Thesis Hum 2011 Rontschi M.Pdf

The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO GUITAR TRANSCRIPTIONS OF ISAAC ALBÉNIZ’S GRANADA. Town Marc Röntsch Cape of University A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Music Faculty of Humanities, University of Cape Town 2011 Supervisor: Dr Martin Watt Co-Supervisor: Mr James Grace ii A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO GUITAR TRANSCRIPTIONS OF ISAAC ALBÉNIZ’S GRANADA. Marc Röntsch (RNTMAR003) A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Music Faculty of Humanities, University of Cape Town 2011 Supervisor: Dr Martin Watt Town Co-Supervisor: Mr James Grace Cape COMPULSORY DECLARATION of This work has not been previously submitted in whole, or in part, for the award of any degree. It is my own work, generated by me as a result of my own original research. Each significant contribution to, and quotation in, this dissertation from the work, or works of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. University Signature: .............................................. Date: ................................. iii Declaration This work has not been previously submitted in whole, or in part, for the award of any degree. It is my own work, generated by me as a result of my own original research. Each significant contribution to, and quotation in, this dissertation from the work, or works of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. Signed Town Cape of Signature: .............................................. Date: ................................. University iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It seems appropriate to take this opportunity to thank all those who assisted me with this research. First I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr Martin Watt, for his expertise, support and wealth of knowledge. His guidance over the past two years has been invaluable, and I thank him for constantly challenging me to view my research from different angles and perspectives. Also my appreciation goes to my co-supervisor, Mr James Grace, who has not only been my guitar teacher for the past six years, but initially sparked my interest in guitar transcription. I am very grateful to Dr Stanley Yates who took the time to answer my questions via e-mail and who agreed to be interviewed. It is a great privilege to be able to consult an arranger of his calibre and prestige, and this certainly adds weight to myTown research. The pianists who assisted me must be thanked. I am indebted to Kyle Rother for being a consultant pianist, for assisting me with the musicalCape examples, and for his support and friendship. Thanks also to Albert Combrink and Olga Rademan for extending their extensive knowledge of the piano, particularlyof of piano pedalling. Julie Strauss and the staff of the WH Bell Music Library cannot be overlooked. Their constant support and friendliness has been greatly appreciated. I would be remiss if I did not thank my parents, Peter and Ricky. Both have been incredibly supportive and motivating,University and proved helpful: my father for his help with the graphs and my mother for her editorial skills. Thank you both. Finally, to the music teachers of the past who have inspired me and the friends who have supported me. Thank you all! v ABSTRACT The repertoire for the modern classical guitar is relatively limited. As a result, guitarists have transcribed music originally written for the piano for their instrument, in order to augment their repertoire. The solo piano works of Isaac Albéniz have been extensively transcribed and performed by many guitarists. Granada, the first movement from his Suite española for piano is a favourite amongst guitarists - sometimes even more so than amongst pianists. This dissertation offers a comparative analysis of the very first transcription of Granada by the renowned Romantic composer and guitar virtuoso Francisco Tárrega, and a more recent transcription by Stanley Yates. The aim of the study is to identify and critically evaluate various transcription techniques employed by these transcribers, in order to determine the extent to which their transcriptions of Granada are similar and different. Firstly, the study will contextualise its research aims and objectives by providing biographical information on Albéniz, followed by a general discussion of his compositional style and how it reflects in his piano music. TheTown history of the practice of guitar transcription and the influence important transcribers had on the development of this practice will then be outlined. Secondly, the study will offer a detailed analysis and discussion of the Tárrega and Yates transcriptionsCape of Granada by comparing certain deviations from and adaptations of the originalof piano score through the interpretation of statistical data. This data, visually represented by graphs, will then be critically evaluated to determine the extent to which similarities as well as differences between these transcriptions occur. Finally, the findings of the study will shed light on the value of these two vastly different, yet very popular guitar transcriptions of Granada. University KEYWORDS musical transcription, guitar music, Spanish music, Isaac Albéniz, Francisco Tárrega, Stanley Yates, Granada, Suite española. vi CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction 1 1. Transcriptions and Transcribers 1 2. Research Objective, Dissertation Structure and Methodology 3 2. Historical and Stylistic Context 7 1. Isaac Albéniz: Facts and Fables 7 2. Albéniz’s Compositional Style 11 3. The Application of these Compositional Characteristics in Granada 19 Town 4. The History of Guitar Transcription and Guitar Transcribers 24 3. Analysis of Granada 39 1. Bar Numbers and Structure Cape 39 of 2. Transposition 40 3. Harmonic Alterations 42 4. Rhythmic Alterations 47 5. EmulationUniversity of Piano Pedalling 57 6. Bass Note Alterations 63 7. Bass Part Alterations 72 8. Octave Displacement 82 9. Omission of Notes 92 4. Conclusion 127 References 131 vii Appendix I Figures A.1-A.31 Appendix II Scores 1. Piano score of Granada edited by Maurice Hinson 2. Guitar transcription of Granada transcribed by Francisco Tárrega 3. Guitar transcription of Granada transcribed by Stanley Yates Appendix III Interview with Dr Stanley Yates Town Cape of University 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1. Transcriptions and transcribers Transcription has always been part of the development and history of the classical guitar, and has a number of functions. First, it expands the repertoire of the guitar. The guitar is a unique instrument and not many composers have composed for the instrument. Graham Wade (2001) notes, in A Concise History of the Classical Guitar, that from the mid- eighteenth century until the early nineteenth century, the guitar’s construction went through significant changes, specifically moving from five-coursed double strings to six single strings. Although a precise date cannot be determined as to when the modern guitar’s construction was finalised, it can be ascertained that it was around the early to middle nineteenth century (Wade, 2001:63). Thus very little time has elapsed in which a repertoire of any significance could be built up. Town Secondly, and flowing directly from the above, guitar transcription allows for guitarists to play many of great compositions that pre-dateCape the modern guitar’s development. If guitarists wish to perform, for instance, musicof of the Baroque and Renaissance periods, these works need to be transcribed. Often it is the music of the guitar’s ancestors, the lute and the vihuela, that are most often transcribed. A third reason for guitar transcription is to allow works by Spanish composers for instruments other than the guitar, but who composed works aimed at emulating the guitar, to be performed on theUniversity guitar. Because the guitar is the national instrument of Spain, many Spanish composers used guitaristic effects in their piano writing (Powell, 1996:33). By transcribing this music for the guitar, the music can be heard in an arguably more accurate context. Famed guitarist, Andrés Segovia, said of transcription in the Christopher Nupen film, Los Olivos: “...any Andalusian piece is written with the guitar in mind, and the transcription back to the guitar is a restitution.” Transcription of the music of Isaac Albéniz finds a good fit in the first and third of these reasons. Albéniz was a Spanish composer and virtuoso pianist, and in piano circles was most famous for his piano suite of twelve pieces, Iberia (Clark, 1999:4). As a composer he is seen as one of the foremost Spanish nationalists, continuing the tradition that was 2 began by his composition teacher Felipe Pedrell (Clark, 1999:55). His music is well suited to guitar transcription because of the use of typical guitaristic effects in his piano writing. These compositions sound so comfortable on the guitar that they are performed and recorded more frequently by guitarists than by pianists (Yates, 1999:5). It is predominantly Albéniz’s compositions for solo piano, written prior to Iberia, that have been transcribed for the guitar.1 Pieces, such as Granada, Seville, Cadiz and Asturias from his Suite española op.47, Córdoba from Chants d’Espagne op.232, as well as Mallorca and Torre Bermeja are among a list of Albéniz compositions that have seen regular transcription for and performance on the guitar. The piece that has been analysed in this study is the first piece from the Suite española, entitled Granada. In this work, Albéniz paints a musical picture of the city of Granada in the Spanish province of Andalusia. The music of Andalusia is deeply influenced by the Moors.

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