An Examination of the Value of Score Alteration in Virtuosic Piano Repertoire
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City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 6-2020 The Mutability of the Score: An Examination of the Value of Score Alteration in Virtuosic Piano Repertoire Wayne Weng The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3708 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] THE MUTABILITY OF THE SCORE: AN EXAMINATION OF THE VALUE OF SCORE ALTERATION IN VIRTUOSIC PIANO REPERTOIRE BY WAYNE WENG A dissertation suBmitted to the Graduate Faculty in Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts, The City University of New York 2020 © 2020 WAYNE WENG ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii The Mutability of the Score: An Examination of the Value of Score Alteration in Virtuosic Piano Repertoire By Wayne Weng This manuscript has Been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Music in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. Ursula Oppens ____________________ ____________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee Norman Carey ____________________ ____________________________ Date Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Scott Burnham Raymond Erickson John Musto THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT The Mutability of the Score: An Examination of the Value of Score Alteration in Virtuosic Piano Repertoire by Wayne Weng Advisor: Scott Burnham This dissertation is a defense of the value of score alteration in virtuosic piano repertoire. Score alteration is a performance practice, much heard during the so-called “Golden Age” of pianism, in which pianists would freely modify the score in order to suit their interpretation and make their performances more effective. In our present age of urtext editions and absolute fidelity to the score, I Believe that a re-examination of score alteration is crucial to any modern performer. I have examined numerous recordings and performances (many of them rare and not commercially released), to explore how the practice of score modification has evolved over time. I also looked closely at the scores of Franz Liszt, a seminal figure in the art of score alteration; Liszt’s revisions of his own piano works, and his additions to the piano works of others, are a trove of evidence of Liszt’s own performance practice. In our own era, performers often feel compelled to respect the letter of the score, perhaps at the expense of the spirit. In this document, I would like to iv demonstrate that, for many of the great performers of the past, modification and improvisation were crucial tools for navigating virtuoso piano music. Those tools have lost none of their value, and they are still available to performers today. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Firstly, I would like to extend my gratitude to the supervisory committee for their invaluable feedBack and encouragement, and for making the completion of my degree possiBle during the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, I would like to thank my advisor, Prof. Scott Burnham, for his guidance and for making our sessions so enjoyable. I am grateful to Ms. Ursula Oppens for serving as the chair of the examining committee and more importantly, for Being such a wonderful piano teacher during my doctoral studies. She has inspired me through her musicianship and egoless pedagogical approach. My gratitude also goes to Prof. Raymond Erickson for offering his knowledge and advice, and Prof. John Musto for his kind words. I would also like to thank Dr. Norman Carey for his assistance during my time at the CUNY Graduate Center, as well as Dr. Jackie Martelle, for her ceaseless assistance Behind the scenes. I own more than I can possibly express to my parents, John and Mary Weng. They have sacrificed every aspect of their lives in order for me to receive the kind of education they could only dream of. I dedicate not only this document But also my doctorate to them. I am grateful to Katie Blank for her patience and support throughout the entire process. Last But not least, my deepest gratitude goes to Arthur Williford. It would not have Been possiBle for me to finish this dissertation without his help and friendship. vi CONTENTS Abstract iv Acknowledgments vi List of Examples viii Chapter One: The Letter of the Score vs. the Spirit of the Score - The role of the score and the performer’s relationship with it .............................. 1 - Toward the immutable score: Beethoven as the turning point ............................. 7 - The flowering of the solo piano recital; composer as improvisers ...................... 14 - Preluding .............................................................................................................. 18 - Toward the modified score .................................................................................. 22 Chapter Two: Franz Liszt - Liszt as the target of score modification .............................................................. 26 - Liszt’s earlier versions .......................................................................................... 29 - Liszt’s arrangements as documents of improvisation .......................................... 42 - Liszt’s ossia ........................................................................................................... 54 - Liszt’s cuts ............................................................................................................ 60 - Liszt’s solo piano works arranged for other media or vice versa ......................... 65 - Liszt’s modifications in other composers’ works .................................................. 83 Chapter Three: Types of Score Modification - Julian Hellaby and the spectrum of score alteration ............................................ 89 - Types of score modification ................................................................................. 92 - List of examples, organized By degrees of modification .................................... 126 Chapter Four Part I: From the Golden Age to the Modern era: The Key Players of the Twentieth Century - Ferruccio Busoni, Liszt’s greatest successor ....................................................... 135 - Back to the immutable score: Josef Hofmann and Sergei Rachmaninoff .......... 137 - Vladimir Horowitz the unapologetic virtuoso .................................................... 140 - György Cziffra the well-rounded virtuoso .......................................................... 142 - Arcadi Volodos the torchBearer ......................................................................... 143 Part II: The unpredictability of jazz ............................................................................... 146 Epilogue ......................................................................................................................... 154 Bibliography, Discography, and Videography ............................................................... 161 vii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES 1.1 Bach, Capriccio on the Departure of a Most Beloved Brother, III movement ......... 7 1.2 Mozart, Concerto No. 26 in D major, K. 537, second movement ......................... 16 1.3 Liszt, Transcendental Étude No. 4 “Mazeppa,” mm. 1-6 ...................................... 20 1.4 Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, op. 18, II. Adagio sostenuto .... 21 2.1 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, first version ................................................................. 32 2.2 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, revised version, mm. 170-171 .................................... 32 2.3 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, mm. 122-124, Liszt’s original version ......................... 36 2.4 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, mm. 123-125, Volodos’ modification ......................... 37 2.5 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, m. 191, Liszt’s version ................................................. 38 2.6 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, m. 191, Volodos’ modification .................................... 38 2.7 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, mm. 204-207, Liszt’s version ...................................... 40 2.8 Liszt, Vallée d’Obermann, mm. 204-206, Volodos’ modification ......................... 40 2.9 Liszt, Concert Paraphrase on Verdi’s Rigoletto .................................................... 47 2.10 Liszt, Concert Paraphrase on Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, modified By Horowitz, m. 108 .............................................................................. 48 2.11 Volodos, Concert Paraphrase on Mozart’s Rondo alla Turca, mm. 93-98 ........... 49 2.12 Liszt, Spanish Rhapsody, mm. 504-524 ................................................................ 50 2.13 2.13, Liszt, Valse de l’opéra Faust de Gounod ...................................................... 51 2.14 Liszt, Réminiscences de Norma ............................................................................. 52 2.15 Liszt, Réminiscences de Norma ............................................................................. 53 2.16 Liszt, St. François de Paule marchant sur les flots, original version, mm. 34-37 .. 54 viii 2.17 Liszt, St. François de Paule marchant sur les flots, simplified version, mm. 34-39 .............................................................................. 55 2.18 Liszt, Mephisto Waltz No. 1, mm. 161-172