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THE VARIATIONS IN B FLAT MINOR, OPUS 3 OF KAROL SZYMANOWSKI: AN ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS D.M.A. DOCUMENT Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Yung-Ching Yang, M.M. ***** The Ohio State University 2002 Document Committee: Approved by Dr. Caroline Hong, Adviser Dr. Arved Ashby Adviser Dr. Laurel Butler School of Music Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 3039437 __ ___ ® UMI UMI Microform 3039437 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) ranks as the most important Polish composer of the first half of the twentieth century. His early musical influences from the composers he most admired, especially Chopin, early Scriabin and German Romantic masters, formed the foundation of his own personal musical language. Throughout his three creative periods, the piano works occupied a prominent position. The relatively unknown Piano Variations in B flat minor, Op. 3 (1901-1903) was written during the composer’s first creative period, in the style of late nineteenth-century romanticism. It is an excellent example of Szymanowski’s pianistic writing and contains most o f the salient features of his early piano works. The main objective of this document is to analyze the performance challenges found in the Variations in B flat minor, Op. 3. First, I will offer musical and technical suggestions in the areas of hand position, tone quality, motions, musical expression, and solutions to specific technical problems. Second, I will supplement my suggestions with opinions from prominent pedagogues who, in some cases, agree with my analysis and, in others, provide alternate solutions. I have consulted four major sources on piano playing: Heinrich Neuhaus’s The Art of Piano Playing: Josef Hofmann’s Piano Playing with Piano ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Questions Answered: and Gyorgy Sandor’s On Piano Playing: as well as Seymour Bernstein’s With Your Own Hands. Chapter I will provide insight into Szymanowski’s musical background, education, social circle, pianistic career and influences on his style, especially during his early period. An overview o f the Variations in B flat minor, Op. 3 will present the background information o f the piece, overall form, stylistic characteristics and compositional developments in the composer’s early piano works. This chapter will conclude with musical examples showing the similarities of Szymanowski’s pianistic writing to that of other composers. Chapter 2 will provide a frame of reference with regard to general piano technique, which will help in understanding the analysis offered in the ensuing chapter. Chapter 3 will discuss in detail each variation of Op. 3 in terms of its musical and technical challenges, and provide solutions and suggestions to the pianist. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my great appreciation and gratitude to my adviser, Dr. Caroline Hong, for her intellectual guidance and encouragement throughout the process of this document. Her support and inspiration have instructed and motivated me during my years of doctoral studies. I would also like to thank my reading committee, Dr. Arved Ashby, for serving on my D.M.A. committee throughout the four recitals and general examinations. Sincere gratitude is expressed to Dr. Laurel Butler for her kindness to be a substitute committee member on short notice and for time spent in reading my document. I am grateful to my fiance Jeng-Peng Wang for his continued support and assistance. Ultimately, I owe my deepest gratitude to my parents for their endless love, encouragement and support during my years of abroad studies. iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. VITA January 9, 1972...................................Bom—Hsinchu, Taiwan 1994...................................................... B.A., Piano Performance, Fu-Jen University, Taipei, Taiwan 1995-1997............................................Graduate Teaching Associate, School of Music, The Ohio State University 1997...................................................... M.M., Piano Performance, The Ohio State University 1998-2000............................................Graduate Teaching Associate, School of Music, The Ohio State University 2001-Present........................................ Piano Lecturer, School of Music, Denison University FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Music Studies in Piano Performance: Professor Caroline Hong Professor Nelson Harper Professor Steven Glaser Studies in Piano Pedagogy: Professor Kenneth Williams Professor Jerry E. Lowder Studies in Piano Literature: Professor Caroline Hong Professor Donald Gren Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Studies in Piano Accompanying Professor Caroline Hong Professor Nelson Harper Professor Rosemary Platt Studies in Piano Theory: Professor Burdette Green Studies in Piano History: Professor Arved Ashby Professor Lois Rosow Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................................... iv Vita................................................................................................................................................v List of Figures.............................................................................................................................ix Introduction...................................................................................................................................1 Chapters: 1 Karol Szymanowski..............................................................................................................3 1.1 Biographical Background...................................................................................... 3 1.2 Szymanowski and the Piano.................................................................................9 1.3 Overview of the Variations in B flat Minor, Op. 3...........................................10 1.3.1 Form..........................................................................................................10 1.3.2 Compositional Developments in the Early Piano Works......................11 1.3.3 Stylistic Characteristics........................................................................... 12 1.3.4 Influences of Other Composers.............................................................. 14 2 Piano Technique..................................................................................................................27 2.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 27 2.2 Piano technique....................................................................................................28 2.3 Preparation........................................................................................................... 30 2.3.1 Position....................................................................................................30