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The Development of the Russian Piano Concerto in the Nineteenth Century Jeremy Paul Norris Doctor of Philosophy Department of Mu

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The Development of the Russian Piano Concerto in the Nineteenth Century Jeremy Paul Norris Doctor of Philosophy Department of Mu The Development of the Russian Piano Concerto in the Nineteenth Century Jeremy Paul Norris Doctor of Philosophy Department of Music 1988 December The Development of the Russian Piano Concerto in the Nineteenth Century Jeremy Paul Norris The Russian piano concerto could not have had more inauspicious beginnings. Unlike the symphonic poem (and, indirectly, the symphony) - genres for which Glinka, the so-called 'Father of Russian Music', provided an invaluable model: 'Well? It's all in "Kamarinskaya", just as the whole oak is in the acorn' to quote Tchaikovsky - the Russian piano concerto had no such indigenous prototype. All that existed to inspire would-be concerto composers were a handful of inferior pot- pourris and variations for piano and orchestra and a negligible concerto by Villoing dating from the 1830s. Rubinstein's five con- certos certainly offered something more substantial, as Tchaikovsky acknowledged in his First Concerto, but by this time the century was approaching its final quarter. This absence of a prototype is reflected in all aspects of Russian concerto composition. Most Russian concertos lean perceptibly on the stylistic features of Western European composers and several can be justly accused of plagiarism. Furthermore, Russian composers faced formidable problems concerning the structural organization of their concertos, a factor which contributed to the inability of several, including Balakirev and Taneyev, to complete their works. Even Tchaikovsky encountered difficulties which he was not always able to overcome. The most successful Russian piano concertos of the nineteenth century, Tchaikovsky's No.1 in B flat minor, Rimsky-Korsakov's Concerto in C sharp minor and Balakirev's Concerto in E flat, returned ii to indigenous sources of inspiration: Russian folk song and Russian orthodox chant. As characteristic of nationalist works in general, their contribution to the development of the piano concerto was not profound; nevertheless, they represent a valuable, if numerically • small, addition to the repertory, and laid the foundations of a twentieth-century school of concerto composition, headed by Rachmani- nov and Prokofiev, of unparalleled brilliance and virtuosity. n List of Works Introduction Dimitry Bortnyansky: Sinfonia Concertante (1790) Alexander Villoing: Piano Concerto in C minor Op.4 (183?) [The Introduction also contains passing references to concerto-type works that are lost or have remained in manuscript.] Part One: The Piano Concertos of Anton Rubinstein Concertos: No.1 in E minor Op.25 (1850); No.2 in F major Op.35 (1851); No.3 in G major Op.45 (1853-4); No.4 in D minor Op.70 (1864); No.5 in E flat major Op.94 (1874). Miscellaneous works for piano and orchestra: Fantasy in C major Op.84 (1869); Russian Capriccio in C minor Op.102 (1878); Concertstack in A flat major Op.113 (1889). Part Two: The Piano Concertos of the Nationalists and the Eclectics Mily Balakirev: 'Grande Fantaisie' on Russian Folk-songs for piano and orchestra Op.4 (1852); Concerto movement in F sharp minor 'Op.1' (1855-6); Piano Concerto in E flat major (1861-2, 1906-9, completed by Lyapunov). Sergey Taneyev: Piano Concerto in E flat major (1876, unfinished). Anton Arensky: Piano Concerto in F minor Op.2 (1881-2); 'Fantasy on themes of I. T. Ryabinin' for piano and orchestra Op.48 (1892). Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov: Piano Concerto in C sharp minor Op.38 (1882-3). Sergey Lyapunov: Piano Concerto in E flat minor Op.4 (1888-90). Sergey Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto in C minor (sketches) (1889); Piano Concerto in F sharp minor Op.1 (1891). Alexander Scriabin: Piano Concerto in F sharp minor Op.20 (1896-7). (List of Works continued) Part Three: The Piano Concertos of Peter Tchaikovsky Concertos: No.1 in B flat minor Op.23 (1874-5); No.2 in G major Op.44 (1879-80); No.3 in E flat major (in one movement) (1893). Miscellaneous works for piano and orchestra: Concert Fantasia Op.56 (1884); Andante and Finale Op.79 (1893, orchestrated by Taneyev). 1 Introduction The earliest examples of works designated 'piano concerto' to be produced by Russians date, from the late eighteenth century and were specifically composed for the palaces of the aristocracy and the Imperial court. They were invariably of chamber dimensions, despite their generic title, and were predominantly derivative in style, leaning heavily on French 'opera comique ', Italian 'opera buffa e seria' and early German classical music. Though no actual piano concerto has survived from this period, it is all too clear from related works that this stylistic eclecticism was not solely due to the desire to satisfy the musical whims and tastes of the aristoc- racy. For many years Russian composers, lacking a tradition of their own, considered it necessary to travel abroad to study contemporary Western European musical trends. Indeed, this became almost a tradi- tion in itself; Dmitry Stepanovich Bortnyansky (1751-1825) lived in Italy for ten years ' (1769-79) and studied with Baldassare Galuppi, Daniel Nikitich Kashin (1770-1841), travelled to Bessarabia to work with Giuseppe Sarti in 1778; and later, Glinka, as is well known, spent three years in Italy (1830-33) where he studied with Francesco Basili in Milan. Most Russian composers, however, learnt their craft by imitating the imported music, which for both geographical and cultural reasons was already a generation behind the times. Needless to say, the major- ity of these early , Russian compositions are little more than pale imitations of already obsolete art forms. Nevertheless, a few reveal some degree of musical individuality, if not originality, and one or two even hint at the emergence of a growing national character. 2 Inevitably however, the employment of folk song — more often than not, merely its most superficial characteristics — was usually primitive in the extreme. Whether Bortnyansky incorporated folk song elements in his piano concerto — probably the first piano concerto composed by a Russian — is impossible to determine as the score has never come to light. However, according to Gerald Seaman, in all probability it resembled the 'Concert Symphony' [Sinfonia Concertante] written by him in 1790 and took the form of a Sextet (1) in which the leading part was played by a 'fortepiano organise' i.e. a piano equipped with organ registers. (2) If this is the case, then a fairly accurate idea of the style and content of the lost concerto can be obtained by perusing, if not the concerto itself, the closely related 'Sinfonia Concertante'. The 'Sinfonia Concertante', like its sister work, the Quintet in C (for piano, harp, violin, viola da gamba and cello, composed in 1787), dates from a period when Bortnyansky was employed as court Kapellmeister in St Petersburg between 1780 and 1796. It was composed for performance at the palaces of Gatchina and Pavlorsk and was dedicated to 'son Altresse imperiale Madame La Grande Duchesse de Russie par D. Bortniansky 1790' 3 and scored for 'Le Fortepiano Organise, L'Arpe, deux violons, Viola da gamba, Basson et Violon- celle'. Noticeably eclectic in style, the 'Sinfonia Concertantel represents a skilful blend of elements, principally melodic, derived from Italian opera 'buffa' and features of early German Classical 1. It is, in fact, a Septet. 2. Gerald Seaman, 'The Rise of Russian Piano Music', The Music Review, 27 (August 1966), p.180. 3. According to the inscription on the manuscript, cited in Orcherki _pa istorii Russkoi Muzyki, 1790-1825, M. S. Druzin and Y. V. Keldysh (Leningrad, 1956), p. 309. 3 music. The Italian influence is evident in the delicately scored 'Allegro maestoso' first movement, the thematic material of which is predominantly structured around the repetition of short rhythmic motifs alternating with variants: • Ex. 1 Is sv6:).A. ., AR -IL • IL • A (a) ' • 7 tit - * 1r LI:: Oy v'c r q11 tj _____, 1 .........=...L.1 1 (b) Though hardly developed in a conventional sense, these melodic phrases are employed with a degree of technical proficiency rivalling that of Bortnyansky's teacher Galuppi, and surpasses all future Russian instrumental writing until the chamber works of Alyabyev and Glinka. Curiously enough, in common with the first truly great Russian piano concerto, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Bortnyansky's slim, elegant wisp of a work incorporates a French folk song in its thematic material - 'Dodo, l'enfant do, l'enfant dormira bient5C. It is first announced by the piano in the closing section of the first movement's exposition, and rises to prominence in the development and coda where it is subjected to some degree of elaboration (see Ex.1b). More than a century later, Debussy based the opening and closing sections of his sparkling piano work 'Jardin sous la pluie' (from 'Estampes') on this folk song, and like Bortnyansky, exploited the tune in both major and minor tonalities. 4 Compared to the first, the second movement ('Larghetto') is less inspired thematically and less adventurous from a textural point of view. The somewhat four—square elegiac theme (Ex.2) tends to pall after a while and though the more involved middle section, heralded by an attractive bassoon solo, recaptures to a certain extent the listener's interest, the movement lacks sufficient contrast to be entirely satisfactory. Of the three movements, the 'Larghetto' is most 'Italian' in style, and this is evident in the vaguely T siciliano' character of its opening: Ex. 2 LeskIhttto IIMMMnMMn nNMINn7n• Ma•IMM.IIMMV.tnI NIF.INEMNnnn1 n1. •=1M•. VMW.•••• nn ••• lag um. nn •=1! =r1=72.1Z armaniimm wsoctal Emmomilemmorac* • The 'Allegretto' finale of the T Sinfonia Concertante t is in Rondo form, and, characteristically, is lighter, more vivacious aud geuer- ally less complex than the preceding two movements. Although the Russian musicologist Yury Keldysh considers its themes reminiscent of Ukrainian folk dance (Bortnyansky was, in fact, Ukrainian), and draws attention to the similarity between the principal theme (Ex.3a) and the refrain from the first aria from Bortnyansky's nationalist' 4 opera 'Sin — sopyenyk' ('The rival son') (Ex.
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