CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE Recital and Concerto Works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Scriabin, Liebermann and Prokofiev A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in Music, Performance By Qing Fan May 2018 The graduate project of Qing Fan is approved: _____________________________________________ ______________ Dr. Tali Tadmor Date _____________________________________________ ______________ Dr. Lorenz Gamma Date _____________________________________________ ______________ Dr. Dmitry Rachmanov, Chair Date California State University, Northridge . ii Table of Contents Signature Page ii Abstract iv Section 1: Prelude and Fugue No. 22 in B flat minor BWV 867, WTC I 1 Section 2: Piano Sonata No. 23 in f minor, op. 57 by L. v. Beethoven 3 Section 3: Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise Brillante, Op 22 by F. Chopin 5 Section 4: Sonata – Fantasie, No. 2, Op.19 by A. Scriabin 7 Section 5: Gargoyles, Op. 29 by L. Liebermann. 9 Section 6: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major by S. Prokofiev 11 iii Abstract RECITAL AND CONCERTO WORKS BY BACH, BEETHOVEN, CHOPIN, SCRIABIN, LIEBERMANN, and PROKOFIEV By Qing Fan Master of Music in Music, Performance In this paper, I will be discussing the six piano works that I presented in my graduate piano recitals at Cal State University, Northridge, consisting of a solo and a concerto recital. The works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, Alexander Scriabin and Lowell Liebermann were performed in the solo recital. This program contained a diversity of styles, beginning with the Baroque era and followed in the subsequent order of Classical, Romantic and Modern eras. The concerto recital featured Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, which had three individual movements. The significance of this paper is to give the audience a basic outline about these pieces, including the historical background, theoretical aspects and specialities. iv The program began with Prelude and Fugue No. 22 in B flat minor BWV 867, WTC I by Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece, in B-flat minor, introduced a slow and somber pace, filled with darkness and sadness. One of Ludwig van Beethoven’s most famous sonatas, the Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, op. 57, followed, with the outburst of passion, anger and agitation, which ended the first half of the program with an extremely passionate coda. In the second half, I placed Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise Brillante in the beginning. It is one of the most brilliant compositions in piano literature, composed by revered Polish composer, Frédéric Chopin. The elegant and brilliant atmosphere of the work was a contrast to the program, being the only major key in the recital. It was followed by Alexander Scriabin’s Sonata – Fantasie, No. 2, Op.19. In the first movement – Fantasy, the piece evoked an image of a flowing lake, while in the second movement – Sonata, the lake was transformed into a turbulent ocean. The very last piece of the program was the four movement work Gargoyles, Op. 29, composed by American musician, Lowell Liebermann. Interestingly enough, this piece is also water- like, giving listeners another atmosphere and aspect of water. Its technically demanding last movement finished the recital with a powerful effect. In the concerto recital, the only piece - Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major by Sergei Prokofiev, is one of the most charming and effective concerti. Although it falls into the virtuosic contemporary category, its lyrical melodic lines are extremely romantic, which adds an enchanting color to the piece. V Section 1: Prelude and Fugue No. 22 in B flat minor BWV 867, WTC I by Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a prestigious German composer of the Baroque era, born the same year as Domenico Scarlatti and George Frederic Handel. Bach was born into a musical family, and some of his children also became notable composers, including Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach. Bach was employed as a court musician and organist in various parts of Germany. His unique motive, counterpoint and harmonic language intellectually presented the German style in his compositions. Moreover, he was a master in absorbing exotic elements from other countries, especially Italy and France, which added more spirit to his writing. His successful achievements were evident in both his vocal music and instrumental works. His death marked the end of the Baroque period. Bach’s Well -Tempered Clavier is one of the most crucial works in his compositions, which contains two books with all major and minor keys in chromatic order, forty-eight preludes and fugues in total. The first volume was written in 1722 and the subsequent volume was written twenty years later. This was significant due to the fact that before Bach, no works of music had been written in every single key. This change came with a new kind of tuning. Equal temperament allowed keyboard instruments to play in every key, eliminating the use of only certain keys, which was impossible with the previous tuning system. The early tuning system was based on intervals derived from nature. Bach celebrated the new tuning system by writing the Well-Tempered Clavier. He also intended the Well-Tempered Clavier as a teaching method for keyboard students to work on scales, arpeggios and counterpoint. Hans von Bülow was a remarkable composer, pianist, conductor of the romantic era and one of the most talented 1 pupils of Franz Liszt, thought highly of this collection. He acclaimed that the Well - Tempered Clavier was music’s version of ‘The Old Testament’. Simply put, it remains one of the revolutionary pieces of piano literature, a towering work that influenced many composers after its creation. This specific set of prelude and fugue is from the first book of the Well -Tempered Clavier, which is in the key of B flat minor, creating a heavy and dark atmosphere. The meter is 4/4 with a slow tempo. The prelude establishes a particula rhythmic pattern, with repeated eighth notes, that appear both in the top lines and the bass. This creates a sluggish and tragic mood. The Chopin B-flat Minor Sonata, Op. 35 utilizes the same effects, creating similar sounds: both seem to evoke a march-like funeral held on a rainy day. Perhaps, Chopin borrowed this B flat minor tragedy from his predecessor – Bach. After all, Bach was one of Chopin’s idols. The fugue is one of the rarely composed five - voice works in the Well - Tempered Clavier. Five voices intellectually interact with each other establishing the beauty of Bach’s polyphonic compositional device. The incredible climax of this fugue is the final section, which heads towards an impressive ending by a fivefold stretto. Stretto is a musical term, derived from Italy. In a fugal work, the answer joins in before the subject ends, which is usually established in a series of imitations. 2 Section 2: Piano Sonata No. 23 in f minor, op. 57 by L. v. Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was one of the most influential musicians in the world. His music connected the Classical and Romantic periods. His father started to teach him when he was at a young age. When Beethoven turned twenty-one years old, he traveled to Vienna, where he became a pupil of Joseph Haydn. Then he spent the rest of his life in Vienna creating revolutionary works. Unlike his predecessors, such as Haydn or Mozart, Beethoven was never employed as a court musician. Instead, he worked for himself and wrote as he pleased. In the year 1798, he began to lose his hearing and was completely deaf by the end of his life. Tormented by his terrible hearing, Beethoven contemplated suicide; before writing the Heiligenstadt Testament (1802), where he vowed to continue living and writing music he wrote a staggering amount of significant compositions, including some of his famous piano sonatas. Hans Von Bülow, who recognized Bach Well Tempered Clavier as music’s version of “The Old Testament”, exclaimed Beethoven’s piano sonatas as “The New Testament”. The sonatas were the first notable piano series that were intended for both the concert hall and the home setting. Beethoven’s sonatas are divided into three periods: early, middle and late. His early sonatas are simpler in form and texture. The middle period works are heroic, dramatic, forceful, and the textures become thicker. The late sonatas increase in length and difficulty. They looked forward to the romantic era and were studied by composers such as Schubert and Brahms. This sonata, with a structure of three movements, is considered a sparkling gem in piano literature and is performed frequently on the concert stage. It was written between 1804 – 1806, Beethoven’s middle period; his compositions reached a huge milestone during this time. This 3 outstanding sonata is the twenty third sonata of his entire 32 Piano Sonata collection. It is also named the “Appassionata Sonata.” However, this nickname was not given during his lifetime. Beethoven filled this sonata with his complex emotions and feelings. On one hand, he was enraged with the society he lived in at that time. On the other hand, he still had numerous hopes and desires; he looked forward to the arrival of utopia. The complex characters coexist and contrast with each other, which is the paramount component in this sonata. The first movement has two differing themes with contrasting emotions. Beethoven had a very unsatisfied attitude against society, which is skillfully indicated in the first theme. In the very beginning of the piece, the first phrase, in the home key of f minor, is dark and foreboding. Unexpectedly, the second phrase announces itself in G-flat major, creating a surprise.