University of Oklahoma Graduate College Pianistic Analysis of Bedřich Smetana's Piano Cycle Dreams, Six Characteristic Pieces
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UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE PIANISTIC ANALYSIS OF BEDŘICH SMETANA’S PIANO CYCLE DREAMS, SIX CHARACTERISTIC PIECES FOR PIANO A DOCUMENT SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS By KRISTINA HENCKEL Norman, Oklahoma 2016 PIANISTIC ANALYSIS OF BEDŘICH SMETANA’S PIANO CYCLE DREAMS, SIX CHARACTERISTIC PIECES FOR PIANO A DOCUMENT APPROVED FOR THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC BY ______________________________ Dr. Jane Magrath, Chair ______________________________ Dr. Barbara Fast ______________________________ Dr. Marvin Lamb ______________________________ Dr. Michael Lee ______________________________ Dr. Joseph Havlicek © Copyright by KRISTINA HENCKEL 2016 All Rights Reserved. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My many thanks go out to every member (past and present) who served on my doctoral committee: The chair Dr. Jane Magrath, Dr. Michael Lee, Dr. Marvin Lamb, Dr. Barbara Fast, Dr. Joseph Havlicek, Dr. Jeongwon Ham, and Dr. Stephen Beus. Your guidance and commitment were absolutely vital for my growth as a writer of this document. A special thanks goes to Dr. Magrath who guided me through the most challenging part of my degree, this document, and who supported my desire to showcase the value and beauty of the piano works of Smetana and the contributions of other Czech composers and scholars. I am absolutely certain that it is only through the dedication and tireless work of my editor, Mark Worcester, that I have been able to complete a document of such depth and scope. He went beyond proofing my writing and made me feel like I had a collaborator and partner in this process. Enormous thanks go to my mom Krista Pelechová, my husband Terrel, and my children, Elishka and Maksim, for their tireless support, patience and love. They have always stepped in to help when needed and kept me motivated throughout. My final thanks belong to Bedřich Smetana whose piano cycle Dreams kept me happily preoccupied for three years of my life! iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................... iv LIST OF EXAMPLES .................................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. xvi CHAPTERS 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................... 7 Need for the Study ............................................................................................ 7 Procedures ........................................................................................................ 8 Limitations ........................................................................................................ 9 Organization of the Study ................................................................................. 9 Related Literature ........................................................................................... 10 Historical-Biographical Studies ........................................................ 10 Studies on Smetana’s Piano Works .................................................... 14 Dissertations/Theses ......................................................................... 16 Journal Articles ................................................................................ 19 Recordings ........................................................................................ 21 2. A SURVEY OF CZECH COMPOSERS AND THEIR PIANO MUSIC BEFORE SMETANA ...................................................................................... 25 Introduction .................................................................................................... 25 Representatives of the Czech Music Emigration .............................................. 28 Jiří Antonín Benda (Georg Anton Benda) (1722-1795) ....................... 29 Jan Křtitel Vaňhal (Johann Baptist Wanhal) (1739 – 1813) ............... 34 Leopold Koželuh (Koželuch, Kotzeluch) (1747-1818) ......................... 37 Jan Ladislav Dusík (Dussek) (1760-1812) .......................................... 40 Antonín Rejcha (1770-1836) .............................................................. 46 Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek (Woržischek) (1791-1825) .......................... 48 Representatives of Czech Domestic Music ...................................................... 51 František Xaver Dušek (1731-1799) .................................................. 51 Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774-1850) ........................................... 55 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 61 3. SMETANA’S DREAMS – CONTEXT, AESTHETICS AND SIGNIFICANCE .............................................................................................. 64 Historical Setting and Context ........................................................................ 64 Aesthetic Portrait ............................................................................................ 70 v Survey of Pianistic Styles: Smetana and his Idols - Schumann, Liszt, and Chopin ..................................................................................................... 76 The Influence of Schumann ................................................................ 77 The Influence of Liszt ........................................................................ 78 The Influence of Chopin .................................................................... 80 Summary of Influences ...................................................................... 82 Significance of Dreams ................................................................................... 82 4. DREAMS – PIANISTIC ANALYSES .................................................................... 84 Faded Happiness ............................................................................................. 85 Form ................................................................................................. 85 Cadenza – And First Thematic Transformation (Measure 1) ................... 87 Quasi Andante - Main Theme (Measures 2-28) ....................................... 89 Più Vivo – Second Thematic Transformation (Measures 28-38).............. 91 Third Thematic Transformation (Measures 39-46) .................................. 93 Fourth Thematic Transformation (Measures 47-58) ................................. 95 Fifth Thematic Transformation (Measures 59-65) ................................... 96 Closing Section - Sixth Thematic Transformation (Measures 66-88) ............................................................................... 97 Coda (Measures 89-97)............................................................................. 98 Comparison with Selected Examples from Liszt, Chopin and Schumann ................................................................................... 99 Practice Suggestions ....................................................................... 108 Consolation ................................................................................................... 114 Form ............................................................................................... 114 Opening Cadenza (Measures 1-4) .......................................................... 116 Moderato Assai – First Theme (Measures 5-30) .................................... 118 Più mosso – Second Theme (Measures 31-62) ....................................... 123 Return of the First Theme and Coda (Measures 63-79) ......................... 125 Comparison with Selected Examples from Chopin and Liszt ............. 127 Practice Suggestions ....................................................................... 134 In Bohemia ................................................................................................... 140 Form ............................................................................................... 140 Moderato e rubato – Thematic Area 1 (Measures 1-20) ........................ 142 Più allegro – Thematic Area 2 (Measures 21-60) .................................. 144 Più vivo – Episode 1 (Measures 61-92) .................................................. 146 Poco meno mosso, più vivo, a tempo – Episode 2 (Measures 93-152) ........................................................................... 148 Poco andante – Coda (Measures 180-202) ............................................ 150 vi Comparison with Selected Examples from Chopin, Liszt, and Schumann ................................................................................. 153 Practice Suggestions ....................................................................... 159 In the Salon ................................................................................................... 164 Form ............................................................................................... 164 Introduction and First Thematic Modification (Measures 1-28) ............ 167 Second Thematic Modification (Measures 29-59) ................................. 169 Third Thematic Modification (Measures 60-106) .................................. 170 Comparison with Selected Examples from Chopin and Liszt ............. 174 Practice Suggestions ......................................................................