the nineteenth century piano and its literature

The Nineteenth Century Piano and its Literature

The Development of the Piano

The Piano in 1800

The Piano in 1820

The Piano in 1850

The Piano in 1875

The “Concert” Grand Piano 2006

The Piano

Popular in the home for “amateurs” Instrument for virtuosos and musicians

Piano Literature

Short, lyric pieces Nocturnes Preludes Impromptus More descriptive titles

Wild Hunt The Little Bell Programmatic titles (suggesting an image)

Frederick Chopin (1810-1849)

Mother: Polish Father: French

Aurore Dudevant

“George Sand”

Chopin and Piano Music“poet of the piano”

Entire compositional output dedicated to the piano

Literature includes: Études (virtuosic and technical study pieces) Meditative nocturnes (night pieces), preludes, and

“nationalistic” dances, i.e., mazurkas, polonaises, waltzes

Sonatas Piano Concertos

Modern Piano Style

One of the most original artists of 19th century His musical life centered around the piano “Everything must be made to sing”

Repertoire

Nocturnes (night pieces) Adopted from John Field

Preludes Études (study pieces) Waltzes Mazurkas, Polonaises Ballades, Scherzos Sonatas Concertos

Polonaise in A MajorOp. 40, No. 1 (Military)

1838 Ternary form “Allegro con brio” tempo Listen for:

3-part dance form Use of traditional polonaise rhythm Brilliant pianistic writing More lyrical trio (B), played with rubato (robbed)

Chopin: Mazurka in B-Flat Minor, Op. 24, No. 4 Chromatic lines, wide-ranging, disjunct Moderate triple meter, dotted rhythms Shifts between major and minor Homophonic ABACDA; long coda Much RUBATO (rubare – to rob), many

accents (p. 223)

Prelude in E MinorOp. 28, No. 4

1839 From set of 24 Tempo: Largo Listen for:

Simple, conjunct melody Chromatic harmony Rubato “Single” part form (through-composed) Ends pianissimo

Franz Liszt(1811-1886)

Liszt’s Music

Symphonic poems – A ONE-MOVEMENT work with a literary or pictorial program

Thematic transformation Piano pieces – Creator of modern piano

technique

The Little Bell(from Transcendental Etudes)

1839-39; revised 1851 Influence of Paganini Sectional, with variations

A-B-A’-B’-A”-B”-A’” Allegretto, in 6/8 meter Full range of piano Very difficult “virtuosic” work

Program Music“The painter turns a poem into a painting; the musician sets a picture to

music”Robert Schumann

Program music – Instrumental music with literary or pictorial association supplied by the composer

Absolute music – Music for music’s sake Four types:

Concert overture Incidental music to a play Program symphony (multi-movement work) Symphonic poem (one-movement work)