Aaron Copland's Piano Variations: Adaptation for Large Saxophone

Aaron Copland’s Piano Variations: Adaptation for Large Saxophone Ensemble and Considerations for Performance

Andrew Schoen B.M., M.M.

A Doctoral Document

Music

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

Approved

Professor David Dees Chair of Committee

Dr. David Shea

Dr. Amy Anderson

Dr. Mark Sheridan Dean of the Graduate School

May 2020

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Throughout the course of my studies, I have been incredibly fortunate to have had the tireless support of my teachers, family, and colleagues. To my mentor Professor David Dees, your commitment to your students, passion for music, and love for teaching has given me an incredible model as a pedagogue and musician. Thank you for going above and beyond for me over the past four years. I am honored to be your student and an alumnus of the Texas Tech

University saxophone studio.

To my former teacher Dr. Will Campbell, thank you for pushing me to be the best musician I could be. Your guidance as a teacher, and performer has continued to motivate me throughout my academic and musical career. I am honored to call you my friend and colleague.

To my family, Mom, Dad, Laura, and Michael, thank you for your unwavering support throughout my pursuit of a career in music. I would not be here without all of your love and encouragement.

Lastly, I am thankful for the musical friendships I have made throughout my studies. You have all been an integral part of my support network and an endless source of encouragement and inspiration. There are more of you than I can list but a special thanks to Brooke Trapp, Will Pyle, Tony Guzman, Ryan Hill,

Ben Still, Andrew Reinhart, Justus Ross, Noah Bruening, Kevin Taylor, Richard

Hall, and Ben Brauer.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ...... ii Abstract ...... iv List of Musical Examples ...... v I. Aaron Copland ...... 1 Biography ...... 1 Compositional Styles and Periods ...... 5 Aaron Copland and the Saxophone ...... 9 II. The Piano Variations ...... 12 Background...... 12 A Brief Analysis ...... 14 III. Considerations for the Adaptation to Large Saxophone Ensemble ...... 20 Overview ...... 20 General Considerations ...... 21 Consideration of the Orchestral Variations ...... 24 IV. The Adaptation...... 38 The Arranging Process ...... 38 Performance Considerations ...... 44 Conclusion ...... 46 Bibliography ...... 47 Appendix ...... 49

iii Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

ABSTRACT

Aaron Copland remains one of the most prominent and successful composers of the United States. His musical contributions reflect an expansive range of styles and genres. Copland’s Piano Variations mark a unique facet of his musical priorities and have become a staple of 20th century piano repertoire. The

Piano Variations demand a wide tessitura, a variety of characters, and an expansive palate of color and timbre.

During Copland’s compositional reign, the saxophone was becoming increasingly respected as a classical instrument in solo, chamber, and orchestral mediums. While he composed in a wide range of genres and musical styles,

Copland did not explore the possibilities for the concert saxophone, resulting in virtually no saxophone repertoire from this great American composer. This project includes an arrangement that will prove valuable for saxophonists who wish to perform the music of Aaron Copland by providing access to an underrepresented style from his musical output. The arrangement for large saxophone ensemble consists of three sopranos, three altos, three tenors, two baritones, and a bass saxophone.

This document presents biographical information on Aaron Copland, an overview of his compositional styles and influences, and a brief analysis of the

Piano Variations. Also included are considerations for the adaptation to large saxophone ensemble and performance considerations for the arrangement.

iv Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

1. Piano Variations Theme, mm. 1-11 ...... 15 2. Saxophone Ensemble Sounding Ranges ...... 21 3. Collective Sounding Range of Saxophone Ensemble ...... 21 4. Tessitura of Piano Variations ...... 22 5. Left Hand Figure from Variation 6 of Piano Variations ...... 23 6. Low Saxophone Articulation Adjustment, mm. 69-70 ...... 24 7 Variation 8 of Piano Variations ...... 26 8. Variation 8 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 86-90...... 26 9. Variation 10 of Piano Variations ...... 28 10 Added Rhythm in Variation 10 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 110-113 ..... 29 11. Variation 6 of Saxophone Adaptation, mm. 110-111 ...... 30 12. Variation 6 of Piano Variations ...... 31 13. Added Rhythm in Variation 6 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 62-63 ...... 31 14. Added Rhythm in Variation 6 of Saxophone Adaptation, m.62...... 32 15. Extended Technique in Piano Variations, mm. 1-4 ...... 34 16. Adaptation of Piano Extended Technique in Orchestral Variations,

...... 34 1 7 . Percussive Rhythms mm. 1-5 . in Variation 20 of Piano Variations ...... 35 18. Percussion Break in Variation 20 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 308-314 36

v Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

CHAPTER I

AARON COPLAND Biography

Aaron Copland played an integral role in the creation and development of

20th century American music. Regarded as one of the most prominent and successful composers of the United States, Copland maintained a diverse and active career of composing, conducting, performing, teaching, and writing. His music reflects an eclectic range of styles and genres including ballet, film score, orchestral, piano, and chamber works.

Copland was born November 14, 1900, in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Russian Jewish immigrants Harris and Sarah Copland, lived with their five children above a department store they owned in Brooklyn. Copland began to discover music on his own at the age of 7 by making up tunes at the piano.

These tunes eventually evolved into short, notated pieces by the age of 12.1 He began his first formal piano lessons in 1913 with Leopold Wolfsohn who acquainted Copland with the music of Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin.2 Instead of pursuing a university education after graduating high school, Copland continued the composition and harmony studies he began with Rubin Goldmark towards

1 Howard Pollack, Copland, Aaron (Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online Oxford University Press), 398.

2 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 the end of his high school career in 1917. He also continued studying piano with

Victor Wittgenstein and Clarence Adler.

By 1921, Copland had developed a curiosity in “modernistic experiments” and decided he wanted to pursue composition full-time. However, the musical landscape of the United States in the early 20th century did not offer many opportunities for training and education of this musical style. Invariably,

American composers would leave the United States to pursue advanced harmony and composition training. Copland writes in an autobiographical sketch in his book Copland 1900 Through 1942: “It was a foregone conclusion around 1920 that anyone who had serious pretensions as a composer would have to go abroad to finish his studies…for me “abroad” inevitably meant Paris.”3

Copland was fortunate to see an advertisement for a newly established

School of Music for Americans in Fontainebleau, France. He quickly applied and enrolled in the inaugural class of this institute and moved to France in the summer of 1921. Here, he continued his studies for three years in advanced composition, piano, and conducting. Most notably, Copland began studying with one of the “most intellectual and influential musical figures of Paris”: Nadia

Boulanger.4

3 Aaron Copland and Vivian Perlis, Copland 1900 Through 1942 (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1942), 56.

4 Rinna M. Saun, The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland: An Analysis and Study for the Performer (DMA diss., University of North Texas,

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

His association with Boulanger evolved into lifelong friendship and professional resource. Copland’s fondness for his new teacher is evident in his own writing:

It is literally exhilarating to be with a teacher for whom the art one loves has no secrets…Nadia Boulanger knew everything there was to know about music; she knew the oldest and latest music, pre-Bach and post- Stravinsky, and knew it cold. All technical know-how was at her fingertips.5

During his three years under Boulanger’s tutelage, Copland not only absorbed technical knowledge of harmony and composition, but he also began to develop his own sound and devices. Boulanger was intrigued by Copland’s interest in jazz-derived rhythms of the early twenties leading the duo to explore polyrhythmic devices including cross-pulsations and notation.6 Throughout his studies in Paris, Copland composed several motets for voice, a song for soprano, flute, and clarinet, a Rondino for string quartet, and a one-act ballet called Grohg.

Boulanger’s incessant need to understand how all music functions fostered an environment for Copland to flourish into the influential composer he is regarded as today.

Upon completion of his studies in Europe, Copland moved back to the New

York in 1924 where he had immediate work composing Symphony for Organ and

5 Aaron Copland, Copland On Music (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1944), 87-88.

6 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Orchestra, that was to be performed by the New York Symphony and Boston

Symphony and featuring his now former teacher Nadia Boulanger on organ.

Determined to make a living as a freelance composer, Copland paved the way in entrepreneurship for the American classical composer by pursuing art patronage, fellowships, and grants to fund many of his artistic pursuits. As the era of the great depression began in the United States and later its entry into World

War II, Aaron Copland remained busy by focusing his efforts on creating contemporary music geared towards an American audience. It was during this time that Copland experienced multiple musical shifts producing his diverse catalogue of works. In the early 1930s he continued to challenge himself and his audiences with more ethereal projects including The Piano Variations (1930), and

Statements for Orchestra (1935).7 Copland then began to gravitate towards the growing demand of functional forms of music. This led to his rise in fame resulting in numerous film scores, ballets, and some of his most popular works including Pulitzer Prize winning Appalachian Spring (1944).8

By the 1950s Copland had become the first American composer to hold the esteemed position of Norton Professor of Poetics at Harvard University where his lectures would eventually be published in his book Music and

Imagination. Copland also maintained a regular faculty position at the Berkshire

7 Aaron Copland and Vivian Perlis, Copland 1900 Through 1942 (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1942), 56.

8 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Music Center for 25 years. As an educator he mentored a legion of up and coming contemporary composers of the time including Leonard Bernstein, Carlos Chaves, and Toru Takemitsu.9 He began to conduct regularly for various mediums and venues and as the leading authority of his own music, which he continued until his 80s. Copland died shortly after his 90th birthday on December 2nd, 1990.10

Compositional Styles and Periods

Aaron Copland composed in numerous compositional styles in a variety of genres throughout his career. Some scholars suggest Copland’s musical style can be separated into 4 periods: a jazz influenced period, an abstract period, a popular or Americana period, and a 12-note period.11 However, it is important to note that the progression of Copland’s growth as a composer does not fit perfectly in this linear mold. For example, Copland consistently found ways to incorporate American vernacular music and sound throughout the entirety of his career. To suggest his “Americana-influenced” music represents one exclusive time period of his life would not account for the works that reflect this style outside of this time frame.12 Marc Blitzstein states: “No [stylistic] element

9 Boosey and Hawkes, “Aaron Copland Biography.” Accessed March 27, 2020. https://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main?composerid=27 48&ttype=BIOGRAPHY.

10 Pollack, “Copland, Aaron,” 401.

11 Ibid.

12 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 appears abruptly in a piece or gets cut off in … a clearly defined and individual personality can be heard throughout his stylistic changes and developments”13

After his time in Paris, Copland continued to pursue his desire to create music that reflected the urban, American world he lived in. During the mid-

1920s, Copland often referenced a jazz style, as it was in its early stages of development and dominated the dance halls of this time period. He often employed the complex polyrhythms, snap-like swing, and blues-influenced melody to evoke the sounds that were becoming a musical staple of American life.

This resulted in pieces such as Music for Theatre (1925), Piano Concerto (1926), and Four Piano Blues (1926).14 Throughout Copland’s career, the jazz style continued to evolve as the music progressed through swing, bebop, and post-bop eras through the work of musicians such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker,

Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis and many more. Copland remained respectful to

‘real’ jazz and continued to incorporate the various advancements made in this idiom throughout his career.15 For example, his Clarinet Concerto (1948) takes a look back at the ‘swing’ style of the 1920s while his piece Something Wild (1931) is influenced by a slightly more modern style of jazz.16

13 Ibid.

14 Stanley V. Kleppinger, "On the Influence of Jazz Rhythm in the Music of Aaron Copland" (American Music, Vol. 21, no. 1 2003), 74.

15 Pollack, “Copland, Aaron,” 401.

16 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

By the late 1920s Copland began experimenting with more abstract sounds that would continue to develop throughout the entirety of his career.

In retrospect it seems to me that Ode marks the end of a certain period in my development as a composer. The works that follow it are not so grandly conceived. The Piano Variations (1930), Short Symphony (1933), and Statements for Orchestra (1935) are more sparing in sonority, more lean in texture. They are still comparatively difficult to perform and difficult for an audience to comprehend.17

The music produced by Copland with this type of aesthetic frequently incorporated penetrating 2nds and 7ths, and dense chromatic harmonies, often blurring the lines between tonality and atonality. He also experimented with timbre, color and texture through extreme tessitura in his piano and orchestral works. In some cases, various aspects of his music from this time could be roughly analyzed as serialism, foreshadowing later style developments to come.

The late 1930s and early 1940s brought a change in the musical landscape of the United States, with the bringing of the Great Depression and the United

States involvement in WWII. Composers, including Copland, turned their attention from “self-engendered” works to the “functional music” that was in demand by film, ballet companies, theatre, radio stations, and schools.18 Although

Copland was adapting to the circumstances of the time, he continued with his ideology of creating music that reflected the American experience while also

17 Richard Kostelanetz, ed. Aaron Copland: A Reader Select Writings 1923-1972 (New York: Routledge, 2004), Xxvi.

18 Ibid. xxvii.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 incorporating the need to identify with the average listener. This music resulted in folk-inspired melody that utilized more open and tertian harmony through use of diatonicism and pandiatonicism. Rhythm, while still complex with syncopation and changing time signatures, was presented in a subtler context. This manifested itself in works including his film score for Of Mice and Men (1939), the famous Fanfare for the Common Man (1942) and Appalachian Spring (1944).

In the spring of 1949, Copland made a trip back to Paris where he interacted with some of the leading, post WWII, French serialist composers including Pierre Boulez and Oliver Messiaen.19 Already fascinated with the twelve-tone music of Arnold Schoenberg, Copland returned from his trip ready to try his hand at a true 12-tone composition. Copland’s interest in the serial technique had already manifested in earlier works such as the Piano Variations

(1930) by hinting at the use of rows, inversions, and retrogrades. However, in

1950 he wrote his Piano Quartet in which he consciously used the twelve-tone technique. Copland found this technique to be “especially liberating in two respects: it forces the tonal composer to unconventionalize his thinking…and it tends to freshen his melodic and figurational imagination.”20 Copland continued

19 Bryan R. Simms, “Serialism in the Early Music of Aaron Copland” (The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 90, No. 2 Summer, 2007), 178.

20 Kostelanetz, Aaron Copland: A Reader Select Writings, xxxii.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 to implement this technique in his later pieces including the Piano Fantasy

(1957) and Connotations for Orchestra (1962).21

While Copland addresses very specific styles and aesthetics in his compositions, it is important to reiterate that his compositional growth does not fit a linear mold like a great deal of composers before him. Many of his ideologies regarding style remained constant throughout the entirety of his career, while others he would revisit or build upon. This aspect of Copland’s catalogue contributes to his reputation of being one of the greatest American composers of the century.

Aaron Copland and the Saxophone

During the time of Copland’s compositional reign, the saxophone was becoming increasingly respected as a classical instrument in solo, chamber, and orchestral mediums. In the 1930’s and 1940’s early saxophonists Sigurd Rascher and Marcel Mule were commissioning prominent composers to write music that would lay the foundation of concert saxophone literature. While Copland composed a wide range of genres and musical style, he did not explore the possibilities for the concert saxophone.

There is little to no documentation of Copland’s thoughts towards the saxophone and its capabilities as a solo instrument in the classical realm. While classical saxophone repertoire was growing in Europe, the United States contributed to the instrument’s rise in popularity through its essential role in jazz

21 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 music. As a champion of American art forms, Copland recognized this potential of the saxophones in his own compositions. In his book What to Listen for in Music,

Copland writes about the saxophone in a list of instruments available for orchestral compositions:

Recently a new instrument has been added, which is partly a woodwind, called the saxophone…at first, it was only very sparingly used in the usual symphonic orchestra. Then suddenly the jazz band began exploiting it, and now it is finding its way back to more extend use in the symphonic field.22

Naturally, Copland used the saxophone in a symphonic setting as a way to exploit its capabilities in capturing the jazz style. Copland’s orchestral works that incorporate a substantial amount of saxophone in at least one or more movements are the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (1924), Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1927).23

In addition to his orchestral use of the saxophone, Copland used the instrument for a similar purpose in his incidental music for the play Quiet City

(1939).24 The score for the original work included trumpet, alto saxophone, Bb clarinet doubling on bass clarinet, and piano. Copland later expanded this music into a single movement piece for orchestra. However, in the orchestral version he

22 Aaron Copland, Alan Rich, and Leonard Slatkin, What to Listen for in Music. (Signet Classic, 2011), 90.

23 Richard Ingham, ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone (New York: Cambridge University Press), 106.

24 Mason, Eric. “Quiet City.” ClassicalPlus. Accessed February 25, 2020. http://classicalplus.gmn.com/classical/work.asp?id=437&cmp=Copland,+Aaron ¬es.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 replaced the saxophone with English horn. 25

The saxophone scene around the world has exploded in the past 60 years with the addition of saxophone in university study and the push to commission contemporary composers to write for the instrument. With such an increase in the number of professional performers and pedagogues, saxophonists need access to the compositions of great composers, such as Copland, to learn about and understand the music that shaped the landscape of 20th century contemporary music in United States. Currently, saxophonists only have access to the symphonic works that incorporate saxophone and the occasional band transcription of his more famous works. It is the intention of this project to not only provide more access to the music of Aaron Copland but also provide insight on a style of Copland’s writing that is currently not available to saxophonists.

25 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

CHAPTER II

THE PIANO VARIATIONS Background

Aaron Copland’s Piano Variations was composed in 1930. The piece was written in dedication to American writer and literary critic Gerald Sykes, who lived with Copland while he wrote the variations. It contains a theme, twenty variations, and a coda. Noted for its “aggressively stark” and “industrial character,”26 the Piano Variations mark a dramatic shift in Copland’s musical priorities and have become a staple in 20th century piano repertoire.

Unlike his jazz influenced compositions of the 1920s, this piece introduces a more sharp, inharmonious, and percussive element to his musical style. It marks his early experimentations with absolute music and would later be analyzed with Schoenberg-like techniques. Although the work seems meticulously organized, each variation was composed independently, without attention to a final order or sequence. Copland stated: "One fine day when the time was right, the order of the variations fell into place."27 This piece indicates the beginning of Copland’s confidence in his own individualistic style of composing as he later writes:

[The Piano Variations is] the first of my works where I felt very sure of

26 Lillie Gardner, The Genesis of Aaron Copland's Piano Variations: Sketches, Drafts, and Other Manuscript Sources (DMA diss., University of Connecticut, 2017), 1.

27 Neil Butterworth, The Music of Aaron Copland (Toccata Press, 1985), 203.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

myself; I knew that if someone else had written a piece using the same materials, it would have evolved quite differently.28

Copland felt pianist Walter Gieseking (1895-1956) was the perfect candidate to premiere his new piano work. Copland admired his tone quality and ability to extract a spectrum of colors during his performances. Unfortunately,

Gieseking turned down the opportunity to premier the piece because of its “crude dissonances” and “severity in style.”29 Copland decided to premiere the work himself in New York at the League of Composers Concert on January 4, 1931.

The initial reception of the piece was a mix of positive and negative reviews. The Herald Tribune stated

In these variations [Copland] sardonically thumbed his nose at all of those aesthetic attributes which have hitherto been considered essential to the creation of music.30

Other critics had a less harsh evaluation of the piece and seemed to understand the aesthetic Copland was attempting to capture:

His attention to dynamics is most painstaking, his forte's hard, piercing, brilliant; his piano's wistful and capricious…The brilliance, the hardness are characteristic and as important in the communication of the work as the precise notes and rhythms.31

28 Copland and Perlis, Copland: 1900-1942, 179.

29 Howard Pollack, Aaron Copland: The Life and Work of an Uncommon Man (New York: Holt, 1999) 151.

30 David Hamilton, Liner notes to Aaron Copland: Works for Piano 1926-1948 (LP. New World Records, 1976).

31 Arthur Berger, “The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland” (The Musical Mercury, Vol.1, No. 3, 1934), 85-86.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Looking back at all the varying reviews of his piece, Copland decided early on he

“was not going to be upset by early unfavorable reactions.”32

Not long after the premiere other artists took notice of Copland’s new work and began incorporating it in their own projects. American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham used the Variations as the music for her ballet

Dithyrambic (1931) and world-renowned pianists Victor Babin and John

Kirkpatrick programmed the work on their own performances in the years following.33 Copland himself revisited the piece, transcribing it into the Orchestral

Variations (1957) where he made new orchestration decisions and took advantage of all of the various colors provided by the instrumentation of the ensemble.

A Brief Analysis

Analysis of the piece shows a cohesive structure with organic, sometimes seamless, flow between variations. However, it is important to note Copland’s own thoughts on analysis of the Piano Variations and how it pertains to his original intention:

I admit that I am uneasy with rigid methods of composition…I feel uncomfortable with strict analysis when it takes the place of discussing relevant matters such as the harmonic structure, rhythmic life, and dynamics of the music. I have occasionally had the experience of not immediately recognizing my own work when it is dissected in this manner! In addition, analysis may be misleading about a composer’s

32 Copland and Perlis, Copland: 1900-1942, 179.

33 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

intentions, for it can lead to the division of a lifetime of composing into arbitrary style periods...our language is woefully inadequate to the task of describing musical experiences.34

The general analysis for this project will provide a broad understanding of the work’s large-scale structure and motives.

The Piano Variations is comprised of a theme, twenty variations, and a coda. Influenced by the “serialism” methods developed by Arnold Schoenberg,

Copland uses a four-note motive that serves as the basis for the entire work. This

“row” is introduced in the first four notes of the theme with the pitches E, C, D#, and C#.35 Like the Schoenberg technique, almost every harmony and individual pitch used throughout the piece can relate back to these pitches. The theme continues into four more segments each separated by rests. Example 1 places the Example 1 pitches of the theme in the same octave and shows the five separate sections.

1 2 3

? 3 5 c Ó Œ œ ˙™ #œ #œ Œ Ó Œ œ nœ œ #˙ #˙ 4 Œ Œ œ 4

7 4 5 ? 5#˙™ 4 #œ 5 4 Œ œ 4#œ œ œ #˙ #˙ ˙ Œ œ 4#˙ #˙™

Example 1. Piano Variations theme, mm. 1-11.

The second and fifth sections use the same pitch material as the first. The third and fourth sections introduce the pitches, F#, G#, and B to the original “row.”

34 Copland and Perlis, Copland: 1900-1942, 180.

35 Ibid., 182.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Although this theme resembles the Schoenberg principles, Copland breaks the rules by repeating tones in their original form and only using four pitches as the

“row.”36

Copland employs a variety of compositional devices throughout the twenty variations to create a wide range of sounds and motives. Due to the semitones in the primary four pitches of the theme, E, C, D# and C#, there are frequent harmonies that include major sevenths, minor ninths, and minor seconds. These four pitches can also loosely imply tonality and bitonality throughout the variations. Copland constantly shifts the meter, incorporates a diverse rhythmic palate, and includes frequent tempo changes. Even with a unique idea presented in each variation, many of the transitions are almost indistinguishable.

The table below provides a general analysis of each variation. It includes the variation number, tempo, style marking, and a brief description. The tempo and style markings listed are taken directly from the score of the Piano

Variations. The description column gives a general sense of melodic and harmonic motives, rhythm, and texture. The more technical aspects of the analysis, including the tracking of the theme, are provided with reference to

Rinna Saun’s dissertation The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland: An Analysis and

Study for the Performer. When referencing the table, it is easy to see the

36 Gardner, The Genesis of Aaron Copland's Piano Variations: Sketches, Drafts, and Other Manuscript Sources, 7.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 individual relationships between consecutive variations along with the overarching structure of the piece. It is divided into two clear sections.37

Variations 1 through 9 steadily increase in tempo and intensity with the first climax of the piece at Variation 10. Variation 11 acts as a conclusion of the first climax as well as a transition into the second section. The same pattern from the beginning can be seen between Variations 12 and 20.

Analysis of Variations

Variation Tempo Style Description 1 Quarter note = 54 Molto espress. Continuation of the theme in “canon. Voices are displaced by octaves. 2 Piú mosso Marcato/legato Range expands into higher register. The Quarter note = 54 harmonic structures use pitches from theme, creating abundant 7ths, and 9ths. Closely voiced cluster chords are created by stacking major and minor 3rds separated by a half step. 3 Piú mosso Simply, Texture simplifies. Two voices separated by Quarter note = 100 naively large, dissonant intervals move homo- rhythmically in contrary motion. 4 Meno mosso Accented, Sharp 32nd note rhythm introduces new Quarter note = 80 molto legato thematic material that will recur throughout the piece. 5 Meno mosso Accented, Material from Variation 4 continues Quarter note = 80 molto legato seamlessly into 5. A new voice is layered into this theme, adding rhythmic variety. 6 Piú Mosso Clangorous Theme presented in its first transposition (G- Quarter note = 112 Eb-F#-E natural). Accented left hand interjections. 7 Piú Mosso Boldly Continuation of Variation 6. Accented quarter Quarter note = notes with harmonic interjections. 112 8 Piú mosso ancora Blurred Second transposition introduced in the top Quarter note = 132 voice at the beginning of the variation B-G- Bb-Ab 9 Piú mosso ancora Warmly, Original theme juxtaposed with a transposed Quarter note = 132 cantabile version suggesting bitonality. Quarter note theme continues to progress through quicker tempo. 10 Piú largamente Marcato e First climax of the piece after steady build in

37 Ibid.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Quarter note = 76 legato tempo by earlier variations. Climax signaled by fortissimo dynamics and sudden tempo change. 11 Lento Molto espress. Concludes first climax by returning to slow Quarter note = 66 e libermente tempo with pianissimo dynamic. Third transposition F#-D-F-Eb on top of pedal C#. 12 Subito allegretto Scherzando Begins the second half of the piece. Quarter note = 126 Transposition of the theme presented in the upper range with staccato articulation. Interjections in the bass between short phrases on an Eb. 13 Poco piú mosso Threatening Contrasts variation 12 by using a much lower Quarter note = 138 range. Large leaps create a pointillist quality. 14 Allegro con brio Marcato Tempo shift that continues to throughout the Quarter note = 176 next 5 variations. Quick quarter notes followed by introduction of complex iambic meters often alternating between groupings of 2 and 3. 15 Allegro con brio Heavy staccato Complex eighth note rhythms continue while Quarter note = 176 the theme is layered in on the first note of each measure. 16 Allegro con brio Non legato Eighth note line becomes less angular. Cluster Quarter note = 176 chords create punctuation between eighth note lines. 17 Allegro con brio Very sharply Technically demanding eighth note passages Quarter = 176 in lower register separated by sixteenth note runs across upper register. 18 Allegro con brio Scherzando Soft and slurred sixteenth lines separated by Quarter note = 176 “pointillist” eighth notes outlining pitches from original theme and transposed versions. 19 Molto meno mosso Tenuto - secco Homo-rhythmic texture in which the motive is Quarter note = driven by the harmony. Sudden shift in tempo 104/152 to transition into final variation. 20 Allegro Not too fast, Sharp and percussive rhythms. These quick Quarter note = 152 well rhythms act almost as grace notes articulated, embellishing the theme. secco Sources: adapted from Rinna Saun’s dissertation The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland: An Analysis and Study for the Performer.

The coda acts as the culmination of the musical themes heard throughout the piece. The intensity of the coda increases as the tempos gradually decrease.

Copland uses chords that include up to seven voices making it the largest

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 expansion of the tessitura.38 The theme is presented for a final time in octaves with a short tag, creating a sense of unity from beginning to end.

38 Saun, The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland: An Analysis and Study for the Performer, 23-33.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

CHAPTER III

CONSIDERATIONS FOR ADAPTING THE PIANO VARIATIONS FOR LARGE SAXOPHONE ENSEMBLE

Overview

The unique nature of Copland’s Piano Variation’s demands a wide tessitura, a variety of characters, and an expansive palate of color and timbre. To cover the needs of this work, the most logical medium for a saxophone adaptation is the large saxophone ensemble. This ensemble consists of three sopranos, three altos, three tenors, two baritones, and one bass saxophone. For the purposes of this project “large saxophone ensemble” will hereafter be referred to as “saxophone ensemble.”

When adapting a work originally for piano, there are a few issues that must be addressed to make the work more idiomatic for saxophones. This chapter will address these issues and the problem solving needed for the success of this arrangement and subsequent performance. This chapter will also discuss additional considerations used in this saxophone adaptation by exploring

Copland’s own decision making in his expansion of the Piano Variations (1930) into the adaptation for orchestra, the Orchestral Variations (1957). Although the source material for this adaptation is primarily based on the piano version, there are many variations in the saxophone adaptation that employ techniques from the orchestra version.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

General Considerations

Range

When adapting a work for saxophone, one of the first variables to be considered is range. The range of a grand piano stretches beyond the range of a large saxophone ensemble. Copland takes full advantage of this wide range through the angular melodies and wide harmonic intervals presented in the

Piano Variations. Example 2 shows the natural sounding ranges of each voice in the saxophone ensemble. Example 3 shows the collective range of the saxophone Example 2 ensemble that spans from Ab2 in the bass to F6 in the soprano.

Soprano Saxophone w & bAltow Saxophone w

? bw & Tenor Saxophone ? w bw & Baritone Saxophone

? & w Bassw Saxophone ? & w bw Example 3 Example 2. Saxophone Ensemble Sounding Ranges.

? & bw Example 3. Collective Sounding Range of Saxophone Ensemble.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

While this twelve-piece ensemble provides the widest range available of saxophone exclusive ensembles, the collective range still does not reach the tessitura of the piece. The standard range of a grand piano is A0 to C8. In this piece, Copland uses nearly the entire range of the piano. Example 4 shows the tessitura used in throughout the Piano Variations. This tessitura spans from C1 Example 3 (presented as a B# in the score) to C8.

“”w

? & w Example 4. Tessitura of Piano Variations.

In this adaptation, the most frequently used solution to this issue is the use of the saxophone’s altissimo range. Use of this range throughout this arrangement expands the top of the collective saxophone ensemble tessitura from F6 to Bb6. Soprano 1, soprano 2, soprano 3, and alto 1 each have altissimo incorporated into their parts. Although altissimo is an option, in some cases there is no choice but to move figures to a different octave to make performance possible. Specific use of altissimo and octave displacement will be further discussed in “the arrangement process” section of chapter IV.

Articulation

The percussive nature of the piano allows a pianist to perform fast figures that move throughout the instrument with clear articulation. A pianist can achieve this clarity and dexterity by dividing quick successive notes between

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 each of their fingers. While a pianist can dictate the speed and articulation through their fingers exclusively, a saxophonist is limited to the speed they can move the tip of their tongue. These types of figures may also expose the tendency of an un-controlled, hard consonant sound of saxophone articulation, relative to piano articulation. In addition, a saxophonist must align their tongue with their fingers for figures that quickly change notes. Typically, the lower the saxophone that is being played, the more difficult it is to maintain a quick speed with clear articulation due to the larger reed and mouthpiece. This becomes even more difficult when multiple voices are playing the same figure. One common way to fix this issue when adapting for saxophone is to incorporate combinations slurs within the articulations.

Example 5 presents a figure from variation 6 that uses quick, accented sixteenth notes in the left hand. This is figure is marked at quarter note equals

112 beats per minute.

Example 5. Left Hand Figure from Variation 6 of Piano Variations.

In the saxophone adaptation the tenor, baritone, and bass saxophones were assigned this figure. This section proved to be difficult to achieve a clear and 23

17 Var. 7 69 > > > > Sop. Sax. ° #œ œ œ œnœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ &45 ‰ Œ Œ R ≈ ‰ ‰ Ó 4

#œ #>œ œ œ œ Sop. Sax. &45 R ≈ ‰ Œ Œ Ó Œ Œ Ó 4

> >œ œ œ œ > Sop. Sax. #œ œ™ #œ #œ n˙ &45 Œ Œ R ≈ ‰ Ó 4 Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 > #>œ #œ œ œ™ #>œ œ™ n˙ Alto Sax. R &45 ≈ ‰ Œ Œ Ó 4 articulated sound due to the nature of the larger instruments. To remedy this #˙ Alto Sax. #œ œ issue, a slur was added between the first two notes of the line each time it was&45 Ó Œ Œ Ó 4 #˙ presented. This adjustment can be observed in examAlto Sax. #œ œ ple 6. &45 Ó Œ Œ Ó 4

>œ œ Ten. Sax. nœ nœ j &45 Œ Œ ≈ #œ > J ‰ Œ Ó Œ ≈ #>œ ‰ 4 #œ #>œ >œ œ Ten. Sax. nœ nœ j &45 Œ Œ ≈ #œ > J ‰ Œ Ó Œ ≈ #>œ ‰ 4 #œ #>œ >œ œ Ten. Sax. nœ nœ j &45 Œ Œ ≈ #œ > J ‰ Œ Ó Œ ≈ #>œ ‰ 4 #œ #>œ > Bari. Sax. 5 Œ Œ ≈ #œ#œ ‰ Œ Ó Œ ≈#œ#œ ‰ 4 &4 œ > J œ j 4 nœ >n>œ > Bari. Sax. 5 Œ Œ ≈ #œ#œ ‰ Œ Ó Œ ≈#œ#œ ‰ 4 &4 œ > J œ j 4 nœ >n>œ > > Bass Sax. #œ#œ #œ#œ > j &45 Œ Œ ≈ œ J ‰ Œ Ó Œ ≈ œ ‰ 4 ¢ nœ n>œ

Example 6. Low Saxophone Articulation Adjustment, mm. 69-70.

Considerations of the Orchestral Variations

In 1957 the Louisville Orchestra commissioned Copland to write a work for orchestra. Copland had been considering a new arrangement of this work for a long time. After the Louisville Orchestra offered Copland a commission, he decided to finally adapt his piano variations for orchestra. The over-all structure of the work remains the same, but Copland uses the opportunity to experiment with orchestral possibilities. While the Piano Variations take on a more severe and percussive quality, Copland used the Orchestral Variations to reinvent the piece with the timbre, and the color differences available in each instrument of

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 the orchestra.39 He also added rhythmic variation and percussion to increase the depth of the texture. Some of his adjustments were intended to make the work more idiomatic for an orchestral performance. This includes meter changes, breathing strategies for wind players, and solutions for piano extended techniques.

Since the saxophone ensemble is a large ensemble made up entirely of wind of players, the slight changes Copland added to the Orchestral Variations were observed in many variations of this arrangement. These next sections will provide small examples that introduce the aspects of the orchestral version that were considered in this project. A more detailed account of these considerations throughout the adaptation will be provided in chapter IV.

Color and Timbre

Many of the variations in the orchestral version showcase the color possibilities of the extensive list of voices in the orchestra. This includes strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. One example of this can be observed in variation 8. Copland expands the simple melodic lines of the piano version, shown in example 7, by dividing fragments of the line between multiple voices in the orchestral version, shown in example 8. This creates multiple points of entry and adds to the desired “blurred” effect given in the style marking. It also passes the line across brass, woodwinds, and strings showing off the color possibilities

39 Butterworth, The Music of Aaron Copland, 152.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 of the orchestra.

Example 7. Variation 8 of Piano Variations.

Example 8. Variation 8 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 86-90. 26

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Similar to the orchestra, saxophones also offer a wide variety of color that spans across the ensemble and within the range of each individual instrument.

Generally, pitches on the higher end of the instrument can access brighter timbre and color possibilities while the lower end presents the warm and dark side of the spectrum. This color palate expands even further when considering the timbre differences between each instrument. The colors of sound that are available to the soprano saxophone can differ greatly from that of the baritone saxophone. Many variations, including variation 8, create the perfect opportunity to exploit these colors of the instrument by using various ranges and combinations of instruments.

Rhythmic Variety

Another device Copland used in the orchestral version is the addition of new rhythms to thicken the texture of single-line figures of the piano version. In some cases, this is used to create more dramatic impact. Variation 10, shown below in example 9, acts as the climax of the first half of the variations. The tempo is immediately slower after a progression through gradually increasing tempos of the earlier variations. It is marked fortissimo, the loudest dynamic marking of the piece thus far, and uses homo-rhythmic texture consisting of unison harmonies that spans across 3 octaves.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Example 9. Variation 10 of Piano Variations.

To add even more intensity to this moment, Copland added thirty-second note runs in the winds, strings, and harp. These figures compliment the original figure without obscuring the theme.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Example 10. Added Rhythm in Variation 10 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 110-113.

The orchestral version of this variation translates well for saxophone ensemble and did not require much adjustment. The following example is an excerpt from the saxophone arrangement that shows the parallels between the two arrangements. This excerpt is almost an exact transcription of the orchestral version. 29

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Example 11. Variation 6 of Saxophone Adaptation.

In other cases, Copland added rhythms to create variety in texture and amplify the style markings from his Piano Variations. Variation 6 is marked 30

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

“clangorous” implying a continuous banging or ringing sound. To portray this marking even further, Copland takes what was originally the simple quarter note melody of the Piano Variations and layers sixteenth note rhythms in the trumpets and strings.

Example 12. Variation 6 of Piano Variations.

Example 13. Added Rhythm in Variation 6 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 62-63.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

The technique required to perform these expansions translate well to the saxophone and add both intensity and variety to the arrangement. Below is an excerpt from variation 6 of the saxophone adaptation showing the incorporation of this technique in the upper six voices.

Example 14. Added Rhythm in Variation 6 of Saxophone Adaptation, m. 62.

Meter

When comparing the piano score and the orchestral score one of the clearest differences, aside from the orchestration, are the changes in meter. When writing a work for a solo instrument, a composer has the freedom to notate 32

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 rhythm and meter in a way that most accurately describes the music. As a conductor, Copland decided that some of the variations in the piano version contained meters that would likely not translate well to a large orchestra. When arranging the Orchestral Variations, Copland took the practicalities of a large ensemble into account and attempted to make the piece easier for orchestral performance. Throughout the piece, Copland moved bar lines, changed time signatures, and implied groupings over simple meters to show a clear conducting pattern to aid in a large ensemble performance.

Typically, saxophone ensembles will use a conductor to make communication across the ensemble easier. The complexity of this piece in particular makes the use of a conductor essential. The adaptation follows the time signatures and measure numbers of the orchestral version and also adopts all implied groupings marked in the score. Because of this, it is important to note that the piano version and saxophone arrangement do not match measure numbers or meters if a performer decides to reference the piano score.

Piano Extended Techniques

In addition to the extensive range and colors the piano offers, there are also various unconventional ways to create unique sounds. Copland employed one of these extended techniques in opening theme of the Piano Variations. This technique requires the performer to silently depress and hold the C#3 key, releasing the hammer from the string. After the sforzando release, the performer continues to hold the C# key down causing harmonics of that open string to softly

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 ring. Copland used clear, diamond shaped note heads to indicate the pitch that is to be silently pressed down. He also included an asterisk that corresponds to a performance note at the bottom of the page that clarifies the technique.

Example 15. Extended Technique in Piano Variations, mm. 1-4.

In the adaptation to orchestra, Copland handled this extended technique by utilizing the “subtone” technique of the clarinet. This technique requires the performer to use a slow but consistent air pressure to making the reed vibrate as soft as possible. On the downbeat of the sforzando attack, a solo clarinet enters using subtone on the same C# pitch of the piano version.

Example 16. Adaptation of Piano Extended Technique in Orchestral Variations, mm. 1-5. 34

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Subtone is a standard technique that is frequently incorporated in saxophone repertoire making it easy to adapt in this project.

Percussive Sounds

Another family of instruments Copland decided to showcase in the orchestral version is the percussion family. The sharp, rhythmic, and articulated low pitches at the end of variation 20 of the piano version present a percussive quality that Copland easily expanded into a percussion break.

Example 17. Percussive Rhythms in Variation 20 of Piano Variations.

This section is realized in the orchestral version by translating the pitches and rhythm from the piano into low string pizzicato and low reeds. The centerpiece of this section is the two bongo drums and low conga drum that outline the rhythm.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Example 18. Percussion Break in Variation 20 of Orchestral Variations, mm. 308-314.

The saxophone offers a set of percussive capabilities through use of slap- tongue. Four different types of slap-tonguing are available to portray percussive sounds, or string pizzicato:

1. A pitched melodic slap or pizzicato “plucking” sound. 2. A pitched slap “tone” or a slap attack followed by normal tone. 3. An unpitched woodblock slap creating a dry percussive sound 4. An explosive unpitched slap creating a loud percussive sound40

To produce a slap tongue, the saxophonist creates a vacuum between their tongue and the reed, making a suction-cup effect. To execute the sound, the tongue is then separated from the reed by quickly pulling the tongue away in a downward motion. This is followed a small burst of air that can vary depending

40 Jay C. Easton “Writing for Saxophones: A Guide to the Tonal Palette of the Saxophone Family for Composers, Arrangers, and Performers.” (DMA diss., University of Washington, 2006), 251-252.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 on the type of pitch desired. Slap-tongue can be indicated in notation in a variety of ways. For this arrangement, it has been indicated with note head replaced by an “x.”

Slap-tongue is used in the bass saxophone at the end of variation 20. This is meant to emulate the loud bass pizzicato and low conga hits of the orchestral version. Future projects of this arrangement can also explore the use of slap- tongue throughout other percussion-heavy variations of the work.

Breathing

Another obvious advantage that non-wind instruments have over saxophonists is the ability to continuously play a pitch without the need to breath. In some of the Piano Variations, Copland made use of the sustain pedal to create sustained sounds for long periods of time. Although it is now common that saxophonists can circular breathe, this technique generally only works well in comfortable, middle of the staff ranges.

Luckily, most of variations of the piano version do not present many issues for breathing when adapting for wind instruments. However, the few that do are addressed in the wind parts of the orchestral version. To remedy this issue, Copland incorporates breath marks, additional rests, and divides long melodic lines between multiple voices. These decisions are reflected in this project to make it easier for saxophone performance.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

CHAPTER IV

THE ADAPTATION The Arranging Process

Due to the serial-like nature of this work, it was a high priority that each variation was adapted as closely to the original Piano Variations as possible to maintain the harmonic, melodic, and textural properties of the piece. The

Orchestral Variations were also considered to create variety and incorporate

Copland’s adjustments from his own adaptation to a larger ensemble.

The opening theme of the Piano Variations is presented by a single note melody that is interrupted by sforzando attacks. In the orchestral version, this theme remains a single note melody, but is shared between brass and string voices, with percussion interruptions. This unison line creates a triumphant and impactful sonic effect. For the saxophone adaptation, the decision was made to honor both versions by maintaining the perfect unison placing it into six voices.

Due to the range of the theme, this melody was assigned to the lower half of the saxophone ensemble including tenor 1, 2, and 3, baritone 1 and 2, and bass. To fill out the harmony of the interruptions, alto saxophones are added to the texture on the isolated attacks. The piano extended technique is covered by alto 1 through use of the subtone technique on a concert C#. This orchestration continues until measure 8 when the unison theme splits into octaves and descends into the first variation. The descent is accomplished by gradually

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 dropping voices from the texture until the lowest three voices arrive at the last pitch of the theme.

The theme transitions seamlessly into the first variation where it is expanded upon in a canon-like style. To maintain the soft and thin texture of the piano version, these first few variations are lightly scored. The voices are displaced by octaves, all of which are on the low end of the piano. Tenor 1, baritone 1, and bass present this canon as a trio.

In variation 2, the range begins to expand into a slightly higher tessitura.

This slight shift in register led the decision to hand off the “trio” of variation 1 to a new trio consisting of baritone 2, tenor 2, and alto 1. As the variation progresses, more voices are added until every voice enters the texture for the climax in measure 31. Every voice then moves homo-rhythmically and gradually decrescendos to the transition into variation 3 where primary material is placed into an even higher register.

Variation 3 returns to a simple texture using only two voices, soprano 1 and tenor 1. These voices are separated by large dissonant intervals and move homo-rhythmically in contrary motion. It was decided that the “8va” indication in the piano version above the pitches in the right hand of this variation would be ignored, bringing the figure down an octave. The Bb6 on beat 2 of variation 3 was also brought down, keeping the line in a consistent octave. These pitches push the edge of the altissimo capability of soprano and would be extremely difficult to perform the soft and delicate style marked.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

The beginning of variation 4 introduces new thematic material assigned to sop 3, alto 3, all tenors and baritone 2. In measure 48 a new group of voices enter by playing long sustained pitches in the rhythmic gaps of the new thematic material. By the end of the variation the new thematic material is placed exclusively in the left hand while a legato, canon-like figure, is layered in the upper six voices. Because the texture of this canon-like section is influenced by the orchestral variations, the baritone also joins the higher voices to cover the cello’s entrance in the canon.

By Variation 5 the new thematic material has taken over. This orchestration is fairly straight forward. The three to six voice harmonies presented typically resulted in an orchestration of two to three voices per pitch.

As the right-hand tessitura stretched into the upper range, it becomes easier for the upper saxophone voices to project. To maintain balance, the upper voices are given different pitches to avoid one voice of the harmony to dominate the sound.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, variation 6 takes on a shape similar to the orchestral version. The sixteenth notes in the original brass and strings are dived even further between altos and sopranos. The intention was to create almost a pointillistic effect, by passing the sixteenth notes between multiple voices. The tenor, baritone, and bass voices follow more closely to the piano variations by playing the sixteenth note interjections of the left hand. A slur was added between the first and second note of this figure to create clarity among the

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 dissonant minor ninth harmony, and to combat the tendencies of quick, low saxophone articulation.

Variation 7 acts as a continuation of Variation 6. The accented quarter notes start in the lowest voices and are passed along into the tenors and alto 3.

The harmonic interjections are voiced in alto 1, 2 and all sopranos. These chords have double the lowest voice in alto 1 and 2 to maintain balance within the harmony.

Observing the orchestral score for variation 8 creates the perfect opportunity to exploit the different colors of the instrument. The simple quarter note lines are divided between the ensemble multiple points of entry across the ensemble. Copland also creates different melodic contours in each entrance creating a more” blurred” effect as marked in the piano score. This continues until the end of variation 9. Here, Copland adds angular, staccato, eighth notes in the upper woodwinds creating tension that is resolved at the arrival of variation

10. To ensure these eighth-notes would cut through the leading theme carried by the ensemble, they were assigned to the high register of soprano 2, and 3 and alto

2, and 3.

Variation 10 acts as the climax of the first half of the piece. This is signaled by fortissimo dynamics, sudden tempo change, and broadened texture. The theme is covered by soprano 3, altos 2 and 3, and baritone 2. The thirty-second note, quasi-glissandi embellishments are added to the soprano 1 and 2, alto 1,

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 and baritone 1 parts, mimicking the flutes, clarinets, and strings of the orchestral version.

After the climax, the piece returns to the thin, soft texture of the earlier variations. The soft and low harmonies in the baritone’s and bass accompany the gentle duet between soprano 1 and 2. In the orchestral version, this duet is performed between oboe and flute. It was intended for this duet to allow room for interpretation for the performers in ways such as vibrato, and phrasing decisions.

The scherzando in variation 12 creates an immediate contrast to variation

11 through use of a short and detached pitches in a high tessitura. The piano version’s “8va” marking on every other note was ignored in this adaptation because it is out of range of altissimo for the soprano.

Variation 13 contrasts variation 12 by using a much lower range. The large leaps in the sixteenth notes create a pointillist quality to the variation. To exploit this quality even further, the sixteenth notes are passed around the ensemble. The low left-hand pitches fall outside of the collective tessiture of the saxophone ensemble and are brought up the octave and voiced in the bass.

Variations 14, 15, 16, and 17 each flow seamlessly from one variation to the next by using similar rhythmic material. The orchestration in these variations are closely related to the orchestral version. These variations adopt the meter changes of the orchestral version that help facilitate large ensemble performance.

In variation 14, nearly the entire ensemble presents the complex iambic rhythms

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 that later become the underlying rhythmic motor of the subsequent variations.

In the variations that follow, Copland passes this “motor” rhythm between high strings and low strings while the theme is layered on top of the motor. It was decided to match this texture by assigning high strings to soprano 1, 2, and tenor

1, and low strings to tenor 3, baritone 1, and bass.

Variation 18 presents soft and slurred sixteenth lines separated by

“pointillist” eighth notes outlining pitches from original theme and transposed versions. Most of this variation follows the piano version almost exactly. The sixteenth notes are treated like a duet between soprano 1 and tenor 1. The pointillistic eighth notes are assigned to soprano 2 and bass and are also treated like a duo. To crate forward motion and growth throughout this longer variation, it was decided to add voices to the slurred sixteenth notes midway through.

Variation 19 acts mainly as a transition between 18 and 20. The opening left hand chords of the piano version were brought down two octaves in the saxophone adaptation. However, to maintain the brilliance of the saxophone’s upper register, these chords were placed into the high registers of alto saxophones and baritone.

The sharp, rhythmic, and articulated low pitches at the end of variation 20 of the piano version present a percussive quality that Copland expanded into the percussion break of the orchestral version. For this arrangement it has been indicated with note head replaced by an “x.” Slap-tongue is used in the bass saxophone at the end of variation 20. Range is also adjusted in the bass part

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 bringing the low hits up one octave from the piano version.

The coda dramatically displays the musical themes heard throughout the piece, marking a fitting conclusion for this work. Copland uses chords that include up to seven voices, making it the largest expansion of the tessitura.41 In this adaptation, each individual pitch of these chords is assigned one voice in attempts to create the most balanced cluster chords possible. The last three measures of the coda act almost like a “tag” ending. The addition of the thirty second note pitches are modeled directly from the horn and trumpets in the orchestral version.

Performance Considerations

One of the most difficult aspects of performing this piece is tuning. The harmonies often move from very consonant intervals including perfect fifths, and octaves, spreading across three to four octaves. In the same measure, there are also dissonant harmonies including minor ninths, major sevenths, tritones, or minor seconds. This presents many potential tuning hazards and time must be spent tuning these areas. It helps to be familiar with the original harmony of the piano variations to understand the origin of the harmony in the adaptation.

This spread harmony may also present issues with balance. Often times one voice is required to balance into a harmony while being spread apart by multiple octaves. It is suggested that when deciding on the physical orientation of

41 Saun, The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland: An Analysis and Study for the Performer, 18-19.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020 the ensemble, all like instruments are paired together creating sections (ex. all 3 sopranos are together, all 3 altos are together, etc.). These sections should then be placed next to a voice that neighbors in score order.

Many of the softer variations are scored with very few voices creating a chamber-like setting. As often as possible, these sections are scored assigning individuals on with the same “chair number” (Soprano 1, Alto 1, Tenor 1,

Baritone 1, etc.). If the saxophone ensemble is comprised of three pre-formed quartets, it is suggested quartet members from the same group are assigned the same “chair numbers” to enhance these chamber-like sections.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

CONCLUSION

Aaron Copland’s Piano Variations are essential to solo piano repertoire and remain representative of one of Copland’s unique style eras. Consisting of biting harmonies, rhythmic drive, and a variety of characters, and colors, this masterpiece is deserving of attention and exposure. It is the intention of this project to provide greater access to Copland’s music and insight on a style of

Copland’s writing that is currently not available to saxophonists. With the popularity and proficiency of saxophone ensemble steadily increasing across the world, it is hopeful that this arrangement will provide a learning opportunity for saxophonists on the great music of this American composer.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Berger, Arthur. “The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland.” The Musical Mercury, Vol.1, No. 3, pp. 85-86, 1934.

Boosey and Hawkes, “Aaron Copland Biography.” Accessed March 27, 2020. https://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main?compose rid=2748&ttype=BIOGRAPHY.

Butterworth, Neil. The Music of Aaron Copland. Toccata Press, 1985.

Copland, Aaron and Vivian Perlis. Copland, 1900-1942. New York: St. Martins Press, 1987.

Copland, Aaron. Copland On Music. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1944.

Copland, Aaron. Music and Imagination. Harvard University Press, 1952.

Copland, Aaron. Orchestral Variations. Boosey and Hawkes, 1960.

Copland, Aaron. Piano Variations. New York: Boosey and Hawkes, 1932.

Copland, Aaron, Alan. Rich, and Leonard. Slatkin. What to Listen for in Music. Signet Classic, 2011.

Easton, Jay C. Writing for Saxophones: A Guide to the Tonal Palette of the Saxophone Family for Composers, Arrangers, and Performers. DMA diss., University of Washington, 2006.

Gardner, Lillie. The Genesis of Aaron Copland's Piano Variations: Sketches, Drafts, and Other Manuscript Sources. DMA diss., University of Connecticut, 2017.

Hamilton, David. Liner notes to Aaron Copland: Works for Piano 1926-1948. LP. New World Records, 1976.

Kleppinger, Stanley V. "On the Influence of Jazz Rhythm in the Music of Aaron Copland." American Music Vol. 21, no. 1 (2003): 74-111. Accessed February 25, 2020.

Kostelanetz, Richard, ed. Aaron Copland: A Reader Select Writings 1923-1972. New York: Routledge, 2004.

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

Mason, Eric. “Quiet City.” ClassicalPlus. Accessed February 25, 2020. http://classicalplus.gmn.com/classical/work.asp?id=437&cmp=Copland,+ Aaron¬es.

Pollack, Howard. “Copland, Aaron.” Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed February 25, 2020. https://doi-org.lib- e2.lib.ttu.edu/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2249091

Pollack, Howard. Aaron Copland: the Life and Work of an Uncommon Man. New York: Holt, 1999.

Ingham, Richard, ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Saun, Rinna M. The Piano Variations of Aaron Copland: An Analysis and Study for the Performer. DMA diss., University of North Texas, 2003.

Simms, Bryan R. “Serialism in the Early Music of Aaron Copland.” The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 90, No. 2 (Summer, 2007), pp. 176-196 Published by: Oxford University Press, https://www.jstor.org/stable/25172868, (accessed April 12, 2019).

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

APPENDIX

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

100

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

101

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

102

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

103

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

104

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

105

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

106

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

107

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

108

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

109

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

110

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

111

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

112

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

113

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

114

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

115

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

116

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

117

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

118

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

119

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

120

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

121

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

122

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

123

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

124

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

125

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

126

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

127

Texas Tech University, Andrew Schoen, May 2020

128