ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: A SURVEY OF A CENTURY OF RUSSIAN MUSIC FOR PIANO: FROM GLINKA TO SHOSTAKOVICH Suk-Yi Hyun, Doctor of Musical Arts, 2010 Dissertation directed by: Professor Cleveland Page School of Music In the middle of the nineteenth century, several composers, especially represented by the ?Mighty Five? began to espouse a conscious nationalism1 in Russia. This movement was cultivated by Russian composers making use of their nationalistic folk music. The first example of this is Glinka?s opera A Life for the Tsar. Moreover, many accomplished pianists and composers, the so-called ?Russian Piano School,? appeared and developed their own style. Russian piano music began to acquire international attention and soon after, it flourished not only in Russia, but also in Western Europe. During the twentieth century, Russian composers made even greater contributions to Western music despite political turmoil in their country. I have selected for my performances a collection of works by nineteenth- and twentieth-century Russian composers who played a significant role in writing Russian music for piano, including Mikhail Glinka, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Sergei 1 Stewart Gordon, A History of Keyboard Literature (New York: Schirmer Books, 1996), 424. Rachmaninov, Sergei Prokofiev, Dimitri Kabalevsky, and Dmitri Shostakovich. Although my repertoire is comprised of various styles and genres between 1832 and 1951, it shares common sources of inspiration: nationalistic elements, including folk materials, profound melancholic melodies, bell-like sound derived from Russian orthodox church and emphasis on rhythm are all abundantly present in their scores. By using these elements in their compositions, the Russian composers developed a unique idiom utilizing various compositional techniques. These include a variety of dynamics, pronounced interest in orchestral color, use of exotic harmony, pentatonic and/or modal tunes, and a recurrence of short motifs. In other words, they pursued their own style as well, combining contemporary compositional trends with nationalistic elements. In addition, Russian political matters and their influence on composers were another important factor in Russian Music for piano. Through this performance project, I was able to acquire not only a better appreciation of Russian piano music, but also an improvement of my own pianistic ability. This performance dissertation consists of three recitals performed on May 13, 2008, on May 11, 2009 and on April 3, 2010 in Gildenhorn recital hall at the University of Maryland. These recitals are documented on compact disc recordings that are housed within the University of Maryland Library System. A SURVEY OF A CENTURY OF RUSSIAN MUSIC FOR PIANO: FROM GLINKA TO SHOSTAKOVICH By Suk-Yi Hyun Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts 2010 Advisory Committee: Professor Cleveland Page, Chair Professor Larissa Dedova Professor Mikhail Volchok Professor Sung Won Lee Professor Donald Manildi ii Dedication To my family, for endless love, support, and encouragement. None of this would be possible without you. and My wonderful teachers, Professor Santiago Rodriguez and Cleveland Page. Studying with you was one of the luckiest things in my life. iii Table of Contents Dedication??????????????????????????????... ii Chapter 1: CD I Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) Piano Sonata No. 9 in C major, Op. 103 (1947) I.Allegretto??????????????????????????1 II. Allegro strepitoso?????????...????????????..2 III. Andante tranquillo???????????????????..??...3 IV. Allegro con moto, ma non troppo presto?????????????4 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23 I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito??????...5 II. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo????????????????.6 III. Allegro con fuoco??????????????????????7 Assisted by Sunha Yoon Chapter 2: CD II Mikhail Glinka (1814-1857) Trio ?Path?tique? in D minor I. Allegro moderato?????????????????????...1 II. Scherzo??????????????????????????..2 III. Largo???????????????????????????3 IV. Allegro con spirito?????????????????????...4 Assisted by Yunjung Choi (violin), Juwon Moon (cello) Dimitri Kabalevsky (1904-1987) Sonata No. 3 in F major, Op.46 I. Allegro con moto???????????????????????5 II. Andante cantabile??????????????????????..6 III. Allegro giocoso??????????????...................................7 Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43???????..????????.?8--11 Assisted by Naoko Takao Chapter 3: CD III Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Prelude and Fugue No.1 in C major, Op. 87 Prelude???????????????????????????1 Fugue???????????????????????????...2 Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) iv Sonata No. 7 in B-flat major, Op. 83 I. Allegro inquieto??????????????????????..?3 II. Andante caloroso?????????????????????.?..4 III. Precipitato??????????????............................................5 Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28 I. Allegro moderato???????????????..??????..??6 II. Lento???????????????????...??????.7 III. Allegro molto????????????...............................................8 ? RECITAL I May 13, 2008, AT 8:00 PM JOSEPH & ALMA GILDENHORN RECITAL HALL Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center University of Maryland, College Park SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Sonata No. 9 in C major, Op. 103 Allegretto Allegro strepitoso Andante tranquillo Allegro con brio, ma non troppo presto INTERMISSION PYTOR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23 Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso Andantino semplice Allegro con fuoco Assisted by Sunha Yoon ? RECITAL II May 11, 2009, AT 5:30 PM JOSEPH & ALMA GILDENHORN RECITAL HALL Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center University of Maryland, College Park MIKHAIL GLINKA (1814-1857) Trio ?Path?tique? in D minor (arranged for violin, cello and piano) Allegro moderato Scherzo: Vivacissimo Largo Allegro con spirito Yunjung Choi, violin Juwon Moon, cello DMITRI KABALEVSKY (1904-1987) Sonata No. 3 in F major, Op. 46 Allegro con moto Andante cantabile Allegro giocoso INTERMISSION SERGEI RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 Naoko Takao, 2nd piano ? RECITAL III April 3, 2010, AT 5:30 PM JOSEPH & ALMA GILDENHORN RECITAL HALL Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center University of Maryland, College Park DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Prelude & Fugue No. 1 in C major, Op. 87 SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Sonata No. 7 in B-flat major, Op. 83 Allegro inquieto Andante caloroso Precipitato INTERMISSION SERGEI RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28 Allegro moderato Lento Allegro molto ? BIBLIOGRAPHY Grout, Donald J., and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. 7th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. Gordon, Stewart. A History of Keyboard Literature. New York: Schirmer Books, 1996. Hinson, Maurice. Guide to the Pianist?s Repertoire: 3rd Edition. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000. Randall, Don Michael ed., The Harvard Dictionary of Music: 4th Edition. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2003. Roberts, Peter. Modernism in Russian Piano Music: Skriabin, Prokofiev, and their Russian contemporaries Volume 1. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993. Taruskin, Richard: ?Russia?, Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 5 March 2008), Todd, R. Larry. Nineteenth-century Piano Music. New York: Routledge, 2004.