AN ANALYSIS OF TEXTURE IN SELECTED PIANO ETUDES OF CHOPIN AND SCRIABIN A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Daniel Dewitt Mickey 111, B.M. The Ohio State University 1980 Approved by School of Music CONTENTS Page LIST OF EXAMPLES .......................... iv PREFACE .............................. vi The Purpose of the Study ................... vi The Significance of the Study ................ vi i The Etudes Selected for Analysis ............... vi i The Organizatlon of the Study ................ ix Chapter I. PROBLEMS IN THE ANALYSIS OF KUSICAL TEXTURE ....... 1 Problems in Defining Texture ............. 1 . Problenis in Determining Linear Independence ...... 5 Specialized Problems in Analyzing Texture in Piano Music ............... 8 11. BASIC TYPES OF MELODIC AND ACCOMPANIMENTAL PRESENTATION ..................... 10 The Single Line .................... 11 The Doubled Line ................... 14 Chordal Figuration .................. 17 Arpeggiated Figuration ................ 20 Alternating Figuration ................ 21 Convol u ted Fi gura tion ................. 22 Summary ........................ 23 111. DENSITY ......................... 27 Densi ty-number .................... 28 Vertical Span ..................... 30 Density-compression ................... 32 Spacing-distributisii ................. 33 Density in the Etudes ................. 34 IV. RANGE .......................... 39 Range-average ..................... 40 Range-averages of the Etudes ............. 43 ii Chapter Page V . CONCLUSIONS ........................ 53 APPENDIX: Determi nation of Range-average .............. 58 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................... 69 iii LIST OF EXAMPLES Exampl e Page 1. Berry's terms for the description of linear independence . I 7 2 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No . 8. mm . 1-3.............. 12 3 . Chopin Etude Op . 10 No . 4. mm . 1-2 .............. 12 4 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No . 2. mm . 1-2 ............. 12 5 . Scriabin Op . 8 No . 2. mm . 1-2. with the melody notated .... 13 6 . Chopin Etude Op . 25 No . 6. mm . 27-28 ............. 14 7 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No . 10. mm . 58-60 ............ 14 8 . Chopin Etude Op . 25 No. 8. mm . 1-4 .............. 15 9 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No . 7. mm . 1-2 ............. 16 10 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No. 8. mm . 1-3 ............. 17 11 . Chopin Etude Op . 25 No . 4. mm . 9-12 ............. 18 12 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No. 5. mm . 1-3 ............. 18 13 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No . 5. mm. 1-3. renotated ........ 19 14 . Chopin Etude Op . 25 No. 1. mm . 1-2 .............. 20 15 . Chopin Etude Op . 10 No. 12. mm . 10-13 ............ 20 16 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No. 3. mm . 1-4 ............. 21 17 . Reduction of Example 16 ................... 21 18 . Scriabin Etude Op . 8 No . 7. mm . 1-2 ............. 22 19 . Chopin Etude Op . 10 No . 9. mm . 1-3 .............. 23 20 . Chopin Etude Op . 25 No . 9. mm . 1-4 .............. 25 21. Chopin Etude Op . 25 No . i2; min . 1-2 ............. 25 22 . Chopin Etude Op . 10 No . 2. final measure ........... 28 23 . Scriabsn Etude Op . 8 No . 12. mm . 1-2 ............. 29 24 . Figuration reduction of the left-haqd part of Example 23 ... 29 iv Exampl e Page 25. Synopsis of inflation and contraction of the texture-space as expressed in contra-directional relation of outer components . 30 V PREFACE -The Purpose of the Study This study examine; three basic characteristics of texture in piano music: 1) types of melodic and accompanimental presentation, 2) density, and 3) range. In selected compositions from the Chopin Etudes Opp. 10 and 25 and the Scriabin Etudes Op. 8 measurements of density and range are compared. These measurements quantify the textural differences among the types of melodic and accompanirnental presentation and also distinguish be- tween the textural styles of the two composers, This study asserts that the texture of nineteenth century piano music, as exemplified by the etudes of Chopin and Scriabin, is lhrgely dependent upon the types of figuration used, and further, that all of the figurations found in these collections are derived from six basic types. In this context, the term "figuration" is defined as "the consistent use of a particular melodic or harmonic figure."' The basic types that func- tion melodically are labeled single line and doubled line; those that function accompanimental ly are labeled chordal, arpeggiated, a1 twnating, and convol uted. As the study will demonstrate, etudes using the same type of figuration share common textural traits that can be measured according to viirious characteristics of density and range, and these common traits are 1. J, A. Westrup and F. L1. Harrison, "Figuration," The New Colle e Encyclopedia clf Music, (New York: W. W. Norton, -+1960 more strongly linked to the type of figuration used than to the style of the particular composer. The Significance of the Study Previous research dealing with texture is very limited, both in quantity and in scope. Typically, studies that do analyze texture are concerned with orchestral or chamber music, placing their emphasis on changes in instrumentation. As a result, the methodology and terminology used in these multi-instrument analyses do not transfer well to the invest- igation of piano music texture. Considering the importance of texture to musical style, it is hard to understand the neglect that texture, especially that of the piano, re- ceives in theoretical writings. Most writers limit their discussions to broad generalities and a few well-worn terms. This study provides a start- ing point for filling the void by presenting clear definitions of familiar terms, introducing new terms, and presenting a systematic methodology for deal i ng with texture in pi ano musi c. The Etudes Selected for Analysis Concert etudes were selected for this study to insure that: 1) the textures to be analyzed are stylistically indigenous to the piano, and 2) each composition exhibits one dominant textural type. The high level of performance technique demanded by concert etudes provides complex textures that are seldom found in any other mediums. Yet, the technical demands of these works are not regarded as compromising their artistic quality or musi- cal value, even though their inspiration stenis from pedagogy. Etudes have the further advantage of emphasizing one principal texture within each vi i piece individually, w1,ile providing a great variety of textures within the coll ections. Composers who wrote concert etudes include Chopin, Scriabi n, Rach- maninoff, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Debussy. Opp. 10 and 25 of Chopin and Op. 8 of Scriabin were chosen for this investigation because their great similarity in style and form afford a good basis for comparison. The later etudes of Scriabin, Opp. 42 and 65, as well as the etudes by Rach- maninoff and Debussy, contain elements that are post-Romantic, or even modern in style, and are therefore less comparable. A1 though the "Transcendental Etudes" of Liszt are comparable in style to the works selected here, the forms arid type of content are quite different. Liszt's forms are larger and often based on variation technique while the Chopin and Scriabin etudes are shorter, generally ternary structures. In terms of technique, Liszt incorporates several. different pianistic devices in each piece, whereas Chopin and Scriabin, normally develop a single principal device. Schumann's "Symphonic Etudes" are actually a theme and variations and are all binary in form except for the last variation which functions as a grand finale. Mendelssohn's "Three Etudes" Op. io4 is too small a collection to allow a fair comparison. There are many similarities between the works of Chopin and the early works of Scriabin despite the sixty years that separate their compo- sition. The similarities are apparently the result of intentional modeling. Scriabin's output is usually divided into three phases of development, the first of which has even been characterized as being "Chopinesque."* The Etudes Op. 8 (1894) fall in this period (1885-1900). Scriabin was fond of 2. M. Montagu-Nathan, Handbook to the Piano Works of A. Scriabin (London: J & W Chester, 19161, 2. viii Chopin'smusic and from the evident similarities in the music (e.g., see page 14 ) it is quite probable that the Etudes Op. 8 were modeled on the Chopin etudes. The individual etudes examined in this study are listed in the following outline accarding to six basic types of melodic and accompani- mental presentation. Each of these basic types is described in detail in chapter two. All of the Scriabin Etudes Op. 8 are examined. The Chopin etudes are selected from Opp. 10 and 25 on the basis of their similarity of figuration to the Scriabin etudes. Scri abi n Chopi n Etudes Etudes Op./No. Op ./No. I. Melodic presentation A. Single line 818 8/11 10/2 10/4 10/6 2512 2517 B. Doubled line 816 8/9 2516 2518 8/ 10 25110 11. Accompanimental presentation A. Chordal figuration 8/ 5 10/11 2514 B. Arpeggiated figuration 812 8/4 1018 10112 2511 C. A1 ternating figuration 811 8/3 10/ 10 D. Convoluted figuration 817 8/12 1019 loll0 The Oraanization of the Study As stated above, this study is concerned with three basic char- acteristics of texture in piano music: types of melodic and accompanimen- tal presentation, density, and range. The logic for selecting these three characteristics is set forth in chapter one. The chapter begins with a general overview of texture by examining some of the definitions of the ix term that can be