Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 2000 The iolV a Compositions of Ernst Mahle and Their Idiomatic and Pedagogical Characteristics. Sonia Feres-lloyd Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Feres-lloyd, Sonia, "The ioV la Compositions of Ernst Mahle and Their dI iomatic and Pedagogical Characteristics." (2000). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 7353. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/7353 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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THE VIOLA COMPOSITIONS OF ERNST MAHLE AND THEIR IDIOMATIC AND PEDAGOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS A Monograph Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in The School of Music by Sonia Feres-Lloyd B M., Faculdades Sao Judas Tadeu, 1987 MJM., Louisiana State University, 1994 December 2000 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9998672 (® UMI UMI Microform 9998672 Copyright 2001 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell 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. To my mother, my first music teacher. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Jerzy Kosmala, my major professor, and members of my committee, Dennis Parker, Kevork Mardirossian, and, especially, Dr. Jan Herlinger for all his helpful suggestions and his guidance throughout the writing of this monograph. I also would like to thank Dr. Laura Rhodes, from University of Northern Colorado, who first encouraged me to write this project. Other people who contributed valuable information and advice along the way include: Cheryl Lloyd, Kristin Isaacson, Liduino Pitombeira, Jill Howard Allor, Adelaide Russo, Eliane Tokeshi, Antonio Roberto Arzolla, Ester Silveira Ramos, and Eduardo Nagumo. My sincere gratitude to Ernst Mahle and his wife Cidinha, for all their help and attention. Special thanks to my husband William, and my parents, Josette and Samy, for their love and support. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ..................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................... iii Abstract......................................................................................................................v Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 Compositional Style and Influences ........................................................................... 6 Teaching and Ideas .................................................................................................... 9 The Escola de Musica de Piracicaba ............................................................. 10 The Competition Jovens Instrumentistas do Brasil ..................................... 12 The Viola Compositions ............................................................................................15 Sonatina (1956) for Cello (Viola) and Piano ................................................17 Sonata (1968) for Viola and Piano .............................................................. 17 Sonatina (1976) for Viola and Piano ............................................................18 Concertino (1978) for Viola and Strings ......................................................18 As Melodias da Cecilia (1982) for Viola and Piano .................................... 19 DuosModais (1991) for Two Violas ........................................................... 19 The Brazilian Characteristics in Mahle’s Viola Works.............................................. 21 Idiomatic and Pedagogical Elements in Mahle’s Viola Works ..................................35 Expressive Character of the Viola................................................................35 Bowing Articulation ......................................................................................38 Left Hand Articulation ..................................................................................45 Chromaticism................................................................................................ 49 Double-Stoppings .........................................................................................52 Less Frequently Used String Techniques ......................................................57 Conclusion ................................................................................................................71 Bibliography .............................................................................................................73 Appendix: Package of Materials from Ernst Mahle ..................................................77 Vita.......................................................................................................................... 78 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Ernst Mahle was bom in Germany, in 1929, but has lived in Brazil since 1951, where he is one of the most important composers of his generation. Besides his work as a composer, he has been developing a very important pedagogical work in Piracicaba, a city in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Influenced by the teachings of Hans Joachim Koellreutter, Mahle, together with other influential art supporters from that city, founded the Escola de Musica de Piracicaba, in 1953. Mahle believes that it is very important to teach music when children are young. He also encourages practice in musical groups from the earliest stages of development. Mahle has written a great body of compositions for many instruments, at all levels of difficulty, many of which are dedicated to his students. The viola compositions reflect the didactic work Mahle has been developing at the Escola de Musica de Piracicaba, as most part of them were written for the students. Mahle’s idiomatic writing shows his knowledge of many instruments, allowing his compositions to be very attractive to the performer. Mahle has a neoclassic style and he combines in his compositions forms from European classical music (sonata/sonatina, concerto/concertino) with elements of Brazilian music such as the variety of rhythms and strong accents as well as the use of folk songs and modal scales. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INTRODUCTION This project proposes to discuss works for the viola by Brazilian composer Ernst Mahle. The focus of the study is to identify the idiomatic and pedagogical elements found in these works and cite the evolution of these influences in Mahle’s background. The monograph will also discuss his teaching and his work as the founder and director of the Escola de Musica de Piracicaba (EMP) in Brazil, since they are directly related to his work as a composer. Ernst Mahle was bom January 3,1929, in