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European Piano Schools: Russian, German and French Classical Piano Interpretation and Technique

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European Piano Schools: Russian, German and French Classical Piano Interpretation and Technique European Piano --- Sofia Lourenço Schools: [email protected] --- Russian, German and CITAR, Research Center for Science and Technology of the Arts Portuguese Catholic University French classical piano Superior School of Music and Performing Arts interpretation and Porto Polytechnic Institute technique --- generations. Several studies have shown that it is possible to identify major trends in piano perfor- ABSTRACT mance. These are generally referred to as National The goal of this research is to characterize repre- Piano Schools, due to its strong correlation to par- sentative performances by famous pianists in order ticular characteristics, which seem to share com- to determine main influential trends in performance, mon features within communities of practitioners. derived specifically from traditional piano practices Facets such as aesthetics, technique, historical referred to as National Piano Schools. tradition and chosen repertoire have been studied Previous research (Lourenço, 2005, 2007) has by several researchers (Neuhaus, 1981; Kullak, 1994; shown strong musical correlation of particular char- Leimer & Gieseking, 1998; Timbrell, 1999; Lourenço, acteristics, namely the aesthetic, the technical, the 2005). Overall the main National Piano Schools con- historic and the repertoire. The concept of piano in- sist of three essential branches: the Russian school, terpretation school is a useful concept for analyzing the French school and the German school (Kaiser, the universe of piano performance. Piano pedagogy 1989; Rattalino, 2001). It is acknowledged that these literature of each European National Piano School National Piano Schools are present in most of the pi- has been analyzed together with an empirical audio ano performance practices in the twentieth century analysis of recordings through a check-list survey. and therefore its identification provides a powerful Overall the main National Piano Schools consist of framework to study, understand and raise awareness three essential branches: the Russian school; the of the Europe’s intangible music heritage. German school; the French school. The coexistence of different tendencies in the The identification of National Piano Schools provides tradition of interpretation and technique of clas- a powerful framework of study and an awareness of sical piano is clear. It is common the designation Europe’s elusive music heritage and it main influ- of “Russian School”, “German School”, “Russian ences. Technique”, in terms of defining a certain tradition Furthermore, as pianists use their whole body to en- approach. These descriptions concern preference for hance their communication of the music’s spiritual, general and specific repertoire, characteristic sonor- emotional and dramatic essence, this study also aims ity, tempo, use of pedal, different piano constructors, to contribute into research on performance practice. pedagogical methods, technical-interpretation ap- proaches (use of rubato, polyphonic clearness, etc.). Keywords: European Piano Schools, Typology The concept of piano interpretation school needs to Russian, German, French Piano Schools be questioned and discussed, in an effort of analyti- cal systematization and also as a result of the sub- 1 | Introduction jectiveness, possible within the bounds of the work Almost every pianist is satisfied with his musicality, of art. Being common the designation of “Russian but not with his technique. School”, “German School”, “Russian Technique”, in Margulis, 2006 terms of definition of a certain approach tradition of the general and specific repertoire, characteristic In the beginning of the twentieth century perform- sonority, beloved repertoire, tempo, use of pedal, ers and audiences were used to versatile piano different piano constructors, pedagogical methods, practices originated from distinct nationalities and technical-interpretation approaches (use of rubato, CITAR JOURNAL 6 polyphonic clearness, etc.), the concept of piano in- Fantasie c-minor KV 475; Beethoven L. v. (1770-1827) terpretation school needs to be questioned and dis- Sonata n. 23 f minor op.57 “Appassionata”; Schubert cussed, in an effort of analytical systematization but F. (1797-1828), Impromptu op. 90 nº3 G flat Major; also as a result of the subjective element, possible Chopin F. (1810-1849), Nocturne in F sharp Major within the bounds of the work of art. Still concern- op. 15 n. 2; Chopin F. (1810-1849), Ballade in g minor ing the piano interpretation school, the privileged op. 23 n. 1; Schumann R. (1810-1856), C-Dur Fantasie relationship master-student (oral tradition of the in- op.17; Liszt F. (1811-1886), Sonata in h minor; Brahms dividual lesson), through the transmitting of certain J. (1833-1897) Variations on a theme by Paganini performing approaches and repertoire selections op. 35; Moussorgsky M. (1839-1881) Pictures of an and through technical resources can support the Exhibition; Albéniz I. (1860-1909), Evocación (Iberia); definition of a certain piano interpretation school. Debussy C. (1862-1918), La Cathédrale engloutie; There will be a final proposition about this concept, Scriabin A. (1872-1915), Poème in F sharp Major op.32 mainly making it more flexible. n. 1; Rachmaninoff S. (1873-1943), Étude-Tableaux The performing art of music is directly connected op. 39 n. 6; Ravel M. (1875-1937), Gaspard de la nuit; to the notation limitation on the score, and also to Prokofieff S. (1891-1953) Visions fugitives op.22 . the work itself. About musical interpretation on the The chosen pianists were Arrau (1903-1991), Backhaus piano, and as Adolph Kullak proposes, Denken und (1884-1969), Busoni (1866-1824), Casadesus (1899- Forschen – das Werk in allen seinen Atomen stud- 1972), Ciccolini, Aldo (1925), Cortot (1877-1962), ieren – alle Schönheitselemente auf bewußtes wis- Jeanne-Marie Darré (1905-1999), Feinberg (1890- senschaftliches Erkennen zurückführen – dies ist die 1962), Fischer (1886-1960), Samson François (1924- Aufgabe(Reflection and Research – get to analyse 1970), Gieseking (1895-1956), Gilels (1916-1985), the musical work in every atom (its smallest ele- Clara Haskil (1895-1960), Ingrid Haebler (1929) ments) – to look for each one of the beauty elements Josef Hofmann (1876-1957), Horowitz (1904-1989), in an organised way – this is the main task) (Kullak, Kempff (1895-1991), Alicia de Larrocha (1923-2009), 1876). In that sense we may state that the musical Vitaly Margulis (1926), Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli text doesn’t always clarify what is essential – it is this (1920-1995), Paderewsky (1860-1941), Perlemuter that a performer shall take out from the score and (1904-2002), Egon Petri (1881-1962), Rachmaninov respective notation. (1924-1970), Richter (1915-1998), Artur Rubinstein (1889-1982), Schnabel (1882-1951), Alexander 2 | Method Scriabin (1892-1915), Vladimir Sofronitzky (1901-1961). The components of expressive performance intend As discussed in the Literature Review, several piano to work as analysis criteria of the various audio ex- studies have shown that it is possible to characterize amples of piano interpretations by many pianists the major trends in musical performance, making representing the various piano schools. The selection it possible to identify three major National Piano of the main representative tendencies, their com- Schools: the German, the French and the Russian parison and consequent definition of “piano school” Schools. will be based on: repertoire, dynamics, agogic pat- Practitioners of each one of these Piano Schools terning, tempo, phrasing and articulation, accents, seem to share common features related to stylistic pedal, textures. parameters, such as tempo, dynamics (loudness), The methodology in order to obtain a Typology articulation, phrasing, among many others. In fact, a of National Interpretation Piano Schools applies a musical performance is more than a literal reproduc- check-list survey according to different musical in- tion of a musical score. If played exactly as notated terpretation components. in the musical score, a piece of music would sound The historical and theoretical context on which the mechanical and expressionless becoming both un- schools are set will be discussed. Once analysed, it is musical and physically impossible for a musician to possible to get to conclusions and objectives; apply- perform. What makes a piece of music come alive ing the same check-list, and despite the difficulties, (and what makes some performers and playing to look for the individuality of each piano interpreta- styles unique) is the art of music interpretation. In tion schools. Available recordings by 19 mainstream fact the unlimited resources for vocal and instru- piano works by 29 pianists who started their piano mental art lie in artistic deviation from the pure, the careers prior to 1950 were analysed. Following are exact, the perfect, the rigid, the even, and the precise the chosen 19 mainstream piano works: (quoted in H.G. Seashore, 1937). D. Scarlatti (1685-1757), Sonata K 322 A Major; J. Therefore, the notated music score is but a small S. Bach (1685-1750), Prelude and Fugue C Major part of the actual music performing process. Not BWV 846; Haydn Franz Joseph (1732-1809), E-Flat every intended gradation can be captured in a lim- Major Sonata, Hob. XVI/49; Mozart W. A. (1756-1791) ited formalism such as common music notation, and CITAR JOURNAL 7 the composers are well aware of this. The perform- Dynamics Tempo Textures ing artist is a determinative part of the system, and expressive music performance
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