whole rests as embodiments of the dimensional sound of the reverberation. It is not until measure

30 that the pedal is often changed, as the melodic line borrowed from Fugue emerges as thick chords with accents. And where the storm once swept away, from measures 40 to 55, there is ostinato and bass line within p dynamic, left to silence the rest of the piece, thus leading to another long pedal. In this way, the pedaling shows a clear distinction between the beginning and ending parts that create an acoustic effect, and the main middle part that is emphasized as a

98 Auerbach, Chorale, Fugue and Postlude for Piano, op. 31, 6.

99 Ibid. 57 melody, forming a three-dimensional sense of structure within continuously repeated musical devices, showing Auerbach’s structural compositional ability.

Auerbach’s pedaling is a key element that suggests exploration of sound, which prevails in all her piano pieces. Through her signature long pedaling instructions, her music evokes a rich echo of reverberation and a three-dimensional and multifarious sound. The performer thus will have to make careful demands on the sounds produced by pedaling when playing the piece, keeping in mind that the performance results may vary depending on the acoustic of the concert hall or the condition of the instrument in actual concert, and exercise immediate and autonomous flexibility.

Formal Construction: Layers

Layers are frequently observed in Auerbach’s compositions. In op. 31 (as in op. 41 and in most of her other works), she sets fixed materials in various forms and offers shared materials that serve to unify the overall work as a cycle of character pieces. These musical elements inevitably form multiple layers by combining with new materials.100 In order to overcome the simplicity and emphasize diversity, the composer takes nontypical blends of contrasting devices, such as the concurrent emergence of consonances and dissonances, the sublimation of fugal techniques into modern musical languages, and the presentation of mixed rhythmic devices.

In Chorale, B minor chords constantly appear and emphasize the tonic center B on the outside as main materials. Between them comes a dense collection of dissonant chords that

100 Kim states the fixed elements, revealed in Auerbach’s 24 Preludes, are composed of several elements, including rhythm, harmony, and melody; and these fixed materials naturally form two or more layers of sound. This is an explanation on the 24 Preludes; however, this examination is referred to here, since it can be added to Auerbach’s general characteristics revealed in all her keyboard music. Kim, “Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano,” abstract. 58 gently reveal a melody line. These two contrasting materials are distinctly distinguished in different layers (Example 21).

Example 21. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 2-3.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

The Fugue is a three-voice counterpoint work, but also features a temporary emergence of four-voiced counterpoints by adding pedal point (mm. 28-31 and 56-67) and by doubling the bass line (mm. 32-35 and 49-55). The piece presents the theme as a horizontal melody and continues with spontaneous and free developments by following strict contrapuntal compositional techniques and by forming distinct layers (Example 22).

59 Example 22. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 28-35.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

In the Postlude (scored within 3 staves), one can easily recognize the layers by reading the score. The three staves are distinctly divided into (1) the upper part, revealing rhythmic motifs as ostinato on the tonic center B, (2) the middle part, showing melodic and chord progressions along with changes in pulse and dynamics, and (3) the bass lines mainly acting as pedal points by repeating C and E tones that bypass the tonic B (Example 23).

Example 23. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 30-31.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. 60 For the composer of polystylism who builds up a variety of musical components and completes them in her own style, the concept of layer, created by a mixture of fixed materials and newly added devices, has become a prime and habitual factor that can be encountered anywhere in her work. In this vein, the performer will also need expressions for the layers, which requires closer study of each constituent.

The End: Personal Gesture Signatures

Composers sometimes leave their own musical signature on their masterpieces. For example, Bach’s B-A-C-H motif (a succession of notes B flat, A natural, C natural, and B natural) and Shostakovich’s D-S-C-H motif (consisting of the notes D natural, E flat, C natural, and B natural) might be the most representative and familiar examples of cryptograms. Other composers left musical signatures in different ways. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) took the approach by inserting a recognizable four-note rhythm throughout several of his works, such as his second and third piano concertos and second symphony; Claude Debussy (1862-1918) and

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) demonstrated their signature compositional styles by utilizing fade- away endings in most of their works.

Like these preceding composers, Auerbach leaves a signature in the endings of her works for piano solo; the ending parts mostly include dissonant chords in a wide range of notes, p or pp in dynamic, while the effects of time and sound emphasize reverberations and resonances. One such example is her Ludwig’s Nightmare for piano, which has a total of 167 measures. The piece concludes with a long pedal that runs from measures 129 to 167 and ends on a tied dissonant chord starting on measure 163. Similar to many other works by Auerbach, the ending of this piece is quiet with the bass playing in p, inner voices in pp, the top voice in ppp, and a marking

61 of “molto lunga fermata.”101 Another example is her piano solo Milking Darkness, which has a total of 148 measures. The last dissonant chord encompasses a range of more than five octaves within the ppp dynamics with a long pedal that has runs through twelve measures (mm. 136-

148). This is followed by a two quarter-rest and then a measure with a whole-rest marked

“fermata lunga,” which is added throughout the last two measures. It seems to be written for pianists to perform the spatial ripples that would remain even if both the actual playing and the pedal were stopped.102 In addition, Auerbach’s Images from Childhood shows endings with mp, p, pp, or ppp dynamics in all twelve-character pieces (except for “Decision” and “Stubborn”).103

Likewise, Auerbach’s signature ending (e.g., quiet dynamic, use of dissonance, long pedaling, fermata) is evident in three of the works in op. 31.

The ending of the Chorale features (1) p dynamic, (2) a long pedal connected from measure 16 to the last measure 22, (3) dissonant chord progressions as tone clusters, (4) no use of meter (but features 27/4), (5) a six-octave range, and (6) indications regarding long fermatas

(Example 24).

Example 24. Auerbach’s Chorale of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, m. 22.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

101 Auerbach, Ludwig’s Nightmare for Piano.

102 Auerbach, Milking Darkness for Piano.

103 Auerbach, Images from Childhood: Twelve Pieces for Piano, op. 52. 62 The ending of the Fugue includes (1) pp dynamic, (2) a long pedal connected from measure 56 to the last measure 67, (3) dissonances, (4) usage of sostenuto pedal pressed from 55 and held until the end of Postlude, (5) meter changes from 5/8 to 3/4 and return to 5/8, (6) use of a fermata on the last note, and (7) tied last notes transitioning into the Postlude without pause

(Example 25).

Example 25. Auerbach’s Fugue of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 64-67.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

The ending of the Postlude shows (1) p, pp, and ppp dynamics, (2) a long pedal continued from measure 40 to the last measure 55, (3) dissonances, (4) usage of sostenuto pedal continued from the Fugue, (5) a five and a half-octave range, and (6) use of a fermata on the last note (Example 26).

63 Example 26. Auerbach’s Postlude of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, mm. 50-55.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1994 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Auerbach, as previously stated, sublimates her personal musical gestures into a contemporary work of her own in a way that adds her own musical language to the traditional form. Her postmodernist artistic expression, which appears in Chorale, Fugue and Postlude, does not cling to obsessive progress. Instead, it has differentiated meaning in that it has maintained a connection with tradition by drawing historical legacy and has produced subjective expressions that embrace even more modern musical devices.

This chapter thoroughly examines the balance between directives and discretion,

Auerbach’s ability to integrate through motivic material, the exploration of her concept of tonality, her compositional concepts of rhythm, pedaling, layer, and her idiom, which looked into the ending gesture in Auerbach’s op. 31. As such, the process of identifying the different personalities assigned to each piece and understanding what the specific devices and languages are is essential to make the musical performance conform to Auerbach’s original intentions.

From this performer’s perspective, the micro-analysis of another masterpiece by Auerbach, 24

Preludes for Piano, op. 41 will be continued in Chapter Four.

64 Chapter Four

24 PRELUDES FOR PIANO, OPUS 41

Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano has important musical and literary significance, and an

increasing number of scholars have devoted attention to this work. Starting with the

compositional background of 24 Preludes and the history of the prelude, in this section

Auerbach’s compositional idiosyncrasies will be thoroughly examined from a postmodernist

artistic angle. This chapter aims to provides a deeper and more accurate interpretation of this

work based on existing research, and further prove the brilliance of Auerbach’s compositional

ability that shines through this masterpiece.

Compositional Background

Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano was written in 1998 and was premiered by the

composer herself on July 23, 1999, at the Caramoor International Music Festival in New York. It

was dedicated to Tom and Vivian Waldeck, who co-commissioned the composition at the music

festival and Sikorski Music Publishers started publishing Auerbach’s works for an international

audience.104 In 2006, Auerbach recorded her 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 41, Chorale, Fugue and

Postlude, op. 31 (1994/2003) and Ten Dreams, op. 45 (1999) for the record label Preludes and

Dreams. The 24 Preludes’ total playing time is 44 minutes and 12 seconds on record, the shortest

performing time is no. 12 in G sharp minor (00:46), and the longest performing time is no. 24 in

D minor (5:11).105 On average, each prelude is about two minutes and is composed in very short

104 Auerbach, Twenty-Four Preludes for Piano, op. 41 (Hamburg: Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, 2006), 2-3.

105 Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams. 65 lengths, no more than seven pages in any particular case. The set consists of twenty-four

preludes as op. 41. Nine abridged preludes from op. 41 are compiled as Suite for Piano, op. 41a,

including Preludes nos. 5, 14, 8, 18, 21, 20, 16, 17, and 24, from the original Preludes (in the

order listed).106

When the prelude set was written in 1999, Auerbach composed not only 24 Preludes for

Piano (op. 41, 1999) but also 24 Preludes for Violin and Piano (op. 46, 1999) and 24 Preludes

for Cello and Piano (op. 47, 1999). Since then, Auerbach has composed numerous prelude sets

(with abbreviated versions titled: Suite) for many different musical instruments to date: Six

Preludes for Double Bass and Piano (2008); Ten Preludes for Theremin and Piano (2017); 24

Preludes for Viola and Piano (2018); Suite for Violin and Piano (ten preludes from op. 46); and

Suite for Cello and Piano (nine preludes from op. 47). Other sets of preludes are 24 Preludes for

Viola and Piano (2010) and 24 Preludes for Cello and Piano (2008), which were arranged from

Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 34 (1933).107 Although it is a genre usually composed

only for solo piano, Auerbach’s prelude sets have a unique significance, because they have been

produced as chamber music with other instruments. Consequently, Auerbach can be assessed as

a modern composer who has broadened the limitations of the prelude genre.108

An interview with Auerbach below shows her special affection for and interest in the

composition of prelude. The interview further highlights her original intentions with the 24

Preludes, which can be realized with the following performance goals: (1) analyze the different

106 Auerbach, Suite for Piano: Nine Preludes from Op. 41, op. 41a (Hamburg: Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, 2007).

107 Auerbach, “Compositions.”

108 Attempting to break boundaries without limiting factors, Auerbach continues to move beyond periods to focalize genres or instrumental constructions. Her ingenuity has been highly regarded by many scholars and reviewers. 66 individualities of each prelude; (2) understand the specific musical devices and languages that

link each prelude together as a set; and (3) integrate the 24 preludes into a single composition

through the overarching connections that prevail throughout the work. Per Auerbach (2012),

I really fell in love with a form of 24 preludes because it is really unlike anything else in music—the challenge of going through all the major and minor keys and all the different character’s colors, sonorities, that live within each tonality, and it is really fascinating to discover those in our modern times. Sometimes, one prelude can be less than a minute- long but also a very large piece because all together they form one large composition with its own form, so you have challenges of both very miniature and very big structure and so I really fell in love with structure when I finished writing 24 preludes for piano. I just could not stop, and I had to write more, and I wrote 24 preludes for violin and piano and then, I felt really warmed up and there are 24 preludes for cello.109

History of the Prelude

The prelude had long been widely known and used as an instrumental and impromptu

piece that is performed to introduce other pieces within the set. Over time, the prelude genre has

gradually evolved, with a number of modifications. Its first origins are rooted in the sacred and

secular music of the Renaissance. The purpose of the oldest preludes in this era was the free

improvisation of the organ that not only introduced choral or vocal music included in fourteenth-

century church rituals, but also emotionally prepared the congregation before ceremonies. The

prelude was thought of as a preface in which one could tune strings, check the instrument’s tone,

and prepare the performer’s hand, among other things. The earliest surviving examples of this

109 This is cited from a four-and-a-half-minute video of Auerbach’s interview. The content appears in 2:25 to 3:35 of the video. John Bence, “Lera Auerbach,” Bloomberg TV Muse, September 7, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkLEQqIM61Q&t=106s.

67 are known as the Ileborgh Tablature, compiled by Adam Ileborgh (a German composer -fl.

1448) in 1448, consisting of five preludes for organ (here called praeambulum).110

During the Baroque era, the prelude form began to change. It functioned first to mark the

beginning of a musical piece with several movements (e.g., along with a succeeding fugue or as

a part in a suite), but it was extended to be played on various keyboard instruments rather than

only on the organ.111 Among many others, Bach’s WTC is by far one of the most unparalleled

masterpieces representing the Baroque era. This masterpiece is significant in that it not only

achieved the coordinated system of keyboard instruments based on equal temperament in works

using all twenty-four keys, but it also provided instructive intentions for music lovers, as shown

on the inscription of its title page: “The Well-Tempered Clavier of Preludes and Fugue Through

All the Tones and Semitones” and “for the Use and Profit of the Musical Youth Desirous of

Learning as well as for the Pastime of Those Already Skilled in This Study.” Moreover, the WTC

is genre significant, in that each prelude is completed as a single work (“Prelude and Fugue”)

along with a following fugue in the same or enharmonic key, which consists of two books of

twenty-four paired preludes and fugues organized according to the chromatic ascending

relationships in parallel major/minor keys (e.g., opening with C major, then C minor, C sharp

major, and C sharp minor).112

Although the sonata genre grew in prominence during the late eighteen century,

composers of the period (particularly German and Viennese composers) were keen on bringing

110 David Ledbetter and Howard Ferguson, “Prelude,” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.43302.

111 Ibid.

112 Gordon, A History of Keyboard Literature, 63-6. 68 the legacy of the prelude for keyboard into their own work.113 For example, Beethoven wrote

Two Preludes Through All the Major Keys for Piano or Organ, op. 39 when he studied Bach’s

WTC.114 Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) composed Preludes and Exercises for pedagogical

purposes, while Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s (1778-1837) improvisational work, 24 Preludes,

op. 67 was composed for the purpose of preparing subsequent works.115

In the Romantic period, the interest in old forms and Bach revived among contemporary

composers.116 This interest in Baroque heritage also brought more attention back to the prelude

genre, as the prelude form Bach influenced was reborn with a new Romantic perspective (e.g.,

the compositions of “Prelude and Fugue” written by Mendelssohn, Liszt, Johannes Brahms

[1833-1897], and Max Reger [1873-1916]).117 Chopin’s 24 Preludes, op. 28 is the vanguard of

this evolution, as it establishes a matchless paradigm for the independent prelude set for piano. It

not only took the prelude genre out of its previous pedagogical roles, but also had well-reflected

Romantic elements and offered a formal repertoire for public performance. Chopin’s Preludes

meaningfully used all twenty-four keys, as influenced by Bach’s WTC. However, unlike Bach,

Chopin composed op. 28 as an independent prelude set without an ensuing fugue; he also applied

it to the circle of fifths of relative major and minor keys (tonal relatives [e.g., C major and A

113 Ledbetter and Ferguson, “Prelude.”

114 Lothar Hoffmann-Erbrecht, “Neefe, Christian Gottlob,” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.19674.

115 Eric Gilbert Beuerman, “The Evolution of the Twenty-Four Prelude Set for Piano” (DMA diss., University of Arizona, 2003), 35-8, ProQuest (AAT 3089907).

116 Grout, A History of Western Music, 466-67.

117 Ledbetter and Ferguson, “Prelude.” 69 minor, G major and E minor, D major and B minor]) differently than Bach’s tonal parallels in the

WTC.118

Along with Chopin’s legacy, the prelude genre as a significant kind of character piece

(exclusively as a collection of 24 preludes) has been exploited by many composers and has

become a representative genre for solo piano with a long history. These compositions include op.

17 by Felix Blumenfeld (1863-1931); op. 37 by Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924); op. 11 by

Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915); op. 102 by York Bowen (1884-1961); op. 38 by Dmitri

Kabalevsky (1904-1987); opp. 34 and 87 (24 Preludes and Fugues) by Shostakovich; opp. 53

(24 Preludes in the Jazz Style) and 82 (24 Preludes and Fugues) by Nikolai Kapustin (b.

1937).119 Auerbach is one of the most recent additions to this list, continuing in this lineage with

her own sets of preludes. Of these, the 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 41 is the focus of this chapter.

Auerbach’s Compositional Idiosyncrasies

This chapter examines the unique elements of Auerbach’s Preludes, including musical

devices that require close study from a performer’s perspective, and it provides an opportunity to

learn about her postmodernist artistic expression exhibited across the 24 Preludes. The following

table provides a description of the individual preludes. For each, the primary structural

information and Auerbach’s performance timing are listed (Table 4).

118 Kornel Michałowski and Jim Samson, “Chopin, Fryderyk Franciszek,” revised by Jim Samson, Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.51099.

119 Beuerman, “Twenty-Four Prelude Set for Piano,” 35-37. 70 Table 4. Description of Each Individual Prelude in Auerbach’s op. 41.120

Tempo Character No. of Performance No. Key Indication121 Indication Measures Timing122

1 C Major Moderato 20 1’54”

2 A Minor Presto 22 0’58”

3 G Major Moderato 5 3’02”

Appassionato- [♩=75 BPM Nostalgico- 4 E Minor (Appassionato) and Con moto, 28 2’01” ♩=64 BPM (Nostalgico)] Appassionato- Nostalgico

5 D Major Andantino Sognando 25 2’17”

6 B Minor [♩=60 BPM] Corale 36 3’08”

7 A Major Andante-Allegro-Andante 17 1’28”

8 F# Minor Presto 34 1’08”

9 E Major Allegretto Scherzando 23 0’57”

10 C# Minor Largo-poco meno mosso 14 1’50”

[ =80 BPM within 11 B Major ♩ Misterioso 1 1’04” poco a poco ritardando]

12 G# Minor Allegro Brutale 24 0’46”

13 F# Major Andante 15 1’31”

14 E♭ Minor Allegretto 20 0’42”

120 Excerpts from Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano, officially published by Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, are compiled by each prelude with the given information from the score. The use of this information in this dissertation has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Auerbach, Twenty-Four Preludes for Piano, op. 41.

121 Bracketed beats per minute (BPM) based on Auerbach’s recording are added for several preludes which do not have tempo indications.

122 Playing time here refers to the performance time of the album released by the composer Auerbach. The total duration is 44 minutes and 12 seconds. Auerbach, Preludes and Dreams. 71 15 D♭ Major Moderato 19 1’40”

16 B♭ Minor Allegro ma non troppo Tragico 43 2’14”

17 A♭ Major Adagio Tragico 14 1’52”

18 F Minor Grave 29 2’32”

19 E♭ Major Adagio Religioso 25 2’05”

20 C Minor [♩= 106 BPM] Misterioso 9 0’54”

21 B♭ Major Allegro moderato 19 1’01”

22 G Minor Andante 26 2’10”

23 F Major Allegretto-meno mosso 21 1’47”

24 D Minor [♩=60-70 BPM] Grandioso 85 5’11”

Auerbach’s Performance Contexts: Balancing Directives and Discretion

In the previous chapter, the special values of Auerbach’s directives is examined: it stimulates the performer’s direct inspiration to give the work a multifaceted sound and feature the perfect balance between her directives and the performer’s discretion This balance evokes both the performer’s and the audience’s interest, as it opens the possibility of various performance output.123 These kinds of peculiar value-bearing directives are also revealed in diverse aspects through Auerbach’s 24 Preludes, and the importance of its realization is still emphasized. Table 5 features an itemized list of all the directives in Auerbach’s op. 41.

123 In Chapter Three, examples of Auerbach’s directives appearing in her other pieces are studied. The section also borrows a part of op. 31 and demonstrates the process of interpreting the composer’s instruction from a performer’s point of view. Please see “Auerbach’s Performance Contexts: Balancing Directives and Discretion” in Chapter Three of this document for more information. 72 Table 5. Description of Each Individual Directives in Auerbach’s op. 41.124

Place of Categories No. Auerbach’s Directives Page Directives Keep the same pedal, without changing until m. 19. It is very important to follow the pedal 1 m. 1 3 indications in all 24 preludes. The depth of pedaling can be varied. In this prelude, different degrees of pedaling Pedaling 5 13 Methods should be used. In mm. 33-34, a “quarter-pedal” 8 m. 33 25 may be used, if any at all. Sostenuto Pedal also may be used to allow 17 m. 1 39 low A flat to ring throughout the prelude. Poco rit. in mm. 30-32, 16 m. 30 38 poco meno mosso in m. 33. Tempi and This tempo change should be 18 m. 14 40 Rhythms almost unnoticeable. The sixteenths in quintuplet groups can be 19 42 played faster, if so desired by the performer. At the discretion of the performer, he or she may hum note B or the melodic notes. This should be barely audible to the effect of adding 6 some “human quality” to the sound and 16 Sounds intensity through the sustained notes. With emphasis on the indicated notes. m. 19 16 Should not sound “technical.” 36 In this prelude all accidentals as well as the 3 key signature (F sharp) are written before each 8 Notations note. 6 Deutsch: H. m. 24 17

124 Excerpts from Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano, officially published Hans Sikorski Music Publishers, are compiled by categories with given measures and page numbers. The use of this information in this dissertation has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Auerbach, Twenty-Four Preludes for Piano, op. 41. 73 As shown in Table 5, most of Auerbach’s instructions are about practical playing methods, and the directives presented by Auerbach can be grouped into four categories: pedaling methods, tempi and rhythms, sounds, and notations. Among them, the instructions for pedaling methods are concentrated and highly detailed, accurately connoting her direct communication.

For instance, at the top of her 24 Preludes, Auerbach notes in the score that “it is very important to follow the pedal indications in all 24 preludes.”125 Considering the diversity and difficulty of pedaling methods presented in op. 41, the instruction not only alerts pianists about the importance of pedals in playing this work, but also suggests that, prior to learning this masterpiece, a performer must strengthen his or her ability to interpret and apply the suggested pedaling to various stage environments. Likewise, Auerbach gives specific suggestions for a few places to exactly match her ideals with the actual performances, such as specifying measures to use a quarter pedal in Prelude no. 8 and suggesting a sostenuto pedal to sustain a note to ring throughout the piece in Prelude no. 17.

On the other hand, there are also preludes, which give enormous discretion to the performer, rather than dictating performance outcomes intended by the composer. One such example is found in Prelude no. 6. The musical concept of this prelude is unique in that it uses its expression as “Corale (choral)” (at the top of the score), indicating that the piece is based on the format of vocal music, and the voice technique of humming over the piano sound (Example 27).

This is even more obvious and detailed in Auerbach’s idealistic directives of “the effect of adding some ‘human quality’ to the sound,” or “at the discretion of the performer, he or she may hum note B or the melodic notes.”126 Auerbach makes this prelude special through her particular

125 Ibid., 3.

126 Ibid., 16. 74 ideal and imagination of choral on the keyboard, including an additional comma (marking for breathing) and offering the melodic lines, consisting of relatively short phrases, to make the vocalization works more effective (Example 28).

Example 27. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 6, mm. 1-2.

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Example 28. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 6, mm. 16-19.

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75 Despite having her particular directives, the instructions in the above prelude are all at the performer’s discretion; thus, the outcome of each performance can vary widely. Therefore, this prelude with the idiomatic directives designed by Auerbach but the realization left to the determination of its performer, can be assessed as a balanced music between directives and discretion. Prelude no. 19 is another good example of this as it also contains instructions that indicate the artist’s respect for interpretation, giving the performer artistic freedom with notes like “if so desired by the performer.”127 As such, Auerbach boldly reveals herself as a concert pianist through her language of pianism and her descriptive forms, demonstrating her compositional techniques by eliciting powerful performances from both herself and other professionals.

Motivational Legacies: Alluding to Previous Composers

The 24 Preludes includes allusions by pianist-composers from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It uses musical phrases and idioms as a postmodernist trend of allowing various musical ideas to occur simultaneously. A typical example of diverse allusions in harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic elements is Prelude no. 4, which represents musical influences from preceding composers that alternates between Rachmaninoff’s Russian virtuosic texture and

Chopin’s romantic color. Starting within the 8/4 meter in E minor marked Appassionato, the prelude creates tension from the groups of loud and fast thirty-second notes and sudden stops placed between the running notes (Example 30). The overall shape of the directions evokes a virtuosic atmosphere reminiscent of the introduction from the Moment Musicaux, no. 4 by

Rachmaninoff (Example 29). The fact that the introductory parts of each piece reemerge in the

127 Ibid., 42. 76 climax sections as a unison of both hands can also be seen as the connecting elements of the two

previous examples, as they repeat the melody with louder dynamics (Examples 31 and 32).

Example 29. Rachmaninoff, Moments Musicaux, op. 16, no. 4, m. 1.128

Example 30. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, m. 1.129

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128 The use of this score in this dissertation has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Sergei Rachmaninoff, op. 16, no. 4, Six Moments Musicaux, in Schirmer Library of Classics Volume 2013 (New York: G. Schirmer, 2013), 21.

129 Excerpts are from Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano, officially published by Hans Sikorski Music Publishers. Each excerpt was given a measure and page number. The use of this score in this dissertation has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Auerbach, Twenty-Four Preludes for Piano, op. 41. 77 Example 31. Rachmaninoff, Moments Musicaux, op. 16, no. 4, mm. 45-46.130

Example 32. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, m. 19.

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In this prelude, one can also see a certain musical influence by Chopin in terms of its

chord progression (shown after the aforementioned introduction).131 In this main section, the

chromatic descending harmonic progression appears in the bass line of measures two to ten. This

is similar to Chopin’s fourth prelude in order of E natural, D sharp, D natural, C sharp, C natural,

and B natural (Examples 33 and 34). Many other distinct influences from Chopin’s prelude set

are also apparent in Auerbach’s Preludes, including its characteristics as an independent prelude

set and its use of the circle of fifths, following Chopin’s form of op. 28.

130 Rachmaninoff, op. 16, no. 4, Six Moments Musicaux, 25.

131 The link between the harmonic progression of Chopin’s fourth prelude and Auerbach’s fourth prelude (both written in E minor) have been consistently addressed in other research, ranging from Mendez’s paper to contemporary scholars. Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 47-9. 78 Example 33. Chopin, Preludes, op. 28, no. 4, mm. 1-11.132

Example 34. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, mm. 2-9.

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132 The use of this score in this dissertation has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Frédéric Chopin, op. 28, no. 4, 24 Preludes, in Klavierwerke Vol. II: Preludes, ed. Theodor Kullak (New York: G. Schirmer, 1882), 6. 79 In the 24 Preludes, one can also find musical allusions from works of other genres, such as Chopin’s Étude.133 One such example is found in Prelude no. 16, which leads the overall context of the piece with arpeggiated sixteenth notes. Many characteristics in the prelude are enough to remind the audience of Chopin’s last étude in the op. 25 set: (1) the prelude features the usage of the arpeggiated passages, which are often used in the virtuosic études written during the Romantic period; (2) the repeated bass notes stay on the tonic to emphasize the key; and (3) the part with the melodic lines moves and becomes the tonic, dominant, or subdominant, within the bass lines. This kind of attempt shows Auerbach trying to make a large cycle of various types of short pieces beyond the scope of the original genre/role of the prelude (Examples 35 and 36).

Example 35. Chopin, Études, op. 25, no. 12, mm. 1-5.134

133 The Chopinesque sonority from the harmonic progression and its arpeggiation in this prelude are also examined in Mendez’s dissertation. Mendez highlights that the chords of Chopin’s mm. 1-4 are ø7 7 7 “i-ii -iv-i” and Auerbach mimics the chord progression as the following chords: “i-ii -V -i.” It also states that the similarities of the arpeggiation of the harmonies in those two pieces are also obvious although Chopin’s spans three octaves but Auerbach’s crosses twice. Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 71-72.

134 The use of this score in this dissertation has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Chopin, op. 25, no. 12, Études, in Complete Works for the Piano, Vol. VII, ed. Carl Mikuli (New York: G. Schirmer, 1895), 110. 80

Example 36. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 16, mm. 2-7.

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81 The finale of 24 Preludes is reminiscent of Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest

Mussorgsky (1839-1881),135 a leading composer of “the Russian Five (the Mighty Five).” The

coda of Auerbach’s Prelude no. 24, from measure 73, opens with nine bell-ringing sounds,

creating a heavy and majestic atmosphere similar in ambience to Mussorgsky’s “Promenade” or

“The Gate of Kiev.” The race of countless thirty-second notes running in the opposite direction

between both hands then follows. This overall sense of direction and the frightening rush

towards the tonic is reminiscent of the end of Mussorgsky’s “Gnomus” of Pictures at an

Exhibition (Examples 37 and 38).

Example 37. Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, “Gnomus,” mm. 84-88.136

Example 38. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, m. 82.

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135 The stylistic similarity between Mussorgsky’s piece and Auerbach’s last prelude has been also briefly addressed in Kim’s research. Kim, “Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano,” 124-25.

136 The use of this score in this dissertation has been approved by G. Schirmer publisher (see the Appendix document). Modest Mussorgsky, “The Gnome,” Pictures at an Exhibition, in Centennial Edition: Schirmer Library of Classics Volume 2007 (New York: G. Schirmer, 1922), 15. 82 Auerbach’s Preludes, thus, represents the orientation to tradition and the foundation of

the musical quotation technique as a postmodernist artistic expression by actively citing the

existing musical fragments extracted from masterpieces by past composers and quoting them into

her new creations. The musical fragments, mostly borrowed from Romantic or Russian virtuosic

works, not only reveal Auerbach’s Russian sentiments and foundations, but also offer the

evidence of her enjoyment of neo-romanticism, one of the postmodernist art ideologies.

Beyond Quotations: Unity, Coherence, and Development

Auerbach’s technique of self-quotation, connecting several preludes in her work, has

already been researched by other scholars as “motivic connections” or an “overarching

network.”137 To further attest its worth from new perspectives, this document thus examines the

self-referentiality and integrating methods she uses to tie together the 24 Preludes by grafting the

classification of Charles Ives’ (1874-1954) musical quote techniques (categorized by James Peter

Burkholder [b.1954]) into her music, believing that Ives incomparably developed the methods of

musical quotation through his modern works and that Auerbach has continued its lineage.

Many other composers have attempted to borrow musical materials for their own works

from other compositions through forms of variation, transcription, and paraphrase. Among them,

Ives is one of the most notable composers of musical quotation techniques based on

environmental sounds and self-referentiality. The American musicologist Burkholder explains

Ives’ fourteen techniques for incorporating existent music in the book All Made of Tunes:

137 Mendez explains the “overarching connections” and “motivic connections” in Chapter Three of the dissertation. For a direct reference, it is recommended to refer to Mendez’s writing: Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 91-114. 83 Charles Ives and the Uses of Musical Borrowing.138

Among the techniques used by Ives that Burkholder classifies, Auerbach frequently relies on the musical quotation of “modeling,” which is defined as “a work or section on an existing piece, assuming its structure, incorporating part of its melodic material, imitating its form or procedures, or using it as a model in some other way.”139 Based on this idea, Auerbach’s

Preludes nos. 1 and 24 can be interpreted as “modeling,” as Auerbach takes the tunes and approximates rhythmic figuration from Prelude no. 1 and applies it to Prelude no. 24. In order to connect the beginning and ending of the 24 Preludes, the performer may offer a similar interpretation for those repeated elements, giving the listener a sense of reminiscence within each piece (Examples 39 and 40).

Example 39. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 1, mm. 1-5 (middle system only).

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138 The “procedures for using existing music” mentioned by Burkholder include “modeling,” “variations,” “paraphrasing,” “setting,” “cantus firmus,” “medley,” “quodlibet,” “stylistic allusion,” “transcribing,” “programmatic quotation,” “cumulative setting,” “collage,” “patchwork,” and “extended paraphrase.” In addition, the part titled “The Development of Procedures” is followed. For further information, please refer Burkholder’s book. James Peter Burkholder, All Made of Tunes: Charles Ives and the Uses of Musical Borrowing (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995).

139 Ibid., 3. 84 Example 40. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 4-6 (upper system only).

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Auerbach also applies the melody line, the tenuto marking, and trill of the previously described Prelude no. 1 into Prelude no. 18, which takes its own accompaniment as the ostinato pattern continues from the piece’s beginning (Examples 41 and 42).140 This quotation technique could be classified as “setting” as Prelude no. 18 uses “an existing tune with a new accompaniment.”141

140 Mendez not only reveals that Prelude no. 18 quotes the B section of Prelude no. 1, but also mentions that the B section of Prelude no. 1 is related to the melody out of rhythm in the German chorale prelude style in Prelude no. 6. Mendez also notes the multiple structural signposts throughout the preludes in the document, “3.1.2 Structural Signposts: Every Six (1, 6, 12, 18, 24),” and mentions that Prelude no.1 is quoted in Prelude nos. 6, 18, and 24 (although Prelude no.12 is completely different from the others in its lack of quotation or allusion to Prelude no. 1). In this paper, a method similar to Mendez’s was adopted; however, it is not interpreted in multi-structural signposts (every six as four) as Mendez references. Some of the most direct examples of these many allusions were adopted and mentioned in this document. Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 92-94.

141 Burkholder, All Made of Tunes, 3. 85 Example 41. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 1, mm. 9-14.

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Example 42. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 18, mm. 18-23.

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86 Unlike the previous examples, Preludes nos. 4 and 24 do not share the same tunes, rhythms, chords, or dynamics. However, they start on each tonic with their accompaniment, progress the melody line with repetitive figures of the thirty-second notes, and go around the melodies with chromatic progression (Examples 43 and 44). Although it may be difficult to see these materials as self-quotations, because they do not share the exact rhythmic conditions, they can be described as having “stylistic allusion,” as they are “alluding not to a specific work but to a general style or type of music.”142

Example 43. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 4, mm. 2-3.

Example 44. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 10-12.

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142 Ibid, 3-5. 87 Preludes nos. 21 and 24 include both the aforementioned techniques of “modeling” and

“stylistic allusion,” because of its similarities of melodic elements, forms, and the general styles.

Prelude no. 24 also can be individually described as “variations on a given tune,”143 where accompaniments are added (Examples 45 and 46).

Example 45. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 21, mm. 1-4.

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143 Ibid. 88 Example 46. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 62-66.

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Throughout Auerbach’s Preludes, musical quotation techniques are clearly revealed that give the performer an understanding of which devices are connected and how those devices are highlighted. Grafting Burkholder’s classification into Auerbach’s integration would have been helpful for a detailed understanding of Auerbach’s skillful self-referentiality and its various methods and approaches. It is also hoped that this investigation may help when the performer inevitably has to select several pieces to fit within the entire performance that reveal Auerbach’s integration ability.

Paradoxical Ways of Modernity: Dissonance Behind Consonance

The diversified use of Auerbach’s paradoxical ways of modernity against the tonal harmonization, as studied in Chapter Three, include her compositional philosophy of freely

89 utilizing and integrating all musical elements, particularly contradictory devices (e.g., dissonance) to further emphasize a basic component of her compositions—tonality.144

The polychord dominates Auerbach’s set of preludes as one of the paradoxical devices used to further highlight her own essential musical language. The most distinctive use of polychord is by far Preludes nos. 1 and 24. Prelude no. 1 opens with the tonic triad, C major chord. The chord in the lower and upper systems continues to measure 9, and also reappears in the last two measures (mm. 19-20) to keep its tonality within its key: C major. However, the dissonant chords in the middle system break against the stable atmosphere produced by the C major chord. The dissonant chords are even in the form of inversion, giving more instability to the consonant chords in their original/standard form. These dissonances intensify the contrast and act paradoxically to highlight the consonant chords. (Example 47).

Example 47. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 1, mm. 1-3.

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144 Auerbach states that all music, even the ones that strive not to be, is tonal, because music is based on the principle of sound frequencies according to the thirds in major/minor and scales. Weininger, “Composer Has Way.” 90 Prelude no. 24, in the structure of A-B-A’-C-A’-Coda, creates extreme dissonances by

combining the chords of D minor, D flat major, and G major, from the beginning of part A.145

Part A plays a paradoxical role in constantly interfering with the composition’s tonality, as it is

repeatedly revealed throughout the piece in a rondo form (Example 48).

Example 48. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, m. 1.

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Part A is filled with multiple polychords, and part B presents a lyrical melody on D

minor’s alberti bass. The end of part B’s phrase seems to go into D minor to perfect the cadence

through measure 24; however, this D minor chord (i.e., the end note of part B as well as the

beginning of returning part A) promotes minor second intervals (e.g., D natural and D flat, A

natural and A flat) as polychords by involving a D flat major chord. Thus, it causes unexpected

harmonic shock rather than a stable perfect cadence of part B in D minor (Example 49).

145 Kim concluded that the harmony of D minor on the left hand and D flat major on the right hand is combined to characterize the tone cluster. The author of this document classifies the chords as polytonality. Kim, “Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano,” 119. 91 Example 49. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 24-25.

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As same as the polychords of part A, the piu mosso section in part C (mm. 32-39) brings the main melodic lines in D flat major, along with the accompaniment in D minor, and produces strongly crushed polychords as its minor second intervals (Example 50). The following meno mosso part transforms the atmosphere with a sudden change of tempo (as its tempo marking,

“meno mosso”) and an expression marking, “misterioso pesante.” The polychords in this part appear with the tenuto markings, so the stern and heavy atmosphere is further heightened

(Example 51). Subsequently, the melodic line of D flat major, featured in the previous piu mosso, newly reappears as polychords, involving C major chords (rather than D minor chords applied in the first piu mosso), giving a sense of unity as a repetition of the same melodic lines as well as featuring harmonic diversity (Example 52).

92 Example 50. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 32-33.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 51. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, m. 40.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 52. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 24, mm. 44-45.

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93 As previously examined, Auerbach captivates the audience’s concentration with innovative novel methods that go beyond listeners’ estimates by placing polychords sporadically during moments that are tranquil and likely to flow peacefully. This partial use of the polychord is understood as a contrasting device that creates the sense of newness and freshness into a piece that emphasizes the tonality. It can eventually be interpreted as a postmodernist artistic expression that integrates all elements into one single creation.

The history of tone clusters has already been covered in Chapter Three.146 The use of tone clusters in 24 Preludes, however, demonstrates different techniques and notations from those studied in Chorale, Fugue and Postlude. The tone clusters of the Preludes are characterized by the piano sound’s percussion effect due to the rhythmic textures that stand out more than the Chorale, Fugue and Postlude’s clusters as harmonic or melodic devices. In op. 41,

Auerbach not only follows the general symbols for tone clusters that had been used by Cowell’s scoring (e.g., The Tides of Manaunaun), but also accurately defines the musical devices with either pitch letters in parentheses next to the musical notes or with extra parenthetical notes that designate the pitch range. For example, the tone clusters in measure 8 of Prelude no. 2 involve

Auerbach’s actual notes that will be played as the tone clusters in parentheses (Example 53).

Example 53. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 2, m. 8 (upper system only).

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146 In Chapter Three, the history and development of the tone clusters are briefly summarized. Please see the “Paradoxical Ways of Modernity: Dissonance Behind Consonance” in Chapter Three for deeper understanding of this harmonic device. 94 In Prelude no. 19, tone clusters appear on the left hand from measure 15, the climax of the piece. These clusters specify an exact pitch area with the marking “Cluster A natural-E flat,” covering the keyboard spectrum by taking the A natural, the keyboard’s lowest pitch. The tone clusters also strengthen the sound of the piece’s tonic (E flat) by building the clusters from the lowest A to E flat. Rather than emphasizing dissonant chords, in this prelude, tone clusters function as low-pitched, rolled chords that are interpreted as percussion-like sound effects

(Example 54).

Example 54. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 19, m. 15 (lower system only).

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The aforementioned types of tone clusters (and their notations) are used in the same way in Prelude no. 16. The tone cluster, which appears as a rolled chord in the left hand in measure

30, has the outer edge of the major third intervals. This adds its orientation to the group of sixteenth notes on the right hand with the crescendo, and eventually pours into the B flat minor chord in measure 31. This has the effect of intentionally complicating and messing up the sound by inserting a cluster into the chord that appears before settling into the tonal of B flat minor, making the B flat minor chord in measure 31 stand out clearly and strongly (Example 55).

95 Example 55. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 16, mm. 30-31.

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As such, Auerbach displays the use of other elements without boundaries while imprinting the obvious concept of tonality on her music. This coexists with two disparate elements: consonance and dissonance. In particular, paradoxical devices such as polychord and tone cluster are utilized, and the resulting nature of uniqueness-filled integration can be assessed as a postmodernist artistic expression that eventually incorporates all elements into one work.

Fixed Materials: Rhythm as Form

In use since the early 1700s, the ostinato is the repetition of rhythm and continual variations in contrapuntal voices. The ostinato pattern is quite prominent in Baroque music (e.g., passacaglia, chaconne), generally appearing in bass lines as a basso ostinato.147 Even though the ostinato was not a major musical device in the Classical period due to stronger interest in emphasized melodic lines, the ostinato resurged in the nineteenth century as a primary compositional device and continued to evolve (e.g., Franz Schubert’s [1797-1828] Erl-King

147 Slonimsky and Kassel, Baker’s Dictionary of Music, 718-19. 96 [Erlkönig] and Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel [Gretchen am Spinnrade]).148 Composers in the

twentieth century actively used the ostinato technique, suggesting its significance as a structural

unification device through its modifications, that not only use the bass line but also move to the

middle and even melodic voice parts (e.g., Igor Stravinsky’s [1882-1971] Petrushka

[Pétrouchka] and The Rite of Spring [Le Sacre du printemps]).149 Like these previous

composers, Auerbach borrows the ostinato pattern and applies it to her own works as a fixed

element. Auerbach exerts her resourcefulness by applying the ostinato in various ways, inserting

elements that involve subtle change and development into the pattern to achieve a modernistic

compositional language. Ostinato in Auerbach’s music intrinsically acts as the simplest and most

traditional iterative device, but it also establishes itself as an indispensable component that

emerges as a standard for expressing and further revealing her inventive aspect.

As time progressed and many dance suites were composed, ostinato patterns were largely

used to emphasize rhythmic figurations classified as basso ostinato, a repeated motive or phrase

in a bass line serving as the foundation for variations in the upper parts.150 A typical example of

this kind of ostinato pattern could be represented by Auerbach’s Prelude no. 5, which follows

Baroque tradition, because it shows the melodic form of la folia mixing with a type of sarabande

rhythm in the melodic part, together with a left hand ostinato.

To follow tradition while further exhibiting her own individuality, Auerbach seeks

diversity by making use of asymmetrical meter changes while simultaneously injecting her

compositional writing with such subtle changes to the repeated ostinato that an audience would

148 Laure Schnapper, “Ostinato,” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.20547.

149 Slonimsky and Kassel, Baker’s Dictionary of Music, 718-19.

150 Ibid., 62. 97 have a difficult time recognizing them. Such examples can be identified by setting the first two measures of Prelude no. 5 as a standard form of ostinato pattern (Example 56). This two- measure-long ostinato pattern appears 11 times throughout the piece. Each ostinato pattern, however, is interestingly accompanied by subtle differences, such as adding a note to the basic form of ostinato pattern (Example 57) or removing a note (Example 58).

Example 56. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 1-2.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 57. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 3-4 (lower system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 58. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 5-6 (lower system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

98 Other examples including the exchanges of pitch order (mm. 15 and 17), frequent omissions of notes, as well as the sudden use of rests and fermatas (after m. 18), express the gradual disappearance of the music through a lightened texture of sound (Example 59).

Example 59. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 5, mm. 15-18 (lower system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Except for the five measures in which temporary deformation takes place, the ostinato thoroughly dominates Prelude no. 14, occurring within the same rhythm and articulations. The ostinato appears 16 times throughout the only twenty-measured short piece within the A-A’ structure, supporting rhythmic variations, pitch ranges, octave displacements, and articulations placed in the right hand. Unlike any other prelude whose ostinato pattern is partially represented,

Prelude no. 14 can be evaluated as a relatively traditional use of basso ostinato, as the left-hand ostinato holds the entire frame firmly (Examples 60 and 61).

99 Example 60. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 14, mm. 1-3.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 61. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 14, mm. 12-14.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Prelude no. 3 is a prime example of a developed form of the ostinato, since it is not a pattern in the left hand like a traditional form of basso ostinato or ground ostinato. Set as moderato at ♩=60, the third prelude being in a large frame divided into six sections provides a sense of structural stability and unity by placing 170 quarter notes as the ostinato pattern on the upper system (Example 62). Ironically, however, the ostinato pattern as the fixed material also plays a role against the syncopated melodic lines written in the middle system (starting on the upbeats), highlighting the melodic lines by giving intentional instability. The structural unity and

100 unique heterogeneity created by balancing ostinato and its contradictory anomalous components are the essential factors driving the peculiar tenseness in the prelude (Example 63).

Example 62. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 1 (upper system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 63. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 5 (first half of fifth section).

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Prelude no. 7 features two types of ostinato patterns uniquely on the right hand. The first ostinato runs between measures 1 to 6 as short-short-long rhythmic patterns within parallel major third intervals, supporting the mood of Andante and p, flowing with the main melody presented in the left hand (Example 64). The second ostinato pattern from measure 7 abruptly breaks the relaxed and sentimental melody by (1) changing the tempo to Allegro, (2) making dynamics in

101 both hands play the subito ff, (3) offering marcato marks on the left hand, and (4) making a non- legato marking and accents on every beat on the right hand (Example 65).

Viewing these two figures from a different angle, it is evident that these two ostinato patterns are not simply a repetitive accompaniment that supports the melodic lines, but rather a main character that captures and leads the atmosphere of the music.

Example 64. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 7, mm. 1-2 (upper system only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

Example 65. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 7, mm. 7-10.

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102 Prelude no. 22 in the A-B-A structure features (1) the main melody in the middle system written to be played only on the white keys, (2) the ostinato patterns in the upper system (marked as “sempre simile [Bb/Ab]”) set to be played only on the black keys, always occurring in the upbeats, and (3) the bass lines on the lower system, always presenting on the beats. Thus, the ostinato pattern in the upper system appears in a form of rhythmic or harmonic opposition to the stable melodic and bass lines presented in the middle and lower systems, serving as a contradictory factor for each part: white keys versus black keys, downbeat versus offbeat, and p versus pp. Thus, as the composer directed the dynamic pp for the ostinato patterns only (unlike p markings for the middle and lower lines), the rhythmic figures here may be played not to be as direct as possible, but to give a subtle discomfort against the other parts (Example 66).

Example 66. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 22, m. 1.

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Auerbach additionally used a rhythmic device of ostinato in many of her Preludes, including the ostinato patterns on the bass and middle system in Prelude no. 23 and the ostinato

103 patterns within both hands in Preludes nos. 6 and 12. As such, she established ostinato as her main compositional device, particularly as a fixed material, virtually encompassing a considerable number of her works in many different ways. Her use of new concepts of rhythmic devices suggests that (1) the ostinato pattern is no longer solely responsible for the accompaniment behind the main melody and (2) even if the role has been set to accompaniment, it acts to set the mood, supporting the progress of the melodic lines, and (3) it is possible to appear in any form and anywhere. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the significance of its role in highlighting polystylistic features through convergences (or through intentional contrasts) with other elements built upon this fixed material. With this knowledge, the performer may approach each prelude from distinctive points of view with an accurate understanding of each role.

Modern and Old Traditions: Borrow, Blend, and Reconstitution

Auerbach, in her 24 Preludes, achieves a polystylistic combination of two aspects: tradition and modernity. She particularly utilizes various elements of the times to create a specific atmosphere, which highlights the use of old melodic fragments from a traditional aspect.

Thus, the performer’s understanding of the source of the melody and its corresponding background information may help achieve a more accurate musical expression based on the original music.

The Gregorian chant is a monophonic music sung during the Roman Catholic Church services; the designation of Gregorian refers to Gregory I (the Great), who ruled from 590 to 604

AD. Since then, it has been used in chant-alluded melodies for inspired works of later composers

(e.g., the usages of Dies Irae [i.e., day of wrath]), and it cannot be affirmed that Gregorian chant

104 is only typical of the Middle Ages. These succeeding composers added the new dimension to their works by developing symmetrical and harmonic organization based on the original asymmetrical melodies of the chant. Along these lines, a long history of reconstructing

Gregorian chant continues to this day.151

One such example of the usage of Gregorian chant’s melodic fragment is Auerbach’s

Prelude no. 10, which features characteristics of unaccompanied church music and strongly exposes its distinctive religious colors by recycling Gregorian chant-related melodies into forms of modern music from measure 9. This part in the prelude features common methods for melodic compositions of the Gregorian chant, including the melodic line restricted to a limited range, the weaving-type phrasing in similar melodic forms with a short motivic base, and the melody and bass lines appearing in parallel intervals (here as third/tenth degree intervals). Furthermore, the bass C sharp and the upper G notes, which resonate in converse motion spanning four octaves, are another factor contributing to the religious atmosphere, showing the color of bells ringing in the distance (Example 67).

Example 67. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 10, mm. 9-10.

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151 Ibid., 377-78. 105 A traditional Gregorian melody, Dies Irae, is a text and melodic composition written by

the thirteenth-century musician Thomas of Celano, which became an obligatory part of the

Requiem Mass in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In successive eras, Dies Irae was used

not only in the requiems of many composers (e.g., Mozart, Berlioz, Verdi), but also as a musical

device that alluded to death:152 Liszt’s Totentanz; Brahms’ last piece of Six Pieces for Piano, op.

118; Rachmaninoff’s seventh variation of Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43 and his first

piano sonata in D minor, op. 28; Camille Saint-Saëns’ (1835-1921) Danse Macabre, op. 40; and

George Crumb’s (b. 1929) Makrokosmos, to name a few.153

The use of Dies Irae is also evident in Auerbach’s Prelude no. 3. This is divided into only

six sections without a specific meter but with the speed marking of Moderato (quarter note 60

BPM). In this prelude, Auerbach uses five elements throughout the miniature by alternating or

combining two or three of those: (a) ostinato on the top, (b) falling augmented fourth, (c) triad

pedal point, (d) accented dissonant chords, and (e) eighth notes with staccato markings (Example

68). Among these, the motif (d) consists of parallel chords of major seventh (or diminished

eighth) and constructs a melody line within a syncopated rhythm with the overlay of the (a)

ostinato pattern. In particular, parts of this melodic line (d) allude to a similar melodic figure of

the Dies Irae, creating a strong sense of anger as the motif of death within the instruction ff

marcato sempre. The fact that the Gregorian chant is borrowed as a melody of the contemporary

piano prelude itself adds to its specialty as a combination of medieval melodic fragments and

modernistic harmonic syntax. Like this, Prelude no. 3. features the use of musical materials

152 Ibid., 238.

153 Mendez describes the preludes related to Dies Irae, Preludes nos. 3, 23, and 24 and emphasizes the motivic connections of the preludes set. Only the third prelude is described in order to adopt the only place that accurately applies the modality of Dies Irae as an example. Mendez, “Polystylism and Motivic Connections,” 43-6. 106 beyond the boundaries of time (e.g., Dies Irae, ostinato, pedal point, dissonance, absence of meter), and clearly shows the polystylistic aspect. It is substantial that these contrasting materials were stacked in layers, integrated into one modern work (Example 69).

Example 68. The Five Main Elements in Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3.

a. m. 1 (excerpt of the first eight notes on upper system only).

b. m. 5 (excerpt of the middle part on lower system only).

c. m. 2 (excerpt of the middle part on lower system only).

d. m. 2 (excerpt of the first four notes on middle and lower systems only).

e. m. 5 (excerpt of the first six notes from upper part only).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

107 Example 69. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 3, m. 5 (first half of fifth section).

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

The origin and history of the fugue have already been examined in Chapter Three of this document to explain the Fugue of Auerbach’s op. 31. A definition of the fugue is as follows: a fugue is based on the principle of equality where participating parts take up a theme to bring each part into a special prominence within the essential elements: (1) the subject (theme), (2) answer, (3) countersubject, (4) stretto, and (5) commonly added episodes, organ point, and a coda.154 Prelude no. 15 is a representative example of the complete borrowing of the form and principles of fugue, as it adheres to all the aforementioned standard elements. The principal subject opens in a single unaccompanied voice, starting in the tonic of the prelude (D flat), and the answer goes in the dominant (A flat), and the countersubject enters an octave upper of the prime. While obviously following the traditional form of fugue in the composition, Auerbach also builds her own musical language by adding modern elements to the Baroque stereotype, such as usage of the triton and dissonances. It also is highly significant that by melting the fugue

154 Slonimsky and Kassel, Baker’s Dictionary of Music, 332-33. 108 into the form of the preludes, which was considered as a set of combination (“prelude and fugue”), the characteristics of prelude, recurring simple and persistent motifs throughout the short piece, are fully expressed while sticking to the fugue’s principle (Example 70).

Example 70. Auerbach, 24 Preludes for Piano, no. 15, mm. 1-8.

Used by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Hans Sikorski Musikverlag GMBH International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.

In addition to the prelude in a form of fugue, Auerbach also shows imitative writing techniques in other preludes within relatively tight constructions (e.g., Preludes nos. 9, 10), although these cannot be classified as a canon or fugue since these do not adhere to the aforementioned contrapuntal technique.

In her 24 Preludes, Auerbach not only utilizes the aforementioned traditional melodic fragments and structural models, but she also candidly handles the materials of music transcending periods and genres, ranging from medieval modes and melodic fragments, imitative writing and counterpoint, romantical chromaticism, and modern harmonization, among many

109 others. These unbiased and limitless approaches on her artistic world prove her classical and inventive style of composing as a technique of naturally weaving modernized languages into time-honored structural forms that the audience would feel familiar with. This ultimately sublimated contemporary masterpiece of her own, within polystylistic integration, rises to a new level.

110 Chapter Five

CONCLUSION

This study explores the artistry of Russian-American composer Lera Auerbach. The first half sheds light on Auerbach’s background and reputation in the music world as a multi- dimensional artist. Her unique biography is multilaterally traced back: as the native of Soviet

Union who later settled in the United States, Auerbach studied in Germany and now undertakes a wide range of artistic activities across the globe. Auerbach is also a composer who embraces and combines the styles and genres of all periods and makes use of them, exemplifying a postmodernist artistic perspective that inherits various traditions while expanding those traditions in accordance with her polystylism. These examinations are supported by overviews of

Auerbach’s humanistic musical inspirations, and her compositional outputs are considered within a descriptive catalog of her piano solo music.

The second half of this study analyzes the compositional idiosyncrasies that manifest in

Auerbach’s Chorale, Fugue and Postlude and 24 Preludes for Piano, which features her personal musical gestures and intuitive polystylistic adaptability that underwrite traditional, structural forms. To get a deeper understanding of her close ties to musical traditions, the compositional background of each work as well as the history of each genre are summarized. In these sections, Auerbach emerges as a composer who has transformed the genres’ development in that she applies contemporary musical styles to the traditional forms, extending the scopes of those genres through unique integration and polystylism. The examination of Chorale, Fugue and Postlude encompasses the composer’s unique directives balanced with the performer’s discretion; the motivic integrations that make the trilogy a large set; the paradoxical use of dissonances to highlight the tonality; anomalous rhythmic tools to overcome simplicity; the use

111 of extended pedaling for resonance and blur; formal construction of layers; and her personal gesture signatures that end the masterpiece. The exploration of 24 Preludes for Piano is centered on Auerbach’s performance contexts, which are based on her directives and the performer’s respective discretion; previous composers’ motivational legacies; Auerbach’s self-referentiality and integrating ability; the paradoxical function of dissonance behind consonance; traditional rhythmic tools as fixed materials; and her sublimated, yet modern, interpretations of traditional forms.

Auerbach’s postmodernist artistic expression represents an unbiased and boundless approach to the art world that elevates her status to a new level. This dissertation, however, cannot stand as the final assessment of Auerbach’s artistic worth, as she is currently in the midst of her most vigorous activity through constituting new departures and taking her style into wider territories. Given Auerbach’s musical mastery and the infinite possibilities that she will weave into future music, further research on her many solo piano repertoires is warranted. The first hope of this dissertation is that it will be used as a cornerstone for future research and performance; the second is that will attest to the importance of studying postmodernist composition to reconsider novel forms of artistic expression.

112 Bibliography

Books

Burkholder, James Peter. All Made of Tunes: Charles Ives and the Uses of Musical Borrowing. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995.

Gordon, Stewart. A History of Keyboard Literature: Music for the Piano and Its Forerunners. New York: Schirmer Books, 1996.

Grout, Donald Jay. A History of Western Music. New York: W.W. Norton, 1973.

Kirby, F. E. Music for Piano: A Short History. Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 1995.

Ledbetter, David. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier: The 48 Preludes and Fugues. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002.

Prout, Ebenezer. Fugue. London: Augener Ltd., 1896.

Slonimsky, Nicolas, and Richard Kassel. Baker’s Dictionary of Music. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997.

Walker, Paul Mark. Theories of Fugue from the Age of Josquin to the Age of Bach. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2004.

Theses/Doctoral Documents/Dissertations

Beuerman, Eric Gilbert. “The Evolution of the Twenty-four Prelude Set for Piano.” DMA diss., University of Arizona, 2003. ProQuest (AAT 3089907).

Gorbunova, Tatiana. “A Piano Sonata and 24 Preludes for Piano Old Forms in the New Context.” DMA diss., Florida State University, 2017. ProQuest (AAT 10262089).

Hain, Kimberly. “Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Violin and Piano, op. 46: Unity and Musical Narrative.” DMA diss., Florida State University, 2010. DigiNole (ETD 4330).

Holritz, Joshua Luke. “A Player’s Guide: Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Violin and Piano, op. 46.” DMA diss., University of Georgia, 2014. UGA (10724 30476).

Kim, Ji Eun. “An Analysis on Postmodern Music in Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano.” DMA diss., Yonsei University, 2018. RISS (15005722).

Mendez, Meily J. “Polystylism and Motivic Connections in Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 41.” DMA diss., University of Arizona, 2016. ProQuest (AAT 10107685).

113 Nezhdanova-Cunningham, Elena Victoria. “Performance Guide for 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 41.” DMA diss., University of Carolina at Greensboro, 2017. ProQuest (AAT 10261877).

Yamazaki, Akiko. “Pedagogical and Performance Guide of Lera Auerbach’s Images from Childhood, op. 52.” DMA diss., University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2019. ProQuest (AAT 13896737).

Journal Articles

Hoffmann-Erbrecht, Lothar. “Neefe, Christian Gottlob.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.19674.

Hudson, Richard, and Meredith Ellis Little. “Sarabande.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.24574.

Katsnelson, Anna. “Anna Katsnelson Interviews Lera Auerbach.” East European Jewish Affairs 46, no. 3 (September 2016): 371-376. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501674.2016.1243025.

Ledbetter, David, and Howard Ferguson. “Prelude.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.43302.

Michałowski, Kornel. “Chopin, Fryderyk Franciszek.” Revised by Jim Samson. Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org /10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.51099.

Pasler, Jann. “Postmodernism.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.40721.

Schnapper, Laure. “Ostinato.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.20547.

Tilmouth, Michael. “Postlude.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.22180.

Walker, Paul Mark. “Fugue.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.51678.

Waterman, George Gow. “French Overture.” Grove Music Online, January 20, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.10210.

114 News/Magazine Articles

Auerbach, Lera. “Borderless Creativity.” Huffington Post, April 12, 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lera-auerbach/borderless-creativity_b_4761375.html.

______. “Gogol [by Lera Auerbach].” The Best American Poetry, April 1, 2011. https://blog.bestamericanpoetry.com/the_best_american_poetry/2011/04/gogol-by-lera- auerbach.html.

Babich, Dmitry. “Lera Auerbach – the unnoticed treasure of Russia.” RIA Novosti, February 1, 2011. https://ria.ru/20110201/329168905.html.

DesignME. “Pianist/Composer/Poet/Visual Artist/Lera Auerbach-Surreal Creativity!” Get Classical, October 10, 2011. https://www.getclassical.org/pianistcomposerpoetvisual- artist-lera-auerbach-surreal-creativity.

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Rakhmanova, Anastasia. “From Chelyabinsk to Musical Olympus: The Secret to Lera Auerbach’s Success.” Deutsche Welle, July 19, 2008. https://www.dw.com/ru/a-3489306.

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115 Videos/Recordings

Auerbach, Lera. Preludes and Dreams. Lera Auerbach, Piano. Cedille Records, BIS 1462 Digital, compact disc.

______. Lera Auerbach Channel, accessed May 14, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/user/leraauerbachvideos.

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Music Scores

Auerbach, Lera. Chorale, Fugue and Postlude for Piano, op. 31. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2008.

______. Images from Childhood: Twelve Pieces for Piano, op. 52. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2000.

______. Ludwig’s Nightmare for Piano. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2007.

______. Milking Darkness for Piano. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2011.

______. Suite for Piano: Nine Preludes from Op. 41, op. 41a. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2007.

______. Ten Dreams for Piano, op. 45. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 1999.

______. Twenty-Four Preludes for Cello and Piano, op. 47. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2008.

______. Twenty-Four Preludes for Piano, op. 41. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2006.

______. Twenty-Four Preludes for Viola and Piano. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 2018.

______. Twenty-Four Preludes for Violin and Piano, op. 46. Hamburg: Sikorski Music Publishers, 1999.

116 Chopin, Frédéric. Op. 25, no. 12. Étude. In Complete Works for the Piano, Vol. 7. Edited by Carl Mikuli. New York: G. Schirmer, 1895.

______. Op. 28, no. 4. Preludes. In Klavierwerke, Instructive Ausgabe, Vol.II: Préludes. Edited by Theodor Kullak. New York: G. Schirmer, 1882.

Mussorgsky, Modest. “The Gnome.” Pictures at an Exhibition. In Centennial Edition: Schirmer Library of Classics Volume 2007. New York: G. Schirmer, 1922.

Rachmaninoff, Sergei. Op. 16, No. 4. Six Moments Musicaux. In Schirmer Library of Classics Volume 2013. New York: G. Schirmer, 2013.

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______. “Collaborators.” Profile, accessed April 15, 2020. https://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/collaborators.

______. “Composer in Residence.” Profile, accessed April 15, 2020. https://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/composer-in-residence.

______. “Compositions.” Works, accessed April 15, 2020. https://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/published-compositions.

______. “Compositions Catalogue.” Worklist, accessed April 15, 2020. http://lera-auerbach.ru/content/compositions_catalogue.html.

______. “Full Biography.” Profile, accessed April 13, 2020. http://mediaresources.leraauerbach.com/index.php/short-biography.

Sikorski. “Auerbach Biography.” PDF File, accessed October 25, 2018. https://www.sikorski.de/media/files/1/12/190/222/225/1321/auerbach_biography.pdf.

______. “Chorale, Fugue and Postlude for Piano.” Solo Works, Repertoire, accessed April 15, 2020. https://www.sikorski.de/1240/en/0/a/0/solo_works/1032923_chorale_fugue_ _postlude.html.

117

______. “Composers Works: Auerbach, Lera.” Composers A-Z, accessed October 18, 2018. http://www.sikorski.de/463/en/0/a/0/5021808/auerbach_lera/werke.html.

______. “Solo Works.” Work List. PDF File, accessed April 15, 2020. https://www.sikorski.de/media/files/1/12/190/222/225/14934/auerbach_werkverzeichnis. pdf.

118 Appendix: Permissions

G. Schirmer, Inc. Associated Music Publishers, Inc. 1 (cont.)

119 G. Schirmer, Inc. Associated Music Publishers, Inc. 2 (cont.)

120 G. Schirmer, Inc. Associated Music Publishers, Inc. 3

121 Will Adams, Print Licensing & Data Coordinator

122