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Defining Musical Americanism: a Reductive Style Study of the Piano Sonatas of Samuel Barber, Elliott Carter, Aaron Copland, and Charles Ives

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Defining Musical Americanism: a Reductive Style Study of the Piano Sonatas of Samuel Barber, Elliott Carter, Aaron Copland, and Charles Ives Defining Musical Americanism: A Reductive Style Study of the Piano Sonatas of Samuel Barber, Elliott Carter, Aaron Copland, and Charles Ives A document submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS in the Keyboard Studies Division of the College-Conservatory of Music by Brendan Jacklin BM, Brandon University, 2011 MM, Bowling Green State University, 2013 Committee Chair: bruce d. mcclung, PhD Abstract This document includes a reductive style study of four American piano sonatas premiered between 1939 and 1949: Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord” by Charles Ives, Piano Sonata by Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata by Elliott Carter, and Piano Sonata, Op. 26 by Samuel Barber. Each of these sonatas represents a different musical style and synthesizes traditional compositional techniques with native elements. A reductive analysis ascertains those musical features with identifiable European origins, such as sonata-allegro principle and fugue, and in doing so will reveal which musical features and influences contribute to make each sonata stylistically American. While such American style elements, such as jazz-inspired rhythms and harmonies, are not unique to the works of American composers, I demonstrate how the combination of these elements, along with the extent each composer’s aesthetic intent in creating an American work, contributed to the creation of an American piano style. i Copyright © 2017 by Brendan Jacklin. All rights reserved. ii Acknowledgments I would first like to offer my wholehearted thanks to my advisor, Dr. bruce mcclung, whose keen suggestions and criticisms have been essential at every stage of this document. I would further like to thank my readers, Dr. Jeongwon Joe and Prof. Kenneth Griffiths, for their comments and support throughout this process. I would also like to thank Prof. Awadagin Pratt and Dr. Catherine Losada for helping me focus and hone my thesis for this document. Finally, I would like to thank my fiancée, Susan Yang, whose patience and support has made the writing of this document possible. iii Contents Copyright Permissions ..................................................................................................... vi Illustrations ..................................................................................................................... vii Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1 Form and Genre .................................................................................. 6 Cycle of Movements ................................................................. 6 The Sonata Principle ................................................................. 10 Use of Other European Forms ................................................ 18 Chapter 2 Thematic and Motivic Compositional Techniques ........................ 28 Motivic Basis of Thematic Material ....................................... 28 Quotation and Borrowing ........................................................ 46 Chapter 3 Fugue and Other Compositional Techniques ................................ 50 Fugue ....................................................................................... 51 Twelve-Tone Technique ......................................................... 55 Chapter 4 Originality and Americanism in Rhythm ....................................... 59 Originality ............................................................................... 59 Influence of Jazz ..................................................................... 67 Chapter 5 American Forms and Techniques ................................................... 75 American Forms ..................................................................... 75 American Compositional Techniques ..................................... 84 iv Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 93 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 96 Appendix ....................................................................................................................... 101 v Copyright Permissions SONATA FOR PIANO, OP. 26 by Samuel Barber Copyright © 1950 (Renewed) by G. Schirmer, Inc. (ASCAP) International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of G. Schirmer, Inc. PIANO SONATA by Elliott Carter Copyright © 1948 by Mercury Music, Inc. Theodore Presser Company, Sole Representative. International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of the Theodore Presser Company. PIANO SONATA by Aaron Copland Copyright © 1942 by The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc. Copyright renewed. Boosey & Hawkes, sole licensee. Reprinted by permission of Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. vi Illustrations Musical Examples 1.1 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 221–24 .......................... 11 1.2 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 86–89 ................................ 13 1.3 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 156–60 .............................. 14 1.4 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 51–53 ................................ 14 1.5 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 178–80 .............................. 14 1.6 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 12–14 ................................ 15 1.7 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 202–4 ................................ 15 1.8 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, first movement, mm. 1–2 .................... 17 1.9 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, first movement, mm. 22–23 ................ 17 1.10 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, first movement, mm. 128–29 .............. 18 1.11 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 4–8 ............................ 22 1.12 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 195–97 ...................... 22 1.13 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 388–92 ......................... 24 1.14 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 122–28 .............................. 24 1.15 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, second movement, mm. 1–4 ................ 25 1.16 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, second movement, mm. 26–30 ............ 25 1.17 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, second movement, mm. 47–49 ............ 25 1.18 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, third movement, mm. 1–5 ................... 26 2.1 Charles Ives, Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord,” “Emerson,” m. 1 ....................... 30 2.2 Charles Ives, Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord,” “The Alcotts,” 56/4 .................. 30 2.3 Charles Ives, Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord,” “Emerson,” 8/1 ......................... 31 vii 2.4 Charles Ives, Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord,” “Hawthorne,” 32/1–4 ............... 32 2.5 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 1–4 ................................ 34 2.6 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 26–27 ............................ 35 2.7 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 96–98 ............................ 35 2.8 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 133–35 .......................... 35 2.9 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 54–56 ........................ 36 2.10 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 89–91 ........................ 36 2.11 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, third movement, mm. 1–2 ............................... 36 2.12 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, third movement, mm. 88–91 ........................... 37 2.13 Aaron Copland, Piano Sonata, third movement, mm. 148–49 ......................... 37 2.14 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 1–4 .................................... 40 2.15 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 12–13 ................................ 40 2.16 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 20–22 ................................ 40 2.17 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, first movement, mm. 1–2 ..................... 42 2.18 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, first movement, mm. 23–25 ................ 43 2.19 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, second movement, mm. 1–4 ................ 44 2.20 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, second movement, mm. 9–12 .............. 44 2.21 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, third movement, mm. 1–5 ................... 45 3.1 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 104–12 ......................... 52 3.2 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 169–72 ......................... 53 3.3 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 209–13 ......................... 53 3.4 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, first movement, mm. 9–10 .................. 56 3.5 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, third movement, mm. 1–2 ................... 57 viii 3.6 Samuel Barber, Piano Sonata, Op. 26, third movement, mm. 5–6 ................... 57 4.1 Charles Ives, Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord,” “Emerson,” 12/4/1–2 ............... 61 4.2 Charles Ives, Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord,” “Emerson,” 5/2/2 ..................... 62 4.3 Charles Ives, Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord,” “Emerson,” 9/5 ......................... 62 4.4 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, second movement, mm. 87–103 ......................... 65 4.5 Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 14–19 ................................ 66 4.6 Aaron
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