DISCOVERING THE “HUNGARIAN” IN ANDANTE AND RONDO : A HISTORICAL APPROACH TO A STANDARD BASSOON SOLO SUBMITTED TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS by Melissa Kritzer TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Biographies ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4 An Overview of Weber’s Career ............................................................................................................................... 4 Background ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Early Life ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Vienna ................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Professional Life .......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Brandt .............................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Chapter 2 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 The Concerto ...................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 3 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 The Hungarian Style ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 The Turkish Style ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 Gypsies and Hungarians ........................................................................................................................................... 28 Verbunkos ....................................................................................................................................................................... 32 The Style hongrois ....................................................................................................................................................... 33 Gestures of the Style hongrois ................................................................................................................................ 36 Composers of the Style hongrois ........................................................................................................................... 40 Weber and the Style hongrois ................................................................................................................................. 42 Chapter 4 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 The Andante and Hungarian Rondo .......................................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 5 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 56 Performance Practice ..................................................................................................................................................... 56 The Manuscript Source ............................................................................................................................................. 56 Tutors ............................................................................................................................................................................... 57 The Instrument ............................................................................................................................................................ 60 Articulation .................................................................................................................................................................... 65 Ornamentation ............................................................................................................................................................. 66 2 Other Historical Considerations ............................................................................................................................ 70 Baermann ....................................................................................................................................................................... 71 Clues Left by Weber.................................................................................................................................................... 72 Application ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75 Chapter 6 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 83 Hermeneutics ..................................................................................................................................................................... 83 Napoleonic Wars.......................................................................................................................................................... 83 Orientalism .................................................................................................................................................................... 85 Biological Developments .......................................................................................................................................... 88 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................................................. 93 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................................................ 97 Works Consulted and Cited .......................................................................................................................................... 97 Recordings ........................................................................................................................................................................ 101 Appendix A: Score ............................................................................................................................................................... 103 INTRODUCTION The significance of Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber’s (1786-1826) Andante e Rondo Ungarese für Fagott und Orchester , Opus 35, (J. 158) is uncontested. Bassoonists consistently place Weber among the most important composers for solo bassoon. Inclusion of Andante e Rondo Ungarese at the end of some editions of the seminal Weissenborn bassoon method as the prototype bassoon solo further testifies to its singular importance. Yet, very little in-depth research has been done regarding this often-performed work. It is taken at face value as an early Romantic solo piece using conventional harmonic language. In fact, no attempt has been made to create a comprehensively researched orchestral score. 1 This paper aims to breathe new life into a much-loved cornerstone of the bassoon repertory. The study begins with three mysteries. First, why did Weber decide to write for the bassoon? Second, what can the details of this composition tell one about the bassoon? And last, how should one interpret the meaning of the work, as invoking a comic or a serious character? The paper will address these questions through careful study of the work’s biographical influences, formal and tonal features, performance practice conventions, and hermeneutics. The first section gives relevant biographical information about Weber and Georg Friedrich Brandt (1773-1836), the bassoon soloist for whom the work was written. The following section details the development of the concerto and the language of the Hungarian-Gypsy style. The analysis of Andante e Rondo Ungarese is supplemented by a description of historical practices, and the author’s performance suggestions