Nocturnes, Week 3

John Field

Nocturne No. 3- This Nocturne is certainly the most advanced technically out of the three we were assigned. This nocturne is also interesting to me because usually one associates the melody as being the material that is most varied on each repetition, however in this piece it seems that Field found his variations on the accompaniment to be the most exploratory. The passage ‘piu moderato’ passage at the key change is very odd sounding and very striking on the first listen.

Nocturne No. 5- I was initially captured by the haunting nature of sound that Field’s composition captures from the piano. I questioned what would make a Chopin Nocturne “better” than this, in the sense that Chopin’s Nocturne’s have stood the test of time more so than Field’s. I believe that Field’s composition here is about beauty in simplicity, but perhaps is too restrained. The piece has no real development of its material; the initial motive is immediately re-used as an inversion, and always appears in its original key. The piece only changes in rhythmic texture when the ornaments are added on the second page, but still do not amount to anything extraordinary. The harmonic texture is also very thin for when the second voice enters in the right hand it maintains a rather mundane alto repetition. I think that for what it is it is extraordinary to listen to, and I imagine that Field saw the simplicity as one of the better qualities of his music.

Nocturne No. 8- I notice an immediate resemblence to the Chopin Nocturne in E-flat. This Nocturne has 4 distinguishing characteristics that define the genre for me…

1) Use of the turn

2) Repeated melodic notes which form common tones above striking chord progressions

3) Chromatic embellishment

4) Use of slow dance rhythms

This piece for me is much more advanced harmonically than the No. 3 and No. 5, and also is the most alike to a Chopin-like sound. I find this one more complex partly because the melodic content does not repeat much, nor can I divide it into motives like I could with No. 5.

Chopin

Nocturne, Op. 9 No. 3- Thoughts I had while listening to this nocturne…

1) What aspects of this sound like a night piece?

2) Did Chopin purposely intend to stretch the limits of Alberti-like figurations?

3) Did he compose normal melodies and then attach the notes with chromatic scales, or did he originally conceive the melodies this way?

4) Did the use of odd rhythmic relationships play an important structural role or are they grouped out of necessity to fit the increased number of notes in?

I am immediately able to see why audiences attached more to Chopin’s etudes than to Field’s. Chopin took a calm and haunting genre and made it into something virtuosic, not only from a technical standpoint but also in the difficulties presented to the mind of both the listener and performer.

Nocturne, Op. 27 No. 1- My first thought on this Nocturne is that the use of the chromatically altered notes as melodic notes is very surprising. More often than not it seems that the melodic notes in a Nocturne function as common-tones between modulatory chord progressions, however in this Nocturne the altered notes are used most often as the featured melodic ideas. I also find the use of the Phrygian minor 2^nd scale degree over the top of a V chord to be very striking, especially since it becomes a major-minor 7^th chord with a raised 5^th. The ‘piu mosso’ section is interesting in the way that Chopin uses a very small amount of melodic material with a large amount of technically and musically intensifying attributes. He repeats motives at higher octaves and raising chromatic levels. He also uses vibratory techniques to increase tension in the listener. I wonder if Chopin’s love of J.S. Bach inspired him to end this piece in the major key or if it was more of a Beethoven “triumph through struggle”.

Nocturne, Op. 62 No. 1- I obviously have to comment on the originality of beginning the piece on an elongated ii7 chord. Out of all the nocturnes we have listened to this one is certainly my favorite. This one certainly evokes the atmosphere of night the most for me, and I feel that this is also the most song-like. I find it interesting that Chopin only reaches a loud dynamic once at a seemingly random show of virtuosic brilliance. The harmonies here seem to aid the melody in carrying on as if from a voice and not from a piano. The trills add a new dimension to the dolce feeling by making it seem almost like a wimpering or a fluttering.

Nocturne, Op. 62 No. 2- It is definitely the case that I prefer Chopin’s Nocturnes which are in common-time, rather than a waltz-like rhythm. I prefer this style of atmosphere as well, as opposed to dance-inspired, romance-inspired, or angered sounding. This nocturne seems to me to be more of a pouring out of emotion and soul. The harmonies and melody change from major to minor, as well as the textures that change from simple and song-like to highly layered. These traits in the same work make me feel as if the work is inspired by an evolution of emotions and a traveling through memories.

Fanny and Clara, Week 3

Fanny Hensel

Das Jahr: 12 Characterstucke

No. 1 January: This piece sounds to me to be more like the works of Franz Liszt than Felix Mendelssohn. The use of a solemn and unaccompanied minor bass melody is similar to works like Vallee D’obermann. Her use of virtuosic scales as a transitional tool is also similar to the works of Franz Liszt. Her use of combining the ending of the first work with the beginning of the second seems very inventive of this type of music. Her use of Attaca is not like Beethoven’s for me, but rather something new as if the works are subdivided only by title.

No. 2 February: I wonder why February is so much more joyous than January. Considering that spring does not begin until late January I cannot assume that the mood of the piece is determinate on the the seasonal norm. Perhaps the moods are based on a year in her life, meaning that the character she draws upon is not actually based on the year itself but rather the events of one’s life spaced out within the year.

No. 3 March: Once again I am surprised that this month is so solemn when this should be a joyous time, assuming that one prefers the spring towards the end of winter. Perhaps the flowing sounds of the accompaniment symbolize the melting away of ice or the sights of barren and once frozen landscapes. The mood of this piece is not entirely sad to me. This seems to me to be more of a Schubertian beauty within sorrow. The music modulates from minor to major at the end, and I imagine this is because the official start of spring is the 20th, meaning that the month, like the music, started much differently than it ended up.

No. 4 April: The music here reminds me of the sounds of mischief. The music does not swirl as in the previous month, but this time it leaps, symbolized by the low bass notes followed with staccato scales. This would lead me to believe that the appearance of spring has caused nature to revive and become energetic. The music ends in minor. I would think that this could symbolize the harsh realities of nature, that admist the playing animals and birds and bee’s there is still death and fear. Perhaps this story was one of a hunt, whether it was in the eyes of the hunter or hunted I am not sure. Maybe the musical portrayal of April showers are present. Or maybe the music just ended in minor because it made the music sound more interesting…

No. 5 May: This sounds like a lovely dance. Now that everything is in full bloom it may be time to just sit and observe the beauties of the world. Once again the music moves from light and pretty to heavy and dark. This trait makes this solidly romantic in quality. Every emotion is presented and given time to evolve into something else. These changes cause the music to be more like the human spirit which experiences up’s and down’s. If one emotion never shifted then it would not feel human.

No. 6 June: I certainly wouldn’t expect these sad harmonies of June. This would lead me to assume that there is a story here that moves beyond the natural patterns of the year. This sounds like a sad and lamenting song. Unless Fanny Hensel despised hot weather so much to write a sad piece like this I would certainly assume that this is the story of an event in June rather than the month itself, whether it be fictional or true.

No. 7 July: This being the month of my birth I was surprised to hear her dark and ominous portrayal of July. This piece seems similar to the month of June but it sounds to me like those sad and reminiscent harmonies have now turned to dark thoughts, angry or resentful.

No. 8 August: It seems immediately that the sounds of August are happy ones. Once again the music sounds as if its dancing and leaping around. The happiness is portrayed in a more majestic tone this time. The only reason I could think of for being this happy in August would be that the Fall season is now in sight. I could also consider that a specific event in August would make musical sense, like a ball or a special gathering.

No. 9 September: It sounds as if Fall has begun within this piece. The melody is occuring beneath the accompaniment this time. I would think that this could symbolize that the narrarator of this piece is standing beneath the leaves as they change and fall to the ground. At the end the melody moves into a lower register, which would mean to me that the leaves had all met their final resting place.

No. 10 October: Another joyous month for Fanny Hensel. This music is bigger than before with roaring bass octaves and brilliant dancing melodies. Perhaps this depicts the games of fall. I’m not sure how Europians celebrate the month of October, but I know that in America this could symbolize a Fall festival or things of that nature.

No. 11 November: We are now back to another lamenting month, maybe brought on by the arrival of snow. This despair is symbolized by the descending half steps in the upper-most voice. The music moves not from sad to happy, but rather from sad to agitated. Until the very end where a major sound is seen only within the scales leading up to the powerfully minor final chord.

No. 12 December: The tremolos within this final month cause me to visualize fluries of snow and the wily spirit of Jack Frost. I could easily see this as the soundtrack to snowball fights and swift slay-rides. The end of the month is full of twinkling and joyous sounds. I imagine that the Holiday season would have meant a lot for the religiously reformed family. The end of the year is a most happy and content one.

Postlude: I’m not sure how the postlude would fit into the characteristics of the year. It is most sad all the way until the final chord. All I could think of in terms of character would be that the year, for the most part, was not as happy as it could have been. The major final chord could symbolize that even like life joy is mostly an after-thought.



Clara Schumann

Four Character Pieces Op. 5

I Impromptu, Le Sabbat (Allegro furioso)- The title of this piece translates into “the Sabbath” and I am not sure how the music evokes this character. The mischievous minor 2nds and quick rhythmic repetitions lead me to believe that this may be a dark sabbath. The dissonances here feel far more modern to me than the works of Robert Schumann of Brahms. I would say that if I had never heard it before I would probbably imagine this to be something by a Mussorgsky type composer.

II Caprice a la Bolero (Presto)- “Whim of the Bolero” is a piece that I feel is probably meant less to evoke the actual dance music of a Bolero than to portray the mood and excitement of the dance itself. This type of concept reminds me of Ravel’s Mirroirs in compositional purpose. The idea that the music is a self portrait with a personal reflection of the non-musical material.

III Romance (Andante con sentimento)- This piece is more vague in meaning than the other pieces. The romance here seems to be a sad one. I wonder if her intention was to capture the musical forms of a romance-style composition or if this was another self portrait of the difficult circumstances behind her’s and Robert’s romance.

IV Scene fantastique, Le Balle des Revenants (Allegro ma non troppo)- “Fantastic scene, The Ghost Ball”. I could not help but imagine myself in the Haunted Mansion while listening to this piece. I believe that the character of this piece gave Clara license to create a dance with unconventionall and haunting harmonies. The actual techniques used are really not that different from Le Sabbat. This would probably serve as an indicator that the sabbath from the beginning was more of a pagan idea than a holy one. I like also that she ends the set in a similar way to how she began.

Variations on a theme of Robert Schumann Op. 20

I find it interesting that Clara chose such a sad theme on which to compose variations. From a psychological perspective I would say that there are two reasons this could be true…
1) Robert’s declining mental health foreshadowed the need for a piece in the spirit of his lament.
2) It was the darker and more untameable aspects of Robert that she loved most, which would explain her infatuation with the music of his lowly state.
Reason 2 would explain why the Romance from the Op. 5 pieces takes on such a sad tone.
I like that Clara keeps most variations in the original spirit of the theme. Her use of virtuosity seems not to show off, but rather to enhance the drama of the harmonies. I find that she achieves some extremely beautiful uses of the natural colors of the piano. I like that I get to here a theme of Schumann that is spread into the wider and more dramatic registers of the piano in ways that Robert would never really dare.

Mendelssohn Week 2

Variations Serieuses, Op. 54

Theme - Simple form. Very sad/"serious". Seems as though it is filled with half-step chromatic descensions... a sighing motive.

Var I- A scalar figure is placed in the middle. This flowing figuration counters the staccato/shortened bass notes which displace the second half of the measure to a pick-up style leap.

Var II- The sixteenth note scales are varied to now be sextuplets which alternate between accompaniment and melody. The left hand returns to a flowing and solid figuration.

Var III- We know find the melody and accompaniment unified within octaves and chords. The sudden change back to 2/4 timing is very striking. This variation is more "straight-to-the-point" in terms of length and content. The character is more stern.

Var IV- We are now in the realm of staccato scales/arpeggio hybrids. I think we are now distancing considerably from the harmonies of the classical period.

Var V- Syncopated chords are the subject matter here. The expressive marking is "Agitato" and the dynamic indication is "piano", therefor Mendelssohn creates agitation with rhythm and tight harmonic clusters.

Var VI- Romantic composers must have realized that something that sounds easier than it is should be dramaticized and made into a virtuosic trait. It is unreasonable that in Beethoven and Schuberts works there are large leaps from chord to chord in awkward positions that the audience can't fully apprecitate. Here Mendelssohn utilizes this technique and makes it special.

Var VII- Here we replace the difficulty of awkward leaping chords with the difficulty of an extremely swift arpeggio with no rests on other sides.

Var VIII- An audience would probably associate the difficulty of this variation with the speed, not realizing how difficult double note playing can be. Mendelssohn lightens up on the left hand and exploits the right one.

Var VIV- Mendelssohn must have liked the technical difficulties of variation VIII enough to repeat it once more with the added difficulty of allowing the left hand to imitate.

Var X- We lay off the speed temporarily to switch gears to the area of counterpoint. Mendelssohn makes use of his fugal talents here.

Var XI- Here we are given a taste of the romantic tendency to put all melodic responsibilies in the outer fingers of the hand.

Var XII- The only thing that could be more difficult than repeated chords would be to overlap the chords between both hands with only a limited time and space to achieve the awkward change in position that awaits between each sonority.

Var XIII- Mendelssohn returns to the scrambled scale/arpeggio mixtures in this variation. The mixtures of steps and leaps are what give this music and the music of Chopin so much flare and exoticism.

Var XIV- This variation is nothing but beatiful. This is like the calm of the storm, with tightly woven sonorities that provide an intense feeling of comfort.

Var XV- This variation has the primary function of being a transition from the slow tempo back into the swift and unyielding technical variations.

Var XVI- Broken chords are a new found difficulty in this genre, Mendelssohn must have realized it when he set this towards the end.

Var XVII- This variation changes shape and intensifies to pull you toward the grand finale. It seems a bit like a recap of all the past difficulties.

Presto- The finale is full of syncopated intensity. Mendelssohn finds in himself the musical maturity and integrity to end softly when any moment could have yielded a grandiose climax-style ending.

Prelude and Fugue in E minor, Op. 35/1

Prelude- Instantly striking to me is Mendelssohn's use of the left hand to create a bass-line as well as the tenor melody. I appreciate his original use of the figuration prelude style of composition. His use of an introduction is also very orginal, his manor of introducing the melody in a clear form and then spinning the accompanimental triplets into their full form, as if setting them in motion. His use here of the technique of starting a melody note as the beginning of an arpeggio and completing the melody in the left hand seems much akin to Franz Liszt's virtuosic traits (the illusion of three hands playing). His use of the V4/3 chord at the coda has haunting quality which I find striking.

Fugue- Mendelssohn was no doubt showing off with this fugue. The first two notes of the subject would be unthinkingly awkward to set to counterpoint for the following reasons...

1) The use of a large interval

2) The use of an interval of unusual quality (major 7th)

3) The use of notes that have little function in the key of e-minor (B-mediant, C-subdominant)

His admiration for the work of Bach is notable in his use of contrapuntal materials, such as the tritone in the 4th measure with the three-note repetition. This is an easily recognizable pattern within thick textures, as noted in Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp minor from WTC I.

This fugue is in four voices, however voices (particularly the bass) are sometimes doubled with an octave. This effect is certainly Mendelssohn's way of bringing romantic intensity to the compositional genre of the Baroque composers.

Rondo capriccioso, Op. 14

This piece is instantly recognizable to me, I believe because it was on the soundtrack of the movie Shine. I appreciate the first few measures and the way that Mendelssohn creates an atmospheric and haunting melody between the bass and the soprano lines. Once the soprano melody enters it sounds immediately like a Chopin Nocturne in its song-like nature.

The transition into the presto section seems deliberately borrowed from a Beethoven sonata.

Something in this presto section that is unlike anything we have studied since the beginning of the year, even in Classical Literature, is the use of the "boom-chik" accompaniment. This is the first deliberate separation from alberti-bass that has caught my intention. The use of thirds is very striking to me in its establishment of a "sound" for this specific work (reminds me of the Nutcracker Suite to be honest).

I still do not feel that the style of virtuosity is much seperated from Beethoven, but I can see how the more original material will eventually evolve into an equal importance with the "stock virtuosity". Elements of the presto section very strongly resemble the 3rd movement of the "Les Adieux" sonata.