CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

RECITAL AND WORKS

BY HANDEL, BEETHOVEN, SCHUMANN, LISZT, AND

BENJAMIN LEES

A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the degree of Master of Music in Music, Performance

By

Juhee Lim

December 2017 The graduate abstract of Juhee Lim is approved:

______Dr. Gayle Kowalchyk Date

______Dr. Ric Alviso Date

______Dr. Dmitry Rachmanov, Chair Date

California State University, Northridge

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Table of Contents

Signature Page ii

Abstract iv

Appendix: Program 1

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Abstract

RECITAL AND CONCERTO WORKS

BY HANDEL, BEETHOVEN, SCHUMANN, LISZT, AND

BENJAMIN LEES

By Juhee Lim Master of Music in Music, Performance

Suite Vll (g-moll) HWV 432 by Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759)

Handel was born in 1685, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and Domenico

Scarlatti. Handel is one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era. The Suite in G Minor is one of his best-known suites. The suite consists of six movements: overture (Largo-Presto-

Large)- Andante- Allegro- Srabande- Gigue- Passacaille (Passacaglia). The suite in G minor is much more than a standard set of stylized dance movements. The first movement opens with

French overture style with Adagio, followed by a fast (Presto). It features in thirds, sixths, and octaves. The following Andante movement has a lyrical melody. The Allegro movement has two voices in 3/8 time. The Sarabande is marked Andante con moto and has three- and four-voice chords with the melody as the top voice. The Gigue that follows has two virtuoso voices. The last movement, Passacaglia, is the climax of the entire suite.

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Piano Sonata, in F Major, Opus 10 No.2 by (1770-1827)

Ludwig Van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist during the Classical period.

He is the most famous composer of all time, and his music was the transition between the

Classical and the Romantic periods. He also studied with Haydn, but their temperaments, personalities, and outlook on music clashed violently. This piano sonata consists of three movements: Allegro- Allegretto- Presto. This Sonata is one of three that belong to the Opus 10 set. It is the second sonata in the set, written in 1796. Since it is one of Beethoven’s early works, it naturally employs the style of Mozart and his teacher Haydn. You can hear this, especially in the third movement. Usually the second movement of a sonata is written in slow tempo, but in this piece, there is no slow movement. He used an allegretto (a tempo marking that means a little slower than “lively”) instead of a slow tempo. The second movement flows melodiously in F- minor, but ends with a surprising major chord that connects with the third movement. The third movement has a short finale with a single canonic theme.

Piano Concerto in A minor, Opus 54 by Robert Schumann (1840-1856)

Robert Schumann was one of the greatest and well-known German composers and pianists in the Romantic period. His music presents strong melody lines and a poetic sentiment.

He wrote only one piano concerto, and it was written as a dedication to his wife Clara

Schumann. She was also a virtuoso pianist, and she was the first to perform this piece. This concerto is a perfect example of brilliant Romantic piano literature. During the summer of 1841,

Schumann wrote only a single movement that he called “Fantasy in A minor.” Clara gave the premiere performance that year in Leipzig. Four years later, he decided to expand it into a full- length concerto. The Concerto is a musical genre which usually highlights single instrumentalist being accompanied by an orchestra. Many follow an architectural structure established

v by Johann Christian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Joseph Haydn. There are usually three movements, with tempo indications that revolved around a formula of: Fast-Slow-

Fast. The first movement was the most formalized compositionally. Towards the end of the movement, there is a pause, during which the orchestra stops playing, and the soloist is highlighted in either an improvised, or written out, “cadenza” This allowed the soloist to use the themes of the piece that were previously presented develop and expand on them, showing off more technically impressive passages. Then, when completed, the orchestra returns, and with the soloist, a grand finale section to close out the movement is presented. In situations where an orchestra is not available, many composers reduced the orchestra score into a single piano, 2- hand version, during which the major themes and accompanying can take place.

Etude de concert No. 3 (Un sospiro) S.144 by Franz Liszt (1811-1866)

Franz Liszt was one of the greatest and well-known Hungarian composers and virtuoso pianists in the Romantic period. He composed Three Concert Études, Etude de concert No.3, is in D-flat major, and is usually known as Un sospiro (Italian for "A sigh"). The piece opens with windless D-flat major arpeggios then it sounds more spread out. As an etude, this piece is good for a study in crossing hands, playing a connected melody with alternating hands, rapid scales, intervals of thirds, and arpeggios. The piece has dramatic dynamics and beautiful melodies.

Fantasia by Benjamin Lees (1948-2010)

Benjamin Lees is a well-known American composer of the twentieth century. He was born in , China and came to the in 1925. At age five, Lees began piano lessons. He began studies of harmony and theory studied in his teens, along with his first efforts at composition. After doing military service (1942–45), Lees entered the University of Southern

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California in where he studied with , Ernst Kanitz, and .1

The piece “Fantasia” opens with a sforzando and then begins fast tempo. The piece has intense chords and octave runs that make an exciting and brilliant sound. However, it also shows Lees composition style which included lots of dissonance harmony, surprise dynamic contrasts, tempo changes, and mood changes. The “Fantasia” piece is an excellent example of his music for piano.

1 http://www.pytheasmusic.org/lees.html

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Appendix: Program

California State University, Northridge Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication Department of Music

Presents

Juhee Lim, Piano

In her Master of Music Recital*

A Student of Professor Edward Francis

Saturday, December 2nd, 2017 4:30pm Cypress Recital Hall

In partial fulfillment of the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance

Program

Suite Vll in G minor, HWV 432------Georg Friedrich Handel I would like to thank God who has blessed my life with music. Without Him I Ouverture (1685-1759) couldn’t have come this far. Andante Allegro Professor Edward Francis: Words cannot express the sadness I feel after Sarabande hearing of your passing. I would like to say thank you for being my teacher. I Gigue started lesson with you 20 years ago, whenever I took a lesson, you gave Passacaille wonderful guidance. You’ve been so much more than a teacher. You always believed in me, encouraged me, supported me through all my music study, and that is what brought me here to this moment today. I hope you have a smile at Etude de concert No.3Flat in D- Flat major, “Un Sospiro” S.144----Franz Liszt me tonight and please rest in peace. (1811-1886) Dr. Kowalchyk: How kind you are to help and encourage me. Thank you so much for sharing your passion for education with me. I will not forget your INTERMISSION help!

Dr. Rachmanov, Dr. Lancaster: Many thanks for your help and encourage me.

To my husband: I am blessed to have you by my side. Thank you for your love, encouragement, support! Thank you for being the one I can count on and trust. Piano Sonata Opus 10 No.2------Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) My family and all of my friends: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for I. Allegro continued their support. I will be forever grateful. II. Allegretto III. Presto

Fantasia------Benjamin Lees **I really appreciate your attendance at my performance. Please join me for a (1924-2010) reception following the performance, in the music building room 116.**

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