Concerto in Eflat Major for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra Opus 109 by Alexander Glazunov
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CONCERTO IN E FLAT MAJOR FOR ALTO SAXOPHONE AND STRING ORCHESTRA OPUS 109 BY ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS FOR TEACHING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Sebastian Ariel Serrano-Ayala, Nerilyn Ann Beratio, Khristine Ruth De Gracia, Sherryl Ann de Dios, Aera Jean Apalat Abstract his study analyzed Alexander Glazunov’s Concerto in E-flat Major for Alto Sax- ophone and String Orchestra Op. 109 written by the virtuoso saxophonist Sigurd TM. Rascher to guide intermediate music saxophone students and teachers on the historical details and structures of the piece for better teaching. It includes a discussion of the circumstances leading to its composition, while it shows a general but compre- hensive analysis of the romantic distinctive style in which the concerto was written in- cluding the form, the main melodic themes, harmonic associations, and the relation of all this information with its pedagogical counterpart and useful strategies for teachers and students in saxophone intermediate level. The piece was analyzed using decon- struction and evaluation analysis. The process of deconstruction involves the identifi- cation of all musical elements (pitch, rhythm, timbre, etc) and how they have been used by the composer; as well as distinct compositional devices (randomness, serialism, neoclassicism, sequence, etc.) used by the composer and by the traditions developed at that moment. The evaluation led to the creation of intelligent judgment about how the elements and information found in the deconstruction relate to the broader elements such as the compositional context, the genre and the properties of this work to be used in a pedagogical setting. Breaking the piece down into simpler and smaller parts is nec- essary for music to become accessible to analysis. This paper shows the importance of structural analysis on approaching the Glazunov’s Saxophone Concerto, determining meaningful information around the composition, and giving the possibilities to create a precise interpretation. This study will help reinvigorate this well-established work while providing a single, comprehensive source. Keywords: Glazunov, concerto, analysis, pedagogy, strategies The Concerto in E flat Major for Alto Saxophone saxophone pedagogue, to understand and use the and String Orchestra, Op.109 by Alexander Glazu- most efficient strategies in the assembling, teach- nov is one of the most significant works within the ing, and preparation for the performance processes saxophone soloist and orchestra literature (Mick- of this piece. The analysis will show comprehen- el, 2011). It is a staple for every classical saxo- sive information about the Glazunov’s concerto, phonist not only for its historical style characteris- its background, style, form, harmonic structure, tics but also for being technical and interpretative etc. and its relation with the pedagogical strate- standards, Mickel explained. gies or plans that a music teacher, who is in the However, because of its importance and intermediate level, can use. actual considerations, this concerto becamea chal- There are only few available works that lenge to the researcher, who is a performer and a show about the structural analysis of the Concerto Concerto in E Flat Major for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra Opus 109 by Alexander Glazunov: A Structural Analysis for Teaching Intermediate Level 137 in E flat Major for Alto Saxophone and String Or- composers. The composers do need to understand chestra, Op.109 by Alexander Glazunov. Exam- how music is structured in order to create music ples are “A comparative examination of the pub- with continuity, movement, and shape for both the lished editions of Alexander Glazunov’s Concerto teacher and the students. in E-flat major for Alto saxophone and string or- This research paper will help teachers and chestra, op. 109” by Mickel (2011) and “A Struc- performers in different ways; “meeting” the piece, tural Analysis of the Concerto for Alto Saxophone knowing the closest background and its relation and String Orchestra in E-flat Major, Opus 109 with the piece itself in order to comprehend the by Alexander Glazunov, With Suggested Perfor- elements rounding and composing of the Concer- mance Application” by Duke (1981). However, to; taking decisions, choosing the pedagogical or as the actual significance of this concerto is high, study strategies to approach specific sections of the strategies that these former studies introduced the Concerto; although this is not an interpretative were less effective in teaching saxophone students analysis, the study will help indirectly build an ac- because it does not include much about the peda- curate musical interpretative idea. gogical and stylistic aspects of the piece; instead, This study includes the saxophone’s in- it focused more on the structural aspects of anal- termediate level students and teachers who are ysis. planning to study, teach or are already working with the Concerto in E flat Major for Alto Saxo- Research Questions phone and String Orchestra, Op.109 by Alexander The following are the research questions Glazunov. This study is not limited to a specific addressed in this study. geographical location since the Concerto is world- 1. What are the important musical elements of wide known and a standard for Alto Saxophone. Glazunov’s Concerto in E-flat major that sax- The analysis of the Glazunov’s Concerto for Alto ophone teachers should discuss and analyze Saxophone presented in this study is limited to the pedagogically? musical structural area only; it will not embrace 2. What are Glazunov’s piece context, genre, and details of the interpretative aspect for reasons of style that need to be understood by intermedi- the short time available to conduct this study, and ate saxophone students to interpret the music understanding that the interpretation of a musical well? piece is the consequence of the previous analysis 3. What are the general teaching strategies that and understanding of it. saxophone teachers in intermediate level can use to study the Glazunov’s concerto? Methodology In this study, several methodologies were This structural analysis will provide both used. For the historical background, a review of the interpreter and the teacher brief but clear and available related literature about the composer, his meaningful information about the Concerto in E style, and the circumstances of the composition it- flat Major for Alto Saxophone and String Orches- self was done. Deconstructive analysis was used tra, Op.109 by Alexander Glazunov by understand- in order to identify musical elements and compo- ing underlying structures of the piece it can help sitional devices. Deconstruction often becomes a performers in several ways such as understanding new interpretation-model to a musical piece. how the underlying phrase structures work, how After the discussion of the historical complete and incomplete structures can be joined background of this work, the author included a and possibly understanding how feelings of ex- structural analysis of one published edition of this pectation and realization, tension and resolution Concerto, the Alphonse Leduc edition and its re- can be created in music. Understanding how this duction for piano, in order to determine formal, process works it can help with the expression of harmonic, melodic, and technical elements of the the music. Understanding the structure of music piece. from different periods is an important skill for Journal of Education, Psychology, and Humanities (JEPH) Volume 1 Issue 1 | June 2018 138 Journal of Education, Psychology, and Humanities (JEPH) | ISSN 2599-5294 The traditional method of music analy- meters. They close interpenetration of dance and sis was used because it provides the best results art music. when getting involved with the general theoreti- Expression. Tempo and other expression cal aspects of a piece of music. This generality is markings increase in complexity and verbosity particularly important when introducing a piece, (clusters of modifying adverbs) expanded dynam- or when scratching the surfaces of a work of art ics (use of ppppp to ffff by the end of the 19th (Cook,1992). century). Harmony. The use of dissonance for col- Stylistic Analysis or is not common “classical” dissonances (e.g. As it was mentioned before, Glazun- dominant or diminished sevenths) treated as con- ov was part of a non-nationalistic movement sonances which are steadily rising “dissonance during the Romantic period, an era of contrast threshold” throughout the 19th century. Dimin- and antithesis not only between generations or ished seventh is used as avehicle for new mod- among different composers living at the same ulations. Chromatically altered chords, harmony time, but even within the works of individual in this era is expanded tertian with increasing composers. Romantic writers and artists were freedom in the part of writing with enharmon- individualist but there are some discernible ten- ic resolutions (contextual harmony). Lastly, it is dencies common to musical Romanticism that characterized by unstable harmonic rhythm. separates this movement from classic or modern Tonality. As to the expansion of tonality, musical styles. Based on the article of Pierce there are no key limitations. The use of 12 chro- (2013), faculty of the Eastern Michigan Uni- matic keys (rather than 24 diatonic majors and versity, and the well-known book Music in the minors) was preferred and minor mode was pop- Romantic Era by Einstein (1947), the following ular. F# minor is sometimes called “the Romantic are the major musical characteristics of the ro- key”, especially in piano music. Tonicization by mantic era. implication (e.g., reinforcing the dominant quality Melody. As in the classical period, most of the dominant) was used defining a key not by Romantic melody is dominated by phrases. The explicitly stating and emphasizing its tonic. Freer prevalent texture is “melody with accompani- treatment of modulation using “non-functional” ment”. In contrast with the classical melodies, harmony where there is no totally defined key. Romantic melodies have longer lines, tending to Unrelated keys were used with continuing “dis- increase in length.