Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2017 Vincent Persichetti's Tenth Piano Sonata: An Analysis of Theme, Motive, Melody, and Harmony Chad Daniel Spears Follow this and additional works at the DigiNole: FSU's Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC VINCENT PERSICHETTI’S TENTH PIANO SONATA: AN ANALYSIS OF THEME, MOTIVE, MELODY, AND HARMONY By CHAD DANIEL SPEARS A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music 2017 Chad Spears defended this treatise on November 17, 2017. The members of the supervisory committee were: Read Gainsford Professor Directing Treatise Clifton Callender University Representative David Kalhous Committee Member Stijn De Cock Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the treatise has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii This treatise is dedicated to the memory of Joel Hastings and my Great Aunt Vera Casstevens iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the following people: My major professor, Dr. Read Gainsford, for the sincere interest he has taken in my musical growth and for always being a source of inspiration. My former piano instructors, Dr. Jay Mauchley, Geraldine Harrison, and Adrienne Fisher for helping to shape me into the pianist I am today. My doctoral supervisory committee, Dr. David Kalhous, Dr. Clifton Callender, and Dr. Stijn De Cock for their expert guidance and support in my doctoral degree completion. The late Dr. Joel Hastings, for believing in me and supporting me throughout my time at Florida State University. My friends and family for their unconditional love and support, without which I would not be where I am today. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi List of Musical Examples ............................................................................................................. vii Abstract ............................................................................................................................................x 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1 Statement of Purpose...................................................................................................................1 Need for the Study ......................................................................................................................1 Organization ................................................................................................................................2 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ...........................................................................................3 Contextualizing Persichetti’s Musical Language ........................................................................3 Persichetti’s Piano Sonatas .......................................................................................................17 3. TENTH PIANO SONATA, OP. 67: THEMATIC AND MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT .........24 Theme and Motive in the Tenth Piano Sonata ..........................................................................24 4. TENTH PIANO SONATA, OP. 67: MELODIC AND HARMONIC ANALYSIS ................44 Persichetti’s Melodic and Harmonic Vocabulary .....................................................................44 Phrase Re-Composition .............................................................................................................51 4. CONCLUSION .........................................................................................................................62 References ......................................................................................................................................64 Biographical Sketch .......................................................................................................................66 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Hungarian minor scale: ...............................................................................................9 Figure 2.2: Scriabin’s “Mystic” chord: ........................................................................................14 Figure 2.3: Harmonic series: ........................................................................................................15 Figure 3.1: Tenth Sonata, consequent phrase of the opening period without octave displacements, first section, mm. 3-4: ........................................................................................................33 Figure 3.2: Tenth Sonata, manipulation of motive a, first section, mm. 5-6: ..............................35 Figure 4.1: C Mixolydian mode: ..................................................................................................46 Figure 4.2: Jazz Mixolydian mode: .............................................................................................46 Figure 4.3: Octatonic scale forms: ...............................................................................................47 Figure 4.4: Tenth Sonata, examples of secundal, quintal, and quartal chords, first section: .......50 vi LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Example 2.1: Chopin, Prelude in A Minor, Op. 28, No. 2: ...........................................................7 Example 2.2: Liszt, Nuages Gris, mm. 11-20: ..............................................................................9 Example 2.3: Scriabin, opening measures of Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53: .................................12 Example 2.4: Scriabin, final measures of Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53: ......................................12 Example 2.5: Scriabin, second theme of the exposition, mm. 120-123: .....................................13 Example 2.6: Scriabin, second theme of the exposition, mm. 134-136: .......................................13 Example 2.7: First Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 1-3: .........................................................18 Example 2.8: First Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 39-44: .....................................................19 Example 2.9: Hindemith, Piano Sonata No. 1, first movement, mm. 1-4: ....................................19 Example 2.10: Fifth Piano Sonata, third movement, mm. 10-15: .................................................20 Example 2.11: Tenth Piano Sonata, fourth section, mm. 86-88: ...................................................20 Example 2.12: Sixth Piano Sonata, fourth movement, mm. 1-4: ..................................................21 Example 2.13: Twelfth Piano Sonata, first movement, mm. 18-20: ..............................................21 Example 2.14: Eleventh Piano Sonata, first section, mm. 1-5:......................................................22 Example 3.1: Tenth Sonata, first theme, first section, mm. 1-2: ...................................................25 Example 3.2: Tenth Sonata, first theme, second section, mm. 1-5: ...............................................25 Example 3.3: Tenth Sonata, sixteenth-note passagework, second section, mm. 40-43:................25 Example 3.4: Tenth Sonata, first theme, third section, mm. 1-2: ..................................................26 Example 3.5: Tenth Sonata, first theme, fourth section, mm. 1-2: ................................................26 Example 3.6: Liszt Sonata, rhythmic diminution of introduction theme, mm. 14-17: ..................27 Example 3.7: Liszt Sonata, second theme generated from introduction theme, mm. 153-156: ....27 Example 3.8: Tenth Sonata, second theme, first section, mm. 46-53: ...........................................28 vii Example 3.9: Tenth Sonata, second theme, third section, mm. 39-40:..........................................29 Example 3.10: Tenth Sonata, second theme, fourth section, mm. 34-46: .....................................29 Example 3.11: Tenth Sonata, conflict between themes, fourth section, mm. 53-60: ....................30 Example 3.12: Tenth Sonata, second theme interruptions, fourth section, mm. 92-101: ..............30 Example 3.13: Tenth Sonata, final statement of second theme, fourth section, mm. 134-142: ....30 Example 3.14: Tenth Sonata, third theme, first section, mm. 27-32: ............................................31 Example 3.15: Tenth Sonata, third theme as lead-in material, first section, mm. 46-49: ..............31 Example 3.16: Tenth Sonata, final appearance of third theme, first section, mm. 75-78:.............32 Example 3.17: Tenth Sonata, melodic motives of opening period, first section, mm. 1-5:...........33 Example 3.18: Tenth Sonata, first section, mm. 4-6:.....................................................................34 Example 3.19: Tenth Sonata, motivic connections, first section, mm. 3-7: ..................................35 Example 3.20: Tenth Sonata, alternating chords, first section, mm. 6-7: ......................................36 Example 3.21: Tenth Sonata, inversion of opening rhythmic motive, first section, m. 9: ............36 Example 3.22: Tenth Sonata, return of opening scalar motive, first section, mm. 10-11: ............37 Example 3.23: Tenth Sonata, rhythmic and registral conflict, first section, mm. 12-16: ..............38 Example 3.24: Tenth