A Performance Guide to the Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky

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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

A PERFORMANCE GUIDE TO THE TWELVE ETUDES, OP. 74 OF ANTON ARENSKY

Qiying Wang

A DOCTORAL ESSAY

Submitted to the Faculty of the University of Miami in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts

Coral Gables, Florida

May 2020

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

A doctoral essay submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts

A PERFORMANCE GUIDE TO THE TWELVE ETUDES, OP. 74 OF ANTON ARENSKY

Qiying Wang

Approved:

______Santiago Rodriguez, M.M. Kevin Kenner, M.M Professor of Keyboard Performance Assistant Professor of Keyboard Performance

______Ying Tian, M.M. Guillermo Prado, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Keyboard Performance Dean of the Graduate School

______Juan Chattah, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Music Theory and Director of the Experiential Music Curriculum

WANG, QIYING (D.M.A., Keyboard Performance) (May 2020)

A Performance Guide to the Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky

Abstract of a doctoral essay at the University of Miami.

Doctoral essay supervised by Professor Santiago Rodriguez. No. of pages in text. (92)

Anton Stepanovich Arensky (1861-1906) was one of the most prominent composers and pianists of the late nineteenth century in Russian classical music. Nowadays, he is mostly known as the teacher of some representative Russian composers, including Sergei

Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin. During his forty-five years of life, Arensky composed a large number of works of different genres, including opera, ballet, and symphonic works. As an accomplished pianist, he wrote nearly a hundred piano works.

Amongst them, the Piano Trio in D minor has been performed most frequently in public concerts. The purpose of this study is to analyze Arensky’s Twelve Etudes, Op. 74, from the performer’s point of view. The paper includes a brief biographical sketch of Arensky, and a discussion of each etude in detail, focusing on the musical interpretation and technical challenges.

The essay comprises five chapters: Chapter I is a general introduction to the subject,

Chapter II offers biographical information on Arensky, Chapter III discusses Arensky’s compositional output, Chapter IV is the core of this study, divided into three sections: (1)

a comparison between Arensky’s etudes Op. 41 and Op. 74, (2) an overview of Arensky’s

Twelve Etudes, Op. 74, (3) an analysis of each etude in detail with musical examples,

Chapter V is the conclusion which summarizes all the aspects discussed in this essay.

Interestingly, although Arensky’s music has shown some popularity, there is still a paucity of literature—there are no English-translated books that discuss him at length.

Apart from his Piano Trio in D minor, his other piano works are rarely performed. It is the writer’s intention to promote Arensky’s piano music, encourage piano teachers to utilize his piano music as teaching material, and inspire more listeners to seek out other piano music by Arensky.

Acknowledgment

I would like to express my deepest love and gratitude to my parents, and other family members in China. Without their endless support and unconditional trust throughout my musical career, I would have never been able to enjoy my life here in Miami and gain so much worthwhile experience.

I especially thank Professor Santiago Rodriguez, my advisor and committee chair, for his musical inspiration and consistent encouragement throughout my DMA years of study. I would not have survived these three years without his help and support. Also, my thanks to other committee members, Prof. Ying, Prof. Kenner and Prof. Chattah for their willingness to be members of my committee and generously share advice and recommendations for this study. In addition, I am deeply grateful to my friend, Priscila

Navarro, who spent time editing my paper, and suffered with my English.

Finally, this dissertation would not have been possible without the company of my boyfriend, Zhilin Jin and other dear friends. My thanks to all for always being there and listening to my complaints when I was stressed or depressed. I enjoyed my life in Miami very much because of you all. Love.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF MUSIC EXAMPLES ...... V CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ...... 1 CHAPTER II THE LIFE OF ARENSKY ...... 4 CHAPTER III ARENSKY’S OUTPUT ...... 9 CHAPTER IV ...... 13 1. The etudes of Anton Arensky ...... 13 2. The overview of Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky ...... 20 3. Analysis of Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky ...... 26 No. 1 in C major, Moderato ...... 26 No. 2 in C minor, Moderato ...... 33 No. 3 in D-flat major, Allegro non troppo ...... 39 No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Allegro non troppo ...... 44 No. 5 in D major, Andante con moto ...... 49 No. 6 in D minor, Presto ...... 53 No. 7 in E-flat major, Andantino ...... 58 No. 8 in E-flat minor, Allegro molto ...... 63 No. 9 in E minor, Vivace ...... 67 No. 10 in F-sharp major, Allegro ...... 73 No. 11 in A-flat major, Andante ...... 78 No. 12 in G-sharp minor, Allegro moderato ...... 82 CHAPTER V CONCLUSION ...... 87 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 90

LIST OF MUSIC EXAMPLES

Example 1. Comparison between Arensky’s Op. 41 & Op. 74...... 14 Example 2. No. 1, Op. 41, mm. 4-6 & No. 2, Op. 74 mm. 2-3 by Anton Arensky...... 15 Example 3. No. 2, Op. 41, mm. 1-2 & No. 9, Op. 74 mm. 1 by Anton Arensky...... 16 Example 4. No. 3, Op. 41, mm. 1 & No. 10, Op. 74 mm. 1 by Anton Arensky...... 17 Example 5a. No. 4, Op. 41, mm. 31-40 & No. 12, Op. 74 mm. 1-3 by Anton Arensky...... 18 Example 5b. No. 4, Op. 41, mm. 59-62 by Anton Arensky...... 19 Example 6. Tempo indications and key signatures of Arensky’s Twelve Etudes, Op. 74...... 20 Example 7. Tempo indications and key signatures of Arensky’s Twelve Preludes, Op. 63...... 21 Example 8. Different types of technical challenges in Arensky’s Twelve Etudes, Op. 74...... 23 Example 9. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 1-4) ...... 26 Example 10. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 1-4) ...... 27 Example 11. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 13-16) ...... 28 Example 12a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (m. 13) ...... 28 Example 12b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (m. 13) ...... 29 Example 13. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 9-10) ...... 29 Example 14. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 1-4) ...... 30 Example 15. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 9-12) ...... 30 Example 16. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 13-16) ...... 31 Example 17. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 17-22) ...... 32 Example 18a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 2-3) ...... 33 Example 18b. 3 Concert Études “Un sospiro” of Franz Liszt (mm. 3-4) ...... 33 Example 19. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 3-4) ...... 34 Example 20. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 4) ...... 35 Example 21a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 10-11) ...... 35 Example 21b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 17-19) ...... 36 Example 22a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 1) ...... 36 Example 22b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 1) ...... 37 Example 23. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 6) ...... 37 Example 24. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 4-7) ...... 38 Example 25. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2) ...... 39 Example 26. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2) ...... 40 Example 27. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2) ...... 40 Example 28a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2) ...... 41

Example 28b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 17-18) ...... 41 Example 29. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 4-9) ...... 42 Example 30. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2) ...... 43 Example 31a. Chopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 (mm. 1-2) ...... 44 Example 31b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4 (mm. 1) ...... 45 Example 32. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4. (mm. 1) ...... 45 Example 33. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4. (mm. 1) ...... 46 Example 34. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4...... 47 Example 35. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4 (mm. 24-26) ...... 47 Example 35b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4 (mm. 24-26) ...... 48 Example 36. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1) ...... 49 Example 37a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1) ...... 50 Example 37b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1) ...... 50 Example 37c. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1) ...... 51 Example 37d. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1) ...... 51 Example 38. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1) ...... 52 Example 39. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 1-4) ...... 53 Example 40. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 30-55) ...... 55 Example 41. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 ...... 56 Example 42. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 1-4) ...... 56 Example 43. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 41-50) ...... 57 Example 44. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 12-16) ...... 57 Example 45a. Kreisleriana, Op. 16 by Schumann. (mm. 1-2) ...... 58 Example 45b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 30-40) ...... 58 Example 46. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 1-2) ...... 59 Example 47. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 1-2) ...... 59 Example 48. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 1-2) ...... 60 Example 49. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 9-10) ...... 60 Example 50. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 9-10) ...... 61 Example 51a. Moscheles Characteristic Studies Op. 95 No. 11 (mm. 1-5) ...... 62 Example 51b. Cramer Etude, No. 41 (mm. 1-4) ...... 62 Example 52. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 33-36) ...... 62 Example 53. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 1) ...... 63 Example 54. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 1-4) ...... 64 Example 55. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 84-86) ...... 65 Example 56. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 35-37) ...... 66

Example 57. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 84-86) ...... 66 Example 58. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 88-92) ...... 67 Example 59a. Chopin 24 Preludes, Op. 28 No. 8. (mm. 2) ...... 68 Example 59b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1) ...... 68 Example 60. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1-2) ...... 68 Example 61. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1-2) ...... 69 Example 62. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1) ...... 70 Example 63. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 9-12) ...... 71 Example 64. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 13-14) ...... 71 Example 65a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 3-4) ...... 72 Example 65b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 19-20) ...... 72 Example 66. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1) ...... 73 Example 67. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1) ...... 74 Example 68a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1) ...... 74 Example 68b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1) ...... 75 Example 68c. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1) ...... 75 Example 69. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1-8) ...... 76 Example 70a. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 27-32) ...... 77 Example 70b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 52-55) ...... 77 Example 71. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 1) ...... 78 Example 72. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 10) ...... 79 Example 73. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 1) ...... 79 Example 74. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 2-3) ...... 79 Example 75. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 12-13) ...... 80 Example 76. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 12-13) ...... 81 Example 77a. Chopin’s Etude, Op. 25 No. 8. (mm. 1-2) ...... 82 Example 77b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-3) ...... 82 Example 78. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 32-37) ...... 83 Example 79. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-3) ...... 84 Example 80. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 16-23) ...... 84 Example 81a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-2) ...... 85 Example 81b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-2) ...... 85

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Chapter I

Introduction

Anton Stepanovich Arensky lived only forty-five years. He was born into a musical family, where he initiated his musical training and was recognized as a child prodigy. In order to further Arensky’s studies, his family moved to St. Petersburg where he entered the

St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1879. There he studied composition with the leading composer, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908). During his school years, he was one of the most brilliant students and graduated with the gold medal. Immediately after Arensky’s graduation, he was appointed as one of the youngest professors at the Moscow

Conservatory and taught there for thirteen years. Upon resigning from the Moscow

Conservatory, Arensky returned to St. Petersburg with a new job title: Director of the

Imperial Chapel, succeeding composer Mily Balakirev (1837-1910). This appointment brought repute and fortune to Arensky’s life, he remained in this position until 1901 with a considerable pension of 6,000 rubles a year. However, his extravagant lifestyle with gambling, parties, and alcohol impacted his health significantly, eventually leading to his early death.

As one of the most prominent composers and pianists during the late nineteenth century in Russian classical music, he composed a great number of works in different fields, including opera, ballet, symphony. As a distinguished pianist, he wrote nearly a hundred piano works, amongst them etudes, character pieces, preludes, chamber works, and works

1 2 for piano four-hands and two pianos. However, the majority of Arensky’s works have not received due recognition, apart from his Piano Trio, Op. 32 (1894).

Arensky is best known for his piano miniatures and vocal works, particularly for his beautiful, lyrical style which compels listeners to be thoroughly engaged. He composed the Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 one year before his death. They are mostly in miniature form with a lyrical, light salon style. They can be used either in a concert program or as teaching material, due to their technical demands and extremely beautiful melodic material.

Therefore, the Twelve Etudes, Op. 74, can be regarded as excellent preparatory repertoire that provides a solid foundation for studying advanced literature by other major 19th- century composers such as Frederic Chopin (1810-49), Franz Liszt (1811-86) and Robert

Schumann (1810-56). By learning this set of etudes, performers may gain a better understanding of the pianistic style of 19th-century piano music, and develop their technique in the Romantic-piano style—such as finger legato, pedal, and tonal production.

Surprisingly, although Arensky’s music has shown some popularity, there is still a paucity of literature about his life. There are no English-translated books that discuss him at length. Besides the limited biographical information, there is no information that discusses Arensky as a concert pianist. This study examines both the interpretive elements and performance challenges presented in Arensky’s Twelve Etudes, Op. 74. Based on performance experience, selected recordings and knowledge of 19th-century piano literature, the author will analyze each etude in detail, and provide various performance suggestions, including pedaling, phrasing, and voicing. Additionally, the author will

3 discuss the kind of technical issues each etude addresses and provide specific practice strategies for different types of challenges.

Chapter II

The life of Arensky

Anton Stepanovich Arensky was born in Novgorod on July 12, 1861. He was the third of four children and grew up in demanding, middle-class circumstances.1 His father was a doctor and amateur cellist, and his mother was an excellent pianist. Therefore, it is not surprising that the young Arensky soon developed his musical interests. Just like many other child prodigies, by age nine, he had already composed some piano pieces and songs.

In 1879, he moved to St. Petersburg with his parents and entered the St. Petersburg

Conservatory, where he studied composition with Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as fugue and counterpoint with Julius Johannsen. During his time at the Conservatory, he consistently received many high marks. Rimsky-Korsakov was deeply impressed by Arensky’s talent and even allowed him to assist in preparing the vocal score of his opera The Snow Maiden.2

After he had completed his study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, earning a gold medal in piano and composition, he was immediately appointed one of the youngest professors at the Moscow Conservatory in 1882. His pupils in Moscow included Sergei

Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915), Reinhold Glière (1875-

1956), and Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951).

1 Stephen Luttmann, Preface to “Piano Concerto in F minor Op. 2, by Anton Arensky,” 2009, Repertoire & Opera Explorer, accessed February 25, 2020, https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/wp- content/uploads/vorworte_prefaces/927.html. 2 Miho Zaitsu, “Anton Arensky’s String Quartet in A minor, Op. 35, for Violin, Viola, and Two Celli”. (DMA Essay. City University of New York. 2016), 7.

4 5

Arensky was known as a very strict teacher due to his conflict with Scriabin. In his free-composition class, Scriabin ignored the class rule and submitted the assignment, which was entirely different from what Arensky required, because he found the free-composition class “useless and burdensome.”3 As a result, although Scriabin was awarded a gold medal as a pianist, he could not graduate with a composition degree since Arensky refused to sign his graduation form.

In spite of minor issues, Arensky, overall, had a great relationship with his students.

The most famous of his students, Sergei Rachmaninoff dedicated his first tone poem for orchestra, Prince Rostislav (1891) and the Morceaus de fantaisie, Op. 3 (1892) to Arensky.

In a letter to Natalia Skalon, who was a family friend, Rachmaninoff wrote:

“I informed him that I had no intention of staying in the Conservatory for another year, and

that I wished to take my final examination in the spring. I asked for his help and he promised

it, and actually succeeded in getting this permission for me, although it was against school rules.

When Scriabin heard about this request and its success, he asked for the same privilege, but

Arensky, who could not abide Scriabin, replied, ‘On no account will I let you do it.’ Offended,

Scriabin dropped the composition class altogether, and eventually left the Conservatory without

a composer’s diploma.”4

3 Anatole Leikin, The Performing Style of Alexander Scriabin (London and New York: Routledge, 2016), 24. 4 Sergei Bertensson, Jay Leyda, Sophia Satina, Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2001), 40

Reinhold Glière, who had also studied with Arensky at the Moscow Conservatory, favored him for his manner of teaching “not only as a pedagogue, but also as an artist.”5

There is a story shared by Glière:

“……But Arensky could supplement this musical “technology” with living, creative

observations. I remember once, having picked up one of my coursework preludes, he seriously

looked at me and asked, “Are you in love?” He found even in our coursework the expression

of living emotions.”6

Arensky’s primary biographer, Gennady Tsypin, also spoke highly of him as a pedagogue in a main passage of his biography:

“Arensky’s students emphasize in their memoirs: for them it was important that classes be led

not ‘by an ordinary pedagogue…but a genuine artist, a composer of exceptional talent’

[Glière’s words]. This, it goes without saying, inspired and stimulated the youth; roused

enthusiasm, energy, and the desire to work. It is precisely this that has led in the end to

distinguished results of Arensky’s work as a pedagogue.”7

Arensky made his most important friendship with Tchaikovsky after he joined the faculty at Moscow Conservatory. Eight letters from Tchaikovsky to Arensky have survived, dating from 1884-1891.8 In these letters, Tchaikovsky generously shared his comments on

Arensky’s compositions. He highly praised the opera A Dream on the Volga as “one of the

5 Laura Brown, “The Early Compositional Education of Sergey Prokofiev: A Survey of Pedagogy, Aesthetics, and Influence.” (Master Thesis, The Pennsylvania State University,2014), 12. 6 Ibid, 12. 7 G.M.Tsypin, A.S. Arenskii , (Moskva: Izdatel’ stvo muzyka, 1966), 17. 8 Tchaikovsky Research contributors, “Anton Arensky,”Tchaikovsky Research, accessed February 25, 2020, http://en.tchaikovsky-research.net/index.php?title=Anton_Arensky&oldid=71725.

7 most charming and attractive operas that exist”,9 and also provided an honest opinion on

Marguerite Gautier, Op. 9 as “unsuccessful in design, unsympathetic in plot and little captivating in basic topics.”10 Interestingly, Tchaikovsky wrote a letter to Arensky in 1885, and reproached the 5/4 meter that Arensky frequently used in the music, but evidently

Tchaikovsky later changed his opinion and used the 5/4 meter in the second movement of his famous Symphony No.6, “Pathétique” (1893).

Besides the discussion about compositions, Tchaikovsky also gave useful suggestions when Arensky was hesitant about the job offer from the Tiflis Music School, which obviously shows their close friendship. In memory of Tchaikovsky’s death in 1893,

Arensky wrote the String Quartet in A minor, Op. 35 and dedicated it to him a year after his death. Later he rearranged the slow movement of the quartet, which is based on the theme from the song Legend, in Sixteen Children’s Songs, Op. 54 by Tchaikovsky, to

Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a for string orchestra. It garnered great success and became one of his most-performed works.

From 1888 to 1895, Arensky directed the concerts for the Russian Choral Society, and also appeared as a conductor at symphony concerts.11 In 1895, Arensky resigned his job at the Moscow Conservatory, and returned to St. Petersburg with a new job title: Director of the Imperial Chapel, succeeding the composer, Mily Balakirev. In fact, Arensky’s teacher,

Rimsky-Korsakov had been the assistant to Balakirev at the Imperial Chapel since 1883.

9 Tchaikovsky Research contributors, “Letter 4153,” Tchaikovsky Research accessed February 26, 2020, http://en.tchaikovskyresearch.net/index.php?title=Letter_4153&oldid=68696. 10 Tchaikovsky Research contributors, “Letter 3215,” Tchaikovsky Research, accessed February 26, 2020, http://en.tchaikovsky-research.net/index.php?title=Letter_3215&oldid=75901. 11 David Brown, “Arensky, Anton Stepanovich,” Grove Music Online, 2001, accessed February 26, 2020, https://wwwoxfordmusiconlinecom.access.library.miami.edu/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/97815615926 30.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000001210?rskey=dmfh6g

However, it was the most depressing period in Rimsky-Korsakov’s life due to the death of his daughter and the stressful work Balakirev left him. He eventually resigned the position in November 1883. However, Balakirev retired as Director the following year, and recommended Arensky to replace him in this important position. Arensky remained in this position until 1901 with a considerable pension of 6,000 rubles a year, which provided him the freedom to compose. After his retirement, he spent all of his time in St. Petersburg as composer, pianist, and conductor. However, Arensky was addicted to parties, card playing, and alcohol since his early years, make addictions which eventually undermined his health.

He died when he was only forty-five years old due to tuberculosis, in Terioki, Finland.12

12 Terioki: Now Zelenogorsk, St. Petersburg.

Chapter III

Arensky’s output

There is a notable comment written by Arensky’s teacher Rimsky-Korsakov in the book Chronicle of My Musical Life:

“By the nature of his talent and his tastes as composer he was the closest approximation to A.G.

Rubinstein, but he was inferior in the force of talent for composition, though in instrumentation,

as the child of more modern times, he outdistanced A.G. In his youth Arensky had not escaped

entirely my own influence, later he fell under Tchaikovsky's influence. He will be soon

forgotten.”13

Probably, the reason why Korsakov came to such a conclusion was a combination of his jealousy over the position of Director in the Imperial Chapel, and infuriation that

Tchaikovsky had replaced his musical influence. Considering Arensky’s formidable training and esteem from his contemporaries, it is not worthy that the majority of his music has not received due recognition.

Arensky contributed to a large number of significant musical genres, including two symphonies, three operas, one ballet, numerous vocal works, and string chamber works.

Arensky’s years in Moscow were the most fruitful period of his life in which he published most of his larger works: He completed his Piano Concerto (1882), which he started when he was still a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and both of the symphonies.14 In

13 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Chronicle of My Musical Life (New York: A.A Knopf, 1942), 350. 14 Symphony in B Minor, Op. 4 in 1883, Symphony in A Major, Op. 22 in 1889.

9 10

1891, Arensky premiered his first opera Son na Volge, Op. 16 (A Dream on the Volga) in

Moscow and received immediate acclaim. The composer also published two theory books during his time at the Moscow Conservatory: A Collection of 1000 Lessons for the

Practical Study of Harmony (1897), and A Handbook of Musical Form (1899).15

An accomplished pianist himself, Arensky wrote nearly a hundred solo piano works, chamber works with piano, and a piano concerto during his short life. Surprisingly, considering the quality of these works, Arensky’s piano works are relatively unknown besides his Piano Trio, Op. 32, and the Suite for Two Pianos No. 1, Op. 15 (1888).

Most of Arensky’s piano works are in miniature form, such as etudes, preludes, and character pieces, with exceptions to his Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 2, and his chamber works with piano. Arensky only wrote two concertos in his entire life: one of them for violin and orchestra, Op. 54 (1891), and the other the Piano Concerto. He began this piano concerto when he was still studying at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. It was published in

1883 and dedicated it to the great cellist Karl Davidoff, who was the head of the St.

Petersburg Conservatory. Among Arensky’s colleagues, the piano concerto received quite a variety of reactions. Tsypin reports that Rimsky-Korsakov described it as an “ideal of student work,” which can be regarded as high praise since he was considered a very demanding teacher.16 On the other hand, Arensky’s friend Sergei Taneyev considered it to be the weakest of all his compositions. 17 The piano writing in this concerto closely

15 Miho Zaitsu, “Anton Arensky's String Quartet in A minor, Op. 35, for Violin, Viola, and Two Celli”. (DMA Essay. City University of New York. 2016), 8. 16 Stephen Luttmann, Preface to “Piano Concerto in F minor Op. 2, by Anton Arensky,” 2009, Repertoire & Opera Explorer, accessed February 25, 2020, https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/wp- content/uploads/vorworte_prefaces/927.html 17 Ibid.

11 resembles the style of Chopin, such as the frequent use of the higher register with both hands and use of embellishments. Although Arensky added a Russian folk song, and the unusual 5/4 meter in the last movement of the work, the content of this composition still emphasized the strong influences of Chopin.

Arensky wrote numerous important chamber works. The Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 32 is the most convincing of his significant works. It was written in 1894 and dedicated, again, to Karl Davidoff, who had recently passed away. Karl Davidoff was considered the founder of the Russian school of cello playing, and the cello plays as important a role, as the violin and piano, in this trio. Many say that Arensky’s first piano trio shows the strong influence of Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio Op. 49 (1840), due to its melancholy melody and brilliant piano writing. Coincidentally, they are both in the key of D minor. There is no doubt that the Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 32, is considered as one of the most representative piano trios of the Romantic era, alongside the piano trios by Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky. Arensky himself recorded this trio on wax cylinders,18 with violinist Jan Hrimaly, and the cellist

Anatoly Brandukov.19 The recording was made in 1894, right after the premier of the work.

Although the sound quality is not ideal, it still reveals Arensky’s passion through his playing, with great use of rubato, and a brilliant technique.20 Other than his first piano trio,

Arensky wrote another Piano Trio, Op. 73 (1905), and a Piano Quintet, Op. 51 (1900), that are rarely performed in public concerts.

18 Wax cylinder: A commercial medium for recording and reproducing the sound, which invented by Thomas Edison during the 1880s. 19 Daniel J Wakin, “Classical Ghosts, Audible Once Again,” New York Times, 24 Oct 2008, accessed February 4, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/arts/music/26waki.html?pagewanted=2. 20 “Anton Arensky (1861-1906): Arensky - Piano Trio: I Allegro moderato,” YouTube video, 4:35, Posted by “d60944,” 14 Jan, 2009, accessed February 4, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi2QHeaxOgA&list=PLV0B8X9ryFX4f1BVbPZEyExSTobkScX9p.

Arensky also composed a great number of works for piano four-hands and two pianos, such as his Six Pieces Enfantines, Op. 34 (1894), Twelve Pieces for Piano four-hands, Op.

66 (1903), and Children’s Suite, Op. 65 for two pianos. They are mainly designed for children, or more accurately, for piano students who are at the early to intermediate levels.

Each of the pieces has a title, sometimes he titled them with specific character names such as “Fairy Tale,” “Tears,” and sometimes he named them with the term of their musical form such as Prelude, Gavotte, Menuetto. For more advanced pianists, Arensky wrote four sets of piano suites, which probably influenced Rachmaninoff’s two-piano works later. In fact, Rachmaninoff wrote his first Piano Suite, Op. 5 (1893) a year after Arensky’s Piano

Suite No. 2, Op. 23 (1892).

All of Arensky’s piano solo works are in miniature form, such as his Twenty-four

Character Pieces, Op. 36 (1894), Twelve Preludes, Op. 63 (1903), and the Twelve Etudes,

Op. 74 (1905). Generally speaking, Arensky’s musical style in the solo piano genre reveals the strong musical influence of major 19th-century composers including Chopin,

Schumann, and Liszt. There is no huge “innovation” nor distinguished style that can be detected in these solo works, probably a main reason why they were neglected for such a long time. Although each of the miniatures is only about two to three minutes long, the poetic melody and the variety of harmony which Arensky presents in the music easily catches listeners’ ears and attracts them.

Chapter IV

1. The etudes of Anton Arensky

In the second half of the late 19th century, after the so-called “Golden Age of the

Piano Etude” established by composers such as Frederic Chopin and Franz Liszt, there appeared a large number of etudes from a variety of composer/pianists, including Anton

Rubinstein (1829-1894), Camille Saint-Säens (1835-1921) and Edward MacDowell (1861-

1908). However, the latter were hardly comparable to the stature of Chopin or Liszt, due to their comparative lack of originality and distinction.

Arensky composed two sets of etudes during his lifetime: Op. 41 and Op. 74. Op. 41 was written in 1896 in St. Petersburg; it only contains four etudes. Op. 74 was written nine years after Op. 41. And both sets of etudes are in the small form, in a lyrical, and light salon style. As mentioned in the previous chapter, the musical language of these etudes is more cosmopolitan, showing the influence of Tchaikovsky, as opposed to that of Russian nationalism and Rimsky-Korsakov. Besides the similarity of the style in both sets, Arensky also infused the technical devices used in Op. 41 into Op. 74 (See Example 1).

13 14

Op. 41 Op. 74

No. 1 No. 2

No. 9 No. 2

No. 10 No. 3

No. 4 No. 12

Example 1. Comparison between Arensky’s Op. 41 & Op. 74.

The first etude of the Op. 41 set is marked Allegro molto. It presents flowing arpeggios in the left hand as the accompaniment figure, while the right hand projects a singing and long-breathed melodic line. This texture is often seen in Chopin’s piano writing, except for the unusual 5/8 meter. Arensky used a similar texture in the second etude of Op. 74. The main difference between the two is that in the second etude of Op. 74 the arpeggio pattern is in a much higher register, which requires the right hand to sometimes play both the melody and arpeggio at the same time (See Example 2).

Example 2. No. 1, Op. 41, mm. 4-6 & No. 2, Op. 74 mm. 2-3 by Anton Arensky.

The second etude is in F-sharp major, 2/4 meter, marked Allegro vivace. The main challenge in this etude is to bring out the melody in the middle voice, which is played mainly by the thumb and second finger, and simultaneously balance the other two voices which include flowing broken chords on top, and the left hand eight-note accompaniment. Although both the second etude in Op. 41 and the ninth etude in Op. 74 are marked Vivace, Arensky articulated the left-hand figure slightly different which gave these two etudes their own musical character (See Example 3).

Example 3. No. 2, Op. 41, mm. 1-2 & No. 9, Op. 74 mm. 1 by Anton Arensky.

As observed in the score, the staccato that Arensky added in the second etude gives the music a dance-like feeling. In contrast to the second etude, the 4/4 meter and the legato playing in the left hand of the ninth etude of Op. 74 enables the melody to sing with a longer phrase, depicting a more lyrical and sentimental image. Moreover, the brightness of

F-sharp major and the asadness of the E minor also distinguish their musical character.

The third etude in Op. 41 is more technically challenging compared to the previous two.

It consists of constant arpeggio movement in both hands within a rapid tempo. Although the textures in these two etudes are similar, the hand movements are completely different for each arpeggio pattern (See Example 4).

Example 4. No. 3, Op. 41, mm. 1 & No. 10, Op. 74 mm. 1 by Anton Arensky.

The third etude of Op. 41 requires a horizontal movement from performers, while the tenth etude in Op. 74 requires rotation due to the different figurations. In the third etude, the melody is played by the fifth finger on each top note, while the melody is located in the quarter notes and played by the thumb in the etude from Op. 74. Coincidently, they are in the keys of E-flat minor and F-sharp major, which can be regarded as relative keys enharmonically, and both use black keys abundantly.

The last etude of Op. 41 is a study in sixths, and interestingly, Arensky ends the Op.

74 set with a study in sixths as well. However, their piano writing is completely different.

The twelfth etude in Op. 74 is a study of parallel sixths with extreme legato playing, which requires performers to always think of longer phrases and use appropriate hand positions to connect each sixth smoothly. In contrast, the fourth etude in Op. 41 has more variety in many aspects.

First of all, the texture is thicker: At times there are up to five voices between the hands.

Additionally, the melody in the top voice, is also joined by a counter melody which appears in the left hand in the middle section (See Example 5a).

Example 5a. No. 4, Op. 41, mm. 31-40 & No. 12, Op. 74 mm. 1-3 by Anton Arensky.

Besides the texture, Arensky also varies keys and rhythmic patterns in this etude.

Although it is in A minor, he rapidly modulates and does not return to A minor until near the end. Furthermore, the rhythmic pattern is also relatively complex compared to the twelfth etude in Op. 74, as the figuration is primarily three-against-two (See Example 5b).

Example 5b. No. 4, Op. 41, mm. 59-62 by Anton Arensky.

It is difficult to determine which set of etudes by Arensky is the more technically demanding. However, one thing can be confirmed: Arensky wrote only four etudes in the set of Op. 41, whereas his Op. 74, which includes twelve etudes, developing similar materials as those used in Op. 41. Additionally, Op. 74 presents more variety of rhythmic patterns, types of textures, and melodic material. Moreover, the Op. 74 set addresses more technical issues, including hand coordination, balance between multiple voices, and wrist flexibility. Thus, a more flamboyant effect can be heard in the Op. 74 etude.

2. The overview of Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky

The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74, was Arensky’s last composition. He wrote these etudes a year before his death. At that time, his health was rapidly deteriorating, and he was already in critical condition.

The etudes begin in C major, and follow a rising chromatic scale in major/minor pairs, though the pattern is broken at Etude No. 9 (see Example 6). A similar pattern occurs in the Twelve Preludes, Op. 63 (1903), which he wrote a few years before, though in this case, the pattern is a descending chromatic line in pairs of minor and major (see Example

7).21

Tempo Indications keys

No. 1 Moderato C major No. 2 Moderato C minor No. 3 Allegro non troppo D-flat major No. 4 Allegro non troppo C-sharp minor No. 5 Andante con moto D major No. 6 Presto D minor No. 7 Andantino E-flat major No. 8 Allegro molto E-flat minor No. 9 Vivace E minor

No. 10 Allegro F-sharp major No. 11 Andante F minor No. 12 Allegro moderato G-Sharp minor

Example 6. Tempo indications and key signatures of Arensky’s Twelve Etudes, Op. 74.

21 Adam Neiman, Liner notes to Arensky, A: Piano Music-6 pieces, Op.53/Etudes, Opp. 41 and 74/Pres de la mer, Op. 52. Adam Neiman. (Recorded 2008. Naxos 8.572233,2010)

Tempo Indications keys

No. 1 Allegro A minor No. 2 Moderato A major No. 3 Andante con moto G-sharp major No. 4 Allegretto A-flat major No. 5 Allegro G minor No. 6 Andantino G major No. 7 Andante E major No. 8 Allegro E-flat minor No. 9 Allegro E-flat major No. 10 Adagio D minor No. 11 Allegretto D major No. 12 Allegro moderato D-flat major

Example 7. Tempo indications and key signatures of Arensky’s Twelve Preludes, Op. 63.

As observed in example 6 and 7, Arensky ends the Op. 74 with the key of G-sharp minor, while the Op. 63 which he composed two years previously goes exactly backwards at this point. Probably that was his plan to complete the set of twenty-four keys by writing the op. 74 in the later years.

Each etude is approximately two to three minutes long and deals with various technical issues. Following the tradition of other romantic etudes, they follow ABA form. In most of the B sections, the musical pattern and style do not show much contrast with the A section, only the harmonic progressions are developed in numerous ways, such as using different modes and increasing the harmonic rhythm. Arensky did not write any fingering

22 suggestions or pedal markings in the music, which gives performers complete freedom to decide their own. However, Arensky did carefully mark tempo indications, dynamics, and phrasing in each etude. Therefore, performers must be very careful and sensitive when practicing these etudes to try to understand Arensky’s musical intentions through these markings.

For pedagogical purposes, it is hard to determine which pianistic level these etudes belong to. There are certain aspects that appear to be written for less-skilled students. For example, each of them only exploits a single specific technique throughout the whole piece.

Furthermore, those technical features are all pianistic and commonly used, such as voice leading, and different types of running arpeggios. Also, the texture is relatively thin, so the reading of the score would not be too challenging. With the proper interpretation, there is an intrinsic musical sophistication that can elevate the performance outcome beyond what is shown on the page. The etudes can be assigned to students who are at a wide range of levels depending on what the teacher expects from each student.

It is possible that instead of writing mere technical exercises, the more important goal for Arensky in writing this set of etudes was to develop one’s musicality, critical listening skills, and pianistic technical devices of the Romantic era such as the use of the sustaining pedal, finger-legato, and tone production. Furthermore, according to the tempo indications that Arensky marked for each etude, he did not expect a mere virtuosic performance with brilliant tempi like in Liszt’s Transcendental Études, S.139.

All twelve etudes have great unity in terms of pianistic style. They possess many similarities in terms of form, articulation, pattern, and texture. They can be categorized into

23 three groups (see Example 8). Each of the groups deals with certain aspects of technical/musical issues and focuses on different performance goals. There are several etudes which repeatedly appear in different groups.

No. 1, No. 7, No. 9, No. 11 Balance between multiple voices.

No. 4, No. 6, No. 8, No. 10, No. 12 A repetitive pattern throughout the whole

piece with virtuosic tempo.

No. 2, No. 3, No. 5, No. 6 Hand coordination.

Example 8. Different types of technical challenges in Arensky’s Twelve Etudes, Op. 74.

The first group of etudes focuses on the study of multiple voices. Each of them includes at least three voices between both hands. Usually, there is a melodic line on the top voice, and sometimes the inner voice, and an accompaniment figuration, which is often played by the right hand along with the melodic line, or as a bass line in the left hand. When performing these etudes, one should always highlight the melodic line, while at the same

24 time carefully control the sound of the other voices in order to properly balance them.

However, this does not mean simply softening the accompaniment figure because they are also important. One should think of the term “supporting” instead of “accompanying.” In this way, the listener can hear different layers with their respective tone colors in the texture.

The second group of etudes is more technically challenging. Each of the etudes focuses on a specific pattern that repeats throughout the whole piece. Moreover, their tempo indications include Allegro, Allegro molto and Presto. These etudes are particularly similar to his predecessor, Chopin, in terms of pianistic style. For example, the technique that Arensky used in his Etude No. 4, Op. 74 closely resembles that of Chopin’s Op. 25,

No. 12, the famous “Ocean” Etude. These etudes require a performer’s solid finger technique, flexibility of the wrist and arms, creativity, musicality and strength of endurance.

The third and last group of etudes requires a great ability of hand coordination. For these etudes, both hands play an incredibly important role. Sometimes they are helping each other, as in etudes No. 2 and No. 5, where the running accompaniment figure is played by both hands alternatively. It requires the performer to play these running passages evenly without loss of shape, and also to shift smoothly without an obvious cut-off. Sometimes the two hands are interrupting each other, such as the syncopated rhythm between both hands in Etude No. 3. Obviously, the off-beat side is more likely to become vertical due to the texture and rhythmic nature. To avoid vertical playing, the performer should ignore the distraction of finding notes on the beat. Moreover, it requires the pianist’s proper balance between the hands, and the shaping of long phrases.

A further discussion of each etude alongside musical examples will be presented in the next section.

3. Analysis of Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky

No. 1 in C major, Moderato

As the first etude in this set, the C major etude is marked Moderato. The biggest challenge for performers in playing this is to project its multiple voices with a well- balanced tone quality. There are three different voices: The bass line and the top line sing the melody alternatively as in a conversation, while the repetitive broken arpeggios play the accompaniment pattern (see Example 9).

Example 9. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 1-4)

In the beginning stages of practice, the performer should play the melody with blocked chords instead of the arpeggiated figuration (see Example 10). Thus, it would be easier for the performer to follow the counterpoint of changes within the chords that are not stemmed out. Also, this helps performers hear the harmonic progression and musical direction within a bigger picture.

Example 10. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 1-4)

After that, the pianist should practice the broken-chord figuration individually since it is a repetitive pattern that requires a relaxed hand position and extremely legato playing on different dynamic levels. When practicing this figuration slowly, the performer must use more rotation of the wrists and forearms, not only for connecting notes smoothly but also to release the tension it may cause, especially in those uncomfortable places such as measure 13-16 (see Example 4), where the ascending broken arpeggios on the right hand require uncomfortable finger stretches due to the larger span.

Example 11. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 13-16)

The performer can group these broken arpeggio patterns differently in order to improve the flexibility of the wrist rotation, and legato fingers within the large expanse (see

Example 12a and 12b). However, when speeding up to the original tempo, performers should avoid extra hand movements and always think about the longer phrase.

Example 12a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (m. 13)

Example 12b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (m. 13)

When practicing the descending broken chord figurations in the right hand within the melody line, the performer should put more weight on the fingertips while holding the eighth note on the top and control the volume of the arpeggiated figuration in the middle voice by staying very close to the keyboard, so that the listeners can clearly hear the different layers between the two voices (See Example 13).

Example 13. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 9-10)

Apart from the proper hand position and articulation, the dynamic and phrasing which

Arensky indicates in the score are essential tools for performers to avoid mechanical and vertical playing. For example, in measure 2, the melody in the left hand remains on F throughout the whole bar, and the dynamic for the right hand here is marked as crescendo

30 and then diminuendo. It emphasizes the hidden ascending line on the right hand, which creates tension in the middle of the bar, while the left-hand is sustaining a long note without any changes (See Example 14).

Example 14. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 1-4)

Taking measure 11 as another example (see Example 15), Considering the long phrase throughout the entire bar, Arensky added smaller phrases that exactly resemble the grouping of the left hand. By following the phrasing and the accent that Arensky indicates, the music would be more meaningful and directional.

Example 15. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 9-12)

The B section begins on measure 13. The music begins to develop and build from the ascending sixteenth notes on the left hand (see example 16). As noticed, Arensky changes the rhythm to all triplets, which naturally increase the speed and intensity.

Example 16. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 13-16)

The climax of this etude arrives at measure 17. It is the only place where the left-hand takes over the broken-arpeggio figuration. The right hand is singing a long descending sequence that starts from B with forte plus an accent on the top voice, while the left hand plays broken chords with a hidden descending line on each first note of the figuration.

Amidst the frequent changes of harmony, the challenge for performers here is to clean up the pedal, without breaking the long descending line on the right hand (see Example 17).

Example 17. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 1. (mm. 17-22)

In this eight-measure descending sequence, the performer should have a clear plan for the change of dynamic and tempo since it is marked diminuendo and then ritardando at the end of the phrase. The performer should be cautious not to start the diminuendo and ritardando too soon so that there will be enough space to allow this long phrase leading back to the A section in the tonic gradually and naturally.

As the first etude in this set, it is a representative etude which introduces Arensky’s pianistic style. There are lots of musical features which he applied to later etudes in Op. 74, such as the arpeggiated pattern, writing of multiple voices, and melodic material.

No. 2 in C minor, Moderato

The C minor etude is also marked Moderato, which closely resembles the poetic style of the first etude. It consists of a single melody line on the right hand, accompanied by the figuration of constantly running sixteenth sextuplets. Similar to Liszt’s “Un sospiro,”

(From Concert Étude) the accompaniment figuration played by both hands is continuous in a sort of three-hands effect. At the same time, the melody should be performed as if it is sung by one person (see Example 18a and 18b). The performance goal of the etude is to play the accompaniment evenly with shaped phrases while keeping the melody sustaining without interruption.

Example 18a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 2-3)

Example 18b. 3 Concert Études “Un sospiro” of Franz Liszt (mm. 3-4)

In “Un sospiro,” the melody is played by both hands alternatively, which cross over the sixteenth-note arpeggios on the right hand. In contrast, the melody in the C-minor etude of Arensky is always played by the right hand, which means that the right hand must play both the melody line and the arpeggios figurations simultaneously, as shown in the score

(see Example 19).

Example 19. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 3-4)

There are several technical challenges that performers will be dealing with. First, the pianist must decide the proper fingerings to accommodate coordination between the hands.

Secondly, when the right-hand plays both the melody line and the arpeggios, the performer should have the proper balance between voices. Since both voices are in the same register, it will be more difficult to differentiate the layers. Finally, the performer needs to keep the melody from sounding like it is broken, at the same time connecting both hands smoothly within the arpeggio pattern.

The arpeggio figuration should be practiced individually before adding the melodic line.

For practice purposes, the performer may first play the arpeggios with only one hand at a slower tempo. Without shifting between hands, the performer would hear the “idealized version” of the arpeggios with evenness and smoothness.

After that, the performer should divide the arpeggio into two hands as written. At a slower tempo, the pianist must use critical listening skills to connect each note between both hands with proper phrase shaping. The fluidity of the left hand should be achieved not only by evenness of execution, but also more by recognizing the musical direction from those non-chord tones (see Example 20). The performer should also be careful about the smooth connection while shifting hands so that it is inaudible.

Example 20. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 4)

Besides the inner notes, the pianist should also connect all of the bass notes in the arpeggios so their ears can keep track of the counterpoint with the right hand. Additionally, it also emphasizes the direction of harmonic changes (see Example 21a and 21b).

Example 21a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 10-11)

Example 21b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 17-19)

Besides the arpeggio, there is another type of accompaniment pattern in the left hand.

For practicing these running turns, the performer can first group them as below (see

Example 22a). Considering the middle finger as the shifting point would enable the pianist’s flexibility in the wrist. After that, the performer can also regroup the sextuplets, which divide them into two layers (see Example 22b). By practicing with this grouping, the pianist would bring out the counter melody on the top, while the running notes are smoothly played using circular motion.

Example 22a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 1)

Example 22b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 1)

After the performer feels comfortable with the accompaniment figurations in terms of fingering and hand coordination, the melody may be added. In order to obtain a proper balance between the two voices, the technique must be perfected by practicing slowly, exaggerating the softness of the accompaniment, to separate it from the melody. Moreover, the performer should always avoid accenting the accompaniment notes that coincide with the melody notes from the natural tendency to do the same thing at the same time (see

Example 23).

Example 23. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 6)

Although the etude is marked Moderato, the performer should keep the tempo moving effortlessly flowing with the running notes, so that the melody on the top line can sing smoothly. Otherwise, the accompaniment figuration would easily disturb the constant flow of the phrasing. The performer should follow the dynamic markings, which indicate

Arensky’s intension for the shaping of the phrase (see Example 24).

Example 24. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 2. (mm. 4-7)

The performance goal for this etude is to follow the dynamic markings which Arensky carefully indicated, and shape the phrases by the direction of the melody, with the support of the flowing accompaniment. The C-minor etude is one of the most challenging pieces in Arensky’s Op. 74 which requires finger flexibility along with well-controlled tonal production and critical listening skills.

No. 3 in D-flat major, Allegro non troppo

The D-flat major etude is unique in the set of Op. 74 due to its homophonic texture with the constant use of syncopated rhythm. The first challenge for performers is to deal with the voicing issue. Bringing out the changes while remaining soft with voices that stay on the same pitch is important, since there is a counter melody within the syncopated chords between both hands (see Example 25).

Example 25. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2)

At an earlier stage of preparation, the performer may use one hand to play the changing notes, while another hand is playing the rest of the pitches. Thus, the pianist would better understand the layers, and also hear the idealized version of the voicing and articulation.

The second challenge is to coordinate both hands in the syncopated rhythm. Obviously, the off-beat side is more likely to become vertical due to the texture and rhythmic instinct.

A suggestion to performers is to practice them as if they were on the beat (see Example

26).

Example 26. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2)

Once the performer is confident about hand coordination with the syncopation between both hands, the next challenge is to bring out the musical dialogue between the hands. The performer may simply highlight the principal voice without an awareness of different registers. As a result, it would sound unnatural while shifting the melody to another hand.

Pianists should first play only the melodic line in both hands and focus on the relationship between the voices (see Example 27).

Example 27. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2)

As shown in the score, the melody and the changing notes in the syncopated chords are imitating each other (See Example 28a and 28b). Although the changing notes can be regarded as a counter melody, they should be played at a lower dynamic than the main melodic line, to avoid disturbing the constant flow of the phrasing.

Example 28a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2)

Example 28b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 17-18)

When there is no obvious melodic line in either hand, the performer should phrase by bringing out the top line on the right hand (See Example 29). Otherwise the listener would only hear the syncopated chords and lose track of the melody.

Example 29. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 4-9)

Pedaling is another challenge in this etude. First of all, the texture is rather thick.

Secondly, the harmonic changes are frequent and complex, plus they include a lot of passing tones and non-chord tones. Thirdly, there are numerous overly extended chords, which may be played as rolled chords. Finally, the syncopated rhythm, needing sophisticated pedaling, may easily confuse the performer, since the melodic line is played alternatively by both hands, which means the rhythm of pedaling would also need to change frequently.

The performer should listen carefully to decide and create a plan for the pedaling. Each time when the new harmony, or the non-chord tones appear, the pedal must be cleanly changed. Therefore, the performer must experiment with pedal changes at an extremely slow tempo in order to identify the harmonic progression, paying attention to the non-chord tones, and becoming familiar with the technique of syncopated pedaling within the rhythm.

When changing the pedal, the performer may sustain the note longer with the fingers, in order to avoid breaking the melodic line.

After mastering the technique of voicing, hand coordination of syncopation, melodic interaction, and pedaling, the next challenge is how to play this etude musically interesting.

In order to organize the musical structure, performers must understand the development of the harmony, and the direction of the phrases by reading the score with consideration for the bigger picture. For instance, each entry of the melody in this etude clearly indicates the music direction between the phrases (see Example 30).

Example 30. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 3. (mm. 1-2)

The performer should compare all the melodic entries and think about the harmonic relation between them, and then, use different dynamic levels and tone colors to emphasize the changes. It would help the performer to naturally build the music structure by accessing the larger span of the music. This would enable the music to sound more interactive and compact between phrases.

This etude is vital for performers to develop musicality, as it presents several different challenges: voicing, rhythmic complexity, pedaling, plan of musical structure. The etude would not sound attractive if the performer missed any of these aspects above. The musical style resembles his predecessor, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), in terms of its thick texture, and the warm and rounded tone color.

No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Allegro non troppo

This is the first overtly virtuosic etude in the set of Op. 74. From looking at the score, the C-sharp minor etude closely resembles Chopin’s Etude Op. 25, No. 12, since they both include a similar arpeggio pattern (see Example 31a and 31b).

Example 31a. Chopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 (mm. 1-2)

Example 31b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4 (mm. 1)

The C-sharp minor Etudes consists of a continuous pattern of sweeping arpeggios in parallel motion. Different from Chopin, Arensky chose 12/8 as the time signature, which divides the groupings as sextuplets for each arpeggio. This pattern remains throughout the whole etude, and there are several essential techniques that the pianist should be able to master by playing this etude. First of all, there is a quick finger change on the repeated notes of the arpeggio. Besides the finger change, there is also an added note on the next beat, so it includes shifting from one note to two notes (see Example 32).

Example 32. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4. (mm. 1)

The issues facing performers include (1). The repeated note not sounding, and (2). The two notes on the downbeat not lining up well. To execute this shifting on repeated notes smoothly at a fast speed, the performer should have the ability to contract and expand the

46 hands freely and rapidly. When practicing in a slower tempo, the pianist is advised to move the arm horizontally within the arpeggios, and also move the wrist up and down to adjust the space for shifting fingers, so that the tension would be released by a flexible movement.

However, these motions are mainly for practice purposes. When the performer speeds up the etude to the original tempo, the motion must be minimal and more efficient.

After finding a proper hand gesture and motion, securing the accuracy of the arpeggios become the next challenge. There is a topographical challenge due to the daring harmonies upon which Arensky based the C-sharp minor. Hence, the first thing that the performer should be familiar with is the topography of the arpeggio patterns. The best way to achieve this goal is to practice arpeggios with blocked chords in both hands together (see Example

33).

Example 33. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4. (mm. 1)

As a result, the muscle memory can help the pianist become familiar with the hand positions; Additionally, the ears can hear the harmonic progression and the musical direction throughout the whole etude. After that, to achieve greater accuracy on the

47 arpeggios, there are various rhythmic patterns which can be practiced at different tempos

(see Example 34).

Example 34. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4.

Another difficulty in this etude is the series of huge leaps between the triplet broken chords, which appear in contrary motion between both hands, especially on the last page, where the pattern repeats continuously (see Example 35a).

Example 35. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4 (mm. 24-26)

At a rapid tempo, it is understandable for performers to place the note on the downbeat accurately with a little delay after such a wide leap. The pianist may start the jump a little later, holding the last note of the second group of triplets a bit longer as if there is no leap

48 after. This would give the pedal enough time to connect the triplets without an obvious cut- off. Practicing with this grouping is strongly recommended (see Example 35b).

Example 35b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 4 (mm. 24-26)

There is no obvious melodic line in this etude, as can be seen, and the voicing balance changes are much more frequent than in the Chopin. Although Arensky did not mark any accents on the arpeggios like Chopin, he still marked a crescendo and diminuendo in almost every arpeggio, which indicates that the direction of the power is always aiming towards the top notes just like an ocean wave. Apart from that, Arensky did not mark many dynamic changes in this etude. The only thing that the performer should notice is the fff that Arensky marked in three different places. In order to emphasize the fff, the performer should plan to gradually and naturally build up the volume preparing for this dynamic. In general, the musical character of this etude is powerful and passionate. Pedaling will always be needed to enrich the sound yet must be changed according to the harmonies.

Compared to Chopin’s Op. 25, No. 12, which focuses on creating a larger wave across patterns, Arensky’s C-sharp minor etude is designed for performers who can learn to use hand position changes that coincide with what should be brought out musically. Arensky’s tempo marking Allegro non troppo also shows his expectation for the performance of this etude.

No. 5 in D major, Andante con moto

The D major etude requires coordination between both hands to play the descending septuplet arpeggios continuously. The septuplets consist of four notes in the right hand and three notes in the left hand. The first note, which is the highest note in each arpeggio, is in the value of a quarter note, and the others are in septuplets. The ideal goal for performing this etude is to connect all the top notes as the vocal line, while the rest of the notes are played evenly and lightly under the top line. (see Example 36).

Example 36. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1)

The arpeggio pattern is largely repetitive in this etude, and the melodic line is very long, across many measures and phrases. It requires flexible phrasing, rubato, and a long- projected view of the structure. Therefore, the mental and technical grouping cannot simply derive from the melody note to the remaining septuplets, otherwise, the performer would not be able to time the end of the cascade naturally according to the flexible timing of the melody. For practice purposes, the performer should regroup the arpeggios, and practice them with a metronome in order to understand the rhythmic flow of the septuplet, at the same time, experiencing various possibilities of groupings (see Example 37a, 37b, 37c,

37d). Here are some examples:

Example 37a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1)

Example 37b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1)

Example 37c. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1)

Example 37d. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1)

The texture in this etude is relatively lean, most of the notes are in the higher register without any downbeat in the bass line. The articulation should always be extremely legato, like the sound of flowing water. In order to catch the downbeat on time, and highlight the top line melody, it is a common pitfall to bring out the melody, yet without the smooth legato tone achieved by nuanced control of the speed of attack of the fifth finger of the right hand. The performer may be tempted to use a quick finger descent, which would likely disrupt the cascades by a “harsh tone” on each downbeat. Although it is almost impossible to connect the melody with the fingers, the pianist should still audiate the melody in their ears and always plan for a longer phrase, while keeping the fifth finger close to the key with proper arm weight.

Pedaling plays a significant role in this etude since it helps to connect all the melody lines, create the atmosphere of the cascading figures, and also supports the phrase structure.

The biggest challenge is to change the pedal naturally without any obvious cut-off,

52 especially between the lowest note of the arpeggio and the downbeat of the next phrase

(see Example 38).

Example 38. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 5 (mm. 1)

When getting softer on the lower register, the performer should avoid letting go too early of the lowest note of each arpeggio. Furthermore, the pianist may put more weight on the downbeat of the next phrase. The pedal can be placed after the first note of each cascade, so the finger would be the essential tool in linking the notes smoothly without breaking the melody.

It is possible that Arensky intended a transparent and subtle tone color in this etude.

Besides its thin texture and the atmosphere of cascades, the dynamic range of the etude is quite limited. There are only two single fortes in the etude, and both of them appear in the

B section, while the music is building up by continuous sequences. Even if the music is apparently becoming more excited compared to the A section, the forte should never be played with harshness.

This is a challenging etude because of its thin texture which may expose technical and musical issues more obviously. It requires performers’ finger flexibility, subtle nuance of tone color, and critical listening skills.

No. 6 in D minor, Presto

There are many unusual elements in the D minor etude, in regard to texture, phrasing, and rhythm. The main challenge for playing this etude is to highlight a melodic outline from notes spread out through time but without physically connecting them, and at the same time overcoming the difficulty of making sense of the rhythmic outline within the unbarred phrases.

The performer may feel confused when reading the score due to its complex rhythmic pattern and wide intervals across the clefs. It is in 3/4 meter, but the gestures and phrasing do not always follow that rhythmic pattern and change frequently. Sometimes there are three eighth notes phrased together, alluding to a 6/8 meter, and sometimes it is in groups of four (see Example 39).

Example 39. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 1-4)

If this etude were assigned to less-skilled students, they would ultimately lose their sense of rhythm and direction, especially at a rapid tempo. The first thing the pianist should do is to abandon the grouping and phrasing Arensky indicates and try to practice different ways of counting, such as 2+2+2 and 3+3 with the metronome. After that, the pianist should imitate the phrasing by tapping on a table with both hands and using crescendo, diminuendo, to indicate the shaping of the phrase. When the tempo is increased, the pianist may lose count of the quarter note at the end of the phrase, and the note value would probably be played each time differently. Therefore, subdivision of the quarter note to eighth notes is recommended for solving this problem, since the student could accurately arrive on the quarter note by having the previous eighth notes in their ears.

Once the rhythmic sense is improved, the student should begin to practice hand coordination since it requires a smooth and inaudible change between hands. In contrast to the fifth etude where both hands are continually playing a repetitive pattern throughout the whole piece, the interchange between the hands is frequently shifting in this etude (see

Example 40).

Example 40. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 30-55)

Practicing with various types of rhythmic patterns would help the performer to avoid unwanted accents or breaks while connecting each note between both hands (see Example

41). Additionally, legato playing and dynamic changes should be included while practicing with different rhythmic patterns.

Example 41. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6

Playing in blocked chords is strongly encouraged in this etude (see Example 42), since it would not only secure hand position, but also help the performer to understand the shaping of the phrase through harmonic progression.

Example 42. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 1-4)

In order to alleviate the disjunction of the music, the performer should focus on the top notes in order to bring out the melodic line and to find a convincing phrase (see Example

43). As seen in the example, the top line first goes up and then down to complete the phrase, which exactly matches the dynamic changes that Arensky indicates here.

Example 43. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 41-50)

As noticed, the melody does not always arrive on strong beats. Therefore, it often creates musical tension through hemiolas, followed by moments of resolution where it feels closer to its 3/4 marking (see Example 44).

Example 44. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 12-16)

Performers must be very comfortable playing through this music regardless of how they count it. The music should flow naturally through the shape of phrases within the agitated feeling of the Presto marking. The influence from Schumann’s Kreisleriana, Op.

16 (1838) can be heard in the melodic material which Arensky uses in the B section (see

Example 45a and 45b). Coincidentally, both of them are in D minor.

Example 45a. Kreisleriana, Op. 16 by Schumann. (mm. 1-2)

Example 45b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 6 (mm. 30-40)

No. 7 in E-flat major, Andantino

This etude is another study of multiple voices, within Arensky’s lyrical style. The principal feature of this etude is that the melody is projected by octaves in the right hand.

Therefore, the first challenge for performers is to connect the melody line in octaves without verticalness and squareness. When practicing this passage, the performer is encouraged to omit the pedal, and try to connect the octaves via the fingers. In this way, the performer would use more arm weight on the fingers to bring out the melody, especially on the top notes of the octaves.

At the same time, the performer has to keep proper balance between the other two voices, which are the inner voice on the right hand, and the accompaniment figure on the left (see Example 43).

Example 46. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 1-2)

Arensky indicated in the score that the chords in the middle voice are in dotted quarter value. He even instructs the performer when to release the chord by writing an eighth rest under the principal beats (see Example 47).

Example 47. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 1-2)

The performer should hold these chords as written, whenever possible, since it will add more dimension and harmonic color to the texture, while the rests can be utilized as

“checkpoints” for the pedal changes.

In order to emphasize the counterpoint with the right hand, and increase the flow on the left, the performer can group the accompaniment figures as below (see Example 48). It would also help to release the tension when reaching the first note of each beat, by moving the wrist and forearm horizontally.

Example 48. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 1-2)

Starting at measure 9-10, which is the beginning of the B section, the right hand takes over the accompaniment figure while the top line is intoning the melody. In contrast to the second etude, the melody and accompaniment line are both played only by the right hand

(see Example 49).

Example 49. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 9-10)

The beginning of the B section should give listeners a new mood and character, due to the change of harmonic color and rhythmic pattern. As can be observed, the inner voice is

61 rhythmically more active than the top voice, but it is supposed to be played passively and fluidly under the melody. In fact, the inner voice is mainly played with fingers “1-2-3”, so that the sound quality might be heavy as well as sluggish. Also, the eighth notes on the left hand may influence the right hand with a heavy sound since they are played by the same fingers (see Example 50). Practicing the right hand by exaggerating the dynamics with extremely legato playing is strongly encouraged.

Example 50. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 9-10)

Another common issue for this passage is that the fingers “1-2-3” used in the inner voice may become too stiff, which reflects the action of the outer fingers. The performer should play the inner voice with flatter fingers, which provide moving spaces for the outer fingers to connect the melodic line, and also enable the performer to maintain flexibility for the inner voice. Here are some very helpful exercises for practicing multiple voices with one hand, which have similar patterns with the E-flat major etude (see Example 51a and 51b).22

22 Kim Min Joung, The Chopin Etudes: A study suide for teaching and learning opus 10 and opus 25 (DMA Essay. University of North Texas. 2011),78, 80.

Example 51a. Moscheles Characteristic Studies Op. 95 No. 11 (mm. 1-5)

Example 51b. Cramer Etude, No. 41 (mm. 1-4)

The etude concludes with an expressive coda. From measure 29, the melodic material has been repeated several times in different registers until the end (see Example 52). When the melody descends to the lower register, the pedal should always be clean, and the left hand should be played as softly as possible, so that the melodic line can be clearly heard.

Example 52. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 7 (mm. 33-36)

In this etude, the melody and accompaniment figures are shifting frequently in different layers. This is a very useful study for improving one’s control of touch and dynamics with legato playing in multiple voices.

No. 8 in E-flat minor, Allegro molto

This is another virtuosic etude of Op. 74. To master this etude, the performer must solve various technical issues, and present are intrinsic musicality with its waltz-like musical style.

The performer is strongly encouraged to practice this etude with separate hands, since both hands present large spans in different directions. The pianist must guarantee accuracy before putting hands together.

The first challenge in the right hand is to project the top line melody without interruption from the lower part. As shown in the score, the accompaniment pattern goes higher than the following melody notes (see Example 53).

Example 53. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 1)

If the performer plays the pattern using rotation alone, the B-flat and A-flat (the outer notes on each end) will stick out like the melody. Besides, the G-flat is repeated on the second beat as the accompaniment figure, which would instantly break the half note on the top line. As opposed to etude No. 7, the outer fingers here need to play flat and remain closely to the keys early, while the inside fingers need to remain curved in order to control the inner voice.

At an early stage of preparation, the performer can exaggerate the dynamic contrast between the two voices of the right hand. The purpose of this is to clearly separate the two voices. After that, the pianist should start to add rotation with legato playing. Additionally, following the dynamic that Arensky indicates in each two-bar phrase will direct the energy towards the middle of the phrase (see Example 54).

Example 54. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 1-4)

Fatigue becomes a challenge for the right hand due to the large intervallic spans of the intervals, especially for those performers with smaller hands. The movement of the wrist and arm, and the flexibility between the fingers at the web become crucial. Regarding the

65 middle finger as the center of energy, the performer should move the wrist and forearm horizontally and play the inner voice with a light touch. Considering each bar as one group of phrases, the performer can practice the right-hand figure in a light motion with an immediate relaxation after each phrase.

Once the right movement is learned in the right hand, the coordination with the left hand becomes another difficulty for the performer. The challenge is to play the left-hand figure with wide intervals smoothly since it requires expansion of the hand and horizontal movement of the wrist and arm. Moreover, the directions of movement between both hands is different. The performer must accommodate the right movement for each hand before putting them together.

From measure 83, the texture suddenly gets thicker by using chords instead of single- note arpeggios on the left hand (see Example 55). When playing these chords with a wide leap, the performer must be careful to anticipate these chords by eyes and hands before the jumps.

Example 55. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 84-86)

Besides all the technical challenges described above, the performer is also required to develop musical creativity to avoid a mechanical rendition of this etude. Within the typical waltz-like style, one must be very sensitive with those places where new ideas or patterns appear.

For example, in measure 35, the music shifts to a major key after several dissonant descending intervals, and the arpeggiated pattern is now played by both hands alternatively

(see Example 56). So, the texture here becomes more linear and the phrases longer, and the music should be more delicate and poetic.

Example 56. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 35-37)

On the contrary, when the left-hand shifts to the chords, the left hand can be emphasized more, enriching the texture (see Example 57). Thus, the music is getting more energetic.

Example 57. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 84-86)

On measure 91, the theme comes back in a higher register by an octave (see Example

58). Therefore, the tone color here should naturally become brighter, with a soft and transparent tone quality.

Example 58. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 8 (mm. 88-92)

These subtle features should always be noticed by the performer so that the etude is not only virtuosic, but also musically attractive.

No. 9 in E minor, Vivace

Although it is marked Vivace, the E-minor etude continues Arensky’s lyrical style through its melancholic melody in the middle voice. The Vivace may indicate the tempo rather than the character. The purpose of this etude is to present the melody line on the right hand, which is mainly played by the thumbs and second finger in the middle voice.

The patterns in the combination of three voices is very similar to Chopin’s Prelude, Op. 28,

No. 8 (see Example 59a and 59b), even the time signature is the same.

Example 59a. Chopin 24 Preludes, Op. 28 No. 8. (mm. 2)

Example 59b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1)

Compared to the Chopin prelude, the rhythmic pattern in Arensky’s etude is more symmetrical and less complicated. However, it is very likely the performer will begin playing vertically in such rhythmic grouping. With the dotted rhythm in the middle voice, the performer should avoid accenting the downbeat, especially at a rapid tempo.

The performer should first practice the right-hand melody only, with the accompaniment on the left hand. The fingering must be the same as if the top notes are not removed (see Example 60).

Example 60. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1-2)

As shown in the Example 61, the fingering for the descending line in the middle voice is 2-1-2-1. In order to accommodate the fingering and play the melody smoothly, practicing without the dotted rhythm would be helpful for the performer to understand the shaping of the phrase. Although the phrasing is grouped as 2+2 in each measure, the pianist should always look for longer phrases, and also plan for a long-term view of the musical structure.

Furthermore, practicing the left hand individually with pedal would also be helpful.

The performer may intuitively want to lift the pedal on the quarter note as the phrasing indicates. As a result, the melody would be cut-off on the right hand. So, in order to avoid mechanical playing with the rhythmic pattern on the left hand, the pianist should shape the left hand as a longer phrase through the music direction and harmonic changes (see

Example 61).

Example 61. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1-2)

Technically speaking, to balance the two voices in the right hand, the center of weight can be more toward the thumb. There is a grouping which would be helpful for performers

(see Example 62).

Example 62. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 1)

As can be observed, this grouping would allow the performer to freely move the arm in circular motion on the sixteenth notes. And also, the direction of the grouping is always towards the dotted rhythm, which enables the performer to clearly present the melody.

When practicing at a slower tempo, the performer should move the wrist and forearms in a circular motion to maintain a legato tone in the group of four notes, while at the same time releasing the possible physical tension it may cause. When gradually speeding up, the grouping would become bigger, such as groups of eight notes, on groups of sixteen notes.

Therefore, the small group of circular motion should also become one bigger gesture in order to avoid taking extra time and interrupting the flow of the melodic line.

Due to the extremely repetitive pattern in this etude, the performer’s creativity is called upon to plan the dynamics and phrasing. For example, in the first four measures of the B section, each phrase is repeated once. Without shaping and using different dynamic levels, the phrases would each sound exactly the same (see Example 63).

Example 63. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 9-12)

Furthermore, the performer must always highlight new patterns or musical ideas, to emphasize the difference. As an example, from the second beat of measure 13, there is a descending sequence which begins forte. At the same time, the left hand here shows a hidden descending line which overlaps with the melodic line on the right hand (see

Example 64). Thus, the interaction between the hands would enrich the texture and give dimension to the music.

Example 64. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 13-14)

The performer should also notice that when the A section comes back, there is a slight harmonic change, where Arensky marks poco rit (see Example 65a and 65b). Instead of thinking of it as a slowing down of the tempo, it should be regarded as an allowance for

72 the use of rubato which emphasizes the different harmonic color compared to the previous one.

Example 65a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 3-4)

Example 65b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 9. (mm. 19-20)

This is a short etude which includes many repetitive figures. It is very important for performers to explore the possibility of making the music sound interesting. The Vivace tempo with rubato helps to establish a smooth and directional flow to the phrases.

No. 10 in F-sharp major, Allegro

This etude consists of wide triplets in both hands with contrary motion (see Example

66). The challenge in playing this etude is to bring out the melodic line in the middle voice, which is played by the thumb in quarter notes, and connect them smoothly by legato playing. At the same time, performers must avoid possible tension caused by the continuous wide triplets.

Example 66. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1)

As can be observed, the broken-chord patterns between both hands are slightly different, requiring different hand movements in each hand. The performer may use a circular motion in the right hand since the figures initially ascend, then descend. Contrarily, the left-hand figuration maintains a downward motion throughout. Performers must practice the triplets in each hand separately in order to familiarize themselves with the different movements.

This etude requires great stamina to project consistent triplets at a rapid tempo.

Furthermore, in order to hold the quarter notes and bring out the melody while the top line plays triplets, an expanded hand position is required. Although the changing notes on the left-hand thumbs are not marked as quarter notes due to the large span, the performer should still use the thumbs to support the melody in the right hand (see Example 67).

Example 67. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1)

Several methods could be employed to assist in practicing these wide triplets. First, use a legato touch to play the triplets with more finger weight at a slower tempo until it becomes consistent. After that, the performer should increase the tempo with a lighter touch and add a short rest between each triplet. Thus, one could play through the triplet with one gesture, and then relax the hands during the rest. Additionally, in order to secure the accuracy of the triplets and release tension between the triplet groups, there are three recommended rhythmic to practice (see Example 68a, 68b and 68c).

Example 68a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1)

Example 68b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1)

Example 68c. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1)

Other than mastering the technical challenges and the fatigue, careful use of rubato in the proper places would also help performers release tension. Performers must understand the shape of the phrases by acknowledging the beginning and the end of each phrase. As shown below, the dynamic changes usually indicate the shaping of a phrase (see Example

69).

Example 69. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 1-8)

Thus, when there is a longer phrase with the marking crescendo, the tempo could move forward, and when the music calms down with diminuendo at the end of a phrase or section, the tempo can slightly relax as if the music is taking a small breath. However, if the performer exaggerates the rubato and begins applying it on every phrase, the music would sound unnatural.

Besides using rubato to relax both hands, the performer should also carefully plan how to exert energy in order to build up the music on different dynamic levels. In this etude, the music begins with mf and remains that way until the end of the A section despite the rise and fall within phrases. There are only two places where Arensky marks ff (see Example

70a and 70b). One is at the end of the B section, following the diminuendo and ritardando where the main theme returns. The other two ffs appeared twice in the same phrase, which is at the very end of the etude, giving it a brilliant ending.

Example 70a. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 27-32)

Example 70b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 10. (mm. 52-55)

In order to arrive at the climax and emphasize the ff, the performer must carefully gauge the accumulation of sound and allow for gradual dynamic changes. Therefore, the performer could save energy until the dynamic peaks, which allows for enough relaxation.

Generally speaking, performers need to understand the musical direction, and then combine those small phrases into a longer melodic line in order to avoid mechanical playing. Based on this, a performer needs to plan out the music at various dynamic levels and add rubato to emphasize the shaping of the music. These suggestions would also help performers to relax their hands on the wide triplets at a rapid tempo.

No. 11 in A-flat major, Andante

The main technical difficulties in the A-flat major etude include the descending broken chord pattern, which is the same pattern that initially appeared in the first etude. It is marked

Andante, slightly slower than the Moderato of the first etude. Compared to most of the etudes in this set, the A-flat major etude has a relatively thicker texture.

As suggested before (see page 29), the broken-chord pattern on the right hand should be played with a proper balance, which means an emphasis on the melodic line on the top while the other two notes remain quiet with a legato tone (see Example 71).

Example 71. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 1)

The performer needs to practice certain spots in order to secure the accuracy of the right-hand pattern (see Example 72). For instance, in measure 10, the frequent changes of intervals in the right hand require the pianist’s quick response and flexible hand movement to adapt to the uncomfortable hand positions.

Example 72. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 10)

This small exercise would help performers to quickly become more familiar and confident with the interval changes (see Example 73).

Example 73. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 1)

The left hand can be divided into two layers in the first section: the consecutive thirds plus the bass note. Strictly speaking then, there are a total of five voices in both hands (see

Example 74).

Example 74. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 2-3)

As can be observed, the thirds on the left hand are singing alongside the top voice in parallel motion. The performer should first practice the left hand alone without the help of the pedal and try to follow the phrasing, which Arensky indicates on the score. The volume of the left hand can be softer since the thirds are in the middle voice and shadow the top line. After that, the performer should combine only the top notes of the right hand with the left hand. Besides having a proper balance between the four voices, the left hand should also try to imitate the right hand, not only in phrasing but also in its dynamic shape.

In the development section, beginning at measure 8, the left hand plays a counter melody in octaves instead of thirds. This lyrical but also powerful figuration is rarely seen in the set of Op. 74. In contrast to the thirds, the octaves are singing in contrary motion to the right hand, both with a large crescendo (see Example 75), which directs the music into a more excited stage in terms of thickening texture and richer sonority.

Example 75. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 12-13)

The phrasing which Arensky marked in this etude is unexpectedly creative. For instance, from the example shown below, the phrases that Arensky divided are extremely irregular (see Example 76, the numbers indicate the amount of beats).

Example 76. The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 11. (mm. 12-13)

The asymmetrical phrases create a freer and more flexible flow to the music.

Performers are thus strongly encouraged to follow what the score indicates. However, the performer should consider each small phrase as a grouping indication, and then plan for the larger musical structure by placing these groupings into a longer phrase. If the performer only follows the score without any long-term plan in mind, the music could sound fragmented. When playing this etude, the performer should obey the Andante indication, instead of adopting a virtuosic tempo, singing each note expressively and showing the shapes of each phrase with rubato and dynamic changes.

No. 12 in G-sharp minor, Allegro moderato

The last etude in Op. 74 is a study of parallel sixths with extreme legato playing. Several composers have written studies for sixths, such as Chopin’s Op. 25, No. 8, which was written in the 1830s, and Debussy’s Etude, entitled Pour les sixtes as his fourth etude in the set Etudes pour piano during the year 1915.

In contrast to Chopin’s Op. 25, No. 8, where both hands are playing parallel sixths simultaneously, the successive eighth-note sixths in Arensky’s G-sharp minor etude are performed only by the right hand, while the left hand plays a parallel melody in the bass line (see Example 77a and 77b). To master this etude, performers are expected to connect all the sixths smoothly at rapid tempo and balance the three voices between the hands.

Example 77a. Chopin’s Etude, Op. 25 No. 8. (mm. 1-2)

Example 77b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-3)

Arensky notably marked molto legato at the beginning of this etude, emphasizing the smoothness and evenness that he expected for these consecutive sixths. For this etude, the performer has only limited choices of fingering to play molto legato due to the extended hand position. The most common fingering combination for connecting the sixths are 1/4 and 2/5.

After deciding the most comfortable fingering, performers need to find an appropriate hand position and arm movement to accommodate different angles of sixths when practicing at a slower tempo. One should always be aware of the horizontal arm movement, with a flexible wrist and elbow. To connect all the notes on the top voice, the bottom notes on the right hand can be released earlier, which enables the finger on the top line to reach the next note without any tension or less of legato. Furthermore, the wrist and elbow can even rotate in circular motion, especially in those spots involving long phrases with repetitive patterns (see Example 78). The performer should also sit properly, with the shoulder, and the entire upper body. Doing so will avoid possible tension caused by continued long-term hand extension.

Example 78. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 32-37)

It is essential for performers to be aware of the way Arensky phrased each group of sixths. To avoid vertical and mechanical playing, Arensky introduced various grouping combinations which enable the music to speak. As noticed, the phrase always starts on the weak beat, and ends on the downbeat of the next bar (see example 79).

Example 79. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-3)

From measure 16 to 21, there is a contrast between two long phrases and two small phrases, both including a crescendo and diminuendo to create the music flow. (see Example

80). Performers should follow the phrasing that Arensky arranged in the score, and even practice each grouping individually to play them smoothly with appropriate hand positions.

Example 80. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 16-23)

In order to avoid stiffness in the fingers, starting with broken arpeggios of sixths with finger pedal is a great approach to warm up the hand and secure the proper hand position in practice sessions (see Example 81a and 81b). One particular thing to notice is that the pianist should maintain a legato and lyrical touch, fast and short strikes should always be avoided.

Example 81a. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-2)

Example 81b. Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky, No. 12. (mm. 1-2)

The tempo is marked Allegro moderato, and performers are encouraged to play with rubato, in order to avoid a metronomic feel. The etude requires the performers’ endurance due to the repetitive patterns throughout the whole piece without any rest. Performers ought to take advantage of several poco rit places in order to rest their hands. Pedaling is also very important for producing convincing phrasing without mechanical playing. There are three voices that are sung simultaneously by both hands in parallel motion. Performers

86 must project the melody on the top brightly with dynamic changes, while the other two voices support it harmonically.

Chapter V

Conclusion

The Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 of Anton Arensky present a variety of technical and musical challenges. The set can be deemed excellent preparatory repertoire providing a solid foundation for the study of more advanced literature by major 19th-century composers, since they share many common technical and musical features.

As a summary of the main technical challenges presented in each etude, Etude No. 1 requires performers to present a lyrical dialogue between the hands over a quiet and even broken-arpeggiated pattern; Etude No. 2 demands performers to project a clear melody over constantly running sextuplets played by both hands in a sort of three-hands effect;

Etude No. 3 requires performers to coordinate both hands in a smooth syncopated rhythm without verticalness, and at the same time project the dialogue between the hands over a relatively thick texture; Etude No. 4 demands performers to create a powerful “ocean-like” tonal image through continuous sweeping arpeggios with accuracy and musical expression;

Etude No. 5 requires performers to connect the melodic line on top, and play the descending septuplet arpeggios shared between both hands evenly with a natural shape under the melody; Etude No. 6 demands a highlighting of the melodic outline from notes spread out through time but without physically connecting them, and at the same time overcoming the difficulty of finding the rhythmic sense within the unbarred phrases; Etude No. 7 requires performers to bring out the melody while playing the running figure in the same hand without rigid fingers; Etude No. 8 requires performers to span the wide intervals between

87 88 both hands at a rapid tempo, and present an intrinsic musicality within a waltz-like style;

Etude No. 9 requires performers to present the dotted-rhythm melody in the middle voice, played mainly by the thumb and second finger, and to avoid accents on the downbeats which may lead to vertical playing; Etude No. 10 consists of repetitive wide triplets for both hands in contrary motion, and requires performers’ proper hand movements in order to avoid finger and hand fatigue, as well as bring out the melodic line played by the thumb in the right hand; Etude No. 11 requires performers to properly balance five voices between both hands; And finally, Etude No. 12 is a study of parallel sixths, and requires performers use of extreme legato playing and appropriate balance of voicing.

The musical challenges in all of the etudes have a lot in common. Generally speaking, performers must first follow what Arensky indicates on the score, especially as far as dynamics and phrasing since Arensky provided a very detailed guide. Beyond the markings, performers must use their critical listening skills to decide on pedal changes and the tone production appropriate for different harmonic colors and layers. Moreover, performers also need to make use of their musical creativity to organize the musical structure by preparing the dynamic palette and shaping of phrases with the use of rubato, while avoiding a mechanical and vertical approach or exaggerating musical gestures.

Due to the scarcity of supporting material about the Twelve Etudes, Op. 74, all of the performance suggestions here are based on the author’s own study and performance experience of this set of etudes. Besides the suggestions in this dissertation, future performers are strongly encouraged to listen to the recording of this set. The recommended recordings by the author of this dissertation are: (1). Russian Piano Music Series, vol.5:

Anton Arensky, recorded in 2001 by Anthony Goldstone; (2). Arensky, A: Piano Music - 6

Pieces, Op.53/Etudes, Opp. 41 and 74/Pres de la mer, Op. 52 recorded in 2008 by Adam

Neiman.

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Music Score

Arensky, Anton. 12 Etudes, Op. 74. Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1906. http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/4/43/IMSLP64446-PMLP131299- Arensky_12_Etudes_Op74.pdf

Arensky, Anton. 4 Etudes, Op. 41. Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1897. http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/7/77/IMSLP02723- Arensky_op41.pdf

Audiovisual Resources

Goldstone, Anthony. Russian Piano Music Series, vol.5: Anton Arensky. Recorded 2001. Divine Art DDA25085, 2010.

Neiman, Adam. Arensky, A: Piano Music - 6 Pieces, Op. 53/Etudes, Opp. 41 and 74/Pres de la mer, Op. 52. Recorded 2008. Naxos 8.572233, 2010.

“Anton Arensky (1861-1906): Arensky - Piano Trio: I Allegro moderato,” YouTube video. Posted by “d60944,” 14 January, 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi2QHeaxOgA&list=PLV0B8X9ryFX4f1BV bPZEyExSTobkScX9p