THU DEVELOPMENT OF LEFT HAND 1 PIANOFORTE TECHNIQUE BY DORIS E DN A H ESS TH US I S FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF MUSIC IX MUSIC SCHOOL OF MUSIC UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 1921 * ' ■I - ' \3U WVfe UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS June .13,. 19 2.. X... THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION BY DORIS.. EDNA HESS ENTITLED ....THE. DEVELOPMENT... OF... LEFT HAND PIANOFORTE. . TECHNIQUE IS APPROVED BY ME AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF... BACHELOR OF . MUSIC IN MUSIC HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF.... MUSIC ■ ' TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. Influence of Philip Emmanuel Bach 1 II. Beethoven 3, 4, & 5 III. Brohms 9 IV. Chopin 7, 8. V. Debussy 15, 16. VI. Grieg 12 VII. Haydn 2 VIII. Liszt 9 IX. . Mac. Do well 16, 17. X. Mozart 2, 3. XI. Rachmaninoff 12. XII. Rubenstein 10. XIII. Saint Saens 16. XIV. Schubert 5, 6 & 7 XV. Cyril Scott 10 XVI. Sinding 12, 13 XVII. Jean Sibelius 13 XVIII. Strauss 14, 15 XIX. Tschaikcwsky 10, 11 XX. Eroica Theme 4 XXI Cl assic School 1 to 5 XXII. Romantic School 5 to 10 XXIII. Modern School 10 to 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY Bie Oscar Development of Pianoforte Krehhiel Of the Pianoforte & its Music Chri stiani The Pianoforte & Pianoforte Playing Beethoven /Variations with Fugne on Theme from ^ ‘'Eroica 11 Symphony (sonato, op. 7 j Sonato, op. 2, Vol. 2 (Sonato Appasionato, op. 57 Chopin (Valse Brilliante in A-minor, op 34, Ho. 2 ( Etude, op. 25, Ho. 7 ( ^ Balla.de, op. 23 (Etude, op. 10, Ho. 5 Dehussy - (Reverie, Manuka in E# minor / Brahms ^ Waltzes ( Hungarian Dance Grey Wedding Day at Troldhanzen Haydn Sonato op. 26, Vol. 3 Sonato op. 17, Vol. 2 Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody, Ho. 12 MacDowell Woodland Sketches At An Old Trysting Place Polonaise Scotch Poem Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/developmentoflefOOhess At Sunset Mozart - Pantasie in C -mi nor Rachmaninoff ** Prelude in C# minor Serenade Rubenstein - Toreador et Andalouse Saint-Saens - Priere, op. 7, Ho. 3 Schubert Impromptu in C-minor Impromptu in P -minor Moment Musical, Ho. 1 in C Pantasie in C Sinding - Rustle of Spring Strauss — Elektra Also sprach Zarathustra, op. : Tschaikowsky Romance, op. 5 Humoresque, op. 10, Ho. 2 op. 19, Vol. XI alia, Schumann , ■ ■ • t mm DEVELOPMENT OE LEFT HAND PIANOFORTE TECHNIQUE Philip Emmanuel Bach, son of John Sebastian Bach was the first to use the monophonic style of writing. The use of all five fingers was the result of the development of mono- phonic playing. In using all five fingers, the hand could in- dulge in much greater freedom of execution, not being hampered by the necessity of playing two or more voices. He developed the sonata form in the direction of clearness and symmetry: he adopted the principle of contrast in key as well as in char- acter, in the three movements of which his sonatas were com- posed: in short, he established the plan of the sonata, de- termined the direction in which it was to develop, and by his influence and example, gave the most powerful stimulus to that development. The most important service rendered by Emmanuel Bach, Haydn, and Mozart was their progressive recognition of the "Lyric" element. The influence of fundamental basses is only slight- ly inferior to that of the chief melody, and is equal if not superior, to that of secondary melody or counterpoints. On ac- count of their inferior penetrating power, compared to treble notes, fundamental basses can bear a slight excess of power, without fear of overshadowing melodic notes in a higher regist- er. The additional emphasis given to fundamental basses would also be justified on account of grammatical and quantitative principles. Fundamental basses must, naturally, either remain stationary, or move. The former we call “organ points," the . 2 latter "progressive basses." Progressive basses generally constitute melodic phrases, and these should receive the promi- nence which is due to melodies. Haydn made very little progress in developing left hand technique. He accepted Bach’s sonata - form, enlarging its movements. The sonatas are interesting because of the place they occupy between the Bach school on the one hand and the developed classic school on theother. In his Sonata, op. 26, Vol. 3, he merely breaks up the tonic and dominant chords into arpeggios in the left hand, as illustrated in the example 1. In Sona.ta op. 17, Vol. 2, the left hand carries the melody in octaves for twelve measures, v/hile the right hand has the em- bellishments or accompaniment. Example 1: op. 26, Vol. 3 op. 17, Vol. 2 The new "pianoforte," which Y/as becoming popular because of its fuller and more subtly expressive tones, was precisely adapted to Mozart’s aim, and he was the first to launch the pianoforte on its decisive career. Hew feats were demanded 1 4 f V ft $ « m kJ of him: he had to work on bold lines; he had to bring into use the special features of the instrument he adopted: the rip- ling scale-passage, the variety of tone, the forte, the pianis- simo. The endless melody and free intelligence of his music took all the sharpness from the sonata form and brought it into more typical shape. Mozart developed the left hand in the sonatas to a very small extent. In his "Fantasie in C-Minor" we have the left hand carrying the melody, and playing arpeggios a flexible hand is necessary to play this composition, as there is the melody to be brought out in the left hand. "Fantasie in C-Minor" - Beethoven (1770-1827) marks the beginning of a new school. He stood between the apparently warring elements of classicism and romanticism and bravely battled for both, con- serving the old, but regenerating it and adapting it to the new regime. Beethoven had remarkable skill, not only in develop- ing large and beautiful ideas out of apparently insignificant, but really pregnant "motivi" ; but also in writing beautiful basses. The theme of the Variations which maize up the finale of the "Eroica" Symphony is also the theme for a set of Varia- tions for the pianoforte. In the pianoforte variations a,s in the symphonic, Beethoven begins with the bass and introduces the 4 melody as a counterpoint upon it; thereafter it remains the theme with the bass as an "ostinato " • "A music ian is known by his basses,” might well be set down as an axiom. Rubenstein says, "In the Sonata., op. 7, the bass of the Largo alone is, in my opinion, worth twice as much as a whole sonata." In the sixth variation, the adagio mol to . the melody is carried in the left hand for eight measures, then is transferred to the right hand with very complex variations in the left, as illustrated. Six Variations - op. 34. Var. VI Beethoven’s left hand technique is in his fifteen "Variations with Eugue on the theme from the ’Eroica" Symphony." To begin with, he introduces the theme in the bass; next he has a duet with the bass carrying the melody. The fifteenth variation is more complex, more developed in the left hand, than the others. There are many difficult scale passages, passages in thirds, trills, arpeggios, and broken-chords in the left hand. Here Beethoven has some exacting left hand technique, as shown by measures 27, 28, 29, 30. The "Eroica" theme has more technique in the left hand than any of the other variations. In all his Variations, Beethoven makes the left hand freer, more develop- ed, than any of his contemporaries. In his Sonatas, especially ; * 5 ' t I »* *» t t _ R _ the "Largo 11 of op, 7, he has a wonderful bass. In many places it plays the melody parallel to the right hand, or it has the melody while the right hand has a counterpoint, Beethoven’s octaves are, full of grandeur and so appropriate to the theme, coming in at just the right time. We have the melody in the bass brought out beautifully, beginning with measure 74, as illustrated: eism is the quality which puts content, or matter, over manner. When melodic phrases occur entirely in the extreme lower voice, they require, even more stress than secondary melodies. In fact if the stress were as great as that given to the chief melody, the power would not be too excessive, for exampl e : Sonata op. 2, vol. 2. 1 % V > + % \ - 6 - The "bass requires the greatest dynamic power when the progres- sion of the basses represents an independent motive; as, for example: Beginning with Schubert, we find these principle elements introduced into music: (l) Freedom in the treatment of structural forms i.e. freedom which contracts or expands or otherwise modifies forms to adapt them to their spiritual con- tent. (2) Invention of new forms. (3) Extension of the har- monic scheme. (4) Freedom in modulation. (5) Increase in number and variety of rhythms from which element comes life in the sense of movement as illustrated in the peculiarly pro- pulsive effect of syncopation. (6) Adoption of poetical con- ceits as underlying and determining factors of the composition. In his "Impromptu in C-Minor" op. 90, he intro- In his "Impromptu in F-Minor " op. 142, he uses parallel passages and chromatics in left hand, he takes more liberties with rhythm; 1 * * r •' « « a 4 ^ y «» * ■• • « 1 i - * i 4 i - 4 7 his composition are more technical, more developed in the left hand, also more “lyric 11 in content. His “Moment Musical" Ho .1 in C is interesting in that the melody is carried in the bass beginning with measure 17. Beginning with measure 14 he uses parallel passages with complex rhythm. tentious left hand technique. There are chromatic, scale pas- sages of some length, double passages which call for very clear, yet heavy touch, much modulation, octave bravuras, broken chords, trills in the left hand, broken octaves. This gives the left hand a fine chance to display its technique. Schubert is one of the first to pay so much attention to the left hand. It is much more pretentious than Mozart’s "Pantasie", shows more knowledge of the left hand, more forethought in composing the left hand melody. In the Allegro of the Pantasie the left hand carries the melody for nine measures in octaves, the right hand starts the melody a fifth higher and plays it in octaves while the left hand carries a counter point or melody. The left hand of his - 8 fantasie rondos remind one very much of the exercises of Czerny for left hand, "because of his (Schubert’s) use of double passages scale passage, broken chords, octave bravuras, etc. Chopin ( 1810-1849 ) stands alone in musical history. Like many virtuosi composers who preceded him, Chopin wrote almost exclusively for pianoforte. His waltzes are salon music of an aristociatic kind. The left hand is usually hard to play because the melody usually depends upon the tones or chords of the left hand. Each tone must be accurate or it unbalances the melody. His Valse Brilliante in A-minor, op. 34, Ho. 2, begins with the melody in the bass, for 16 measures. Measure 1 Third Movement measure i Measure 13 Chopin’s music depends largely upon his basses. In his waltzes. the player must get the bass notes correctly in order to get the harmony of the composition. Unlike the earlier waltzes, Chopin's have much development of left hand in modulation; harmonic struc- ture is also more complex. His basses have a space by themselves, and are not merely for accompaniment, but are richer in harmony; also they require a very accurate touch. Chopin wrote solo melodies which are suggestive of emo- tion, and almost self expressive, so to speak; but they can only be inadequately rendered on the pianoforte although the inter- pretation be masterly; for example: t - - 9 - Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886) is famous for his ‘‘Hungar- ian Rhapsodies”, built upon Hungarian folk dances. He marks the beginning of complex left hand technique, his “Hungarian Rhap- sody Ho. 3.2“ the melody starts in the bass, next is a cadenza in the left hand, also some chronatic passages, and trills, arpeg- gios and melody in octaves in the left hand, while the right hand plays a tremolando and numerable scale passages. His “Etude de- Concert” is just as elaborate in right hand as the Rhapsody is in the left hand, the left hand is very simple except for the very elaborate ending. % . « » • s t • % * 1 * * *» * . Jr % % * I 10 Hungarian Rhapsody Ho. 12 ^ — — _ i — - H — RH ; — — r r irj pE dr- 3 Z~i tfii • „ - *h) \\ 1 Is * 7 11 SP ~t . ^ — 3 dtt 4" : ±ir: FES LL i U4 Johannes Brahms (1853-1897) stands asf the foremost composer of absolute music in the nineteenth century. One of our modern critics in comparing Brahms with Tschaikowsky said: "Tschaikowsky ’ s music sounds better than it is, while Brahm’s 4 music is better than it sounds." His Waltzes are very simple in the accompaniment in the left hand. Brahms makes use of the tremulo in the left hand in his Hungarian Dance, also has a va- riety of rhythm in the left hand. Next, we come to the Modern School of Music, with the exception of the greatest modern german master, Johannes Brahms, a.nd his followers, all modern instrumental music has been ^bunded on two principles of the Romantic school, namely, pro- gram music and nationalism. Beginning with the modern composers, we find they have taken liberties with tempo, rhythm, modulations and technique. The composer seeks to express feelings or moods, regardless of laws of harmony - Strauss, for instance, makes his t f • * • * * • 4 * « i «» K 11 music horrible if what he seeks to express is horrible. Cyril Scott doesn't complete his thoughts in music, they are just jot- ted down, as one jots down memorandum notes. The modern compo- sers are a legimate grov/th out of the art technique of the ac- knowledged great matters. In the first Russian Schools of Music we have Anton Rubinstein (1830-1894) In his "Romance, op. 44, No.l" he uses triplets in the bass against eighth notes in the right hand, also much modulation. $n his "Toreador et Andalouse" op. 103, No. 2, he starts in the left hand, as so many of the modern writers do. His rhythm is very complex in this composi- tion. All the modern composers have developed the left hand tech- nique more than their predecessors, they seem to be surer of themselves, take more liberties, giving the left hand as much to do as the right hand. Now the left hand is not merely for ac- companiment but also stands out alone, and the performer must have as good left hand technique as right hand. Peter Tschaikowsky (1840-1893) is another great mod- ern Russian composer. In his "Romance, op. 5" he has a plaintive melody, in the left hand with the right hand as a counter-melody. His music is very nationalistic and has many odd resolutions of chords, many modulations in the left hand. The left hand has a very beautiful accompaniment, not very difficult but very impor- tant. Romance, op. 5 Ttb YCt 'f - L — _ — ix, i i i _ _ * . 7 h r . . . , u V r l 1 J \ 3 -4 z ^ 1 -+>■" .L . . _ _ r T r * " " * *■ - ^I^Tf-TTr * rt'Tft fr '-rft-fr T-f — : Jzg: r jcko.. V t • • I k % * 4 M « t • - 12 His "Humoresque 11 , op. 10, Ho. 2 is very beautiful, due to the left hand. The melody is carried in the left hand in the first nine measures, and then the left hand has a peculiar technique, and very peculiar chord formations and resolutions which suggest sadness. Modern composers even play tricks with rhythm, as illustrated by op. 19. The notation time is, of course, absurd, since the measure contains only two quarter beats. This is by no means an engraver’s fault, or an oversight of the proof reader. It must be taken as illustrating Tschaikowsky * s sarcasm upon simi- lar occasions, almost as absurd, and occuring in Schumman’ s works; hence, the heading of the variation, "alia Schumann. " Hote the fullness of bass chords, the same rhythm in the bass as in the right hand. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - ) is another Russian composer who has developed left hand technique to a very great extent. His "Prelude in C# minor" is well known because of the * * 13 richness and fullness of the bass. The melody is parallel in both hands. He has wonderful rich octaves in both hands, also triplets which are played with both hands. His "Serenade" op. 2, Ho. 5, has a sad opressed melody in the left hand and then some very "Russianistic" chord progressions and resolutions. In the Tempo di Valse, the left hand gives the effect of a harp. song. In his "Wedding day at Troldhangen" he uses syncopation in the left hand, complex rhythm in the left hand. He does not use such a fixed bass as his contemporaries. He sometimes writes his left hand in the treble clef. Christian Sinding, Norway (1856 - ) has also written much Scandinavian Music. He has done a great deal towards devel- oping the left hand. His "Rustle of Spring" has the melody, sometimes written on the treble clef, in the left hand, while the right hand accompanies. He also uses groups of five sixteenth notes in the left hand against a quarter note in the right hand. He uses arpeggios, scale passage, chronatic passages. The left hand is the principle one in this composition, instead of the right ( - 14 - Jean Sibelius, Finland (1865 - ) has written a very modern composition, "Romance in D^". it begins with a staccato accompaniment in the right hand for two measures, then the melody very marcato, in the left hand. He uses parallel passages, syn- copation in the left hand. Then, beginning at measure 33, he has the melody in the left hand with a counter-melody in the right. Towards the end of the composition beginning measure 55, he has a rich deep octave in the bass as an organ point, and the melody in both bass and right hand. Romance in D d , op. 24, Ho. 9 Measure 3 * > 15 Richard Strauss - Germany, (1864 - ) is the most spectacular genius of the present day. He has carried descrip-? tive music, "both in the instrumental and operatic school, to the limit of sanity. There is seemingly nothing impossible for Strauss to attempt in music. In his great tone poems he not on- ly reflects moods and poetic thoughts, but is capable of por- traying every event, thought or feeling, in tonal coloring. If the subject is repulsive or hideous os is his music; if it be religious, poetic or sublime, this is reflected in his work. harmony is responsible for many of the newer and most beautiful chords in modern technique, for most of these found their way first by means of "passing chords." are brought too close together for the principles of Polytony to be admitted. . It# - 16 - passage is also sequental; or the "bass may be accounted for, as an appearance of the ninth together with the root, a frequent practice with modern composers. Claude Debussy (1862 - 1913) is a modern Drench com- poser, an impressionist in tone. He has returned to the old Greek science of the tonal relationships of tile tetrachord. In his ’’Reverie 11 we have a combination of modern melody, rhythm and selection of over tones. ’’Reverie” The Impressionist use of a ”tonal n chord will be seen in the follow- % « ♦ i •k * *.r - 17 - Some curious results of the "reflection 11 idea may be seen in the following scales and chords in the Debussy extract, where the composer "minors" the sharps in the right hand by the flats in the left, of course this effect is optical and not aural. four rhythm, called "Priere." op. 7, Ho. 3 "Priere" op. 7, Ho. 3 Edward MacDowell (1861 - 1908) is the greatest Ameri- can composer. Mr. MacDowell is a tone-poet, a Romanticist. In his "At an old trysting place" from "Woodland Sketches," he has made use of consecutive fifths in the bass. "At and old trysting place" HP— r/-- 1 — r-fV -^=2e£Z_~ : y 2 — — *■ — i a -a- 3^? s-i ft “ ■ - ■ ~F“ ~ — ^ ‘ 1 ~f - ~t * 4 --- r J o 4 * « * ♦ * I * - \ * * % ♦ • % .5 18 In his "Polonaise" he has the melody played with both hands. He introduces chronatic passages in left hand trills. He does not leave his left hand stationary, hut crosses hand in many of his compositions, as illustrated by following example: — _ " 1 ■ "T r— 1» ■ i ' _ /* A i A f — U « r ~t~’ f t In his "Scotch Poem" his basses give the effect of a he.rp. In "At Sunset" op. 28, Ho. 5 he has the left hand carry the melody while the right hand has a trill. "At Sunset" : * . * i : - 4 k 1 9 • •> * Is, ft*. • '* *1 f • • ir *» *• ** « * f ♦ 10 We find the classicists adhered strictly to form, while the Romanticists had more freedom of form, more varied rhythms. The modern composers have broken almost entirely away from form, and have sought to express their moods, thoughts, and impressions. They have written mostly programme music for the pianoforte, and have given the left hand as much freedom as the right. It is allowed to play at any register from the high' est to the lowest tones. It crosses with the right and plays the melody; it is given the melody very often, and has been de- veloped and almost perfected. It is no longer for accompani- ment, but for melody, technique, and harmony.