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 ( ) 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 19 th 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 Major Op. 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 Minor Op. 28, No From set of 24 Tempo: Largo Listen for:  Simple, conjunct melody  Chromatic harmony  Rubato  “Single” part form (through-composed)  Ends pianissimo

Franz Liszt ( )

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) ; 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)