Pedagogical Analysis of the Baroque Period Piano Repertoire: Example of Italy

The aim of this study is to access editions of Italian Baroque works in place; to examine the availability of these works in terms of gaining techniques for playing in piano education, to gain new works aimed at different pedagogical stages in the field and to acquire new but unknown works in piano education repertoire. This research was carried out with the literature review model. During the first three months of the research, 158 baroque period composers were found among 2173 Italian composers. 50 composers composing on keyboard instruments were reached among 158 baroque composers. For this research study, the library of Dipartimento delle Arti dell’Universita di Bologna the Sala Borsa library, the Giovanni Martini Conservatory library and international museum and library of music in Bologna were visited and the works of composers made on the keyboard instruments were found. The number of works performed by composer on keyboard instruments is quite high. However, according to the objective of the project, it is aimed to perform pedagogical analysis by selecting one work from each composer. For analysis, created to the work evaluation forms prepared by the researcher. 50 works analyzed according to this form. While 48 Italian works can be used in piano education, 6 Italian works are not suitable for piano education. However, in order to use these works in piano education, these must be arranged from organ to pianoforte. An example of this is presented in this study.

POLYPHONIC GENRES IN PIANO CREATIVITY OF CHINESE COMPOSERS

Statement of the problem. The twentieth century marked an increased interest in polyphonic music. The geography of polyphonic works for piano expanded significantly and a creative development of many Chinese composers, writing polyphonic piano pieces, took place. Today, polyphonic pieces make up a significant part of the piano repertoire in China, but they are little studied by musicologists and performers. The objective of this study – to reveal the contribution of Chinese composers to the creation of polyphonic piano repertoire of the XX – early XXI century. Analysis of the research and publications on the theme. А large number of modern authors study polyphony from the point of physical and mathematical research methods (Igarashi, Yu. & Ito, Masashi & Ito, Akinori, 2013; Weiwei, Zhang & Zhe, Chen, & Fuliang, Yin, 2016; Li, Xiaoquan et al. others, 2018). This approach does not reveal the factual musical component of polyphonic genres. In the 20th century, musicologists explored polyphony in musical folklore (Wiant, 1936; Fan Zuyin, 2004; Li Hong, 2015) and in professional Chinese composing (Sun Wei-bo, 2006, Winzenburg, 2018). The scientific novelty. This article studies the role of Chinese composers in the development of the world polyphonic piano repertoire of the XX – early XXI century. The methodological basis for the analysis of polyphonic works was the theoretical concepts of P. Hindemith, Peng Cheng, Fang Zuin, Li Hong, Sun Wei-bo. The results of the study. The research outcomes demonstrate the evolutionary development of the genre diversity of Chinese piano polyphony as well as those composers who created magnificent musical pieces. Conclusions. Chinese composers have fully mastered the art of modern counterpoint, represented by the genres of polyphonic program pieces (He Lu Ting), invention (Xiao Shu Xian, Du Qian, Sun Yun Yin, Chen Chen Quang), polyphonic suite (Ma Gui), large polyphonic cycle ( He Shao, Chen Hua Do, Xiao Shu Xian), fugue (Li Jun Yong, Yu Su Yan, Chen Gang, Tian Lei Lei, Duan Ping Tai, Zheng Zhong, Xiao Shu Xian) and small cycle “Prelude and Fugue” (Ding Shan Te, Chen Zhi Ming, Wang Li Shan). Creatively assimilating and rethinking the experience of Western polyphonists, Chinese composers have filled their polyphonic works with national features, firmly linking them with the origins of Chinese traditional and folk music. The polyphonic way of transmitting musical material becomes the most expressive at the moments of profound creativity and musical dramatization.

Features of teaching piano in pop-jazz style

Russian music school has undergone major changes over the past 20–30 years. The emergence of mass musical styles and genres and their huge popularity, the opening of pop and jazz faculties and training areas, as well as private music schools and studios – all this aff ects the approaches to teaching piano in modern preprofessional music education. The approaches to the development of performing piano skills described in this article include not only traditional methods of studying the academic piano repertoire, but also methods of development in pop and jazz stylistics, using which one can achieve both improved fluency and the development of new sound skills.

The instructive repertoire in the programs of students of the Department of Special Piano of the Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts

Background. The article discusses the experience of the teaching staff of the Department of Special Piano of the Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts. One of the innovations of the department was the use of instructive piano repertoire in the educational process for better development of piano skills among students. It has been proved that the acquisition of a technical base as a necessary basis for piano mastery is impossible without the systematic use of instructive etudes – relatively small instrumental pieces with a specific technical purpose. The correct choice of the complexity of the lessons, their compliance with the student’s level of development is a determining factor in the successful development of a pianist. Thus, an instructive piano repertoire is very useful not only at the initial stage of the pedagogical process, but is also extremely necessary at the subsequent stages of the professional pianistic education of a young musician. Objectives. The purpose of the article is to justify the need to use a number of instructive etudes for piano in junior undergraduate musical challenges, to draw the attention of students and teachers to their wider development and use in educational and concert practice. Methods. The methodology of the article is based on the totality of scientific approaches necessary to uncover problem, combining the principle of musical-theoretical, performing analysis as well as methodical and pedagogical observations. Conclusions. Statement of the main material. For the formation of the pianistic apparatus, the pupil, and then the student, needs etudes, thanks to which you need to develop strength, evenness, independence and fluency of the fingers. But the process must be complicated gradually: it is impossible to move on to mastering a more complex task, if it is simpler, it remains unresolved. It should be noted that the division of etudes into instructive and characteristic, as well as characteristic – concert and artistic is very conditional and, first of all, is determined by the level of composer skill of their authors. For the performer, any, even the simplest musical construction, should be played expressively, understood intonationally, and built dramatically. Therefore, even in the simplest and easiest etudes, novice pianists need to be tuned to the fact that this composition is highly artistic and attitude to its should be appropriate. In the subsequent educational process of mastering pianism, an accurate algorithm should be built up that allows using the huge arsenal of piano etudes to properly develop the student, to give him the opportunity to form the perfect pianistic apparatus, while instilling not only appropriate motion, but also auditory professional skills. For the formation of the piano apparatus and many auditory skills, not only schoolchildren but also students need to develop strength, equality, independence and speed of the fingers. This role should be performed by instructive and characteristic sketches. It is noted that one of the substantive dominants of the etude genre is the formularity of the musical language, the game moment, the implementation of which allows one to overcome a technical problem, which forms the basis of pianism both in motor skills and intonation. Results. The importance of the correct choice of etudes during the entire process of training a pianist is proved. Unfortunately, we often observe how the unhealthy ambitions of a teacher negatively affect students. It is necessary to adequately assess the level of capabilities of the young performer, and most importantly, with the help of correctly selected sketches, step by step, professionally develop his motor and auditory skills. In no case should students be given complex artistic etudes if their pianistic apparatus is not yet fully formed! For this purpose, the decision was made at the special piano department of the Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts: to pass instructive etudes of a high degree of complexity in junior undergraduate courses without fail.

Pedagogical system of piano technique evolution in the works of M. Moszkowski

Statement of the problem. The paper is devoted to the analysis of the pedagogical system of piano technique evolution which developed in the works of an outstanding Polish composer, pianist, teacher and conductor M. Moszkowski. Under consideration are pedagogical principles of the musician, his extensive editing work. Under analysis is the instructive pedagogical repertoire of Moszkowski: “School of double notes” op. 64, “A Book of Scales”, which outlines the fingering principles of the musician, etudes op. 72, 78, 91, 92, a collection of compositions “The Master and His Pupil” op. 96 and “Technical sketches” op. 97. The arsenal of techniques used in these works is rich and diverse, which emphasizes the artistic advantages of these compositions. The value of M. Moszkowski’s pedagogical system in the evolution of piano technique and development of a young pianist is defined, since the pedagogical works of the composer can still serve as a good help for middle and high school students of music schools and colleges. The purpose of the article is to reveal the value of M. Moszkowski’s pedagogical system in the evolution of piano technique and development of a young pianist. Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the unity of scientific approaches, among which the most important is a functional one, associated with the analysis of the genre as a typical structure. Results. The study of M. M. Moszkowski’s piano etudes became a significant contribution to the development of West-European art of the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The analysis of etudes allowed highlighting a free choice of figurative and stylistic priorities, tendency towards small size, focus on a certain type of technique, expressiveness of technically virtuoso tasks, use of simple forms, artistic diversity, prevelance of light mood and moving pace. These piano exercises are clearly presented as an integral part of Moszkowski’s pedagogical method, as well as the specifics of the author’s performance style. Moszkowski’s etudes are a kind of bridge between virtuosity skills and bright images, they help not only improve the technique but also develop student’s musicality. Undoubtedly, this approach provides a solid foundation in all areas of piano performance. Moszkowski’s etudes are less difficult to study, they have technical value that can be quickly acquired, but at the same time they are sustainable and program. Sometimes Moszkowski treats the etude genre very freely: as a substitute for another genre (Two miniatures op 67) as part of the dilogy cycle (Caprice-etude and Improvisation op. 70) and others. These works are little used in modern performing practice. At the same time, they represent a very interesting material that clearly reflects the distinctiveness of musical language of late romantic pianists, to which Moszkowski belonged. Conclusions. Special attention should be paid to the composter’s great contribution to the enrichment of the instructive piano repertoire. Unfortunately, pedagogically orientated works are not so often performed in today’s educational practice. Only 15 virtuoso etudes from op. 72. are widely used. It would be very useful for young musicians to get acquainted with numerous etudes of the composer, since they are of unquestionable interest from the viewpoint of the development of both technical skills and figurative thinking of students. This publication is intended to attract the attention of teachers and performers to wider mastering of piano etudes by M. Moszkowski, which would greatly enrich modern piano repertoire. Unfortunately, many piano compositions of the composer, which were created with a pedagogical purpose, are not used widely enough in educational practice today. Many of them are aimed at the development of elementary piano skills necessary for the development of a young performer: five-finger position, scale sequences, and chords. They are very important, that is why they are described in easy etudes, systematizing the basic forms of virtuosity. Such compositions of Moszkowski take the performer from the basics to the tasks of the highest virtuoso difficulty. His pedagogical system allows us to gradually and systematically improve pianism. The piece must be learnt in a certain sequence: mastering the musical text; playing in the tempo specified by the composer; analysis of the content of the work. Indeed, the performer should be able to divide the work into certain stages, especially if it concerns etudes – to strive for the maximum clear statement of the technical task, excluding anything that could hinder its accomplishment.

Beyond the Candelabra: The Liberace Show and the Remediation of Beethoven

Liberace entered the sprawling scene of US pop culture in 1952 emceeing a TV show that initially garnered higher ratings than I Love Lucy. The Liberace Show presented staples of the classical piano repertoire in abridged versions that cut the “dull parts” and liberally added orchestrations. Liberace's heterodox practices outraged prominent music critics, who soon deemed him the very incarnation of kitsch. Turning from aesthetic criticism to an archaeological analysis of media, I discuss the show's presentation of classical music, taking as its main case study Liberace's iconoclastic rendition of Beethoven's “Tempest” sonata, and examine it through the theory of remediation advanced by Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin. Analyzing archival videos, I show how the alterations exerted on the musical text were inextricably tied to the telegenic mise-en-scènes staged for each episode while situating them in the new media landscape that emerged in the 1950s. The show remediated not only the pieces Liberace performed but also his own TV persona to nurture an intimate bond with home viewers who became captivated by the host's enchanting presence. I contend that Liberace's remediations drastically collapsed the specificity of performance medium that modern critics construed to be immanent to the musical work. This collapse entailed a proliferation of musical and audiovisual media that afforded Liberace's devoted viewers an alluring experience of immediacy and ultimately retrieved the domestic intimacy that had been integral to the genealogy of the piano sonata.

Methodical Expediency of Enrichment of Repertoire of the Beginning Pianist in Educational Institutions of the People’s Republic of China

The article deals with the activity of the teacher-musician on the choice of educational piano repertoire. Currently, in China, this practice is based almost exclusively on the empirical experience of teachers and is largely random, does not have sufficient methodical support. They use rather standard, so-called basic musical repertoire, especially at the initial level of piano training in the genre of a program play. At the same time, the individuality of the student, his personal qualities, promising musical development, genre and style diversity of works, certain methodological indications for study, motivational readiness are not adequately taken into account. There is an urgent need to expand the children’s piano repertoire in China, primarily through the musical works of composers from other countries, for example, the easy plays of Russian composers of the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. The article shows a specific example of the educational repertoire in children’s educational programs with effective performance of young musicians at concerts. Actions of the teacher-musician at the choice of this or that musical work inevitably actualize personal-creative and reflexive qualities, skills of the methodological analysis. The introduction of young musicians to the performance of music from other eras and national schools, familiarity with different compositional techniques and directions, painstaking individual selection of each play has a pronounced methodological, educational and motivational effect.

Kornelije Stankovic´s piano repertoire - from European practice to national ideology

Of particular importance for the artistic commitment and maturation of Kornelije Stankovic, was his training in Vienna, which at that time represented the center of the Slavic elite. The whole cultural and social atmosphere of Vienna left a strong imprint on the young artist: a rich cultural and political life of the city, contacts with Serbian and Slavic circles and their ideas, especially studies under distinguished professor at the Conservatory - a composer, pianist and theorist Simon Sechter. By studying the inscriptions in the Serbian press from the 19th century (Srbski list, Vidovdan, Juzna pcela, Danica, Trgovacke novine, Sumadinka) and preserved posters of Stankovic?s concerts, we have selected the compositions that were part of the Kornelije Stankovic piano repertoire. Besides his own compositions, his repertoire included some works of Franz Liszt and Sigismund Thalberg, and even, then popular and now forgotten salon composers-pianists: Jacob Blumenthal, Louis Lacombe, Rudolf Willmers, Eduard M. Pirkhert, and a certain man named Wald. It is possible that this selection of works was influenced by Sechter himself. Blumental and Lacombe were his students. However, the fact remains that the compositions of those authors, which Stankovic performed, also represented the most famous works of those composers, as well as the standards of the salon repertoire at the time. The aim of this paper is to highlight the equal importance and representation of the foreign composers within Stankovic?s piano repertoire, as well as the actuality of performed compositions, which has allowed us to gain an insight into the German press of the considered period.