Adapting Piano Music for Ballet: Tchaikovsky's Children's Album, Op
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Adapting Piano Music for Ballet: Tchaikovsky's Children's Album, Op. 39 Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Stavrianou, Eleni Persefoni Citation Stavrianou, Eleni Persefoni. (2021). Adapting Piano Music for Ballet: Tchaikovsky's Children's Album, Op. 39 (Doctoral dissertation, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA). Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction, presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 06/10/2021 04:39:03 Item License http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/660266 ADAPTING PIANO MUSIC FOR BALLET: TCHAIKOVSKY’S CHILDREN’S ALBUM, OP. 39 by Eleni Persefoni Stavrianou ____________________________________ Copyright © Eleni Persefoni Stavrianou 2021 A DMA Critical Essay Submitted to the Faculty of the FRED FOX SCHOOL OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2021 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Doctor of Musical Arts Creative Project and Lecture-Recital Committee, we certify that we have read the Critical Essay prepared by: titled: and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the Critical Essay requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. _________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________ _________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________ _________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________ submission of the final copies of the essay to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this Critical Essay prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the Critical Essay requirement. _________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________ 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank Stephen Straub, graduate student at The University of Arizona School of Dance, for being my collaborator and choreographer. This project would not have been possible without his movement and his valuable insight. My sincere gratitude to students Azelle Chang, Liana Corona, Kristen Flowers, Danielle Goodman, Camryn Hill, Nathan Mariano, Alexandra O’Neal, and Sasha Reist for agreeing to dance to the music; Abigail Mentzer for the beautiful skirts and masks; the costume shop and staff at The University of Arizona School of Dance; Zachary White for the audio and video editing; professor Elizabeth George-Fesch for forgiving my blunders in ballet class; professor Autumn Eckman for serving in my committee and making me think more about the physics of movement; Dr. Suzanne Knosp, music director at The University of Arizona School of Dance for her mentorship throughout my studies; Dr. Lisa Zdechlik for her support and understanding in times of need, and for teaching me how to teach; Dr. Jay Rosenblatt for his treasured input; and finally, my piano professor Dr. John Milbauer through whom I learned how to be resilient, focused, and determined. Thank you. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ............................................................................................ 7 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ 9 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 10 A Brief History of Ballet ................................................................................................. 10 A Brief History of Ballet Accompaniment ....................................................................... 13 Ballet Accompaniment in Action ..................................................................................... 14 PART TWO: REPERTOIRE FOR THE BALLET CLASS ....................................................... 16 Music for the Ballet Class ................................................................................................ 16 Ballet Music ..................................................................................................................... 18 Other Sources of Repertoire for the Ballet Class ........................................................... 18 Piano Music ..................................................................................................................... 19 Tchaikovsky’s ‘Children’s Album’ ................................................................................... 20 PART THREE: THE BALLET CLASS ..................................................................................... 23 Ballet Class Structure ...................................................................................................... 23 Dancers’ Counts ............................................................................................................. 24 Ballet Steps and Musical Forms ...................................................................................... 26 Combinations at the Barre .................................................................................. 26 1. Plié ................................................................................................................. 26 2. Battement Tendu ........................................................................................... 27 3. Battement Dégagé ......................................................................................... 28 4. Rond de Jambe .............................................................................................. 28 5. Battement Fondu ........................................................................................... 29 6. Battement Frappé .......................................................................................... 30 5 7. Grand Battement ............................................................................................ 30 8. Stretch ............................................................................................................ 31 Combinations in the Center ................................................................................. 31 9. Adagio ............................................................................................................ 31 10. Turns: Pirouette ............................................................................................. 32 11. Jumps: Petit Allegro, Medium Allegro, Grand Allegro ................................. 33 12. Révérence ....................................................................................................... 35 PART FOUR: ADAPTATIONS OF PIANO MUSIC ................................................................ 36 Adding Preparatory Measures ........................................................................................ 36 Changing Phrase Length ................................................................................................ 39 Changing the Form .......................................................................................................... 42 Changing Accompaniment Patterns ............................................................................... 44 Making Metric Alterations ............................................................................................... 46 Reinterpreting Markings .................................................................................................. 47 PART FIVE: CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 50 PART SIX: TCHAIKOVSKY’S CHILDREN’S ALBUM, OP. 39 ............................................ 51 Contents .......................................................................................................................... 52 “Old French Song” – plié .................................................................................... 53 “Winter Morning” – battement tendu 1 .............................................................. 55 “Polka” – battement tendu 2 ................................................................................ 57 “The New Doll” – battement dégagé, pas de cheval .......................................... 58 “Sweet Dream” – battement fondu ..................................................................... 60 “German Song” – rond de jambe à terre ............................................................ 62 “Italian Song” – rond de jambe en l’air .............................................................. 64 “Nanny’s Tale” – battement frappé .................................................................... 66 “Mummy” – port des bras, stretch at the barre ................................................. 67 “The Doll’s Funeral” – grand battement ............................................................ 69 6 “The Wooden Soldiers’ March” – grand battement ........................................... 70 “Kamarinskaja” – battement tendu in center ...................................................... 71 “The Doll’s Illness” – adagio ............................................................................. 72 “Mazurka” – waltz combination ......................................................................... 74 “The Organ-Grinder Sings” pirouette ................................................................