REDEFINING VIRTUOSITY IN MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN’S 12 ÉTUDES IN ALL THE MINOR KEYS by BOGDAN CLAUDIU DULU B.Mus., National University of Music Bucharest, 2007 M.Mus., Mannes College The New School For Music, 2009 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS in The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (Piano) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) September 2015 © Bogdan Claudiu Dulu, 2015 Abstract Marc-André Hamelin is ranked among the elite of world pianists of our time. Mirroring the lost tradition of composer-pianists specific to the 19th century, his music stands nowadays as an exception. As such, his collection 12 Études In All The Minor Keys, written over a period of almost twenty-five years and published by Peters Edition in 2010, is a purposeful contribution towards perpetuating this nearly extinct art. This dissertation is the first academic study addressing Hamelin’s piano études. The presentation of this set is tied to the concept of virtuosity in relation to its past meanings. I offer a brief overview of the term “virtuosity,” and show that Hamelin’s études stand as far more than just “pianistic challenges beyond the reach of most human fingers.” The interviews conducted with the composer, as well as other experts in the field, allowed me to form an insightful opinion on the topic, and to offer an apprized overview of the set as a whole, with special focus on six of these études (nos. 5-10). ii Preface This dissertation, written under the guidance of Professors Jane Coop and Dr. Nathan Hesselink, is an original, unpublished work which stands as intellectual property of its author, Bogdan Claudiu Dulu. All the interviews conducted during the research for this dissertation took place in accordance with the UBC Behavioral Research Ethics Board Certificate Number H14-02493 under the supervision of Principal Investigator, Dr. Nathan Hesselink. All musical examples from Marc-André Hamelin’s 12 Études In All The Minor Keys are reprinted with kind permission from Peters Edition. All other musical examples are in the public domain. iii TableTableTable of of Contents Contentsof Contents AbstractAbstractAbstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...... ... ii ii ii PrefacePrefacePreface………………………………………………………...………………………………………………………………………………...………………………………………………………………………………...…………………………..….. ….. iii iii iii TableTableTable of of Contents Contentsof Contents……………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………..…………………………. iviv iv ListList Listof of Figures Figuresof Figures…………………………………………………...………………………..…………………………………………………...………………………..…………………………………………………...……………………….. vivi vi ListList Listof of Musical Musicalof Musical Examples Examples Examples……………………………..……………………………….....……………………………..……………………………….....……………………………..………………………………..... vii vii vii AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsAcknowledgements………………………..……………………………………………...………………………..……………………………………………...………………………..……………………………………………... x x x DedicationDedicationDedication………………………..……...………………………………………………..………………………..……...………………………………………………..………………………..……...……………………………………………….. xixi xi ChapterChapterChapter One. One. One. Introductory Introductory Introductory Remarks Remarks Remarks……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………...…………...………….. 1 1 1 1.11.1 The 1.1The WhoThe Who Who— — Hamelin, Hamelin,— Hamelin, “The “The “The Kin King Kin gOf Of gVirtuosos”………………………………. OfVirtuosos”………………………………. Virtuosos”………………………………. 1 1 1 1.21.2 The 1.2The WhatThe What What — — Review Review— Review of of the theof Literature…………………………………………. theLiterature…………………………………………. Literature…………………………………………. 2 2 2 1.31.3 The 1.3The WhyThe Why Why— — Justification Justification— Justification of of the theof Study…………………………………………. theStudy…………………………………………. Study…………………………………………. 6 6 6 1.41.4 The 1.4The HowThe How How— — Outline Outline— Outline of of the theof Document…………………………………………. theDocument…………………………………………. Document…………………………………………. 7 7 7 ChapterChapterChapter Two. Two. Two. Virtuosity Virtuosity Virtuosity………………………………………………………………....………………………………………………………………....……………………………………………………………….... 9 9 9 2.12.1 Virtuosity 2.1Virtuosity Virtuosity Then Then Then and and Now……………………………………………………….and Now………………………………………………………. Now………………………………………………………. 9 9 9 2.22.2 Hamelin 2.2Hamelin Hamelin and and theand the Concept theConcept Concept of of Virtuosity………………………………………... Virtuosity………………………………………...of Virtuosity………………………………………... 16 16 16 ChapterChapterChapter Three. Three. Three. 12 12 Études Études12 Études In In All AllIn The AllThe MinorThe Minor Minor Keys Keys Keys……………………………………....……………………………………....…………………………………….... 20 20 20 3.13.1 Overview 3.1Overview Overview of of the theof Set……………………………………………………………. theSet……………………………………………………………. Set……………………………………………………………. 20 20 20 3.23.2 Étude 3.2Étude Étude No. No. 5:No. 5: Toccata Toccata5: Toccata grottesca grottesca grottesca……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... .. ...28 28 28 3.33.3 Étude 3.3Étude Étude No. No. 6:No. 6: Esercizio Esercizio6: Esercizio per per Pianoforte per Pianoforte Pianoforte (Omaggio (Omaggio (Omaggio a aDomenico Domenico a Domenico Scarlatti) Scarlatti) Scarlatti)................................. 39 39 39 3.43.4 Étude 3.4Étude Étude No. No. 7:No. 7: after after7: afterTchaikovsky Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky (for (for the(for the left theleft hand left hand hand alone) alone) alone)............................................................................................................. 50. 50 50 3.53.5 Étude 3.5Étude Étude No. No. 8:No. 8: ‘Erlkönig’ ‘Erlkönig’8: ‘Erlkönig’ (after (after (after Goethe) Goethe) Goethe)................................................................................................................................................................................................ 58 58 58 3.63.6 Étude 3.6Étude Étude No. No. 9:No. 9: after after9: afterRossini Rossini Rossini……………………………………………………....……………………………………………………....…………………………………………………….... 71 71 71 3.73.7 Étude 3.7Étude Étude No. No. 10:No. 10: after 10: after afterChopin Chopin Chopin……………………………………………………..……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………….. 82 82 82 ChapterChapterChapter Four. Four. Four. Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion……………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………. 93 93 93 BibliographyBibliographyBibliography……………………………………………………………………………...……………………………………………………………………………...……………………………………………………………………………... 97 97 97 iviv iv AppendicesAppendicesAppendices………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………….. 100 100 100 AppendixAppendixAppendix A. A. Musical A. Musical Musical Works Works Works by by Marc by Marc Marc-André-André-André Hamelin……………………………. Hamelin……………………………. Hamelin……………………………. 100 100 100 AppendixAppendixAppendix B. B. Misprints B.Misprints Misprints and and andOmissions Omissions Omissions in in Études inÉtudes Études Nos. Nos. Nos. 5 -510……………………….- 10……………………….5-10………………………. 103 103 103 AppendixAppendixAppendix C. C. Lullaby C. Lullaby Lullaby by by Apollon by Apollon Apollon Nikolayevich Nikolayevich Nikolayevich Mayko Mayko Maykov…………………………..v…………………………..v………………………….. 105 105 105 AppendixAppendixAppendix D. D. Goethe’s D. Goethe’s Goethe’s Erlkönig Erlkönig Erlkönig as as set asset by set by Hamelin………………………………... by Hamelin………………………………... Hamelin………………………………... 106 106 106 AppendixAppendixAppendix E. E. Der E.Der DerErlkönig Erlkönig Erlkönig by by Jo by Johann hannJohann Wolfgang Wolfgang Wolfgang von von vonGoethe……………………... Goethe……………………... Goethe……………………... 113 113 113 AppendixAppendixAppendix F. F. La F.La Danza La Danza Danza by by Carlo by Carlo Carlo Pepoli……………………………………………. Pepoli……………………………………………. Pepoli……………………………………………. 115 115 115 v v v ListList of of FiguresList Figures of Figures List of Figures FigureFigure 2.1 ListFigure 2.1 Sébastien Sébastienof 2.1Figures Sébastien de de Brossard’s Brossard’s de Brossard’s definition definition definition of of Virtu Virtu ofin in VirtuDictionaire Dictionaire in Dictionaire de de Musique Musique de Musique……….………. ………. 1010 10 FigureFigure 3.1: Figure Figure 3.1: Hamelin, Hamelin, 2.1 3.1: Sébastien Hamelin, Étude Étude No.de ÉtudeNo. Brossard’s 6: 6: Esercizio No.Esercizio 6: definitionEsercizio per per Pianoforte Pianoforte perof Virtu Pianoforte, structure ,in structure Dictionaire, structure and and tonal tonalde and Musiqueplan….. plan….. tonal ……….plan….. 4141 1041 List of Figures Figure 2.1 Sébastien de Brossard’s definitionstructurestructure structureof and and general general and tonalgeneral, structuretonal plan…………... plan…………... tonal and plan…………... tonal plan…..………. FigureFigure 3.2: Figure Figure 3.2: Hamelin, Hamelin, 3.1: 3.2: Hamelin, Hamelin, Étude Étude No. Étude ÉtudeNo. 8: 8: ErlkönigNo. No.Erlkönig 6: 8: Esercizio Erlkönig, , ,per VirtuPianoforte in Dictionaire de Musique 6060 411060 List of Figures FigureFigure 3.3: Figure 3.3: Structural Structural 3.3: Structural comparison comparison comparison between between ErlkönigEserciziobetween Rossini’s Rossini’s Rossini’s structureper Pianoforte andand andgeneral, Hamelin’sstructure Hamelin’sand tonal Hamelin’s and Étudeplan…………... Étude tonal Étude plan….. Figure 3.2:3.1: Hamelin, Étude No. 8:6: , LaLa Danza DanzaLa Danza 6041 FigureNo. No.2.1 9: 9:Sébastien after No.after Rossini9: Rossini after de Brossard’s………………………………………………………….. Rossini…………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………….