CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE Recital Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Franz Joseph Haydn, Zhao Zhang, Achille-Claude Debussy, and Robert Alexander Schumann A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in Music, Performance By Ying Han August 2020 The graduate project of Ying Han is approved: ___________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Gayle Kowalchyk Date ___________________________________________ _____________ Professor Mark Richman Date ___________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Dmitry Rachmanov, Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii Acknowledgments Thank you to Dr. Dmitry Rachmanov, Dr. Gayle Kowalchyk, Professor Mark Richman, Dr. Tali Tadmor, Dr.Ming Tsu, and Dr. John Roscigno for all your encouragement, guidance, and passion. Thank you to my family and friends for your support and love. iii Table of Contents Signature Page ii Acknowledgement iii Abstract v Section 1: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1 Section 2: French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817 by Johann Sebastian Bach 5 Section 3: Piano Sonata in E-Flat Major, XVI: 52 by Franz Joseph Haydn 9 Section 4: Pi Huang (Peking Opera) by Zhao Zhang 15 Section 5: “Danseuses de Delphes” and “Les collines d’Anacapri” from Préludes, Book 1 by Achille-Claude Debussy 17 Section 6: Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13 by Robert Alexander Schumann 19 Bibliography 21 Appendix: Program (Concerto) 22 iv Abstract RECITAL WORKS BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART, JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN, ZHAO ZHANG, ACHILLE-CLAUDE DEBUSSY, AND ROBERT ALEXANDER SCHUMANN By Ying Han Master of Music in Music, Performance In this paper, I will introduce and analyze the piano works I performed on my concerto recital on March 31, 2019 and the solo recital initially scheduled for May 5, 2020 (my solo recital was canceled due to COVID-19). This paper aims to discuss the historical background, form, harmony, compositional techniques, and other essential aspects of the works of different styles. These different repertoire styles can make performers and listeners experience different skills, emotions, and expressive content. Therefore, analyzing these works from various aspects can help people understand them better. For my concerto recital, I performed Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K.466 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. For my solo recital, I originally planned to present five different v musical styles, which were to be French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817 by Johann Sebastian Bach in Baroque style; Piano Sonata in E-Flat Major, XVI: 52 by Franz Joseph Haydn in the Classical style; Pi Huang (PeKing Opera) by Zhao Zhang in Contemporary style; “Danseuses de Delphes” and “Les collines d’Anacapri” from Préludes, Book 1 by Achille-Claude Debussy in Impressionistic style; and Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13 by Robert Alexander Schumann in the Romantic style. vi Section 1: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born in Salzburg and was a famous Austrian pianist and composer during the Classical Period. He was also one of the representatives of the Viennese Classical Style. Mozart's musical compositions are rich in the variety of genres representative of his time, from opera to chamber and solo instrumental music. These include concertos, sonatas, symphonies, serenades, etc. Piano Concerto in D Minor, K. 466 (1785) is one of Mozart's masterpieces, with unique musical characteristics. The D Minor Piano Concerto has three movements, and each movement uses different sets of themes to express the composer’s thoughts and feelings. The first movement is marked Allegro. With the first notes of the orchestral exposition, the dark atmosphere of the first thematic group sets in. The second theme presents a peaceful contrast to the first theme. The piano entrance, which follows the orchestral exposition, brings in a new theme of melancholic character in a form of a lyrical monologue. At the end of the first theme of the exposition in measure 111, the composer used a group of sixteenth notes to once again plunge the musical emotion into restless passion. Then the piano performs the second theme of the exposition. This theme is set in Mozart's typical lyrical style, consisting of short motives, forming a dialogue with the orchestral. After this lyrical interlude, the music becomes full of vitality again, which heralds the end of the exposition. In the development, Mozart offers three statements of the piano entrance theme in different keys and varied colors, like a memory of the past each time separated by an orchestral passage, as if it were broken by reality. This struggle returns to a tense mood with an excited arpeggio in measures 165-168, heralding the arrival of the recapitulation. In the 1 recapitulation, the two main themes appear again in the tonic key. This author chose the cadenza composed by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837). The composer uses and develops thematic motives in the cadenza. However, here their treatment is more romantic and freer, but the quick display of sixteenth notes and thirty-second notes also echoes the tense atmosphere of this work. Such a deep first movement shows the distinctiveness of this concerto, which contrasts with Mozart's more typically lively composition style. The second movement has a character marking of Romanze. Mozart did not use the Adagio or Largo commonly used in the second movement. Its lyrical melodic theme and gently lilting rhythmic flow brings emotional relief after the dark and tense mood of the first movement. The form of this movement features an ABA structure with a contrasting lively and dramatic middle part. The style here once again breaks the conventional mode of the 18th-century concerto. Because the second movement of the concerto of that period mainly expressed lyrical or melancholic emotions. Therefore, this pleasant middle part contrasts with the18th-century concerto. The third movement is in rondo sonata form. The style of this movement is full of dramatic energy, unlike Mozart's more typical finales with their relaxed and carefree atmosphere. The first theme of this movement starts with the arpeggio played by the piano. Here the main theme surges ahead in an energetic and driven fashion. Then, in measures 13-62, the first theme is repeated and developed by the orchestra. Starting from the measure 63, the music enters the second theme. This is a lyrical theme in the tonic key and ends in F major in measures 83-91. The third theme uses the motive of the first theme in F minor, and then returns to F major from 2 measure 147. The second and third themes provide further contrasts adding stately and bright characters respectively. After the soloist’s cadenza, the movement enters the development from measure 167. The second theme of this section is very similar to the development of the first movement, and they both use different keys. However, this second theme finally ends with a dominant chord in D minor in measure 325. After the second soloist’s cadenza, there is the recapitulation in measure 395. Finally, Mozart concludes the work with a coda in the parallel major key of D major displaying a pleasant, conciliatory mood. All of Mozart's works have a common musical characteristic that the key of the music must be consistent with the content expressed. Taking the piano concerto genre as an example, Mozart often used C major to show bright, positive, at times solemn atmosphere (e.g., Piano Concerto No.8 in C Major, K. 246, Piano Concerto No.13 in C Major, K. 415, Piano Concerto No.21 in C Major, K. 467, and Piano Concerto No.25 in C Major, K. 503); D major to describe magnificent sceneries (e.g., Piano Concerto No.3 in D Major, K. 40, Piano Concerto No.5 in D Major, K. 175, Piano Concerto No.16 in D Major, K. 451, and Piano Concerto No.26 in D Major, K. 537); and F major to portray lively images (e.g., Piano Concerto No.1 in F Major, K. 37, Piano Concerto No.7 in F Major, K. 242, and Piano Concerto No.19 in F Major, K. 459). Nevertheless, when Mozart wanted to express dramatic special effects, he used minor keys. In Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, Mozart used the minor mood to make the whole work filled with a dark, struggling, and sad atmosphere. In Mozart's works, this kind of tragic color is rare, including the last unfinished work in his life, Requiem in D minor, K. 626. As for piano concertos, he only created two minor pieces: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor and Piano 3 Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491, and although Mozart’s other works occasionally exude a sense of tragedy in other genres, revealing the dark side, it is rare that the Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor is both pessimistic and accompanied by fantasy and gentle atmosphere, which is in sharp contrast with Mozart's more prevalent cheerful works. The distinctive musical characteristics of Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor have broadened the traditional perception of Mozart's music. This work not only extended the form of the concertos and the musical style of the late Baroque but also inspired greatly the development of Romantic music. 4 Section 2: French Suite No.6 in E Major, BWV 817 by Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was an important representative of the Baroque period and the greatest and most influential composer in Europe in the first half of the eighteenth century. J. S. Bach's polyphonic compositional technique, the rigorous conception of its structure, and rich emotional content pushed the Baroque music to its peak.