Gotowa bibliografia na temat „Russian piano miniature”

The article examines the scientific work of one of the prominent representatives of the 20th century Azerbaijani piano performing school, Honored Art Worker, Professor Nigar Usubova (1914–1994). N. Usubova devoted an important part of her life to pedagogical activity, raising a generation of talented pianists. She made an exceptional contribution to the development of the Azerbaijani piano school and the definition of its future directions. N. Usubova’s pedagogical principles are reflected in her dissertation work and methodical manual. As it is known, N. Usubova studied in the class of A. Goldenweiser and wrote these scientific works under the guidance of the prominent pianist. An important part of these scientific works is devoted to the study of A. Arensky’s piano creative activity. Here, the musician touched upon the features of the composer’s piano performing, as well as the characteristic features of his music. The research also provides performing characteristics of the works analyzed and covering various genres. The purpose of the research is to study the fundamental results and main performing principles in the scientific works dedicated to A. Arensky’s piano creative work by Nigar Usubova, a brilliant representative of the Azerbaijani piano school of the twentieth century. In these scientific research works, N. Usubova touched upon the features of the prominent composer’s piano creative work, performing principles, circle of images; moreover, analyzed the form, genre, tone and other aspects and conducted research on the background of characteristic features of Russian music. We would like to bring to your attention that N. Usubova’s scientific works have not been published. This raises the scientific significance and relevance of the topic more. These scientific works are the first research work dedicated to the study of A. Arensky’s piano music in the Azerbaijani science of music. The research methodology is based on analytical and theoretical analysis, as well as on the source research method (work with archival materials). The main principle is the study and analysis of the fundamental results obtained by N. Usubova in the study of piano music by A. Arensky The scientific novelty of the research is that for the first time the scientific works of the outstanding pianist Nigyar Usubov are studied, their scientific significance, as well as the issues reflected in those works, are revealed. We would like to bring to your attention that these scientific works reflect N. Usubova’s method of approach to A. Arensky’s piano pieces as a pianist. For this reason, these scientific works are a valuable recommendation for every pianist who turns to A. Arensky’s piano creative work. Conclusions. Nigar Usubova is the author of two scientific works and her scientific creative activity is devoted to the definition of performing features of A. Arensky’s piano creative work. Each of these scientific-methodical works was written under the guidance of a prominent representative of the Russian piano school, pedagogue A. Goldenweiser. In these works, N. Usubova worked on A. Arensky’s creative work in a comprehensive and detailed way. According to the author, A. Arensky’s piano creative work is characterized by the clarity of form and texture, the richness of melodic material, which brings him closer to Tchaikovsky’s chamber music. Although the composer prefers miniature forms in his piano creative work, it is also possible to find virtuoso pieces, etudes, scherzos and capriccios. These works, in particular, influenced the formation of S. Rakhmaninov’s and A. Scriabin’s creative activity. The main characteristic features here are polyphonism, polymelodism and polyrhythmics of the piano texture. Simultaneously, N. Usubova thoroughly studied the influence of Western European composers on the formation of A. Arensky’s creative activity.

Background. The article identifies the stylistic principles of composer’s thinking of A. Lourié on the basis of the “Cinq preludes fragiles” for piano op. 1. The musical science works of recent years, which include the articles by M. Gorodilova, L. Sitsky and D. Gojowy, deal with the problem of repressed Russian avant-garde. Objective. The purpose of the research is to reveal the specifics of individual composer style of A. Lourié on the basis of the “Cinq preludes fragiles” for piano op. 1. Methods. Achieving the goal of the research involves using the following methods: stylistic approach, genre approach and compositional approach. Results and Discussion. Exposition of the main material of the study includes the compositional, dramaturgical and stylistic analysis of the cycle, which is recognized as the first piece by A. Lourié. The analysis of the intonational dramaturgy of the cycle by A. Lourié is a necessary stage in the theoretical understanding of the composer’s artistic thinking and the stylistic features of his heritage. Prelude No. 1 (Lento, es-moll) is a kind of introduction to the holistic “plot” of the cycle, as it represents the world of the lyric hero. It can be assumed that this is the image of the Poet, which is characteristic of the romantic tradition. Prelude No. 2 (Calme, pas vite, es-moll) is also lyrical in nature, with a touch of melancholy, but more active and strong-willed. Prelude No. 3 (Tendre, pensif, B-dur) is the lyric center of the cycle. This is a musical pastoral. In this prelude, various psychological modes are combined: the union of man and nature (contemplation), the thoughts of a man alone with himself (reflection), an internal conversation with the creator (prayer). Prelude No. 4 (Affabile, F-dur) is recognized as a bright intermezzo. The miniature is imbued with states of exultation, delight, joy of being. The general mood of the prelude is supported by the author’s remark “joyeux, capricieusement” (“fun, capriciously”) and corresponds to the intermezzo compositional function. The character of Prelude No. 5 (Modéré, gis-moll) is melancholic and detached. This miniature is very close to the Prelude No. 1, with which it creates an arch of images of the dialectic of the protagonist’s soul. It seems that the hero had lost his life goals again. The dramaturgical author’s intention is realized as follows: Preludes No. 1 and No. 2 represent a double exposure, which reveals the figurative dichotomy of «melancholia – activity» as two hypostases of a lyrical hero; Prelude No. 3 shows the picture of nature and a man’s attitude to it; Prelude No. 4 is the bright culmination of the image of a dream; in Prelude No. 5, a lyrical hero returns to reality. The results of the research support the idea that the main features of A. Lourié’s individual compositional style are the semantics of “fragility”, the principle of thematic concentration and miniaturism of intellection. The semantics of “fragility” is manifested in the poetic aura of the symbolism of the “silver age”, which represented an idea of beauty as the ultimate, vanishing state. The principle of thematic concentration is manifested in the saturation of events in a unit of musical time. The miniaturism of thinking is the ability to model and reflect global ideas of human life in the performing process in a chamber chronotope. Conclusion. In the article the unity of the content and form-building levels of the cycle “Cinq preludes fragiles” for piano op. 1 is revealed. The refraction of the romantic tradition of interpreting the piano in the works of A. Lourié was studied. The role of the miniature genre in the context of the composer’s piano heritage is described. The specificity of metro-rhythm, harmonic and intonational semantics of A. Lourié’s piano works is revealed. The prospects for further researches include the necessity of in-depth study of composer heritage of A. Lourié.

Introduction. In the article the cycle of children’s choruses of S.Rachmaninov is considered, his characteristic features in subjects, figurative disclosure, the special role of lofty spiritualized lyric poetry; for the first time the appearance in the choral works of the composer of the themes “Dies irae”, “katabasis”; the spiritually-aesthetic value of Rachmaninov “Six Choruses” for secular children’s choral singing and performance is revealed. “Six choirs for children’s or women’s voices” op. 15 were written by S. Rachmaninov in 1895, the date of which he indicated in a letter to B. Asafiev on April 13, 1917. By the time the cycle was created, S. Rachmaninov was already the author of a considerable number of works. In the fall of 1894, he was employed by the Mariinsky Women’s School as a teacher of music theory and an accompanist of the choir. Specially for the choir of students, “Six choirs for children’s or women’s voices” were written: 1) “Glory!”, Words by N. Nekrasov; 2) ”Night”, words by V. Ladyzhensky; 3) “Pine”, words by M. Lermontov (from G. Heine); 4) “The waves dozed off”, words by K. Romanov, 5) “Captivity”, words by N. Tsyganov; 6) “Angel”, words by M. Lermontov. The features of S. Rachmaninov’s musical and artistic thinking, which researchers usually note in his romances – the significant role of accompaniment and a simple 3-part form, having their own historical archetype in the baroque three-part aria da capo (Antipov, 2014: 9) – can be found in “Six choirs”. The enormous artistic role of the piano accompaniment, its developed texture and organic unity with the score should be especially paid attention to. The vivid imagery of the cycle owes much to the instrumental part, which the composer not only went far beyond the accompaniment, but often has independent significance too. At first glance, the choral score of the cycle is uncomplicated – mainly with diatonic two-voice. But behind seeming simplicity, inexhaustible performing tasks for the choir and piano part are in favor. The extreme choral plays frame the cycle with themes of deep ethical and spiritual content that had not previously been encountered in children’s choral music. The middle rooms are dominated by bright lyrics, youthfully light sadness, and harmony between the pictures of nature and the states of the human soul reigns. No. 1 “Glory!” – the character of the work conveys pathetic, prayer (appeal to the Almighty for blessing) and lyrical-patriotic feelings. In the 3rd section of the miniatures, the accompaniment fills the music with fanfare intonations, in the last 6 beats, the dynamic tension within the framework of one tonic harmony is steadily increasing, and in the bass of the piano the bell ringing and ceremonial drum beat are imitated, completing the picture of the celebration. In No. 2 “Night”, the author embodies a dreamy-contemplative mood with the help of the choral cantilena. Frettonal ambiguity of the extreme parts (major-minor), functions languidly lasting for several measures, delicate harmonic colors, flexible ligature of figures, masterful techniques of sound-visualization contribute to a special refinement of moods and miniature images and are associated with impressionist music. No. 3 “Pine” – S. Rachmaninov chose M. Lermontov’s translation as the theme of loneliness and dreams of happiness, giving contrast to the musical images of northern Pine and southern Palma. No. 4 “The waves dosed off” – to convey the state of spiritual harmony and dreamy peace S. Rachmaninov found a set of expressive compositional techniques. Here we emphasize the special independence of the piano part, which does not contain a choral theme, but plays an important soundvisual role, enriching the narration of the choir. No. 5 “Captivity” – the image of a gentle bird, imprisoned in a golden cage, is widespread in fairy tales and poetry of the peoples of the world, as well as in choral music. In N. Tsyganov’s verses, the denouement is optimistic – the nightingale is set free. S. Rachmaninov relies intonationally on the Russian peasant cry-lamentation. The melody has a touching colour, the miniature is distinguished by a bright national color. No. 6 “Angel”. The poem tells of the great sacrament of conception in the spiritual world of a new person’s life. The Angel carries this person’s soul from heaven to earth to connect it with the body of the unborn child. In flight, an Angel sings a song about celestial gardens to this yet unincarnated Soul. The composer weaves a fragment of the motive-symbol “Dies irae” into Angel’s theme, entrusting it to a part of the alto and veiling from above the unrecognizabl third major second part of the soprano. The smoothly descending theme of the Soul can be described in this context as “katabasis”. This symbolism gives the miniature a deep philosophical meaning. S. Rachmaninov was the first Russian composer to create an example of concert purpose in The “Six choirs”. He raised to a new level the theme of children’s works, characteristic of the genre of that time. And that is education of a spiritually rich personality. The author revealed the extraordinary rhythmic and intonational richness of musical speech, the mastery of texture, harmony, the sophistication of technical techniques, and the tonal color scheme were rare for children’s choral music of that time. The richness of colors and the layering of the piano part bring it closer to the orchestra. In The “Six choirs for children’s or women’s voices” S. Rachmaninov revealed a new example of children’s choral music for concert purposes, which has high artistic merits, a deep substantive theme, and an aesthetic and educational orientation. The composer first attracted high poetry, revealed a spiritual and moral subtext. The theme of Faith, reflected in the first and last miniatures, “rings” the cycle, like Alpha and Omega, giving special semantics and significance to its figurative content. The essay reflected important artistic principles and writing techniques, characteristic of his subsequent opuses, but new to the children’s genre. Like the First Symphony (1895), created in the same year as the cycle, the “Six choirs” for the first time include the theme “Dies irae” symbolic for S. Rachmaninoff’s art, which further permeates his work up to “Symphonic dances”, as well as the theme “katabasis” revealing the spiritual and philosophical meaning of the work. This cycle was S. Rachmaninov’s only experience in children’s choral music, in which first for the genre he embodied high spiritual and ethical ideas of a romantic artist, his Christian picture of the world, the eternal themes of love for the Fatherland, life and death, good and evil, also actual for modern society and children of the XXI century. Prior to S. Rachmaninov, children’s choral music did not know such a depth of content, mastery of embodiment, aesthetic pleasure. The unsurpassed beauty of “Six choirs for children’s or women’s voices” made them a phenomenon of perfection in musical art for children, which is timeless, of course.

The article is dedicated to the piano creativity of Ogtay Rajabov, a brilliant representative of the 20th-century Azerbaijani school of composition. It should be noted that O. Rajabov is the author of many pieces for piano, and among them, the genres written for young pianists have a special place. The article analyzes some of these pieces. They include some small miniatures such as “Barkarolla”, “Lyric dance”, “Joke”, “Thought”, “Lyric waltz”, “Naughty kids”, “Remembering the Past”, “Remembering my mother”, “Sad mood” and “My memories”. In his works, the composer was able to bring the world of children to life with great skill. The article provides a theoretical analysis of each piece and specifies the stylistic characteristics inherent in the composer’s piano music. In the works, the traits of O. Radjabov’s composing style, a kind of transfer of elements of folk music, the different images within a small play, the rich imagination of the composer and many other things are highlighted. These works play an important role in the development of the technical capabilities, artistic thinking and aesthetic taste of the young performer. Here, the main characteristic feature is the variety achieved through dynamic nuances, the different development of the melody, the use of different registers, and other similar aspects. Such works are also extensive in terms of the subject matter. So, the images of various characters are reflected here. The purpose of the research is to analyze some of the small miniatures that hold a special place in O. Rajabov’s piano creativity work and set forth his stylistic features. The research methodology is based mainly on theoretical-comparative principles. The miniatures have been theoretically analyzed in terms of the means of expression of musical language and been characterized by its results. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is constituted of works by Russian and Azerbaijani musicologists available in this field. The scientific novelty of the research lies in pioneering a study of the composer Ogtay Rajabov’s piano creation and his directly analyzed miniatures as a research object for the first time. That is to say, in this article, O. Rajabov’s piano works have been subjected to theoretical analysis for the first time. Conclusions. The contents commonality of the last four pieces, including the fourth one among the ten pieces we have analyzed, has united them somewhat in a series. As for such pieces as “Joke”, “Naughty kids”, “Lyric waltz”, “Barcarolle” and “Lyric Dance”, they mostly combine in one theme the different moods and emotional states of children’s world, expressing it in itself. Among the features that summarize and differentiate the pieces, there is a preferred type of texture, the methods of theme development, use of polyphonic style. In particular, the contrast that occurs as a result of dynamic nuances when playing the theme in different registers is observed in most of his pieces. The analyzed pieces serve as a valuable tool for the formation of a young pianist’s aesthetic taste, as well as the development of artistic and technical performance.

The object of the study is the piano work of the famous Chinese composer, teacher Du Minxin (born 1928). The genre composition of his piano work is diverse – it includes miniatures, suite cycles, concerts, fantasies, toccatas. A separate place is occupied by piano transcriptions created by the composer on the material of his own ballets – "Red Women's Squad", "Mermaid". The subject of the study is a piano suite based on the ballet "Rusalka", which is a repertoire composition in concert and pedagogical practice in China. The purpose of the work is to identify the stylistic and performing features of the work necessary for the successful interpretation of the work. In the process of preparing the material, theoretical and empirical research methods were involved, including analysis, generalization and systematization of scientific sources, stylistic and performance analysis of the suite "Mermaid" by Du Mingxin. As a result of a detailed examination of a number of plays, the features of the figurative structure, form formation, intonation, harmonic language, texture are revealed. Special attention is paid to the performing tasks that a pianist needs to solve when referring to this composition. In particular, the author deals with the issues of stroke technique, pedalization, tempo and dynamic dramaturgy, disclosure and use of the timbre-coloristic possibilities of the piano. Of particular importance in the performance of the composition is the orchestrality of the piano sound. The conclusion is made about the importance of preliminary analysis of the orchestral score when performing piano transcription of ballet music. In the Russian research literature, the suite on Du Minxin's ballet "The Mermaid" is considered in detail for the first time.

The etude genre is one of the examples characterized by the emergence of different types of music that develop at certain stages of musical art. Although the introduction of studies as an independent genre in musical literature dates back to the XVII-XVIII centuries, its main function in the development of piano art was already present in other musical genres. The next stage in the development of the study genre is related to the work of the Romantic Movement representatives F.Chopin, R.Schumann, F.List. The acquisition of new features of the genre is due to the work of Russian composers. Thus, with the increase in the content features of art-concert studies, new features such as programming and integration with other genres were observed in Russian music. Interest in piano in Azerbaijan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries first appeared in aristocratic strata, but gradually spread to a wider area. The development of the art of performing on the piano also influenced the creativity of the composer an gave impetus to the formation of the national repertoire for this instrument. Although the etude genre in the works of Azerbaijani composers is not common in the works of European and Russian composers, there are important examples only in the early stages of the formation of miniatures. Azerbaijani composers E.Nazirova, F.Guliyeva, A.Azizov, A.Abbasov, Niyazi, J.Hajiyev, R.Shafag, Kh.Mirzezadeh and others managed to create interesting examples of this genre. One of the main features of the analysis of Azerbaijani somposers etudes is that these examples are pioneered for educational purposes. For this reason, some of the studies we analyzed (M.Mirzayev, J.Hajiyev etc.) are aimed at the first stage of music education with its small volume and simple structure. Studies of relatively large artistic and technical complexity (E.Nazirova,Niyazi,F.Guliyeva) are suitable for the upper classes of music schools. Although the evolution of the study genre and the features of its various genres are not embodied in these works with the splendour seen in the works of European and Russian composers, Azerbaijan is an interesting example of piano music in its educational repertoire. As a result, we can say that the etude genre is not a special development stage in the works of Azerbaijani composers, but each of the existing examples is important in the formation of the aesthetic tastes of young pianists, musical performances on a national basis, and it is successfully applied in the educational repertoire.

The target of the work is investigating the development of archetypal features of the Russian classical romance in the chamber-vocal S. Rakhmaninov’s creation of early period on the example of romances for the average voice. Vocal miniatures are the kind of lyric diary of the composer, which fully embodies the whole range of characteristic images and feelings. In this sense, romances are the kind of encyclopedia of Rakhmaninov’s creativity: it is impossible to find such wealth and variety of states, perhaps even in his brilliant concerts and symphonies. The methodology of the study is to use the art history, historical and cultural, analytical and comparative typological methods. This methodological campaign allows you to analyze the features of the genres of elegy, Russian song, „gesture romance” and their own interpretation by the composer. The scientific novelty of the work consists in broadening the concept of the imaginative multidimensionality of Rakhmaninov’s vocal miniatures, which is due to the synthesis of various traditions of the national school. Vocal works „contain” a full thematic „spectrumˮ of his musical world. Conclusions. The archetypal features of the Russian classical romance and the origins of vocal lyrics are most evident in the early period of the composerʼs work. Obviously, the scope of the scientific article does not allow paying serious attention to the entire vocal creativity of the author of the Bells, to consider 83 romances in full. Therefore, the work is limited studying of works for medium voice and piano. They fully embody the main genre and style features of Rakhmaninov’s chamber-vocal creativity. The early romances of the composer-lyric poet determine the future development of the chamber-vocal genre, anticipating the innovative treatment of vocal plays.

Background. А history of the development of the human community is at the same time a history of the relationship between men and women, their role in society, in formation of mindset, development of science, technology and art. A woman’s path to the recognition of her merits is a struggle for equality and inclusion in all sectors of public life. Originated with particular urgency in the twentieth century, this set of problems gave impetus to the study of the female phenomenon in the sociocultural space. In this context, the disclosure of the direct contribution of talented women to art and their influence on its development has become of special relevance. The purpose of the article is to summarize segmental of information that highlights the contribution of women to the treasury of world art, their creative and inspiring power. Analytical, historical-biographical and comparative studying methods were applied to reveal the gender relationships in art and the role of woman in them as well as in the sociocultural space in general. The results from this study present a panorama of gifted women from the world of art and music who paved the way for future generations. Among them are: A. Gentileschi (1593–1653), who was the first woman admitted to The Florence Academy of Art; M. Vigee Le Brun (1755–1842), who painted portraits of the French aristocracy and later became a confidant of Marie-Antoinette; B. Morisot (1841–1895), who was accepted by the impressionists in their circle and repeatedly exhibited her works in the Paris Salon; F. Caccini (1587–1640), who went down in history as an Italian composer, teacher, harpsichordist, author of ballets and music for court theater performances; J. Kinkel (1810–1858) – the first female choral director in Germany, who published books about musical education, composed songs on poems of famous poets, as well as on her own texts; F. Mendelssohn (1805–1847) – German singer, pianist and composer, author of cantatas, vocal miniatures of organ preludes, piano pieces; R. Clark (1886–1979) – British viola player and composer who created trio, quartets, compositions for solo instruments, songs on poems of English poets; L. Boulanger (1893–1918) became the first woman to receive Grand Prix de Rome; R. Tsekhlin (1926–2007) – German harpsichordist, composer and teacher who successfully combined the composition of symphonies, concerts, choral and vocal opuses, operas, ballets, music for theatrical productions and cinema with active performing and teaching activities, and many others. The article emphasise the contribution of women-composers, writers, poetesses to the treasury of world literature and art. Among the composers in this row is S. Gubaidulina (1931), who has about 30 prizes and awards. She wrote music for 17 films and her works are being performed by famous musicians around the world. The glory of Ukrainian music is L. Dychko (1939) – the author of operas, oratorios, cantatas, symphonies, choral concertos, ballets, piano works, romances, film music. The broad famous are the French writers: S.-G. Colette (1873–1954), to which the films were devoted, the performances based on her novels are going all over the world, her lyrics are being studied in the literature departments. She was the President of the Goncourt Academy, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, a square in the center of Paris is named after her. Also, creativity by her compatriot, L. de Vilmorin (1902–1969), on whose poems С. Arrieu, G. Auric, F. Poulenc wrote vocal miniatures, is beloved and recognized as in France as and widely abroad. The article denotes a circle of women who combined the position of a selfsufficient creator and a muse for their companion. M. Verevkina (1860–1938) – a Russian artist, a representative of expressionism in painting, not only helped shape the aesthetic views of her husband A. Yavlensky, contributing to his art education, but for a long time “left the stage” for to not compete with him and help him develop his talent fully. Furthermore, she managed to anticipate many of the discoveries as for the use of light that are associated with the names of H. Matisse, A. Derain and other French fauvist. F. Kahlo (1907–1954), a Mexican artist, was a strict critic and supporter for her husband D. Rivera, led his business, was frequently depicted in his frescoes. C. Schumann (1819–1896) was a committed promoter of R. Schumann’s creativity. She performed his music even when he was not yet recognized by public. She included his compositions in the repertoire of her students after the composer lost his ability to play due to the illness of the hands. She herself performed his works, making R. Schumann famous across Europe. In addition, Clara took care of the welfare of the family – the main source of finance was income from her concerts. The article indicates the growing interest of the twentieth century composers to the poems of female poets. Among them M. Debord-Valmore (1786–1859) – a French poetess, about whom S. Zweig, P. Verlaine and L. Aragon wrote their essays, and her poems were set to music by C. Franck, G. Bizet and R. Ahn; R. Auslender (1901–1988) is a German poetess, a native of Ukraine (Chernovtsy city), author of more than 20 collections, her lyrics were used by an American woman-composer E. Alexander to write “Three Songs” and by German composer G. Grosse-Schware who wrote four pieces for the choir; I. Bachmann (1926–1973) – the winner of three major Austrian awards, author of the libretto for the ballet “Idiot” and opera “The Prince of Hombur”. The composer H. W. Henze, in turn, created music for the play “Cicadas” by I. Bachmann. On this basis, we conclude that women not only successfully engaged in painting, wrote poems and novels, composed music, opened «locked doors», destroyed established stereotypes but were a powerful source of inspiration. Combining the roles of the creator and muse, they helped men reach the greatest heights. Toward the twentieth century, the role of the fair sex representatives in the world of art increased and strengthened significantly, which led Western European culture to a new round of its evolution.

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries witnessed the rapid growth of musical culture in Russia. This resulted in a large repertoire of piano music — ranging from miniatures to virtuosic etudes and sonatas. Growing out of the nineteenth century romantic tradition, and highly influenced by the social conditions of the time, Russian composers developed a distinctive style which closely reflected their culture, personalities and ideologies. There are several approaches to studying performance practice. One is to study the interpretations of other pianists. While this does have many advantages, it has not been adopted in this paper as it has one flaw: it still fails to capture the distinctive language of these composers. Rather, the paper will study the social and musical influences on the composers, and, more importantly, their philosophies about pianism and the purpose of music. This will be related to interpretative issues in the works. The repertoire has been divided into four areas. The paper commences with a study of the miniature, which is valuable in finding the ‘essence’ of a composer’s musical language expressed on a small scale. Here, the ‘elementary’ considerations in performance practice will be studied. The second chapter discusses etudes. This is useful in gaining an insight into composers’ conception of technique, and how this relates to performance practice. The third chapter deals with music that has extra-musical themes. This provides opportunity for a more detailed cultural and biographical study of the composers. To represent the large-scale repertoire of Russian composers, the sonata will be studied. Here, a detailed analysis of the composers’ musical language and its relationship to expression will be discussed.
Masters Thesis

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries witnessed the rapid growth of musical culture in Russia. This resulted in a large repertoire of piano music — ranging from miniatures to virtuosic etudes and sonatas. Growing out of the nineteenth century romantic tradition, and highly influenced by the social conditions of the time, Russian composers developed a distinctive style which closely reflected their culture, personalities and ideologies. There are several approaches to studying performance practice. One is to study the interpretations of other pianists. While this does have many advantages, it has not been adopted in this paper as it has one flaw: it still fails to capture the distinctive language of these composers. Rather, the paper will study the social and musical influences on the composers, and, more importantly, their philosophies about pianism and the purpose of music. This will be related to interpretative issues in the works. The repertoire has been divided into four areas. The paper commences with a study of the miniature, which is valuable in finding the ‘essence’ of a composer’s musical language expressed on a small scale. Here, the ‘elementary’ considerations in performance practice will be studied. The second chapter discusses etudes. This is useful in gaining an insight into composers’ conception of technique, and how this relates to performance practice. The third chapter deals with music that has extra-musical themes. This provides opportunity for a more detailed cultural and biographical study of the composers. To represent the large-scale repertoire of Russian composers, the sonata will be studied. Here, a detailed analysis of the composers’ musical language and its relationship to expression will be discussed.
Masters Thesis

This chapter looks at Russian composer Dmitri Smirnov’s Wonderful Stories (2001). Smirnov’s prolific output reveals a special enthusiasm for the work of William Blake and includes settings of his poetry. This set of twelve droll, breezily concise miniatures represents the composer in lighter vein. Vocal tessitura is deftly judged and piano writing is wittily apt. Sly humour in music is not at all easy to pull off, but Smirnov is more than equal to the task. Wonderful Stories is an ideal choice for young singers, especially beginners. Although there is ample opportunity for characterization, a poker-faced manner is often more effective than an arch, knowing air. Wide stylistic contrasts and variations in length create a pleasing balance. In addition, the score has charming drawings by the composer’s son Philip Firsov.

Abstract Following Marilyn Nonken in isolating the Russian pianist-composer Alexander Skryabin as one of spectralism’s principal progenitors, this chapter’s main focus is the pitch construction of Skryabin’s two miniatures Masques and Etrangeté op. 63 (1912), comparing their harmonic and rhythmic gestures with Tristan Murail’s suite for piano Les Travaux et les Jours (2002). The ultimate aims of this chapter in this comparison are two-fold: first, using the more recent phenomenon of spectral music, it sheds new light on a debate that stretches back at least a century to reassess the influence of the spectrum of upper partials on Skryabin’s compositions, showing how the terms of the debate need to be placed in a framework in which his stated intentions are critically assessed alongside the “music itself”; second, it explores the possibilities, realized by Skryabin and Murail in turn, hopefully of inspiration to future composers, of drawing creativity from the untempered overtone series in compositions that are limited to equal-temperament—in this case the piano—creating, under the banner of what might be called the “spectral attitude,” effects analogous to those produced by electronics and acoustically more dextrous instruments.