UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Date:______

I, ______, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in:

It is entitled:

This work and its defense approved by:

Chair: ______

“Modern Marvels:” A Pedagogical Guide to Lowell Liebermann’s Album for the Young, Op. 43

A doctoral document submitted to the

Graduate Thesis and Research Committee of the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Musical Arts

In the Division of Keyboard Studies of the College-Conservatory of Music

by

Adam Clark

May, 2008

B.M., University of California, Santa Barbara (2002)

M.M., University of Texas, Austin (2004)

Project Advisor: Dr. Michelle Conda

ABSTRACT

Lowell Liebermann’s Album for the Young, Op. 43 is his only venture into the

realm of pedagogical composition to date. Written in 1993 and published in 1995, it is a collection of eighteen small pieces for young pianists, progressing in difficulty from elementary (National Music Certificate Program (NMCP) Level 1) through late- intermediate (NMCP Level 8) levels. It contains both traditional and more recent compositional devises as well as numerous technical challenges, such as cross-rhythms, layered textures, and hand crossings. The pieces are intelligent and appealing, and can be a valuable tool for introducing or reinforcing a variety of theoretical and performance related concepts.

Despite the numerous pedagogical merits of this work, it has unfortunately been overlooked by the body of theoretical, pedagogical, and performance related research available. It is in response to this apparent neglect, and due to its high quality and appeal, that this document offers a pedagogical guide to Lowell Liebermann’s Album for the

Young, aimed at promoting, informing, inspiring, and assisting piano teachers in

presenting its numerous theoretical and pedagogical aspects.

The paper is divided into six chapters. Chapter One contains introductory

comments as well as rationale for why the document has been written. Chapter Two

contains biographical information on Liebermann, as well a discussion of his

compositional style. Chapter Three contains background information on the Album for

the Young, as well as general descriptions and grading of each piece in the set. Chapter

Four offers numerous technical and interpretive suggestions for a variety difficulties

encountered in each piece. Chapter Five offers a discussion of the most notable

iii

compositional features at work in each piece. Chapter Six contains concluding remarks as well as recommendations for further research.

iv

v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my deepest appreciation and thanks to the following individuals for their contributions and assistance in completing this project:

Michelle Conda, my advisor and mentor. “Thank you” cannot begin to express my appreciation for all that you have done for me. I am forever grateful for your instruction, guidance, enthusiasm, and countless hours of time spent on my behalf. Thank you for the confidence you have had in me and the many opportunities that you brought me.

Eugene Pridonoff, my piano instructor and member of my document review committee. You have shown me so much and have helped me grown in so many ways as a musician. I am truly appreciative for your guidance and insight over the years.

Michael Chertock, member of my document review committee. Thank you for your willingness to assist me by serving on this committee. Also, a thank you for the energy and insight you brought to the music courses which I took with you. Your accomplishments and high level of dedication are an inspiration to me.

Elizabeth Pridonoff, my piano instructor. You have offered me so much valuable knowledge, insight, and guidance. You are a joy to be around and were a joy to study with.

Richard Van Dyke, mentor and friend. Thank you for introducing me to this great collection and for your continued support and encouragement throughout the writing process. You have helped me probably more than you know.

Charles Asche, my piano instructor at the University of California at Santa Barbara. You are the foundation upon which any success I have had has been possible. I will never forget your countless hours of dedicated and inspired instruction. Your honesty, insight, and example as a pianist and teacher have been a continual source of inspiration and motivation throughout my life.

My brother, Arlo Clark, for your love and support, and countless hours of listening to me practice when we were kids. Thank you for always being there for me.

My parents, Bill and Alice Clark, for your never-ending love, support, and encouragement. Truly, this would not have been remotely possible without you. I love you both so much.

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ...... iii

Acknowledgements ...... vi

Table of Contents ...... vii

List of Musical Examples ...... ix

List of Figures ...... xii

Chapters

I. Introduction Recent Research ...... 1 Rationale ...... 1

II. Biographical Sketch and Compositional Style Biographical Sketch ...... 5 Compositional Style ...... 8

III. Background, Descriptions, and Leveling Background ...... 14 Descriptions ...... 15 Leveling ...... 20

IV. Technical and Interpretive Solutions ...... 22 “Dance” ...... 22 “Song” ...... 24 “Endless Melody” ...... 27 “Boogieman”...... 28 “Ghost Waltz” ...... 31 “Ostinato” ...... 33 “Marching Off to War” ...... 35 “Rainy Day” ...... 37 “Broken Heart” ...... 40 “Lullaby”...... 42 “Starry Night” ...... 44 “Hommage à Fauré” ...... 46 “Funeral March for a Pet Rat” ...... 48 “Hommage à Alkan” ...... 50 “Melancholy” ...... 52 “Barcarolle” ...... 56 “The Little Baby Rhino” ...... 58 “Toccata” ...... 60

vii

V. Notable Compositional Features ...... 64 “Dance” ...... 66 “Song” ...... 68 “Endless Melody” ...... 69 “Boogieman”...... 71 “Ghost Waltz” ...... 72 “Ostinato” ...... 74 “Marching Off to War” ...... 76 “Rainy Day” ...... 79 “Broken Heart” ...... 80 “Lullaby”...... 82 “Starry Night” ...... 84 “Hommage à Fauré” ...... 85 “Funeral March for a Pet Rat” ...... 87 “Hommage à Alkan” ...... 89 “Melancholy” ...... 91 “Barcarolle” ...... 92 “The Little Baby Rhino” ...... 93 “Toccata” ...... 95

VI. Conclusion and Recommendations...... 96

Bibliography ...... 100

viii

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

Number Page

4.1a “Dance,” mm. 1-7 22

4.1b “Dance,” m. 1 – Blocked positions 23

4.2 “Song,” mm. 1-8 25

4.3 “Endless Melody,” mm. 1-4 27

4.4 “Boogieman,” mm. 1-10 29

4.5 “Boogieman,” mm. 11-14 30

4.6 “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 1-6 31

4.7 “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 25-37 32

4.8 “Ostinato,” mm. 1-6 33

4.9 “Marching Off to War,” mm. 1-12 35

4.10 “Rainy Day,” mm. 1-19 37

4.11 “Broken Heart,” mm. 1-6 40

4.12 “Lullaby,” mm. 1-6 43

4.13 “Starry Night,” mm. 1-4 45

4.14 “Hommage à Fauré,” mm. 1-12 47

4.15 “Funeral March for a Pet Rat,” mm. 1-8 49

4.16 “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 1-11 51

4.17 “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 17-22 51

4.18 “Melancholy,” mm. 1-2 53

4.19 “Melancholy,” m. 4 55

4.20 “Barcarolle,” mm. 1-9 56

ix

4.21 “Barcarolle,” mm. 10-12 57

4.22 “The Little Baby Rhino,” mm. 1-10 59

4.23 “The Little Baby Rhino,” mm. 17-20 60

4.24 “Toccata,” mm. 1-4 61

4.25 “Toccata,” mm. 13-15 62

5.1 “Dance,” mm. 1-2 67

5.2 “Dance,” mm. 4-6 68

5.3 “Song,” mm. 1-4 69

5.4 “Song,” mm. 5-14 69

5.5 “Endless Melody,” mm. 9-17 70

5.6a Blues scale in C 71

5.6b “Boogieman,” m. 1-5 72

5.7 “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 13-24 73

5.8 “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 1-4 73

5.9 “Ostinato,” mm. 1-17 75

5.10 “Ostinato,” mm. 18-28 76

5.11a F Phrygian scale 77

5.11b “Marching Off to War,” mm. 1-4 77

5.12 “Marching Off to War,” mm. 5-12 78

5.13 “Marching Off to War,” mm. 13-20 78

5.14 “Rainy Day,” mm. 1-6 79

5.15 “Rainy Day,” mm. 14-32 80

5.16a “Broken Heart,” mm. 1-3 81

x

5.16b “Broken Heart,” mm. 14-21 81

5.17 “Broken Heart,” mm. 1-13 82

5.18 “Lullaby,” mm. 1-18 83

5.19 “Lullaby,” mm. 19-36 83

5.20 “Starry Night,” mm. 1-4 84

5.21 “Starry Night,” mm. 9-17 85

5.22 “Hommage à Fauré” mm. 1-5 86

5.23 “Hommage à Fauré” mm. 6-20 87

5.24 “Funeral March for a Pet Rat,” mm. 1-8 88

5.25 “Funeral March for a Pet Rat,” mm. 9-16 88

5.26 “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 1-11 89

5.27 “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 23-33 90

5.28 “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 40-49 91

5.29 “Melancholy,” mm. 1-4 92

5.30 “Barcarolle,” mm. 7-12 93

5.31 “The Little Baby Rhino,” mm. 1-10 94

5.32 “Toccata,” mm. 1-8 95

5.33 “Toccata,” mm. 1-4 96

5.34 “Toccata,” mm. 28-32 96

xi

LIST OF FIGURES

Number Page

3.1 Grading Summary: Lowell Liebermann’s Album for the Young, Op. 43 21

5.1 Summary of compositional features: Album for the Young, Op. 43 65

5.2 Formal outline for “Dance” 67

5.3 Formal outline for “Song” 68

5.4 Formal outline for “Endless Melody” 70

5.5 Formal outline for “Boogieman” 71

5.6 Formal outline for “Ghost Waltz” 72

5.7 Formal outline for “Ostinato” 74

5.8 Formal outline for “Marching Off to War” 76

5.9 Formal outline for “Rainy Day” 79

5.10 Formal outline for “Broken Heart” 81

5.11 Formal outline for “Lullaby” 82

5.12 Formal outline for “Starry Night” 84

5.13 Formal outline for “Hommage à Fauré” 86

5.14 Formal outline for “Funeral March for a Pet Rat” 87

5.15 Formal outline for “Hommage à Alkan” 89

5.16 Formal outline for “Melancholy” 91

5.17 Formal outline for “Barcarolle” 93

5.18 Formal outline for “The Little Baby Rhino” 94

5.19 Formal outline for “Toccata” 95

xii

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Since the critically acclaimed premiere of his Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 23

in 1987, Lowell Liebermann (b. 1961) has rapidly risen in recognition as one of today’s most gifted and promising composers. He has written successful works in nearly every major genre, including solo instrumental, chamber music, symphonic literature, and opera, and has garnered prestigious awards such as the Charles Ives Fellowship and

Grand Prize in the Delius International Composition Competition.1

His Album for the Young, Op. 43 is his only venture into the realm of pedagogical

composition to date. Written in 1993 and published in 1995, it is a collection of eighteen

small pieces for young pianists, progressing in difficulty from elementary (National

Music Certificate Program (NMCP) Level 1) through late-intermediate (NMCP Level 8)

levels.2 It contains both traditional and more recent compositional devises as well as

numerous technical challenges, such as cross-rhythms, layered textures, and hand crossings. The pieces are intelligent and appealing, and can be a valuable tool for

introducing or reinforcing a variety of theoretical and performance related concepts.

Rationale

Despite the numerous pedagogical merits of this work, it has unfortunately been

overlooked by the body of theoretical, pedagogical, and performance related research

available. Three of the standard resources for piano literature are Jane Magrath’s The

1 Dean Allen Nichols, “A Survey of the Solo Piano Works of Lowell Liebermann” (DMA diss., University of Kentucky, 2000), 9. 2 Royal American Conservatory Examinations, Piano Syllabus 2004 (Mississauga, Ontario: Frederick Harris Co., Ltd., 2004). 1

Pianist’s Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature,3 Maurice Hinson’s

Guide to the Pianist’s Repertoire,4 and the National Music Certificate Program’s Piano

Syllabus 2004. These resources, which annotate and level literally thousands significant

piano compositions, are yet to promote this piece or Liebermann’s music in general. In

the case of Jane Magrath’s text, the reason for the Album’s absence is certainly valid, as

her work was published in 1995, the same year that the Album was published. What is

surprising, however, is the fact that the book does not mention Liebermann at all or offer

any information on a number of other fine piano compositions he wrote prior to 1995.

Maurice Hinson’s guide, published in 2000, briefly mentions Liebermann’s music,

however, his discussion of the Album for the Young is limited to only a single sentence.

The Piano Syllabus, which followed in publication four years later, has astonishingly

excluded Liebermann all together. In fact, out of these resources and the numerous

articles and dissertations which address Liebermann’s music, the only source which

offers any significant discussion of his Album for the Young is the 2000 dissertation by

Dean Alan Nichols entitled “A Survey of the Solo Piano Works of Lowell Liebermann”.

Nichols’ discussion, however, while providing a few interesting observations, is quite

brief and primarily limited to general descriptions of each piece. He does not discuss the

theoretical aspects or numerous pedagogical considerations.

It is somewhat paradoxical that Liebermann has had such great success as a

composer of large-scale concert works, yet his contribution to the genre of pedagogical

piano literature has gone almost unnoticed. Many notable composers of the past have

3 Jane Magrath, The Pianist’s Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature (Van Nuys: Alfred Publishing Col, Inc., 1995). 4 Maurice Hinson, Guide to the Pianist’s Repertoire, 3d ed. (Bloomington: University of Indiana Press, 2000). 2

written pedagogical works that have become standard resources for teachers today –

Bach’s Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, Schumann’s Album for the Young, Op. 68, or Bartok’s Mikrokosmos are just a few examples – and this pattern has continued through recent collections such as Robert Starer’s Sketches in Color,5 Samuel Adler’s

Gradus, Books I, II, 6 and III,7 and Robert Muczynski’s Fables Op. 21 (1965).8 Therefore,

as arguably the most notable of these recent names, and certainly one of the most

successful composers living today, it is likely a matter of time before Liebermann’s

collection joins their ranks and becomes another great standard for piano teachers

worldwide.

Due to the high quality and appeal of this work, and in response to the apparent

neglect it has thus far received, this dissertation offers a pedagogical guide to Lowell

Liebermann’s Album for the Young, aimed at promoting, informing, inspiring, and

assisting piano teachers in presenting its numerous theoretical and pedagogical aspects.

This document is divided into six chapters. Chapter One contains introductory

comments and rationale for why this document has been written. Chapter Two contains

biographical information on Liebermann, as well a discussion of his compositional style.

Chapter Three contains background information on the Album for the Young, as well as

general descriptions and grading of each piece in the set. Chapter Four offers numerous

technical and interpretive suggestions for a variety difficulties encountered in each piece.

Chapter Five offers a discussion of the most notable compositional features at work in

5 Robert Starer, Sketches in Color: Seven Pieces for Piano (New York: MCA Music, 1964). 6 Samuel Adler, Gradus: Forty Studies for Piano: Books 1-2 (New York: Oxford University Press, c1971). 7 Samuel Adler, Gradus, Book 3: Twenty Further Studies in Contemporary Techniques for Piano (New York: Oxford University Press, c1981). 8 Robert Muczynski, Collected Piano Pieces (New York: G. Schirmer, 1972). 3 each piece. Chapter Six contains concluding remarks as well as recommendations for further research.

4

CHAPTER 2

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH AND COMPOSITIONAL STYLE

Biographical Sketch

A discussion of Lowell Liebermann’s life and career is essential to understanding his significance and relevance as a composer of twenty-first century pedagogical piano music. His experiences as both a student of composition as well as piano had a significant impact on his motivations and aesthetics as an artist.

Lowell Liebermann was born on February 22, 1961 in New York City. At the age of eight he began taking piano lessons, switching teachers at the age of thirteen from “the old lady two doors down”9 to his more significant and inspiring early teacher, Ada Segal

(Sohn). Segal had in fact been a concert pianist in her prime, and throughout the course of her remarkable life she had studied with Leschetitzky, known Joseph Hofmann and

Paderewski, and even dated George Gershwin.10 She had a great impact on the young

Liebermann, who once said of her, “she was one of those teachers who simply made you

fall in love with music; and I’d stay with her for hours, long past my allotted time, greedy for everything she could tell me.” 11

The following year, at the age of fourteen, Liebermann also began studying

composition with Ruth Schonthal, a woman who herself had been a student of Paul

Hindemith and Manuel Ponce while studying at Yale.12 At the age of fifteen, Liebermann

composed his Piano Sonata No. 1 and the following year made his debut as a pianist in

9 Nichols, 155. 10 Ibid. 11 Jeannine Dennis, "The Life and Music Of Lowell Liebermann With An Emphasis On His Music for the Flute And Piccolo" (DMA diss., University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, 1999), 5. 12 Lisa R McArthur, “Lowell Liebermann: His Compositional Style as Derived from Three Flute Works and Applied to Other Selected Instrumental Works” (Ph. D. diss., University of Kentucky, 1999), 8. 5

Carnegie Recital Hall playing this piece.13 With the success of the sonata it became clear to Liebermann that he would pursue a life as a composer.

Liebermann, upon graduating high school a year early in 1978, spent a year as a student at State University of New York at Stony Brook studying composition with

David Diamond.14 The following year, he entered the Juilliard School where he continued his studies with Diamond and later, for his doctoral work, with Vincent Persichetti. He also studied piano with Jacob Lateiner and conducting with Laszlo Halasz, and was in fact assistant conductor with the Nassau Lyric Opera Company for a time while in school. Liebermann gradated from the Juilliard School in 1987 after receiving his

Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees in music.

Following graduation, Liebermann has lived as a full-time composer, filling a steady stream of commissions ever since. His early success is marked by the premier of his Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 23, a commission by the Spoleto Festival which was first performed by flutist Paula Robison and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet on May 20,

1988. The response was so overwhelming, that following its premier he received a steady stream of commissions for flute, including the Concerto for Flute and Orchestra; the

Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra; and Trio No. 1 for Flute, Cello, and Piano; each of which was commissioned and premiered by flutist James Galway. To date, sixteen recordings of the Sonata for Flute and Piano have been released while the

Concerto for Flute and Orchestra is available on four different releases.15

13 Lowell Liebermann, “Biography,” (Accessed 24 October 2007.) 14 McArthur, 9. 15 Liebermann Website, bio. 6

Other success is marked by the May 1996 premier of his opera based on Oscar

Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray at the L’Opéra de Monte-Carlo. The production

earned Liebermann much critical and popular acclaim, and led to the American premiere

of the work in February of 1999 at Milwaukee’s Florentine Opera. New York Times

wrote, “Musically and dramatically, Mr. Liebermann’s work is effective; as an opera, it is

remarkable.”16 In June of 2007, the opera was presented again at the Kimmel Center in

Philadelphia with a reduced orchestration commissioned by the Center City Opera

Theater. Liebermann’s second opera, Miss Lonelyhearts, has been equally successful,

receiving its premier in April of 2006 at New York’s Kennedy Center on a commission

by the Juilliard School to celebrate their 100th Anniversary. Additional productions have

followed at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 2007 as well as the

Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in February of 2008

Liebermann’s compositions for piano have also achieved great success, earning

him numerous awards and commissions as well as frequent performances by both

established artists and students alike. His Three Impromptus, Op. 68 earned him the first

American Composers’ Invitational Award by the 11th Van Cliburn Competition after the majority of finalists chose to perform the work,17 and Stephen Hough’s recording of the

Second Piano Concerto – conducted by the composer – received a 1998 Grammy Award

nomination for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. The extremely popular

Gargoyles, Op. 29 for piano has become one of the most widely performed piano works

by an American composer, and to date is available on eleven different recordings.18

Additionally, in 2003 and 2004 the Koch label released volumes one and two of

16 Ibid. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 7

Liebermann’s complete piano music performed by David Korevaar, and May of 2006

saw the premier of his Third Piano Concerto by pianist Jeffrey Biegel and the Milwaukee

Symphony.

To date, Lieberman has 101 opuses to his credit and he shows no sign of slowing

down. Already in his short career some of the most recognized artists and orchestras

worldwide have performed his works. Among these are the New York Philharmonic, the

Philadelphia Orchestra, L’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Tokyo NHK

Symphony, L’Orchestre National de France, as well as the symphonies of Dallas,

Baltimore, Seattle, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Minnesota. Notable artists, in addition to

those mentioned above, include Charles Dutoit, Kurt Masur, Joshua Bell, Hans Vonk,

Steven Isserlis, Andrew Litton, Susan Graham, David Zinman, Jesus Lopez-Cobos,

Wolfgang Sawallisch, and Steuart Bedford.19

Currently, Liebermann resides in New York City. His works continue to be heard

on concerts and in venues around the world and are consistently received with great

praise and enthusiasm. The musical world is lucky to have such a gifted and intelligent

composer living their midst, and I, for one, look forward to what he will bring to us in the

future.

Compositional Style

Lowell Liebermann’s compositional style cannot be easily defined or categorized,

as it is essentially an amalgam of many different techniques and trends. He, himself, cites

influences which include Bach, Liszt, Busoni, Frank Martin, and particularly late

Shostakovich. By his own admission, his early works are inclined significantly toward

the austerity and complexity of the avante-garde. He once referred to works from this

19 Ibid. 8

early period, which lasted into the mid-1980’s, as “self-consciously modern;” and

certainly when one compares early works such as to the Two Pieces for Violin and Viola,

Op. 4 (1978); the First Piano Concerto, Op. 12 (1983); or the Sonata for Viola and

Piano, Op. 13 (1984) to the bulk of his later output, a distinct difference can be noted.20

He once commented, “my earliest works were astringent and often non-tonal . . . . . I was preoccupied with tight, cellular structures and my First Piano Concerto is obsessive in this sense.”21

With the emergence of his Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 10, written in 1982,

Liebermann’s music began to take on a much more tonally-based language. This was not

a popular move at the time and was met with significant opposition by his teacher, David

Diamond. In a 2000 interview with Dean Alan Nichols, he recalled that Diamond was

“disturbed by the turn my music was taking, because I was moving away from more

dissonant contrapuntal [writing] to a more tonal, homophonic kind of writing. I shouldn’t

say ‘homophonic’ but, you know, more tonally-based, non-contrapuntal style.”22 He also

recalled a rehearsal of his First Symphony, Op. 9 (1982) where a chorale-like passage in

mock triads was being read, and David Diamond exclaiming, “But you can’t do that!”23

Although the Second Piano Sonata was written before the Viola Sonata and First Piano

Concerto mentioned above, it represented the shift that was taking place in his philosophical approach to composition. Regarding this period, Liebermann once said, “I remember in high school I was just totally into avant-garde music and what-not, and I was preparing pianos and doing stuff with tape recorders, and I wish I could say it was a

20 Dennis, 9. 21 Ibid., 12. 22 Nichols, 157. 23 Ibid., 159. 9

particular piece or a particular thing, but I know there was just one point in my life when

I said, ‘You know something, I don’t believe in this.’”24

Although Liebermann’s music has shifted to a more tonal palette, he has certainly not confined himself to writing in one particular way. He has said that, “I’m one of those composers who is very comfortable with tonality and feels that it is a tool to be used. One doesn’t either have to avoid it or stick too closely to it.”25 In the same way, he also regards 12-tone music as a viable tool for composition, stating that, “In fact, a lot of works I’ve done have combined very obvious tonality with 12-note ideas . . .”26

Ultimately, Liebermann sees himself as a composer who is constantly in transition, and

would like to think that his work is continuously improving and maturing.27

Critics today have supplied Liebermann’s music with a variety of labels,

including among others, “Neo-Romantic,” “Post-Modern,” and “Neo Tonal.”

Liebermann, however, dismisses such labels as confining and misleading, and would

prefer to just let the music speak for itself. He has said, “I’m not comfortable with ‘Neo-

Romantic’; to most people that just means that you’re writing big, sloppy tunes. . . . . The

‘New Tonalist’ thing, or ‘Neo-Tonalist,’ I like better because at least it says something

about what you’re actually doing in musical terms. But the thing is all of these titles are

just boxes that writers are trying to stick you into so they can write about you.”28 It is

understandable as to why Liebermann’s music has been defined as “tonal” or “romantic,”

particularly in the context of the extreme dissonance and disconnect that predominated

24 Ibid., 158. 25 Lisa M Garner, “Lowell Liebermann: A Stylistic Analysis and Discussion of the Sonata For Flute and Piano, Op. 23, Sonata for Flute and Guitar, Op. 25, and Soliloquy for Flute Solo, op. 44” (DMA diss., Rice University, 1997), 18. 26 Garner, 18. 27 Ibid., 21. 28 Nichols, 159. 10

music in the generations preceding him; but to take these terms by themselves and not

consider the numerous other trends and techniques that are at work in his music is an

unfair and unrealistic assessment of what he has accomplished.

In terms of form, Liebermann’s music is very logical and well-constructed.

Within any particular work, one can usually find tightly-woven harmonic and melodic

material as well as clearly delineated sections and themes. Formal plans which occur

frequently in his music include rondo, arch form, and less frequently, ternary form. 29 In addition to these, Liebermann also makes considerable use of theme and variation structures while works such as sonatas and concertos have taken anywhere from one to four movements.

Although Liebermann’s harmonic language includes the use of a variety of

“tonal” sonorities, there is a considerable amount of variety in the way he incorporates them into his music. Most notably, his music often contains only a limited use of traditional or functional harmonic progressions. Instead, one finds frequent relationships of a third (tertian relationships), both on the micro and macro levels, which often serve to order the music and bring coherence to a work as a whole.30 Additional harmonic devices

which occur in his music include frequent alternations between major and minor

sonorities over a shared root (major/minor duality) and a variety of scale formations,

including octatonic, modal, and synthetic. These non-traditional elements are constantly

used in conjunction with predominately tonal content to create a variety of musical

29 McArthur, 245. 30 Ibid., 250. 11 characters and effects. Liebermann has even commented that in his first opera he used a

12-note row in a tonal manner to order the form of the work.31

Although Liebermann’s music is written in a primarily tonal language with a frequent lack of traditional harmonic procedures, it would be wrong to imagine it resembling that of the Impressionists, who also have written with a certain harmonic ambiguity and flexibility. Despite many clear differences in these styles, “Impressionist” is in fact another label which has been given him. Regarding this, he has stated, “This irks me more than any other label. I think it’s the farthest from the mark. This is the type of listener who hears one augmented triad and says it’s impressionistic.”32 On the contrary, Liebermann considers his own music “quite classical” and “very concerned with formal balance and clarity” -- characteristics which are not hallmarks of impressionism.

Also notable in Liebermann’s output is his frequent use of ostinati. They occur often as accompaniments to a melody or as the rhythmic backbone of a work, and serve a number of harmonic and atmospheric purposes in his music. Harmonically, they often create sense of tonality or pitch centricity through their content and their repetition, while rhythmically they often serve to build or sustain the drive of a section through an unrelenting motor-like regularity. Structurally, they often define various sections of a work through where they begin, end, or change.

Additional features of Liebermann’s music include careful attention to voice- leading and the incorporation of a variety of musical textures. Throughout his music, melodic and harmonic writing alike show a clear control and understanding of the various

31 Garner, 18. 32 Ibid., 19. 12 aspects of dissonance and resolution. This mastery is likely due, in no small part, to his strong academic training at Juilliard as well as his early interest in the works of J.S. Bach.

Texturally, homophonic structures, such as melody-and-accompaniment and choral-like passages, predominate in his music. Other contrapuntal, imitative, and additive textures are found as well, although these often used in combination or alternation with the homophonic sections.

Lowell Liebermann’s music is a complex combination of exquisitely worked out elements and ideas. He is a first rate composer and destined, I believe, to make a lasting mark upon the classical music world. Although he has written successful works in nearly every major genre, and is now one of America’s most well-known and widely performed composers, his attitude remains humble and dedicated to personal improvement and genuine expression. He has stated, “I take a very old fashioned view about art, that it should improve the world and bring man to a higher realization. . . . It can sound a little corny and a little lofty, but it’s basically what’s motivation me to create.”33 With the success and accessibility that Liebermann’s music has found, he is perhaps ushering in a new era of musical composition and performance; one in which the audience and the composer do not look upon each other with bewilderment and confusion, but rather one in which they coexist and perhaps learn and grow together.

33 Ibid., 20. 13

CHAPTER 3 THE ALBUM FOR THE YOUNG, OP. 43

BACKGROUND, DESCRIPTIONS, AND LEVELING

Background

Liebermann’s first years studying piano were not particularly inspiring for him.

While he would have preferred to practice works such as Schumann’s Album for the

Young, Op. 68 or Bartok’s Mikrokosmos, he was instead forced by his to teacher to work

from various traditional methods and books which he greatly disliked. In a 2000

interview with Dean Alan Nichols, he said, “I remember being brought up with the John

W. Schaum piano course and just hating it; and, you know, begging my teacher with tears

in my eyes to let me play what I would call “real” music, meaning, at that time, the

Schumann Album for the Young.”34 He later expressed his discontent when he said, “I

was so frustrated by the condescending nature of a lot of children’s piano literature.”35 As a result of these stifling early years of study and in response to what he perceived as a need for high quality pedagogical literature for children, Liebermann composed his own book of children’s pieces, the Album for the Young, Op. 43.

The circumstances surrounding the composition of the Album for the Young are quite unique, in fact, when compared to the bulk of his output. Not only is it his only composition written with pedagogical intentions, but it is also one of only a handful of works written without commission. As it happened, in 1993 he was in the midst of working on his opera, The Picture of Dorian Grey, when he became very ill and was unable to sustain the concentration required to work on the project. During this time spent away from the opera, he decided to gradually begin working on a project which had long

34 Nichols, 155. 35 Ibid., 165. 14

been on his mind, the Album for the Young. On the days he felt strong enough he began to

compose one or two short children’s pieces, and in a matter of two or three weeks,

eighteen of them had been completed. Ironically, just days after finishing the work, he

received a phone call from the English pianist, Andrew Wilde, who wished to

commission a set of short pieces which could be dedicated to his children and

programmed with Schumann’s Kinderscenen. Since Liebermann had just finished the work, he was conveniently able to use the collection to fulfill the request.36 Therefore,

while the work did eventually become a commission, it was not originally conceived or

written as such.

Liebermann had very specific pedagogical intentions in mind when he composed

the Album. Regarding the range in levels, he said, “I wanted them to be progressive in

difficulty, like the Schumann Album for the Young; or at least where they wouldn’t all be

one level – there’d be a variety.”37 He also said, “I wanted them to be musically

sophisticated, but within the technical reach of beginning to intermediate pianists.”38 As a

result, a clear distinction exists between the first and last pieces in the collection.

Although the eighteen pieces do not advance precisely in difficulty, one right after the

other; the first pieces in the set are unmistakably on a much easier level than those toward

the end.

Descriptions

“Dance” contains a lively and repetitive figure in the right hand over a recurring

drone bass in the left hand. The rhythmic elements of this figure include three essential

rhythms learned in early study: the quarter note, the eighth note, and the sixteenth note.

36 Ibid. 37 Ibid. 38 Ibid. 15

The figure conveniently presents these values in a clearly discernable relationship to one

another, expanding in turn from sixteenths, to eighths, to a quarter note. The piece also contains numerous hand position extensions beyond the five-finger range along with a number of complete hand position changes. Additional aspects of the piece include a dynamic range of piano to forte, as well as single passage of combined articulations,

where the right hand is marked staccato while the left hand is to be played legato.

“Song” is slow and lyrical, containing a melody rich with expressive possibilities.

A chorale-like section occurs in the middle of the piece, presenting long stretches of pure

triads and offering a lovely contrast to the somewhat mysterioso character of the outer

sections. It is an excellent study in expressive melodic playing as well as chordal playing.

“Endless Melody” contains a gracefully lilting melody in 6/8 time. Syncopations

and dotted-rhythms abound, while the continuous repetition of these short ideas creates

the sense of “endlessness.” The left hand’s line moves primarily by half-steps, while the

right hand’s melody contains numerous accidentals.

“Boogieman” is marked by a continuous eighth-note ostinato and the modified

use of a blues scale. A legato melody is set against this primarily staccato figure, making

for an excellent and challenging exercise in combined articulations. The frequent

chromatic alterations and large leaps in this melody, played ultimately by both the right

and left hand, makes for an excellent study in fingerings as well.

“Ghost Waltz,” as the title suggests, is a somewhat eerie realization of this

familiar dance type. A lyrical and sustained melody occurs in the left hand, while a

repetitive two-note figure in the right hand captures the waltz rhythm. Clearly defined

16

phrases and a frequent shifts in tonal center characterize the first half of the piece, while

an almost cliché waltz figure in the original key characterizes the final phrase.

“Ostinato” is beautiful and expressive from beginning to end. It contains a

cantabile melody in the right hand over a slow-paced and accompanimental ostinato

below. The asymmetrical qualities of this 5/4 meter are exquisitely worked out as well,

presenting a 3+2 combination of quarter notes in the accompaniment with a 2+3

combination in the melody above. The interaction of these different divisions of the

measure, along with the slow pace at which they unfold, give this piece an overall feeling

of beatlessness.

“Marching Off to War” contains a strong march rhythm with numerous distinct

dissonances. Frequent accents, sforzandi, and staccato articulations highlight this aspect

of the piece, in addition to an overall dynamic range of forte to fortissimo. Elements of

bitonality can also be found.

“Rainy Day” is, in fact, one of Liebermann’s very first compositions. Written

when he was only eight years old, he decided to include it, note for note, in the album. It

is a lovely piece, containing a rather somber melody beneath a repetitive four-note

accompanimental figure above. A notable challenge is the crossing of the left hand over

the right hand for the majority of the piece.

“Broken Heart” is in excellent study in two-against-three rhythmic playing. A continuous stream of triplets in the left hand accompanies the melody which is formed from only duple divisions of the piece. The range of the piece is limited primarily to the middle of the keyboard, while numerous appoggiaturas and chromatic alterations offer a very expressive and sad quality to the melody.

17

“Lullaby” is the first two-page piece in the collection. A gentle “rocking” feel is

created though the placement of the right hand’s melody primarily on beat three of this

3/4 meter. A gentle touch is required for this piece, as well as a precise pedal technique.

Position changes in the left hand occur continuously, while the dynamic range runs from pianissimo to forte. Although unexpected harmonic shifts occur frequently, an overall sense of calm and simplicity is retained throughout.

“Starry Night,” a calm and flowing piece with numerous bitonal implications, is characterized by a two-against-three rhythmic interaction between the hands. The accompanimental figures in the left hand outline triads in various inversions, while the melody above moves primarily by stepwise motion. The wide-ranging melodic ideas and numerous accidentals require an intelligent use of fingering and an excellent legato touch.

“Hommage à Fauré” offers a steady flow of broken triads split between the hands.

It contains many subtle harmonic colorings as well as passages in which are rhythmically modified to create a hemiola effect. The repetitive and continuous aspect of this piece requires good musical planning and phrasing.

“Funeral March for a Pet Rat” seems to poke fun at a piece from Tchaikovsky’s

Album for the Young, Op. 39 which carries a similar title: “The Doll’s Funeral” or sometimes “Funeral March for a Doll.” The slow dotted-rhythm characteristic of a funeral march is a defining feature of this piece, while slow moving chromatic lines offer a particularly somber, and perhaps overdramatic, quality as well. The piece requires a good right-hand legato and a fine pedal technique, as the closeness of the melodic notes

requires a change on nearly every beat.

18

“Hommage à Alkan” contains a symmetrical and sweet-sounding melody over an accompanimental ostinato in the left hand. The ostinato figure remains rhythmically and harmonically unchanged throughout the entire piece, leading to passages of bitonality when combined with the harmonically shifting right-hand melody. Various abrupt leaps and register changes add an element of variety to this somewhat static melodic idea.

“Melancholy” contains a three-voice texture and is an excellent study in voicing and control. The inner voice and bass are rhythmically and harmonically static for nearly the entire piece, while a lyrical melody enfolds closely above. The slow 6/8 meter and continued emphasis on the strong beats conveys the heavy-heartedness which the title suggests.

“Barcarolle” conveys a wonderful sense of rocking and spaciousness. The piece is defined by rolled fifths in the bass, frequently shifting tonal centers, and a primarily

Lydian melodic construction. Tone clusters built out of stacked diatonic seconds provide an effective coloring to much of the melody as well. The beginning and ending keys of F-

Sharp pay tribute to other notable barcarolles, particularly the boat songs by Felix

Mendelssohn and the famous Barcarolle, Op. 60 by Frédéric Chopin.

“The Little Baby Rhino” is brisk and energetic, containing many humorous uses of grace notes and dissonance. Successful performance requires a clear finger technique and a strong rhythmic sense.

“Toccata” is marked by a constant stream of sixteenth notes and a driving rhythm throughout. A canonic passage, which contains short flourishes of thirty-second notes in each hand, can be found in the middle section as well. The figurations in this piece are derived primarily from broken triads, however, sequences built from stepwise patterns

19

also occur. This is the most virtuosic piece in the collection and it can be very effective in performance.

Leveling

Two resources were used as reference in grading each piece in this collection:

Jane Magrath’s The Pianist’s Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature39 and the National Music Certificate Program’s (NMCP) Piano Syllabus 2004.40 Although neither of these sources provides a level or grade for any piece in the collection, their popularity and wide-spread use among piano teachers make them a practical and reliable tool in the task of assigning one.

Each source assigns levels to repertoire using a ten-point system, where Level

One is the least advanced and Level Ten is the most difficult. Although the two sources do not always agree in their determinations, significant repertoire from each source frequently receives the same grade. Examples include Bartok’s Mikrokosmos Volume 1

graded at Level 1, “Bright Orange” from Robert Starer’s Sketches in Color Set One at

Level 6, and the first movement of Beethoven’s Sonata in C Minor, Op. 10/1 at Level 10.

Grades for Liebermann’s collection have been determined through a careful

comparison with the lists above. The grade level assigned to a specific piece has been

done so with the assessment that it could be used as a Teacher’s Choice selection for the

NMCP Practical Exam at the corresponding level. The Teacher’s Choice selection is

defined in the Piano Syllabus 2004 as a work of “equal or greater difficulty and musical

39 Jane Magrath, The Pianist’s Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature (Van Nuys: Alfred Publishing Col, Inc., 1995). 40 Royal American Conservatory Examinations, Piano Syllabus 2004 (Mississauga, Ontario: Frederick Harris Co., Ltd., 2004). 20 quality to the required works in that grade.”41 As each piece in Liebermann’s collection meets these requirements at any given level, each piece in this collection is therefore eligible for inclusion the Teacher’s Choice category.

A summary of the grading for this collection can be found in Figure 3.1. Included is the recommended Teacher’s Choice level as well as a “General Level” determination.

Figure 3.1

Lowell Liebermann’s Album for the Young, Op. 43

Piece Title NMCP Teacher’s Choice Recommendation General Level 1 Dance Grade 1 Elementary 2 Song Grade 2 Elementary 3 Endless Melody Grade 3 Late Elementary 4 Boogieman Grade 7 Late - Intermediate 5 Ghost Waltz Grade 5 Early Intermediate 6 Ostinato Grade 5 Early Intermediate 7 Marching Off to War Grade 5 Early Intermediate 8 Rainy Day Grade 5 Early Intermediate 9 Broken Heart Grade 6 Intermediate 10 Lullaby Grade 7 Late -Intermediate 11 Starry Night Grade 7 Late - Intermediate 12 Hommage à Fauré Grade 6 Intermediate 13 Funeral March for a Pet Rat Grade 7 Late - Intermediate 14 Hommage à Alkan Grade 7 Late - Intermediate 15 Melancholy Grade 7 Late - Intermediate 16 Barcarolle Grade 8 Early-Advanced 17 The Little Baby Rhino Grade 8 Early-Advanced 18 Toccata Grade 8 Early-Advanced

41 Piano Syllabus, 16. 21

CHAPTER 4

TECHNICAL AND INTERPRETIVE SOLUTIONS

This chapter discusses notable challenges that occur in each piece and offers ideas

for teachers in preparing their students to play them at a performance level. The

suggestions focus primarily on issues of technique and interpretation, addressing aspects

such as hand position, finger technique, type of touch, and practice suggestions; as well

as ideas relating to character, imagery, tempo, and sound.

“Dance”

The primary difficulties encountered in “Dance” include extended hand positions,

frequent changes in hand position, and combined articulations. For students raised in a

five-finger approach to playing, this piece is an excellent choice for moving beyond this range.

To address the position changes, “blocking” can be an excellent practice

technique. The opening figure in m. 1, for example, contains three separate positions,

each of which can be grouped and played simultaneously by the right hand (Example

4.1).

Example 4.1a: “Dance,” mm. 1-7

22

Example 4.1b: “Dance,” m. 1 – blocked

4 5 5 2 3 3 1

Position: a b c

In playing position a, which outlines a major triad, it is beneficial to use the fingering 4-

2-1 rather than 5-3-1. Not only does this allow for stronger fingers to play the alternating sixteenth notes, but it also prepares the fifth finger for the following position. Positions b and c which follow should each be played with the fingering 5-3; requiring a complete move upward at the distance of a whole step. In practicing this progression, it is beneficial to play each group to a quarter-note rhythm (as shown above), repeating the measure as many times as needed until the shifts become comfortable. Similar blocking techniques can be used to practice the position change between mm. 2 and 3 as well as the multiple changes that occur within mm. 3-4 and m. 7 as well (See Example 4.1).

The repetitive and logical formations of these figures also make it possible for them to be taught by rote. This can be a great tool for a teacher in addressing the many shifts without the student having to worry about the added difficulty of reading at the same time. Once a student has experienced and become comfortable with the physical aspect of playing these passages, it becomes much easier to add the score later.

The combined articulations in m. 7 should be practiced very slowly at first, until the combination of the two become natural (See Example 4.1). Students should imagine an “up” motion for each staccato note in the right hand while the left hand should be

23 considered “stuck to the keys.” It is beneficial to isolate beats two through four for this practice, adding the other beats only when control has been achieved.

The character of this piece should convey the spirit of the title. The staccatos should be quick and lively, while the pulse should be clear and steady. It can even be helpful for a student to imagine an actual dance while playing; keeping in mind that the sounds created will directly effect the movement and flow of the dancers. For any slips in tempo, rhythm, or accuracy that might occur, it can be expected that a dancer’s movements would be influenced in a similar way. Ultimately, this piece conveys energy and joy, and a student should consistently work to achieve this.

“Song”

Two notable challenges for students in this piece include expressively shaping the solo melody of the outer sections and playing all the notes of each three-note chord in the middle section at the same time. Although this piece appears to be quite simple and straight-forward, it contains many subtle challenges and is an excellent piece for working with students on nuanced and expressive playing.

In deciding how to play the right hand’s line in mm. 1-8, students should carefully consider all of the articulations, phrase markings, and chromatically altered pitches. In observing the articulation, it is beneficial for students to coordinate a specific motion related to the marking provided. As a general guide in this passage, each tenuto marking can be taken with a “down” motion in the wrist, while all slurred passages should be started with a “down” motion and ended with an “up” motion. These directions can be seen in Example 4.2.

24

Delayed – Up motion as Example 4.2: “Song,” mm. 1-8 preparation for m. 5

Etc.

As can be noted above, two “down” motions might occur in a row (mm. 1, 2, & 3), while

a change in direction can often occur rather quickly, such as between two eighth notes

(mm. 1-2 and 3-4).

In shaping this melody students should strive to imitate the human voice, projecting a smooth and lyrical line with no edges or accents. For all phrases which contain three or more notes beneath a single slur, the first and last notes should be played quietly. The notes which fall in between, on the other hand, should played with a fuller sound in order to add contour to the line. Although this approach is somewhat general in terms of the variety of decisions that might be made, is serves as an excellent guideline for students who have had little experience playing in this manner.

In phrasing mm. 1-8, it is also appropriate to develop a plan which projects two four-measure phrases. Such a plan might consist of very quiet half notes in mm. 4 and 8, and a possibly more projected half note in m. 2, which would set up the final two measures of the line (See Example 4.2).

25

Unexpected accidentals and resolutions offer opportunities for inflection in this

melody as well. The B-flat which occurs in m. 3, for example, provides an interesting

color when compared to the B-natural that occurs in m. 1 (See Example 4.2). To highlight

this turn in the melody, a student could delay its placement slightly or even play it very softly. The final note of this section in m. 8 is also somewhat unexpected, remaining on

the pitch B-natural to form a final interval of a fourth with the bass on beat three (See

Example 4.2). The inconclusive quality of this sound deserves to acknowledged, and a

student might again do this through a slight delay in its placement and careful attention to

its volume.

The chordal passage in mm. 9-16 offers students the challenge of playing each

note of the chord at the same time. Although a certain amount of facility and hand

strength is needed, a careful coordination of the arms and fingers can help add to a

student’s success. Students will have the greatest success if the upper arms and shoulder

remain relaxed and free while playing this passage. The fingers should begin from the

surface of the key while the hand should maintain a somewhat fixed shape. The motion

into the keys should be coordinated by the entire arm, guiding the hand and fingers

inward (rather than straight down) in order to feel the resistance of the key as it is played.

Such a motion into the key allows for the greatest control of dynamics as well as the

notes striking at the same time.

The character of this piece should be expressive yet reverent. The chant-like

quality of the outer sections, when coupled with the choir-like textures of the middle

section, seems to paint a religious setting. Students may even wish to envision themselves

26

in a large cathedral, imagining both the serenity of this atmosphere as well as the ringing

quality such music would have if played in this location.

“Endless Melody”

In this piece, students often struggle to control the rhythm, as well as to project an

appropriate balance between the hands. In addressing its rhythmic aspects, it can be

beneficial for a student to practice away from the piano, working first to successfully clap

(or tap) the rhythm of the right hand’s music.

Toward this end, it is helpful to initially disregard the ties which frequently occur

between the third and fourth eighth notes, thereby removing the somewhat challenging

syncopated aspect (Example 4.3).

Example 4.3: “Endless Melody,” mm. 1-4

Students should stand while clapping this rhythm, as this frees up the entire body to feel

the pulse, and also prepares the student for the next step in this exercise discussed below.

As a student becomes comfortable with this pattern, the teacher may also want to clap a straight eighth-note pattern at the same time in order to highlight the subdivisions and to maintain a steady pulse.

Once a student has become comfortable clapping this rhythm, it is helpful to coordinate a stepping motion simultaneously to the left hand’s rhythm. As the left hand plays only on the beats, this will consist of a steady walking pattern in the feet. The right

27

hand pattern above should continue to disregard the ties, but as comfort is gained the ties should be added back in.

Once a student has a clear sense of these rhythmic qualities, practice may then begin at the keyboard. Finding a legato fingering is of utmost importance at this stage, while the ties in the right hand should now be observed at all times. In first practicing the right-hand part, the teacher may want to play the left-hand line below in order to provide a steady pulse and demonstrate how the two parts will interact.

Regarding balance, students should understand that the right hand’s melody should be played slightly louder than the left hand’s accompaniment. Although this is not an easy task for many beginning piano students, this piece offers a few “windows of opportunity” which make this an achievable task. A quick observation of how these two lines interact will reveal that the melody only plays exactly with the accompaniment on the downbeat of each measure and not in the middle of each measure as the left hand’s second pitch sounds (See Example 4.3). As a result, it is much easier to play this second pitch softer in the left hand, as it is not doubled by the right hand above. If a student can successfully and consistently play this pitch at a volume which is softer than the right hand’s melody, the allusion of this balance will be projected into the entire piece.

“Boogieman”

The greatest challenge for students in this piece is to consistently and accurately play its many articulations, particularly when they occur in combination with one another. The somewhat awkward note-groupings in many passages require a careful assessment of fingering as well.

28

The opening measure introduces an ostinato figure which is played by the left

hand for the majority of the piece (Example 4.4).

Example 4.4: “Boogieman,” mm. 1-10

Slight separation

In order to sound clearly at this fast tempo, the staccatos in this figure must be played

very short. This also offers a clear contrast to the slur which defines the last two notes. A

light wrist and a quick motion in the finger tips can help to achieve the correct sound.

A number of challenges arise when this figure is combined with the right hand’s melody in m. 2, due to the constant combination of articulations. To address the coordination of these two hands in mm. 1-8, it is beneficial for a student to isolate the fourth beat of each measure and practice slowly into the downbeat of the following measure (See Example 4.4). Such practice isolates the single variant in arcticulation which occurs in the left hand’s pattern. In cases where the right hand’s melody reaches the end of a slur following beat four (mm. 4-8), students should place a slight separation

29

in the melody and work to coordinate it with the left hand’s separation (See Example

4.4).

As these single-beat shifts are mastered, students should expand this range to include complete measures, practicing from the downbeat of one to the downbeat of the next and repeating slowly and accurately as many times as necessary. Students must have great patience for a piece such as this, and must be willing to take the necessary steps in

order to project the many details it contains. As comfort is gained in these combinations,

larger sections should be grouped together and the tempo gradually increased.

The entrance of the right hand with an inverted ostinato pattern in m. 9 presents

an even greater coordination issue, as the patterns now appear in combination (See

Example 4.4). Before a student begins putting the hands together here and again working

small sections at a slow tempo, it is essential that a good fingering be determined. As a

number of options are possible, it is important that the student decide on one and apply it

consistently in practice. When the ostinato begins in the right hand in m. 11, a wise

fingering choice includes the right hand crossing the thumb under to play the third eighth-

note of the measure, F (Example 4.5).

Example 4.5: “Boogieman,” mm. 11-14: 1 2 3 1 2 1 3 2

As a performance tempo is reached, the rhythm must stay precise and the

staccatos played in a continuously short and excited manner. There is an element of

30

anxiety and fear in this piece, depicting perhaps some sort of frightened chase. When

playing, the performer must seek to convey such a restless and unrelenting mood.

“Ghost Waltz”

The primary difficulties in this piece include balancing the left hand’s melody over the right hand accompaniment, coordinating the close physical placement of the hands to each other, and playing the combined articulations in the closing phrase of the piece. The placement of the accompanimental figure in a close register above the melody makes this piece an excellent study in coordination and dynamic control.

A good balance of the melody and accompaniment in mm. 1-24 (represented by mm. 1-6 in Example 4.6) can be approached in two ways. The first is through an understanding that the melody not only needs to be played louder than the accompaniment, but more importantly the accompaniment must be played as softly as possible.

Example 4.6: “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 1-6

The composer has in fact marked the accompaniment pianissimo and the melody piano to express this intention, but it is helpful if a student even goes a step further and plays the melody mezzo forte while continuing to play the accompaniment pianissimo.

The second way a student might approach the challenge of balance here is to imagine a very heavy and relaxed feeling in the left arm, and an extremely light and

31 weightless feeling in the right arm, particularly from the elbow down. In demonstrating this feeling, a teacher might even appear a bit lop-sided in their body in order to emphasize the heavy quality in the left arm. When this sensation is applied to the keyboard, the sound cannot help but follow suit.

Managing the close placement of the hands is essentially a matter of decision making. Students should decide, from the beginning, which hand will play above and which hand will play below. Students should take care to not let the closeness of the hands and the high position one must inevitably take cause unnecessary tension. Slow practice and sectional practice are both effective guards against this tendency.

The hemiola pattern which occurs above the waltz accompaniment (found now in the left hand bass in mm. 25-36) is most effectively approached in small section practice

(Example 4.7).

Example 4.7: “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 25-37

Because the accompanimental figure here contains both slurred and non-slurred, the articulations align differently with the melody upon each recurrence. It is beneficial to first practice note-to-note sections in the melody while the accompaniment is played

32

below. This can then be expanded to larger two-measure sections. Although the composer

has indicated that the pedal be held throughout, this practice should first be done without

use of the sustain pedal in order to accurately develop the coordination between the

hands. When the pedal is later added, students should still work to play the varied articulations, as the type of touch required for this will affect the overall sound.

“Ostinato”

The primary challenge in this piece lies in playing the left hand ostinato quietly, consistently, and with each note of the two-note intervals (dyads) in the left hand sounding at the same time. Other challenges include maintaining a steady pulse and seamlessly coordinating the 5/4 meter and its contrasting beat groupings between the hands.

Playing the left hand’s ostinato requires coordination of movements in both the arm and the hand (Example 4.8).

Example 4.8: “Ostinato,” mm. 1-6

For each dyad, the fingers should be in contact with the keys before beginning to play. A student should imagine a slightly inward motion into the key, gliding very slightly over its surface as it is depressed. This allows for the student to feel the resistance of the key and offers an added element of control in comparison with a motion that is completely

33 vertical. This closeness with the key also allows for greater control and success in getting each note to sound at the same time.

In coordinating this inward movement, a student should imagine that the hand is a single unit and that it is supported by a strong bridge at the top of the fingers. Then, while the hand and fingers remain somewhat stationary, the arm initiates the motion as it guides the hand into the key. As a relaxed upper-arm and shoulder are great assets in accomplishing this, this passage can be a great exercise in addressing any issues of tension. This down and inward movement should be applied to each dyad, followed by a gentle upward motion on the single note which always follows. This combined gesture feels like a two notes slur, although the sound should project a fluid and even tone.

Coordinating the combined 5/4 groupings between the hands must be done in small sections. It is beneficial to practice only single measures at a time, playing from the downbeat of one to the downbeat of the next, and then repeating. This reinforces the often contrasting physical and music ideas, and creates a muscular and aural memory of these interactions which can be transferred to larger groups.

It is important that a student not accent the first beat of each measure as larger groups are combined. Such playing can occur quite naturally, as the hands continually align on beat one, however, the musical phrase of the right hand rarely requires such an emphasis. One should, in fact, take care to shape the right hand continually throughout this piece, presenting seamless beginnings and endings of phrases whether the dynamic is piano or forte.

The character of this piece is somewhat somber and static, yet very expressive.

Students should enjoy the various color changes created through sequential passages and

34 changes in the ostinato pattern. Although the rhythmic properties do not change, one should not hesitate to stretch a beat or even move the tempo slightly to serve an expressive purpose.

“Marching Off to War”

Maintaining an unwaveringly steady tempo and controlling a variety of note lengths are areas which frequently require attention in this piece. The constant quarter- note pulse in the left hand presents the “march” aspect and serves as a rhythmic foundation for the entire piece. This figure is marked with accented staccatos in mm. 1-6 and the final two measures of the piece, however, beginning in m. 9 this pattern is marked with staccatos with tenutos above (Example 4.9).

Example 4.9: “Marching Off to War,” mm. 1-12

35

This distinction can be achieved through a clear difference in note lengths. The accented staccatos should be played more quickly and shortly than those with tenutos. The notes with tenutos should last approximately half the length of the quarter note (an eighth note with an eight rest) while the accented staccatos should be played with great speed and with an immediate release.

In the right hand’s melody, tenutos over quarter notes with no staccatos occasionally occur simultaneously with staccato-tenutos in the left hand (See Example

4.9, mm. 10 and 12). Students should isolate such passages, consciously holding the right hand’s note for its full length while timing the release of the left hand’s note below.

The staccatos which occur throughout the right hand’s melody should be played very short, yet should sound clearly. The fingertips should be very active when playing these notes, beginning each attack from the surface of the key.

The sixteenth-note figure which begins the piece presents a notable challenge as well (See Example 4.9). Students should not feel obligated to change fingers on each of these repeated notes, as is sometimes the fashion. If played lightly, without pressing in the wrist, a single-finger attack can in fact provide the greatest success. Their execution should always be directed toward the quarter note which inevitably follows.

Due to the loud and somewhat excited character of this piece, students commonly tend to rush as well as shorten beats slightly. In working to maintain a steady tempo, it is often beneficial for a student to count aloud. This act of saying the beat names clearly while playing creates a strong internalization of the pulse. Although it can be difficult for a student to initially coordinate speaking and playing simultaneously, a continued effort toward this end can yield positive results.

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“Rainy Day”

A few of the challenges students face in this piece include playing the two-voice melody in the right hand with a legato touch, playing each note of the dyads above at the same time, and sustaining a slow and even tempo throughout. Although the crossing of the left hand over the right hand for the majority of the piece presents a certain physical awkwardness in this piece, students often do not struggle in coordinating the two hands.

The primary difficulties lie in controlling the sound and the tempo as these notes are played.

When addressing legato touch for the right hand’s melody in mm. 3-18, the first thing a teacher should do is ensure that the student has a suitable fingering (Example

4.10).

Example 4.10: “Rainy Day, mm. 1-19 Melody to be played legato in the upper-voice

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Larger hands a certainly a benefit for this melody, as the best legato will require a bit a stretching and maneuvering in the hand and fingers. It is important that the top voice be connected whenever possible. Although much of this piece is marked with pedal, it should not be added until a legato touch has been achieved. It is beneficial for a student to occasionally practice only the top voice, using the same fingering that will be applied when the bottom voice is added. It is also important for a teacher to ensure that a student is listening and working for this touch from the very beginning, as once a pattern of playing with an unsuitable fingering has been established, it is very difficult to break.

As a legato touch is developed in the right hand, students should also take care to

shape the melody, avoiding any sense of verticality or heaviness in the sound. Each four-

measure phrase should have a high point. In mm. 3-6, the strongest interval should

clearly be the A-F-sharp in m. 5, as it functions as a dissonance (resolving downward to E

Minor in m. 6) and it is also marked at the height of a crescendo (See Example 4.10). The

other tones of the melody which surround this should be shaped according to this high

point, beginning somewhat quietly in m. 3, building the sound through the two quarter

notes in m. 4, and finally matching this build-up with the interval in m. 5. The swells in

sound do not need to be very wide ranging, but some shaping must be added in order to

project a long and beautiful line.

Beginning in m. 1, the left hand crosses over to play an ostinato-like

accompanimental figure with a descending four-note pattern high above the right hand

(See Example 4.10). Due to the angle of the hand when crossing over to play these notes,

the thumb often sounds before the lower note of the dyad. Students can guard against this

by playing with active finger tips in the lower voice and a light thumb above. The pattern

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should first be practiced without the right hand, isolating and repeating each interval until

both notes can be played successfully at the same time. It is beneficial to practice this

passage slowly and forte as well, as the quicker motion into the key which this would

require can bring greater success in sounding these notes simultaneously. This also serves

to build the physical memory in the fingers, which can later transfer into the softer

dynamic.

Another challenge for students in this piece is maintaining a slow and steady

tempo throughout, as the continuous stream of eighth notes in the left hand particularly

lends itself to rushing. To guard against this, students should be encouraged to practice with a metronome. It is beneficial to practice in the final tempo from the beginning, as this tempo is in fact quite slow and anything less might be musically illogical. To gain a

sense of the large pulse, students can practice the left hand accompanimental figure by

taking out the second and fourth eighth notes and playing only the dyads which fall on

the big beats. Once the student can manage this successfully, the other eight notes can be

added back in. It can also be helpful for a student to set the metronome to the eighth-note pulse as well, playing both the quarter-note beats described above, as well as the complete figure to this beat. The metronome should not be the sole source of rhythmic control, however. Students should supplement this practice with counting aloud, counting internally, and simply playing while feeling the big beats and consciously working to not rush.

This character of this piece should be very calm, yet expressive. The steadiness in the ostinato figure depicts a constant dropping of rain and conveys a rather solemn and hypnotic atmosphere. Unusual harmonic and chromatic shifts, such as the move to D-flat

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Major in m. 17 (See Example 4.10), should be highlighted through timing and sound.

There are numerous occasions in this piece to play expressively and with nuance, and

teachers and students should both take advantage of the many possibilities.

“Broken Heart”

Shaping, balance, and rhythmic coordination between the hands provide the

greatest challenges to a student when playing this piece. Perhaps the greatest asset for

meeting these challenges is a secure and intelligently worked out left hand.

The two-note alternations which characterize much of the left hand’s pattern must

be played very smoothly and evenly (Example 4.11).

Example 4.11: “Broken Heart,” mm. 1-6

Although the piece includes pedal indications throughout, a good legato in this hand is

essential. It can be helpful to remind a student that the legato marking which appears in

the first measure is not simply an indication for how the melody should be played, but

how the accompaniment should be played as well. In playing this pattern, the fingers

should remain very close to the keys and the wrist somewhat low. The hand should feel

as if it is crawling, in sense, from note to note. A student should also work to feel the weight and resistance of each key as it is depressed and released. Although there should

be no “bumps” or accents in this figure, occasional leaning on the beats can be helpful in

projecting the triplet divisions of this line. A student should play the first note of this

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pattern in m. 1 as quietly as possible and strive to retain a sound quality that is softer and more subdued than the melody.

The right hand’s melody offers an excellent study in shaping and dissonance- resolution relationships. Many expressive dynamic marking have been written in by the composers, but an understanding of why some of these marking exist can provide another layer of support for a student. The first short phrase in mm. 2-4, for example, is appropriately marked in way which tapers the beginning and end of the line (See

Example 4.11). It can be beneficial to discuss with a student how this line might relate to the voice. If one were singing words to this melody, for example, it would not be appropriate to begin or end it with an accent.

Another passage worth discussion is that which occurs between mm. 4-5 (See

Example 4.11). Here, Liebermann is highlighting the appoggiatura quality of the E-flat on the downbeat of m. 5 through both an accent and dynamic markings. A teacher may wish to explain that this note has been marked in this way in order to emphasize the dissonance it creates with the bass, while the D which follows is to be played less in order to highlight its resolution. There are numerous such instances for these and other discussions throughout this piece, and a teacher should take every advantage to develop their student’s ears in this regard.

In combining the rhythms of the right and left hands, it is beneficial for a student to first feel this pulse away from the keyboard. Tapping each hand to the rhythm of its respective part can be a great tool, allowing the student to clearly hear the interlocking of these two parts. As the hands are put together, small sections (1-2 measures) should first be worked out for accuracy. Students often can play these two parts together successfully

41 in a short amount of time, however, it is often at the expense of elements such as shaping, dynamic control, and legato. Students frequently must be reminded that this piece is not simply an exercise in rhythmic coordination, but that the elements of shape and beauty previously worked out must be applied along with the interaction of the hands.

“Lullaby”

Notable challenges in “Lullaby” include tempo control and frequent position changes in both the right and left hands. A large hand is a great benefit for this piece, as it allows for a number of fingering choices that might not be possible with smaller hands.

Student’s with smaller hands, however, can certainly play and benefit from this piece as well.

In coordinating the frequent position changes in each hand, it is beneficial for students to practice blocking each position. Blocking is most beneficial for measures that contain pure harmonies rather than quarter-note passing tones (i.e. mm. 11, 13, 46, 50-

52). Students should play each note contained in the entire measure as a single chord, hold for three counts, and then move quickly to the next position. Students should also work to find fingerings which are conducive to these changes. In mm. 1-2, for example, it is much wiser to play the right hand’s first interval (a sixth) with the fingering 5-2 rather than 5-1, as the 5-2 fingering places the fingers in position for the next interval, which can be taken with 3-1 (Example 4.12).

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Example 4.12: “Lullaby,” mm. 1-6

5 2 3 1

Practicing in rhythms is also a way to reinforce quick position changes. The first rhythmic variation should include pausing on the downbeat of each measure. During this

pause, a student should cover the next position (if possible) and consider exactly where

the next position will be before going on. During these pauses it is also beneficial to zero

in on areas of muscular tension, using the time to relax and release before going on. The

second rhythmic variation would include pausing on the second beat of each measure,

while the third variation would consist of pausing on the third beat. In each of these

variants, students should practice patiently and conscientiously, always covering the next

group of notes when possible, considering elements of tension, and striving for complete

note and rhythmic accuracy.

When practicing in these ways, students should also consider elements of voicing

and phrasing. In this piece, it is particularly important for the left hand to be played

quietly and with no accent on the second beat, while the right hand must be voiced and

balanced above. The top voice must have a clear and precise quality to it, while the lower

note of each interval should blend in as accompaniment. Imagining that the top voice

sounds slightly before the lower voice can help to achieve an appropriate sound here.

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Overall, this piece must be played calmly and steadily. It is important to keep the

“lullaby” quality of this in mind throughout, avoiding any sense of anxiousness or rushing. Although there are many notes, the texture must be clear and the melody distinct. Students should avoid playing with too much pedal. Even in forte passages, the sound must not become too thick.

“Starry Night”

Although the two-against-three rhythm between the hands presents a special difficulty in this piece, the primary concerns are related to balance, phrasing, and fingering. The piece is also an excellent study in right hand legato and shaping.

The numerous accidentals and wide range of the melody create many awkward passages in terms of fingering. There are two basic approaches which may be taken in choosing fingering in this piece, one of which places the thumb and fifth finger quite regularly on black keys while the other avoids such finger placements almost completely.

The approach which favors the outer fingers on black keys requires a larger hand and a bit more control, as the fourth and fifth fingers will often be required to play groups of melodic notes. The latter approach, on the other hand, more often places stronger fingers on melodic notes, however, the thumb is then required to cross and connect under the hand mroe frequently. Each approach has its merits, and each student should experiment to see which is most comfortable and effective (Example 4.13).

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Example 4.13: “Starry Night,” mm. 1-4

1 2 3 4 5 2 1 2 3 4 Etc.

Numerous rising and falling figures, repetitive motives, and implied appoggiaturas require a performer to be continually concerned with shaping in this piece as well. The consistent eighth-note pulse in the right hand, along with its regular alignment with the accompaniment, leaves this piece susceptible to accented and horizontal-sounding playing. A flexible wrist and a light touch at the beginnings and ends of phrases, as marked by the composer, are essential in avoiding this. It is even beneficial to take this approach a bit further and require students to avoid accenting the first note of any measure which contains a group of eighth notes. Coupled with this, the remaining notes in the measure should then be brought out. Such an approach, while somewhat general, serves to propel the music forward and helps avoid heaviness and verticality in the line.

In order to create a suitable balance in this piece, the left hand must be played very lightly and quietly. It is beneficial when becoming comfortable with the position changes, both hands alone and when coordinating it with the melody, to block each harmony and play the vertical sonority created on each beat. Once a fluid and seamless progression is achieved in this manner, the accompaniment may be played as written.

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Student should work to articulate the thumb slightly (playing quickly with the tip), as the

angle the left hand takes when playing at this register in the keyboard creates the

tendency for it to be sluggish and late. While articulating, it is important to not accent this

note as well. The entire left hand and arm should have a sense of weightlessness to it. The

fingertips should be the primary activator of the keys, while the knuckle joint should remain quite still. Following the thumb’s upper note, a gentle wrist motion should allow the other fingers to simply glide over the other notes, playing them as softly and fluidly as possible. There should be no sense of pressing or excess finger work in this

accompaniment.

There is a dreamy sense created by the bitonal and rhythmic interactions in this piece. Students should work to create two distinct sounds between the hands, playing expressively and projected with the melody above while creating a subtle blanket of sound below. Overall, the performer should work to convey a sense of ease and simplicity, both in motion and in sound, and allow the melody and harmonies to simply speak for themselves.

“Hommage à Fauré”

The challenge in this piece is to create a sense of seamlessness as eighth notes alternate between the hands. Phrasing and dynamic variation are also of great importance, due primarily to the similarity in much of the material.

In blending the eighth notes between the hands, it is the right hand that carries the greatest responsibility. Following the dotted-quarter notes which begin nearly each measure in the right hand, the first eighth note must be played very softly in order to match the level to which the previous note has faded (Example 4.14).

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Example 4.14: “Hommage à Fauré,” mm. 1-12

The eighth notes which occur in the left hand must be played quietly as well, in order to not overshadow the melodic importance of the right hand’s dotted quarter note.

The slur markings must be taken very literally in this piece. As marked in mm. 1-

12, a student should create a slight separation before the beginning of each measure. An upward motion in the hand on the final eighth note of each measure, followed by a drop onto the first note of the following measure, is an appropriate gesture for this sound. Care should be taken to not slow in order to accomplish this. When insisting on such attention to the articulations here, it is possible a student may question why the pedal indications below call for a continuation of sound from measure to measure if separation is also suggested by the phrasing. One answer to this question is that the closeness of many of the melodic pitches, such as the half-steps between mm. 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 6-7 (See

Example 4.14), might likely cause blurring between the measures if a true legato were

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played. Releasing the note completely just before the pedal change ensures a clean sound

at the beginning of the next measure.

Many dynamic markings have been provided throughout the piece which students

should follow carefully. A clear difference should be heard between the mezzo-forte in m.

1 and the similar passage which is marked forte in m. 18. Similarly, a clear contrast

should be heard between this forte and the piano which is called for just four measures

later in m. 23.

“Funeral March for a Pet Rat”

Maintaining a slow and steady tempo, playing legato in the melody, and voicing

are the primary concerns in this piece. Although the pedal should ultimately be used when playing, it is beneficial to add it only once the elements of fingering, rhythm, and timing have been securely worked out.

Due to the slow tempo and the need for each note to sound clearly, students are encouraged to not switch fingers on the repeated notes found in m. 1 and the many like measure throughout the piece (Example 4.15).

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Example 4.15: “Funeral March for a Pet Rat,” mm. 1-8 5 4 5 3 1 - 2 -

5 4 5 3 1 (2) 1 -

Fingering choices for the rest of the piece, however, are numerous depending on the size

and flexibility of a student’s hand. In mm. 2 and 3, for example, the upper fingers in the

right hand must sustain a true legato as half notes are held below. For larger hands, it

maybe possible to play the first half note in m. 2 with the thumb and the second half note with the second finger, as the fifth finger shifts to play the F above. Other options might include a finger substitution from the thumb to the second finger on the first half note as the thumb and fifth finger play together on beat three (See Example 4.15). Certainly, a quick maneuver with the thumb and good pedaling technique might allow for the thumb to play twice in a row as well. Whatever the choice, a connection must be retained in the upper voice, and if the thumb must release on the half notes below, the release must not

be noticeable.

Rhythmically, the piece must be broad, yet decisive. Numerous two-note and

four-note slurs can be found throughout, emphasizing the march-like character of the

piece and also assisting with tempo control. Their continual appearance on beats one and

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three in this slow tempo suggests a heavy and sustained quality, while their disconnect to any downbeat emphasizes the unhurried placement of big beats called for in this music.

Students should work for a round and warm sound in the forte and rinforzando passages. The upper-arms and shoulders should feel heavy in these places, with additional support coming from the upper-body and back. In the softer passages, the intensity must also be sustained. Although the title of the piece is somewhat “tongue-in- cheek,” the performers must play with the utmost seriousness and concentration throughout.

“Hommage à Alkan”

The primary challenges in this piece include quick register changes, tempo control, and passages of scales played simultaneously in each hand at the interval of a second. These challenges are heightened due to the quick tempo and the consistently moving melody.

The rhythmic interaction between the hands in the opening theme (m. 1) is strikingly similar to that in “Hommage à Fauré.” The same directions regarding shaping, pedaling, and observation of slurs which was discussed in this piece should be applied here as well.

The first notable difficulty to arise is the simultaneous scale passage in m. 8

(Example 4.16).

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Example 4.16: “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 1-11

Although each hand is marked with a slur, it is beneficial for the right hand to detach each note slightly, allowing the key enough time to recover before it is taken by the left hand. The crescendo marking should also be observed in this measure, followed by a subito pianissimo in m. 9. When this pattern returns in an extended form in mm. 44-50, it should be approached in the same way. As the scales extend to a distance greater than second here, however, the right hand may again play with a legato touch.

Measures 17-22 provide the challenge of quick register changes in the right hand

(Example 4.17).

Example 4.17: “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 17-22

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In practicing these figures, students should imagine a single gesture in the hand and arm

in moving to or away from the high notes. In m.17, for example, the gesture from the

high C-sharp to the lower group should begin with an up motion from the surface of the

key. This motion should propel the hand in a single motion to the new position below,

brushing the D with the third finger on the way before the resulting downward motion

plays the quarter note on beat three. In order to avoid an awkward in-and-out movement

with the hand here, the third finger should play the D in this measure from in between the

black notes (high up on the white key). Similarly, the motion in m. 18 should begin with

a downward motion on the first beat and end with an upward motion on the high D. The

hand should stay close to the keys through these shifts, feeling an overall circular motion between positions. It is also beneficial to vary this approach by playing the high notes an octave higher than written (although perhaps slightly under tempo). If success can be achieved with this greater distance, returning to the written pattern will often sound and feel much more comfortable.

Overall, this piece should have the feeling of a folk song or folk dance. The tempo must be steady and lilting, and never feel hurried. It is important for students to feel the pulse in one, rather than three, and to use a very light touch throughout. Just as a dance must have a clear and predictable beat, so too the pulse must never waver here, even through the register changes.

“Melancholy”

In this piece, students often struggle to play the ornament-like figures in the right hand quickly and quietly, as well as in combination with the melody above. The few

52 passages where the melody contains sixteenth notes are particularly challenging, in addition to maintaining a slow and sustained tempo throughout.

In addressing the rhythmic aspects of this piece, it is beneficial to first practice the right hand alone, playing the thirty-second note pattern which occurs throughout as a blocked harmony. This allows for a student to focus on pulse and rhythmic accuracy without the added challenge of articulating these ornament-like accompanimental figures

(Example 4.18).

Example 4.18: “Melancholy,” mm. 1-2

Practice blocked

4

Careful attention should also be paid to fingering, legato, and phrasing at this stage of practice. The ornamental figure in the right hand can be taken with fingers one and two in every instance. The melody above should utilize fingers which are consistent with the phrasing and allow for a suitable balance. The first melodic pitch in m. 2 (A-sharp), for example, should be played with the fourth finger, as the sheer length of this finger will help to bring it out over the accompaniment , and the availability of the fifth finger for the following C-sharp will allow for a good legato (See Example 4.18).

When first playing the thirty-second notes as written, they should be played in conjunction with the left hand and with out the melody above. Essentially, this is the equivalent of simply repeating m. 1 a number of times until a certain level of comfort and

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accuracy are achieved. Care should be taken to play exactly in time and with the first note

of each figure in the right hand landing exactly with the left hand. The addition of fast notes to this slow tempo often causes students to rush, primarily through shortening the quarter note. Using a metronome, with the tempo set slightly below the suggested final tempo, can help a student to hear this pulse more clearly.

An additional exercise in playing these thirty-second notes clearly involves playing the third note each figure (D-sharp) staccato and forte while lifting the hand out of the key at the same time (See Example 4.18). The reason for this is that students often struggle to articulate this final note, primarily because the thumb is trying to play softly and in so doing does not completely recover from the first D-sharp. Playing this final note staccato causes the thumb to clearly articulate this pitch. As clarity is achieved in this manner, students should then return to holding this final note, although they should maintain the quickness of the staccato attack in the thumb. As they original dynamic is later taken up, students should guard against trying to play this figure faster than necessary.

Measure 4 presents a special difficulty in terms of coordinating the right hand’s melody with the thirty-second notes below. There are a number of fingering choices which can assist with this difficulty, each of which applies only to the melody, as the thirty-second notes will continue to be played with one and two. These choices can be

found in Example 4.19.

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Example 4.19: “Melancholy,” m. 4

5 5 4 4 4 5 4 4 3 3 4 5 4 5 4

Although the top two fingering choices (which contain four going to four and five going

to five) are not the most practical possibilities in terms maintaining a legato touch, they are perhaps necessary in this passage due to the thirty-second notes below. The third choice, which keeps the fifth finger on B and crosses the fourth finger over, can be very effective in maintaining both legato and control. Such a possibility, however, is only possible for students with larger hands.

In coordinating the thirty-second notes with this melody, it is important to listen for a clear and continuous progression in the melody. The sixteenth-note movement from

A-sharp to B in this measure (m. 4) often becomes slightly skewed due to this interaction.

In first coordinating these two elements, students may wish to play the thirty-second

notes below as a triplet, evenly distributing them between the melodic sixteenth notes

above. As comfort is then gained in this regard, the quickness of the thirty-second notes

can then be resumed.

The greatest challenge for many students in this piece is maintaining the slow and

heavy character suggested by the title. Some may wish to imagine a heavy and solemn

walking motion of one perhaps lost or with not place to go. Each step seems to weigh on

this person’s heart. The harmonic stasis throughout this piece supports the sense of no

direction, suggesting instead a feeling of languishing in a single somber emotion.

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Students might wish to draw from something in their own life which can be felt and expressed through this piece.

“Barcarolle”

Notable challenges in this piece include coordinating the often opposing movements of the right hand’s melody with the left hand’s accompaniment, as well as managing the frequent shifts between the five-note cluster chords in the right hand. Small section practice offers the greatest benefit for these coordination challenges.

Measures 1-9 provide a clear example of the type of directional interactions which occur throughout this piece (Example 4.20).

Example 4.20: “Barcarolle,” mm. 1-9

Directional changes

Repetitions

The left hand alone shifts its melodic direction every three eighth notes while the right

hand’s melody above does not always coincide. A helpful first step includes playing

(hands together) only the notes which occur on the first and third eighth notes of each group of three, while leaving out any material that occurs in between. This serves to

56

isolate each instance when the right hand corresponds to the higher notes of the left

hand’s figure, and when it corresponds to the lower notes. In becoming aware of where

the right hand interacts with the left hand greatly eases a student into playing the entire pattern as written.

When practicing this section, both in the reduced form suggested above and also

as written, it is beneficial to isolate single measures, practicing only from the downbeat of

one to the downbeat of the next. Since the melody is very continuous and changes position frequently, a mastery of these shifts in isolated groups provides an excellent setup for playing larger groups at a later point.

The tone clusters which first occur in mm. 10-12, can also be practiced in the

manner discussed above, although additional steps can be taken to increase a student’s

comfort and success here (Example 4.21).

Example 4.21: “Barcarolle,” mm. 10-12

Firstly, a student should practice covering each new position before actually playing it.

Towards this end, the right hand should be practiced alone, without pedal, and with

staccato articulations; moving immediately to the new position after playing each cluster.

A staccato articulation trains the finger-tips to be active in playing these groups and also serves to propel the fingers to the new position. The hand should have the sense of bouncing from one group to the next. As the position changes become more comfortable,

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students may return to the longer note lengths, however, continuing to stay active in the

finger-tips. Students may also wish to practice these position changes by leaving out the inner three notes of each cluster, allowing only the outer voices to sound. This allows the fingers to position themselves for each group with out the added difficulty of playing all

five notes at the same time.

The overall character of this piece should be calm and steady, as it must invoke

the gentle rocking of the ocean. Students should think linearly, working to create

seamless long lines in the melody. The tone cluster discussed above should not sound

forced, but should have a dreamy and almost impressionistic-like quality to them.

Although there is much physically in this piece for a student to contend with, the

resulting sound should seem comfortable and effortless.

“The Little Baby Rhino”

In preparing this piece, students and teachers should listen for consistent staccato

articulations throughout. The fast tempo and hand positions in which these staccatos fall

makes this a formidable challenge. Additional challenges include hand crossings while

playing sixteenth-notes and repeated staccato grace-notes in the right hand.

Intelligent fingerings play a crucial role in a successful performance of this piece.

With regard to the repeated staccato grace notes, which first occur in mm. 2 and 4, every

attempt should be made to play the first of these two-note figures with the thumb. This

fingering will allow for a clear accentuation of the principal note as well as a quicker

repetition of the pattern (Example 4.22).

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Example 4.22: “The Little Baby Rhino,” mm. 1-10

1 2 1 3

4 2 4 2 1 3 3

Although abiding by this rule will cause the thumb to play a black note in m. 4, a position

which students should often try to avoid, the resulting sound and speed makes this a very worthwhile option. Exceptions to this practice can be found in mm. 29-32, as the grace

notes here are not repetitive. In this case, the figure may be played with the upper fingers

of the right hand.

The hand crossings which are found first in mm. 7-8 can be practiced as blocked

positions and also in rhythms. For each of these techniques, it is important for a student to

cover the new position before playing the notes of that position. At the end of this

passage, moving from m. 8 into m. 9, fingering again plays a crucial rule. In order to

stretch the G octave in the left hand at the beginning of m. 9, the thumb must play on the

downbeat of the measure. In order for the thumb to reach this note, it must preceded by

the fingering 4-2-4-2 or 3-2-3-2 for the final sixteenth notes in the previous measure (See

Example 4.22). Although this combination seems to make sense working backwards, this

fingering at the end of m. 8 is in fact different from the fingering pattern likely

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established in m. 7 and the first half of m. 8. Therefore, students must make a conscious

effort to apply it.

The pugno (fist) marking which occurs in m. 19 should be taken as optional

(Example 4.23).

Example 4.23: “The Little Baby Rhino,” mm. 17-20

At the speed this piece should be played, it is quite challenging to move from a fist position in the left hand back to a normal hand position in a higher register over the course of a single eighth-note. Were a student to play using their fist here, a slight pause should be added before continuing with the downbeat of m. 20.

The overall touch in this piece should be light and bouncy. Once the notes are under a student’s fingers, it is wise to think in large gestures rather than individual beats or notes. The energy and unpredictability of this little baby rhino is evident throughout. It should not try to be harnesses or controlled by a conservative approach to playing. In this piece the performer should simply “go for it!”

“Toccata”

Speed and clarity are the primary issues to address in this piece. Although a certain amount of finger technique should be expected in a student before beginning it,

intelligent fingering choices and good practice habits are essential in bringing this piece

to a performance level.

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Practicing in rhythms is an excellent tool for building speed, comfort, and clarity

in this piece. The steady stream of sixteenth notes which it contains easily allows for the six standard grouping for practicing in this manner (Example 4.24).

Example 4.24: “Toccata,” mm. 1-4

When practicing these groupings, students should listen for clarity and evenness on each

sixteenth note, taking as much time as necessary on the long values to release any tension in the hand or shoulders. The fingertips should be very active in this exercise, while the sound should be full and decisive. Although the composer has indicated a non-legato attack for this piece, a legato touch can be used for the purpose of this exercise.

For the purpose of isolating and enhancing the involvement of the fingertips in playing this piece, students may wish to practice with a short and light staccato touch at a very slow tempo. For this activity, the arms and wrists should feel gently suspended over the keys while the fingers tips hang below. For each attack, the wrist and arms should remain motionless (yet free) as the fingers draw quickly backwards, swiping each key as if playing a short staccato. Ample time should be given for each attack (approximately one-quarter tempo), allowing the fingers to reposition and recover to a relaxed state before taking the next note. Once a student has gone through a passage in this manner at least once, the tempo may then be increased as the wrist is lowered to a more natural

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playing position. The sweeping staccato motion taken previously in the finger may be

reduced as well, although a quick attacked should still be sought from the fingertips.

As faster tempos are reached in this piece, students should take care to articulate the thumbs as they fall on the third sixteenth note of each four-note group. It is often a slow attack or holding of the thumbs in this piece which causes the tempo and clarity to suffer, and students should begin listening for it from an early stage. Attention to the thumb is particularly important in alternating passages such as that found in m. 4 (See

Example 4.24). Here, an eighth-note melody is implied in the top voice, so the thumb

must be played lightly and quietly in order to maximize the effect of this line. As a

performance tempo is reached, students should avoid accenting the first note of each

four-note group. Rather, the inner three notes in each of these groups should be emphasized and clearly articulated, offering a more linear and forward moving effect.

The thirty-second notes which occur in mm. 14-15 offer a special challenge to students, primarily because they are in the left hand, but also due to the number of accidentals and their close position to one another (Example 4.25).

Example 4.25: “Toccata,” mm. 13-15

In appearance, these thirty-second note figures resemble five-finger scales, however, a traditional five-finger scale fingering is probably not the most successful choice with regard to speed and clarity. A fingering which primarily utilizes the strongest fingers

(one, two, and three) is likely the most successful solution to this passage (even though

62 the fingers must cross over the thumb). Students should try to avoid accents here as well, working instead to bring out the inner-three notes of each group. Also, for the purpose of clarity and rhythmic placement, students should work to play the final note of each thirty- second note passage staccato (See Example 4.25). Although the speed at which these notes are moving does not make this very audible, such an attack can guard against rushing at the end of each group and also avoid unnecessary overlap with the notes that follow. This practice might also be applied to the constant sixteenth-note groupings which make up this piece.

Although this piece has a clear “etude” quality to it, it should not be approached as a mere finger exercise. Numerous marking have been provided by the composer to guide a student through these long strains of notes, and they should be followed with the utmost care. When interpreting the composer’s tempo indication, Allegro possible, however, it is wise to consider that rhythmic and clear playing is much more effective than playing which is fast and out of control. This piece can be exciting at many different speeds, and students are advised take play at one which can be managed and sustained throughout.

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CHAPTER 5

NOTABLE COMPOSITIONAL FEATURES

An understanding of the compositional features at work in Lowell Liebermann’s

Album for the Young, Op. 43 can offer numerous benefits to both teachers and students.

The collection serves not only as a reinforcement of standard theoretical studies likely done previously, but also as an introduction to a variety of contemporary techniques with which a student might not be familiar.

Many of the compositional techniques (both recent and traditional) at work in this collection reoccur with a certain amount of regularity, and through their continued presence they can easily be considered trademarks of Liebermann’s sound and style.

These features include rounded binary structures (ABA), ostinatos, sequences, asymmetrical phrases, modal ambiguity, major/minor duality, atypical chord progressions, implied functional harmony, chromaticism, tertian chordal structures

(blocked or broken triads), and tertian harmonic relationships (harmonies related by a third).

A number of other techniques, many of which are not uncommon to

Liebermann’s music in general, are employed in the work as well, but with less regularity than the trademark features mentioned above. These include bitonality, tone clusters, a drone bass, through-composed formal structures, a blues scale, appoggiaturas, stacked diatonic seconds, asymmetrical rhythms, truncated rhythmic groupings, hemiola, melodic inversion, and layered textures.

Figure 5.1 below outlines the appearance of these features throughout the collection (Figure 5.1).

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Figure 5.1

Piece Title Form Trademark features Other features 1. Tertian harmony 2. Sequence 1 Dance Rounded Binary Drone bass 3. Implied functional harmony 1. Modal ambiguity 2 Song Rounded Binary 2. Tertian harmony None 3. Tertian relationships 1. Chromaticism 2. Sequence 3 Endless Melody Through-composed 3. Asymmetrical phrases None 4. Implied functional harmony 1. Ostinato 4 Boogieman Rounded Binary 2. Chromaticism Blues Scale 3. Major/minor duality 1. Tertian harmony 2. Tertian relationships 5 Ghost Waltz Through-composed 3. Sequence None 4. Chromaticism 5. Major/minor duality 1. Ostinato 2. Sequence 3. Modal ambiguity Asymmetrical 6 Ostinato Rounded Binary (major/minor duality) rhythms 4. Tertian harmony 5. Implied functional harmony 1. Modal ambiguity 2. Implied functional harmony Truncated rhythmic 7 Marching Off to War Rounded Binary 3. Sequence groupings 4. Ostinato 5. Major/minor duality 1. Asymmetrical phrases 2. Ostinato 8 Rainy Day Rounded Binary 3. Implied functional Melodic inversion harmony 4. Sequence 1. Implied functional 9 Broken Heart Through-composed harmony Appoggiaturas 2. Chromaticism

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(Piece) (Title) (Form) (Trademark features) (Other features) 1. Sequence 2. Tertian harmony 10 Lullaby Rounded Binary None 3. Asymmetrical phrases 4. Chromaticism 1. Modal ambiguity 2. Tertian harmony 11 Starry Night ABAB’ Bitonality 3. Tertian relationships 4. Sequence 1. Tertian harmony 2. Tertian relationship 12 Hommage à Fauré Rounded Binary Hemiola 3. Sequence 4. Chromaticism 1. Tertian harmony Funeral March for a 13 Through-composed 2. Chromaticism None Pet Rat 3. Sequence 1. Ostinato 1. Bitonality 14 Hommage à Alkan Rondo 2. Implied functional 2. Harmonization harmony with major seconds 1. Major/minor duality 1. Bitonality 15 Melancholy Rounded Binary 2. Ostinato 2. Layered texture 1. Phrygian mode throughout 16 Barcarolle AABBABCA None 2. Tone clusters (stacked seconds) 3. Long pedal tones 1. Tertian harmony 17 The Little Baby Rhino Through-composed 2. Asymmetrical phrases None 3. Chromaticism 1. Tertian harmony 2. Chromaticism Tritone harmonic 18 Toccata Rounded Binary 3. Asymmetrical phrases relationships 4. Major/minor duality 5. Sequence

“Dance

“Dance” is a rounded binary structure in C Major. Notable compositional

techniques include tertian harmonic constructions, implied functional harmonies, the use

of a sequence, and a drone bass. The formal properties of the piece are outlined in Figure

5.2.

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Figure 5.2: Formal outline for “Dance”

Section: A B A

Measures: 1-4 5-7 8-11

Key Area: C Major C Major C Major (sequential)

The tertian harmonic elements are confined essentially to the right hand’s melody, which outlines partial or complete triads throughout the entire piece. The order in which these triads are presented consistently implies function harmonic relationships as well

(Example 5.1). In m. 1, for example, the opening sixteenth notes outline the Tonic (I), the following three eighth notes outline the Sub-Dominant (IV), and the final two pitches in the measure provide a partial Dominant (V). This then returns to the Tonic at the beginning of m. 2. The drone bass aspect can be found in left hand, which presents a broken fifth built on C throughout the entire piece. (Example 5.1).

Example 5.1: “Dance,” mm. 1-2

I IV V

Drone bass

The sequential aspect of this piece is contained in mm. 5-6, and is characterized by a series of descending broken triads (Example 5.2).

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Example 5.2: “Dance,” mm. 4-6

“Song”

“Song” is a rounded binary structure containing elements of modal ambiguity, tertian harmonic constructions, and tertian harmonic relationships. The formal characteristics are outlined in Figure 5.3:

Figure 5.3: Formal outline for “Song”

Section: A B A

Measures: 1-8 9-16 17-24

Key Area: Undefined B-G-Ab-C Undefined, C Major

Modal ambiguity is primarily evident in the solo lines which characterize the

outer A sections. A numbers of chromatically altered melodic pitches here serve to

constantly shift the modal implications, while unusual harmonizations by a

countermelody below also obscures the sense of tonal center (Example 5.3).

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Example 5.3: “Song,” mm. 1-4

Chromatically altered

Tertian harmonic constructions and tertian relationships are prominent in the B section (mm. 9-16), as seen in Example 5.4 below.

Example 5.4: “Song,” mm. 5-14

Tertian relationships: B to G & Ab to C B Major

G Major B Major A-flat Major C Major

“Endless Melody”

“Endless Melody” is characterized by sequential and repetitive melodic elements, asymmetrical phrase lengths, implied functional harmonies, and a primarily chromatic left hand melody. The form is through-composed, demonstrated in Figure 5.4 below.

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Figure 5.4: Formal outline for “Endless Melody”

Phrase: 1 2 3 4

Measures: 1-4 5-8 8-14 14-17

Key Area: G Major G Major Sequential G Major

The sequential elements, asymmetrical phrase lengths, and implied functional harmonies are all evident in mm. 10-14 (Example 5.5). The sequence includes a series of implied vii°7 harmonies resolving inward to their relative tonics.

Example 5.5: “Endless Melody,” mm. 9-17

(B: viio7 I) (a: viio7

i) (g: viio7 i) Chromatic left hand

Chromatic elements are confined primarily to the left hand, and are a constant feature throughout the piece. Their appearance can be seen quite clearly in mm. 13-17 above (See Example 5.5).

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“Boogieman”

The notable compositional features in “Boogieman” include an ostinato, chromaticism, major/minor duality, and an implied blues scale. The form is rounded binary, as seen in Figure 5.5.

Figure 5.5: Formal outline for “Boogieman”

Section: A B A’

Measures: 1-9 9-13 14-22

Key Area: C Minor C Minor C Minor

The “boogie” aspect of this piece is expressed through an implied blues scale in

both the melody and the ostinato (Example 5.6 a & b). Although its pitch content does

not match the scale exactly, the scale’s lowered third degree and chromatic

embellishments have a direct influence on the construction of the melody and the

ostinato.

Example 5.6a: Blues scale in C

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Example 5.6b: “Boogieman,” mm. 1-5

“Blues” pitches =

Chromatic embellishments =

Ostinato

Through this chromaticism, the melody also presents an instance of Liebermann’s

trademark major/minor duality in mm. 2-3 (See Example 5.6b)

“Ghost Waltz”

Notable compositional features in “Ghost Waltz” include tertian harmonic

constructions, tertian harmonic relationships, chromaticism, major/minor duality, and a

sequence. The piece is through-composed, consisting of four distinct eight-measure

phrases and no repetitions of melodic material (Figure 5.6).

Figure 5.6: Formal outline for “Ghost Waltz”

Phrase: 1 2 3 4

Measures: 1-8 9-16 17-24 25-37

Key Area: D Major F Major Sequential D Major

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The vertical harmonies contained in this piece are primarily tertian, defined by a single melodic pitch in the left hand and broken sixths (primarily) in the right hand above

(Example 5.7, labeled A). The relationship between key areas is primarily tertian as well

(See Figure 5.6), while a sequence in mm. 17-24 presents tertian qualities through

motivic repetition at the distance of a major third (Example 5.7, labeled B).

Example 5.7: “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 13-24

A: Tertian harmonies

(D-flat) (B-flat) (C Minor)

B: Sequence

Chromatic motion occurs primarily in the left hand’s melody, however, numerous

chromatic alterations are also present in the right hand’s accompanimental figure,

presenting a major/minor duality between harmonies (Example 5.8).

Example 5.8: “Ghost Waltz,” mm. 1-4

D Major D Minor 73

“Ostinato”

Notable in this piece, besides the ostinato from which its name is derived (O1), is modal ambiguity between G Major and G Minor, a 5/4 meter with different beat groupings between the hands (asymmetrical rhythms), tertian harmonic constructions, implied functional harmony, and the use of a sequence. The form is rounded binary, as outlined in Figure 5.7.

Figure 5.7: Formal outline for “Ostinato”

Section: A1 A2 A3 B A1’

Measures: 1-9 9-13 14-18 18-24 25-34

O1: Yes No Yes No yes

Key Area: G G G Sequential G

The ostinato in this piece (O1) is four measures in length and seems to establish G Minor

as the primary key (Example 5.9, labeled A). The melody in mm. 6-9, however, contains

both B naturals and E-flats, suggesting the combination of G Major and G Minor pitch

collections (major/minor duality) (Example 5.9, labeled B).

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Example 5.9: “Ostinato,” mm. 1-17

A: Ostinato (O1) B: G Major/Minor duality

C: Combined asymmetrical rhythms 3 [ 2 + 3 ]

[ 3 + 2 ] [ 3 + 2 ]

The asymmetrical rhythmic groupings are heightened in this piece due to their

opposing order between the hands. The 5/4 meter of each measure is divided consistently

into a 3+2 grouping in the left hand and a 2+3 grouping in the right hand (See Example

5.9, mm. 14-15, labeled C).

A sequence occurs in mm. 18-24, presenting implied Dominant-to-Tonic

harmonic relationships throughout (Example 5.10).

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Example 5.10: “Ostinato,” mm. 18-28

c: V6 I b-flat: V6 I a-flat: V6 i

g: V6 i

“Marching Off to War”

“Marching Off to War” contains modal ambiguity, implied functional harmonies,

truncated rhythmic groupings, an ostinato, major/minor duality, and two sequences. Its

form is rounded binary, which can be seen in Figure 5.8.

Figure 5.8: Formal outline for “Marching Off to War”

Section A1 A2 A3 B A1’

Measures: 1-5 6-9 9-13 14-17 18-25

Mode: F Phrygian Sequential Bb Minor Sequential F Phrygian

Functional Bb Minor: V Sequential i Sequential V Implications

An ostinato in mm. 1-8 on the pitches F and A seems to suggest F Major as the

tonic of the piece (Example 5.11b, labeled A and B), but when joined with the right

hand’s melody, the collection points more closely to the F-Phrygian mode (Example

5.11a and 5.11b, labeled C).

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Example 5.11a: F Phrygian scale

Example 5.11b: “Marching Off to War,” mm. 1-4

C: F Phrygian collection

D: Major/minor duality

A: Implied Tonic (F Phrygian) B: Ostinato: Partial F Major harmony

An element of major/minor duality also occurs between the right and left hand’s music,

as the A-natural of the ostinato conflicts with the A-flat of the F Phrygian collection (See

Example 5.11, labeled D).

The first sequence occurs in mm. 6-8 (Example 5.12, labeled A), while the

addition of B-flat and D-flat to the ostinato pattern in m. 9 offers an implied Dominant-

Tonic relationship in the key of B-flat Minor (Example 5.12, labeled B). As the F

Phrygian pitch collection is the same as that of B-flat Minor, this shift in tonic also

represents as complete shift in mode (Example 5.12, labeled C).

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Example 5.12: “Marching Off to War,” mm. 5-12 A: Sequence

B: Implied functional harmony C: B-flat Minor collection (B-flat Minor)

The second sequence is found in mm. 14-17 and contains a truncated rhythmic grouping of seven eighth-notes (Example 5.13).

Example 5.13: “Marching Off to War,” mm. 13-20

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“Rainy Day”

“Rainy Day” contains asymmetrical phrases, implied functional harmonies,

sequential repetition, melodic inversion, and an ostinato-like accompaniment pattern

played above the right hand’s melody. Formally, the piece presents a rounded binary

structure containing increased harmonic motion in the B section (Figure 5.9).

Figure 5.9: Formal outline for “Rainy Day”

Section: A B A

Measures: 1-18 19-32 33-39

Key Area: E Minor D-flat (c, c#, d) E Minor

The melody in mm. 1-6 (in conjunction with the ostinato) presents implied functional harmonies in the key of E Minor (Example 5.14). Such implications are

indicative of the entire piece.

Example 5.14: “Rainy Day, mm. 1-6

Functional implications: i VI7 i V7 i

Implied Tonic: E Minor

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This B section contains two asymmetrical phrases (seven measures each) and an

inversion of the opening theme, which is presented in sequential repetition.

Example 5.15: “Rainy Day,” mm. 14-32 Begin phrase 1

Inversion of theme (See Example 5.14)

Begin phrase 2 Inversion of theme (See Example 5.14)

“Broken Heart”

Notable features in “Broken Heart” include chromaticism, modal ambiguity, and the frequent use appoggiaturas. The form is through-composed, containing some harmonic repetition, but no melodic repetition between phrases (Figure 5.10).

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Figure 5.10: Formal outline for “Broken Heart”

Section: 1 2 3

Measures: 1-19 20-33 34-38

Key Area: Bb Major, G Minor/Bb Major Bb Major (c, d, c, D) (c, d, F)

Modal ambiguity exists between the keys of B-flat Major and G Minor. The accompanimental pattern which begins each section clearly indicates B-flat major as the tonic, however, the melody’s entrance with a G in m. 2 and the D Major harmony

(Dominant of G Minor) which precedes the second section in m.18-19 allude to G Minor as the tonic (Example 5.16a & b).

Example 5.16a: “Broken Heart,” mm. 1-3

Allusion to G Minor

Example 5.16b: “Broken Heart,” mm. 14-21

Dominant: D Major Partial G Minor resolution Allusion to G Minor

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Chromaticism is apparent in both the melody and accompaniment. In the

accompaniment chromatic movement serves to tonicize a number of stepwise-related

keys, while in the melody it is a primary feature of the appoggiaturas (Example 5.17).

Example 5.17: “Broken Heart,” mm. 1-13 Chromatic appoggiaturas

6 B-flat Major: I (C Minor: V i)

(D Minor: V6 i) (C Minor: V6 i)

“Lullaby”

Notable characteristic in “Lullaby” include asymmetrical phrases, tertian

harmonic constructions, chromatic movement in the upper voice, and sequential

repetition. The piece is in rounded binary form and contains a proportionally large B

section (Figure 5.11).

Figure 5.11: Formal outline for “Lullaby”

Section: A B A Codetta

Measures: 1-14 14-35 36-49 49-55

Key Area: G A-flat (C, F#, sequential) G G

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Tertian harmonic constructions define nearly every measure, while chromatic movement in the upper voice serves as a link through some unusual harmonic areas

(Example 5.18). Measures 1-6 below are indicative of much of the piece.

Example 5.18: “Lullaby,” mm. 1-18 Chromatic melodic movement

Tertian harmonic constructions

Sequential repetition is confined to the B section (mm. 14-35) and can be noted in

Example 5.19. Tertian harmonic constructions and chromatic elements are very apparent here as well.

Example 5.19: “Lullaby,” mm. 19-36

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“Starry Night”

“Starry Night” contains elements of tonality, bi-tonality, sequential repetition,

tertian harmony, and tertian harmonic relationships. The form can be represented as

ABAB’, and seems to function in sonatina form (i.e. sonata form without a development)

(Figure 5.12).

Figure 5.12: Formal outline for “Starry Night”

Section: A B A (exact) B’

Measures: 1-8 9-20 21-28 29-39

Key Area: Bitonal: Sequential Eb Minor/G Sequential/Eb Major Eb Minor/G Major

Bitonal elements are present from the very beginning of the piece, as the opening

measures simultaneously present the keys of G Major and E-flat Minor (Example 5.20).

Tertian harmonic constructions appear continuously in the left hand (at the rate of one

change per measure) while the distance between harmonies often relates by a third as

well (Example 5.20). The distance between these dual tonics, G and E-flat, is also in fact

a tertian relationship.

Example 5.20: “Starry Night,” mm. 1-4

E-flat Minor

Bitonality G Major E-flat Major

G Major

Tertian constructions and relationship

84

Sequential elements can be noted in each B section, the first of which is presented in Example 5.21 below. Despite some chromaticism and incidental dissonances, this passage also reflects areas where the relationship between the hands is tonal.

Example 5.21: “Starry Night,” mm. 9-17

Sequential

B Major D Minor

D-flat Major Tonal areas

“Hommage à Fauré”

Notable stylistic elements in Fauré’s output include rapid modulations to distant keys, modal and chromatic harmonic constructions, and continuously unfolding and developing melodies. Rhythmic attributes are often subtle and repetitive while his piano works often contain arpeggiated figures distributed between the hands.42 These features can be noted in works such as his Preludes, Op. 103; Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major, Op.

13; and his Ballade, Op. 19. Liebermann, in his “Hommage à Fauré,” offers a clear

42 Jean-Michel Nectoux, “Fauré, Gabriel: Style” Grove Music Online (Accessed 15 May 2008), 85 tribute to the French master, drawing on many of the stylistic features and characteristics mentioned above, particularly his use of repetitive rhythms, chromaticism, and arpeggiations between the hands.

Also notable in the piece are some of Liebermann’s trademark compositional features as well, including tertian harmonic constructions, tertian harmonic relationship, sequential repetition, and a somewhat uncharacteristic use of hemiola. The formal design is rounded binary, containing a clear departure and return to the key of E-flat Major

(Figure 5.13).

Figure 5.13: Formal outline for “Hommage à Fauré”

Section: A B A’

Measures: 1-8 9-18 19-30

Key Area: Eb Major Sequential Eb-G-Eb

Repetitive rhythmic elements can be noted immediately, and are presented in conjunction with pitches that outline a single tertian harmony every measure (Example

5.22). Arpeggiations between the hands are a constant feature here, while chromatic movement in the bass accompanies each change in harmony.

Example 5.22: “Hommage à Fauré,” mm. 1-5

E-flat Major E-flat Major C Major/A Minor F Minor E Major

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Sequential elements are present in the B section and contain the rhythmic variant

of hemiola (Example 5.23).

Example 5.23: “Hommage à Fauré,” mm. 6-20

Sequence 1

Hemiola

Sequence 2

“Funeral March for a Pet Rat”

“Funeral March for a Pet Rat” contains tertian harmonic constructions, chromaticism in the outer voices, and a sequence. The form is through-composed, as outlined in Figure 5.14.

Figure 5.14: Formal outline for “Funeral March for a Pet Rat”

Section: 1 2 3 4

Measures: 1-6 7-10 11-15 16-21

Implied Key B Minor, Unstable E-flat Minor G Major Area: B-flat Minor Description: Three-measure phrases Chromatic descent Fragmentation and Section 1fragments. in each key. in the melody over repetition of More harmonically a pedal point. section 1 material stable.

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The tonal implications are in a constant state of flux (See Figure 5.14), however,

the vertical harmonies created are primarily tertian (Example 5.24). Intense chromaticism

defines both the melody and the accompaniment.

Example 5.24: “Funeral March for a Pet Rat,” mm. 1-8

Melodic chromaticism Tertian harmonies

Bass chromaticism

A short sequence derived from the second measure of the opening theme (See

Example 5.24) can be seen in mm. 12-14 (Example 5.25).

Example 5.25: “Funeral March for a Pet Rat,” mm. 9-16

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“Hommage à Alkan”

“Hommage à Alkan” is characterized by a bass ostinato, implied functional harmony, sections of bitonality, and harmonization with major seconds. Formally, the piece is laid out as a simple rondo (ABACA), although the thematic material in each section is closely related (Figure 5.15).

Figure 5.15: Formal outline for “Hommage à Alkan”

Section: A B A C A

Measures: 1-8 9-16 17-24 25-32 33-49

Key Area: A Major A Major A Major C Minor (bitonal) A Major

The ostinato functions as a pedal point on A, while the melody contains functional harmonic implications above (Example 5.26).

Example 5.26: “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 1-11

A: I V7 I V7

Ostinato

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Bitonal implications occur, however, when the melody appears in C Minor over the continued ostinato on A (Example 5.27).

Example 5.27: “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 23-33

Bitonal: Melody in C Minor

Harmonization with 2nds

Also notable in this passage is Liebermann’s use of the interval of a second in

harmonizing melodic notes (See Example 5.27, mm. 23-24). This use of seconds is also

apparent in scaler passages between the hands, seen most notably in mm. 42-49 (Example

5.28).

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Example 5.28: “Hommage à Alkan,” mm. 40-49

“Melancholy”

Notable features in “Melancholy” include the use of an ostinato, major/minor duality, bitonality, and a three-part layered texture. The piece is in rounded binary form, and contains an usually short B section in comparison to the A section which precedes it

(Figure 5.16).

Figure 5.16: Formal outline for “Melancholy”

Section: A B A

Measures: 1-10 11-13 14-18

Key Area: D-sharp Minor Unstable D-sharp Minor

In this three-layered texture, the bottom two layers each function as an ostinato.

The pitch content of the low ostinato indicates a clear Dominant to Tonic relationship in

B Minor (Example 5.29, labeled A), however, the D-sharp in the middle layer’s figure 91

suggests the simultaneous presence of B Major, indicating a clear instance of

major/minor duality (Example 5.29, labeled B).

Example 5.29: “Melancholy,” mm. 1-4 C: D-sharp Minor

B: Combined Harmony: B Major/Minor

A: Tonic-Dominant relationship in B Minor

Although the middle ostinato’s interaction with the bass ostinato seems to imply

the key of B Major/Minor, its interaction with the melody above implies the key of D-

sharp Minor (See Example 5.29, labeled C). Therefore, since implications of two tonal

centers are present at the same time, this piece can easily be seen as bitonal, where the D-

sharp and F-sharp of the middle ostinato serve as a link between the two keys.

“Barcarolle”

“Barcarolle” is characterized by a consistent use of the Lydian mode in the

melody, long pedal points built from rolled fifths in the bass, and the frequent use of

stacked diatonic seconds (tone-clusters) in harmonizing melodic notes. The piece’s

formal structure is AABBABCA, resembling a rondo, but containing closer ties to a

number of popular song forms. Each section is coupled with a change of key, which can

be noted in Figure 5.17 below.

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Figure 5.17: Formal outline for “Barcarolle”

Section: A A B B A B C A

Measures: 1-6 6-10 11-14 15-19 19-23 23-26 27-31 31-38

Key Area F-sharp F E E-flat C B A-flat, G F-sharp (Phrygian):

Although not a defining element, the relationship of key areas in this piece is always

chromatic or tertian (See Figure 5.17).

Stacked diatonic seconds and tone-clusters can be seen in Example 5.30. The

pitch content of each collection is always consistent with the Lydian mode (relative to the

current pedal tone in the bass).

Example 5.30: “Barcarolle,” mm. 7-12

Pedal tones

“The Little Baby Rhino”

Notable elements in “The Little Baby Rhino” include tertian harmonies,

asymmetrical phrases, and chromaticism. The form is through-composed, containing few

exact phrase repetitions of material (Figure 5.18).

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Figure 5.18: Formal outline for “The Little Baby Rhino”

Phrase: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Measures: 1-10 11-19 20-27 27-32 33-36 37-41

Phrase 4+6 5+4 4+4 2+4 4 measures 4 measures grouping: Key Area: G G, E-flat Minor F-sharp, A-flat Chromatic Transitional G

The numerous phrases which make up this piece are structured both symmetrically and asymmetrically, presenting measure groupings such as 4+4, 5+4, and

4+6 (See Figure 5.18). Measures 1-10 below clearly indicate the 4+6 grouping (Example

5.31). Chromatic movement is also notable in the bass, while the left hand’s harmonic content in each measure is tertian.

Example 5.31: “The Little Baby Rhino,” mm. 1-10

[4 + 6]

Tertian harmonies

Liebermann also uses extreme dynamic levels, frequent accents, and distinct dissonances in this piece in order to convey the somewhat unpredictable and rambunctious character of the baby rhino (See Example 5.31, mm. 7-10).

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“Toccata”

“Toccata” is defined by tertian harmonies, chromaticism, asymmetrical phrases,

major/minor duality, tritone harmonic relationships, and a sequence, all of which are

presented to an unrelenting sixteenth-note rhythm throughout (a defining feature of the

toccata genre). The form of the piece is rounded binary, outlined below in Figure 5.19.

Figure 5.19: Formal outline for “Toccata”

Section: A (aba) B A (aba)

Measures: 1-11 12-19 20-32

Key Area: F-sharp C Minor, sequential, F-sharp E Major

Asymmetrical phrase lengths are confined to the outer sections of the piece. The

first is presented in mm. 1-7 and is grouped 4+3 (Example 5.32). Harmonically, the content of each four-note group is primarily tertian, however, chromatic notes in the

melody link the various harmonies together (Example 5.32).

Example 5.32: “Toccata,” mm. 1-8 Chromatic melodic elements

Triadic harmonies

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An unusual feature of this piece is the tritone relationship which occurs between a number of harmonies and also between sections. The first can be noted in m. 1 as F-sharp

Major moves directly to C Major, while another occurs just after as F Major moves to B

Major in mm. 2-3 (Example 5.33). A sectional relationship can be seen as well between the F-sharp Major harmony of m. 1 and the C Minor arrival in m. 4.

Example 5.33: “Toccata,” mm. 1-4

Tritone relationships

F-sharp Major C Minor

Major/minor duality is also a notable feature of this piece, making a prominent appearance in its final three measures (Example 5.34).

Example 5.34: “Toccata,” mm. 28-32

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CHAPTER 6

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Lowell Liebermann’s Album for the Young, Op. 43 offers numerous technical and theoretical benefits to students and is an excellent resource for teachers who work with a variety of levels. His synthesis of a number of different styles, ranging from Baroque to

Modern eras, makes these pieces educationally rich, as well as enjoyable to both the listener and performer. They serve not only as an excellent introduction to a number of twentieth-century sounds and techniques, but also as valuable preliminary studies for his more advanced works as well as those by other twentieth and twenty-first century composers.

Although the collection has yet to receive a vast amount of notoriety, it is certainly worthy to be counted as one of the most significant recent pedagogical contributions for the piano. Lowell Liebermann’s growing popularity and significance as a current and living composer, along with the high quality of his music in general, attests to the fact that this collection is worthy of serious consideration.

The suggestions offered in this document certainly cannot encompass the number of theoretical, practical, and imaginative possibilities which can be explored in this music. It is the author’s hope, however, that the ideas and opinions presented might inspire and encourage others to teach this music and explore its many benefits.

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Recommended Research

Liebermann’s Album for the Young is not the only recent pedagogical collection to have received less than its due notoriety. The following recent works and composers are a few of the many who also deserve thorough investigation and consideration:

1. Dan Beaty’s (1937-2002) Woodsprite and Waterbug Collection (1977)43 is an

excellent set of twelve short pieces, beneficial for introducing extended

techniques at the intermediate level. A discussion of their pedagogical merits as

well as their relationship to his other works for piano would be a worthwhile

discussion.

2. Seymour Bernstein (b. 1927) has made a number of quality contributions to the

intermediate pianist’s repertoire, and a thorough review of this music is certainly

warranted. A detailed examination of his Insects Books 1 and 2 and Birds Books 1

and 2 would be of particular value to the pedagogue.

3. Vincent Persichetti has made a number of outstanding contributions to the

pedagogical piano literature. Although some research has been conducted into his

more advanced works, such as the sonatas and the poems for piano, a discussion

and overview of his numerous other piano works could be of great value to both

teachers and students.

4. William Schuman’s Three Piano Moods (1958)44 and Three Score Set (1943)45

contain a number of contemporary techniques and are suitable for upper-

intermediate or early-advanced level students. These works, along with some of

his more advanced compositions (such as his “Chester” Variations and Piano

43 Dan Beaty, Woodsprite and Waterbug Collection (San Diego: Neil A Kjos Music Company, 1977). 44 William Schuman, Three Piano Moods (Bryn Mawr:: Theodore Presser Co., 1958). 45 William Schuman, Three Score Set (Bryn Mawr: Theodore Presser Co., 1943). 98

Concerto) are virtually unknown to many pianists. A thorough review of their

pedagogical and theoretic merits is certainly deserved and also greatly needed.

5. Lowell Liebermann continues to make regular contributions to the pianist’s

repertoire. His sonatas and variations, which are suited primarily for the

advanced-level student, would be worthwhile studies for both pedagogues and

theorists.

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