ROSS LEE FINNEY’S 32 PIANO GAMES AND STEPHEN CHATMAN’S AMUSEMENTS: A COMPARISON OF TWO PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES TO CONTEMPORARY MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND TECHNIQUES Sooyun Kim, B.M., M.M. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS May 201 8 APPROVED: Gustavo Romero, Major Professor Clay Couturiaux, Committee Member Pamela Mia Paul, Committee Member Bradley Beckman, Committee Member Steven Harlos, Chair of the Division of Instrumental Studies Benjamin Brand, Director of Graduate Studies in the College of Music John W. Richmond, Dean of the College of Music Victor Prybutok, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Kim, Sooyun. Ross Lee Finney’s 32 Piano Games and Stephen Chatman’s Amusements: A Comparison of Two Pedagogical Approaches to Contemporary Musical Elements and Techniques. Doctor of Musical Arts (Performance), May 2018, 51 pp., 32 musical examples, bibliography, 36 titles. Piano instructors often have to work as a bridge connecting music from the past and the future. From a pedagogical viewpoint, contemporary works should be considered just as important as those in the standard repertoire. Yet, most piano instructors are skewed towards modern music and their teaching materials are focused on eighteenth and nineteenth century repertoire. It is essential for them to introduce various kinds of music from different periods and cultures in order to fully develop a student’s musicianship. The purpose of this study is to compare two modern works that are designed mainly for pedagogical purposes: 32 Piano Games by Ross Lee Finney (1906-1997) and Amusements by Stephen Chatman (b. 1950). These compositions are intended for beginner and intermediate students and incorporate a number of contemporary elements and techniques. This study can help instructors and students understand how these elements are being used and the ways they have evolved over time. Most importantly, this dissertation can provide teachers with a distinct methodology that enables them to present modern pieces to beginning level students in a more approachable fashion, further providing theoretical and technical assets that will allow them to play advanced contemporary music in the future. Copyright 2018 by Sooyun Kim ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Maestro Gustavo Romero, as well as the other professors in the committee: Dr. Clay Couturiaux, Dr. Pamela Mia Paul, and Dr. Brad Beckman. They all have been very helpful and supportive of me during the writing of this dissertation. It has been an honor to study with them throughout my years at the University of North Texas College of Music. I would also like to thank my parents, who have always given me infinite support towards my music studies. I am also deeply grateful to my friends and colleagues, who have encouraged me to go forward through difficult times. And last but not least, I would like to mention my husband Joseph, who has always been there for me and has helped me throughout this process. Finally, I would like to thank Henmar Press, for granting me the rights to include excerpts from Ross Lee Finney’s 32 Piano Games in this dissertation. In accordance with their request, I include the following copyright notice: 32 Piano Games Copyright © 1969 by Henmar Press, Inc. Used by permission of C.F. Peters Corporation. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ................................................................................................ vi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Significance of the Study ................................................................... 1 1.2 Important Aspects of Contemporary Music in Present Day ................................... 3 1.3 Importance of Contemporary Music for Early Level Students ............................... 4 CHAPTER 2. ROSS LEE FINNEY, STEPHEN CHATMAN AND THEIR WORKS ................. 8 2.1 Ross Lee Finny and 32 Piano Games ..................................................................... 8 2.2 Stephen Chatman and Amusements ........................................................................ 8 CHAPTER 3. PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH TO TEACHING CONTEMPORARY ELEMENTS AND TECHNIQUES IN FINNEY’S AND CHATMAN’S WORKS.................... 10 3.1 Non-Traditional Sounds and Notations ................................................................ 10 3.1.1 Percussive Effects and Tone Clusters. ...................................................... 11 3.1.2 Further Application ................................................................................... 13 3.1.3 Graphic Notations and Auxiliary Sounds ................................................. 15 3.1.4 Further Application ................................................................................... 18 3.2 Rhythm and Meter ................................................................................................ 19 3.2.1 Frequent Meter/Tempo Changes in a Composition .................................. 19 3.2.2 Further Application ................................................................................... 22 3.2.3 Unmeasured Notes and Free Meter........................................................... 24 3.2.4 Further Application ................................................................................... 25 3.3 Performance-Related Aspects ............................................................................... 27 3.3.1 Improvisation and Indeterminacy ............................................................. 27 3.3.2 Further Application ................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSION...................................................................................................... 35 APPENDIX A. EXPLANATION OF NOTATIONS AND SYMBOLS FOR 32 PIANO GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS ................................................................................................................... 37 iv APPENDIX B. CONTENTS AND FEATURES OF 32 PIANO GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS (BOOKS 1-3) ................................................................................................................................ 40 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 49 v LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Page Example 3.1. No. 17 from 32 Piano Games, “Up and Down;” mm. 1-7 ..................................... 11 Example 3.2. Nos. 3 & 4 from 32 Piano Games, “Thirds” & “White-Note Clusters.” ................ 12 Example 3.3. “Nose Dive” from Amusements, mm. 3-8. ............................................................. 13 Example 3.4“Freak Out” from Amusements, mm. 9-12. .............................................................. 13 Example 3.5. “Final Argument” from Fantasies, mm. 3-6. ......................................................... 14 Example 3.6. “Dynamic Motion” by Henry Cowell, mm. 16-18. ................................................ 15 Example 3.7. No. 1 from 32 Piano Games, “Middle, Bottom, and Top.” .................................... 16 Example 3.8. No. 28 from 32 Piano Games, “Mountains.” ......................................................... 16 Example 3.9. “Being Obnoxious” from Amusements. .................................................................. 16 Example 3.10. “Monkey Business” from Amusements, mm. 1-3. ................................................ 17 Example 3.11. “Who’s There” from Amusements. ....................................................................... 17 Example 3.12. “Mountain Voices” by Eloise Ristad, mm. 5-9. ................................................... 18 Example 3.13. Aeolian Harp by Henry Cowell, mm. 5-8. ........................................................... 19 Example 3.14. No. 25 from 32 Piano Games, “Going Places;” mm. 1-7..................................... 20 Example 3.15. No. 26 from 32 Piano Games, “Playing Games.” ................................................ 20 Example 3.16. “Ping Pong Party” from Amusements, mm. 1-7. .................................................. 21 Example 3.17“Earthquake” from Amusements. ............................................................................ 22 Example 3.18. “In the First Pentatonic Major Mode” from 12 American Preludes by Alberto Ginastera. ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Example 3.19. Image by Robert Helps, mm. 21-26. ..................................................................... 23 Example 3.20. No. 1 from 32 Piano Games, “Middle, Bottom and Top.” ................................... 24 Example 3.21. No. 29 from 32 Piano Games, “Windows.” ......................................................... 24 Example 3.22. “Daydream” from Amusements. ........................................................................... 25 vi Example 3.23. Last Pieces by Morton Feldman. .......................................................................... 26 Example 3.24. “Quadrille” from Little Suite for Piano by Lou Harrison. .................................... 26 Example 3.25. “Mirror Mimic” from 32 Piano Games, mm. 1-3; mm. 22-36. ............................ 28 Example 3.26. No. 30 from 32 Piano Games, “Mobile.”