California State University, Northridge Collaborative Piano Recital Works by Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, Barber and Stravinsky
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE COLLABORATIVE PIANO RECITAL WORKS BY MOZART, SCHUMANN, SCHUBERT, BARBER AND STRAVINSKY An Graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Music in music, in Performance By Ningqi Li May 2016 The Graduate Program of Ningqi Li is approved: _____________________________________ _______________________ Dr. Soo-Yeon Chang Date _____________________________________ _______________________ Dr. Murray, Deanna Date _____________________________________ _______________________ Dr. Dmitry Rachmanov. Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii Table of Contents Signature Page ii Abstract iv Program (Collaborative Piano Recital) 1 iii ABSTRACT COLLABORATIVE PIANO RECITAL WORKS BY MOZART, SCHUMANN, SCHUBERT, BARBER AND STRAVINSKY BY Ningqi Li Master of Music in Music, in performance Violin Sonata in E Minor, K.304 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Mozart lived from 1756 to 1791 in Salzburg. He composed more than 600 brilliant pieces of music such as sonatas, symphonies, concerti, operas, choral pieces, etc. He traveled with his family to Europe many times and The European style influenced him. He also influenced many later composers including Beethoven. In 1777 and 1778, he traveled to Europe again and he fell in love with Aloysia Weber. However, his mother then got sick and died in the same year. Violin Sonata in E Minor, K.304 is special to Mozart, he wrote it in 1778. That year he had traveled to Mannheim, therefore he must have taken some style from there. Also, it was written around his mother’s death. The sonata K.304 may reflect his sad mood and iv it is the only minor key in his violin sonatas. It is the perfect piece for violinist and pianist who first learns Mozart’s sonata, and it is also a great introductory piece for concerts. The first movement - Allegro The first movement is a piece in Sonata form with passion. Theme I starts from the beginning with a tonic key as E minor. The interesting thing is the opening theme recurs seven times in the whole movement with repeats, but each time becomes a little bit different. From measure 1 to 12, the violin part and piano part have the octave melody. The dynamic is marked piano in both parts so the pianist plays softly to avoid covering the violin part. The dominant notes start from measure 3, and with the home key appear in measure 8, the mood changes and the dynamic turns to forte. They have staccato eighth notes and have more and more tension with each measure, finally it ends in a dominant note B in measure 12. Then, the violin part replays the first theme from measure 13, as the piano part accompanies with descending and ascending chords bringing more color to the violin part. The transition picks up from measure 20 to 28 and both parts have the same two phrases. The second theme enters at measure 29 with a dynamic forte, it seems as if the violin part accompanies the piano part, and the dynamic changes to piano after two measures. The violin part replays the melody in measure 41 and the piano part has the accompaniment, then the piano has cadence and the violin has a long rest, the violin returns in measure 51 to be with the piano. The chromatic ascent occurs and the violin ends on G major very strongly (mm. 53-59). The violin imitates the piano part in a closing sentence from measure 59. Theme II recurred from measure 67 and ends in a dominant chord. The development section is short and starts from measure 85, it sounds similar to the beginning of the exposition, where Mozart uses the dominant key of E minor. The piano v plays new material in measure 90, and the violin has an imitation sequence in measure 98 playing the same melody with the piano. Then it turns to a trill sequence after two measures and the piano has staccato notes, the atmosphere becomes intense. However, in measure 104, the piano has chromatic passages to gradually release the tension, followed by a four-measure bridge. The recapitulation picks up at measure 112, the violin part is the same but the piano part has eighth notes augmented six chords with a fortepiano mark. Coda comes at measure 193 and the piano has pedal tones on each measure until measure 198. Mozart ended the movement with a powerful tonic chord. The second movement – Tempo di Menuetto The second movement changed mood, it stays in E minor, but sounds more sad and lyrical. It is ABA ternary form (Minuet- trio- Minuet). Piano starts the piece and left hand has descending bass notes E-D-C-B-A-G in the first four measures and then go up. When the piano comes back to the home key of E minor the violin follows and imitates the piano part’s melody. At this time, the piano has an eighth note accompaniment and the left hand still has a descending bass line, however it ascends and descends again. The transition comes at measure 33 in G major and the piano receives the melody. The piano melody continues to rise from measure 45 to measure 49 and the music becomes more romantic. Also, the dynamic mark has piano crescendo to forte, but it becomes piano again in measure 53 and a crescendo ensues once again to forte. The dynamics change frequently to emphasize expression. The theme recurred in measure 70 and Mozart wrote a very soft closing phrase (mm. 90 – 93). The piano has a new theme in the Trio part in E major and the melody gently sweetens. The transition begins from measure 110 and has more color change. The most expressive part in this piece is the rest in measure 118 to vi 119, which represents the break of silence after one has been crying. The familiar theme returned after the “sad rest” and ends in the home key. The Minuet comes at measure 128 in E minor and closing sentence comes with triplets in left hand. Mozart finished the whole sonata with triplets in piano part and forte quarter notes in the violin part. Dichterliebe by Robert Schumann Schumann (1810-1856) was a German composer. He was known to be a great pianist, but due to the injury of his hand, he decided to become a composer. He composed many piano works, and he also wrote Lieder, symphonies, choral works and chamber works later in his life. Gerald Moore said “Schumann’s vocal line often burgeons into a bloom of rich color from a tiny seed: the loveliest of his melodies are ignited ”.1 He is full of passion and sensitivity, however he also suffered a mental disorder. It was well known to people that he married Clara Wieck against her father’s will. Dichterliebe is the most known song cycle by Schumann, which translates as, “A Poet’s Love”. It has sixteen songs and it reflects his real love for Clara like a diary. This cycle was composed in 1840 and the text comes from Heinrich Heine in Lyrisches Intermezzo. These movements are all interconnected and needs to be played without a break. This cycle ends on the seventh song in my recital with a strong ending. I. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai The first song title of Dichterliebe means In the wonderfully beautiful month of May is so expressive. The piano sets the atmosphere first with a piano dynamic mark in F- sharp minor. When the voice comes in, the piano’s top voice doubles vocal melody and 1 Moore, Gerald. Poet's Love : The Songs and Cycles of Schumann. (New York: Taplinger Pub. Co., 1981), xi. vii this makes the pianist control their volume to support the singer but not overwhelm them. It is important to notice there is no tonic chord in the end; it is like waiting for the response of someone whom he deeply loved. II. Aus meinen Tränen sprießen This song’s title means from my tears, flowers will blossom. It’s merely one page, but it can still be divided into two sections. The score seems easy for the pianist, but they need to make their part seem transparent and build quality color to support singers. The vocal line’s notes repeat many times and each repetition should have different feelings. The second section indicated Schumann’s love and desire so that needs a warmer sound. The interesting part is the vocal melody ends on B three times in measure 4, 8, and 16 and piano solved the phrases in pianissimo. 2 III. Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne The third title turns fast and happy in D major. The title means, “The rose, the lily, the dove, the sun” and the text said, “she is gentle and sweet”. The piano part has even sixteenth notes accompaniment and the vocal line has dotted rhythms to create an excited atmosphere. IV. Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’ In When I look into your eyes, the melody calms down again. Schumann liked to utilize many repeated notes to create the emotion as well as the vocal line. Also, when the vocal line has rests (mm. 4), the piano part has repeated chords to enhance the emotions. The piano ends the song softly and transparently. V. Ich will meine Seele tauchen 2 Ibd., 4. viii In this piece, the vocal part is lyrically soft and the piano part has even thirty-second notes in pianissimo. The highest notes and the lowest notes in the piano part indicate the melody. The left hand melody in piano part has a contrary motion with the vocal line in measure 7 and 15.