Romantic Piano Music
 

USF, Spring 2005

Course number: 0158-222-01

Professor: Alexandra Amati-Camperi

Meets: Mon-Wed, 9:40-11:25 a.m., LM 262

 

Course description

The present course introduces the students to the music written by those 19th-century poets of the ivories such as Schubert, the two Schumanns, Chopin, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky, Liszt and others. We will consider the nature and the types of pieces composed, their emotional content and the enormous variety of shapes feelings and images can take. We will listen to romantic piano music and consider the issue of performing, performer then and now, and historical performance practice. Students will also consider the history and the evolution of the instrument and will attend public performances (and critique them). We will ask why did most romantic music take either the form of a song (Lieder) or the piano ëcorrespondentí form of miniature character piece (our straw mat will be some of the dozen of such miniatures Felix Mendelssohn composed and collectively named ìSongs without wordsî). Genres to be discussed include: prelude, mazurka, polonaise, nocturne, ballade, waltz, Ètude, capriccio, novelletta, impromptus, bagatelle, intermezzo, rhapsody, and others.

 
   
 

 

Practical information

Lectures:Monday and Wednesday, 9:40-11:25 a.m., Lone Mountain 262.

My office: Lone Mountain 339C, phone 422-2072, home phone 753-6058 (feel free to call anytime before 9:00 p.m.)

Email address: camperia@usfca.edu

Web page: http://www.usfca.edu/vpa/pa/faculty_bios/Amati.html

Also check the Music Minor page at http://www.usfca.edu/vpa/pa/music_minor.html

 
 

Requirements

Attendance is mandatory; there is no substitution for in-class listening and discussion. You are required to attend one live performance at the Presentation theatre—on March 16. Pieces and readings will be discussed in class and thus the reading has to be done before the meeting for which it is assigned.
There will be 7 quizzes on the listening and with a few questions, and a final exam. You also have to attend a few live performances (suggestions will be handed out for concerts besides the one at USF you have to attend) and pick at least one to write a report on (more for extra credit). Credit is also given for keeping a listening log (required). The grading is as follows:

  1. Attendance and participationó10%
  2. Listening logó15%
  3. six best quizzesó30%
  4. Performance reportó20%
  5. Final examinationó25%
 

 

Explanation of required work:

  1. The quizzes will test your required listening. In the quizzes you will have to identify one or more pieces of music and will have to answer a few questions. Of the seven quizzes you will be allowed to drop the worst. There are no make ups, so if you miss a quiz that will necessarily be your missed one. If you keep up with the listening (cramming for music tests does not work, take my word for it) the quizzes should be a breeze. They each count for 5% of your final grade and they replace the midterm, so take them seriously!
  2. The listening log is a personal record of your daily listening. In it you need to record your impressions (not an essay, can be sketchy or more elaborate). You ought to notice a difference in your reaction as the days go by. Always write the date, the piece, and your impression/reaction/new feeling. You need to hand that in to me every two weeks.
  3. The performance report: You need to attend a few performances that include some music that falls under the categories we study (one of them is required and the others are of your own choice. You have to find at least one). You have then to pick one and write a 3-page report on what you heard, how it affected you, how the performing style affected your understanding and enjoyment of the music, what you thought of the music and of the pianist. It is to be an informed and knowledgeable personal reaction. On the other (at least two) just write a one-page “what I liked the best was…” Attach all materials—program, ticket etc. See suggestions below, but there are MANY others.
 

Texts and materials:

The required reader and score packages include excerpts from several books, such as Nineteenth-Century Piano Music edited by R. Larry Todd; Stewart Gordon, A History of Keyboard Literature, and F. E. Kirby, Music for Piano: A Short History among others, listed below, and annotated and non-annotated scores of all pieces we will study.

CDs containing the music to be studied will be available at Gleeson Library. The music is also on the web, on a web site protected by password. URL and password will be given to you in class.

 

 

Schedule of meetings:

Monday 24 January

Introduction to the repertoire, policies and requirements, history of the piano and of piano repertoire

  • Reading: Cambridge Companion to the Piano pp. 40-56 Nineteenth-Century Piano Music pp. 1-15 (1-9, 64-71)

Wednesday 26 January

Screening of video on the history of the piano (A History of the Piano, 29 min.), piano mechanics, discussion

  • Reading: Encyclopedia of the Piano pp. 12-20 (10-18)

Monday and Wednesday 31 January & 2 February

The Romantic generation, Romanticism and piano (screening of Romanticism in Art and Music, 38 min.), the character piece, typology of the repertoire, examples and analysis of ballata, rhapsody, song without words, barcarolle, prelude, Ètude, nocturne, impromptus, intermezzo, other miniature pieces, and sets of them. Absolute vs. program music. Visionary fragments. Definitions of Romanticism

  • Reading: Romantic Generation pp. 41-58 (the reader includes the whole chapter, parts of which will be useful later in the semester, all of which is fascinating) Weiss-Taruskin No. 106, pp. 369-371 Nineteenth-Century Piano Music pp.1-15 Piano Roles pp. 150-176 Harvard Concise Dictionary Definitions (24-33, 62-63, 64-71, 72-85, 19-23)
  • Listening: Chopin: Ètude, waltz, Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte, Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody, Brahms: intermezzo (go to mp3 page)

Monday and Wednesday 7 & 9 February

The precursor and herald of Romanticism: Beethoven and his Klavierst¸cke, variations and variation form (86-89, 90-91)

  • Reading: Kirby excerpt
  • Listening: Beethoven: F¸r Elisa, excerpts of Diabelli variations (go to mp3 page)

Monday, Wednesday, and Wednesday, 14, 16, and 23 February

Franz Schubert and the transition to Romanticism. ìAbsoluteî romantic music? Songs for the piano, transition from the Lied to the Lied ohne Worte.

  • Reading: Kirby excerpt (92-97)
  • Listening: ìErlk–nigî, Impromptus Op. 90 No. 2 and Op. 142 No. 3 (go to mp3 page)

Monday and Wednesday 28 February and 2 March

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and the ìSong without words.î The Viennese Lied and the piano

  • Reading: Kirby excerpt (97-99)
  • Listening: Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte, especially Op. 19 Nos. 3 and 6, Op. 30 No. 6, Op. 38 No. 6, Op. 53 No. 4, Op. 62 Nos. 3 and 5, Op. 67 No. 4

Monday, Wednesday, and Monday 7, 9 & 14 March

Clara and Robert Schumann and their household. The Neue Zeitschrift f¸r Musik, absolute and program musicóthe dispute. Clara Schumannís music; Robert Schumann, his ëpiano yearsí, his sets of character pieces, madness

  • Reading: R. Schumann on Music pp. 122-3 Weiss-Taruskin No. 110, pp. 380-385 Kirby excerpt (100-106, 115, 116-118)
  • Listening: Clara Schumann, SoirÈes Musicales op. 6 Robert Schumann, excerpts from Carnaval op. 9, Phantasiest¸cke op. 12 (Aufschwung and Warum?), Kinderszenen op. 15 (Nos. 1, 7, and 13), Waldszenen op. 82 (go to mp3 page)

Wednesday 16 March

Preparation for tonightís piano recital (listening to some of the music)

16 March 2005óRecital by pianist Steve Bailey at the USF Presentation theatre (ATTENDANCE REQUIRED)

21-25 March: Spring break

Monday 28 March

Nationalism in music: Russia the visual arts and music, Modest Mussorgsky and Viktor Hartmann

Wednesday 30 March
Video on Romantic art and music

Monday 4 April

The virtuoso and the flashy life, selling oneís soul to the devil, Paganini & Co., Liszt and Chopin

  • Reading: Piano Roles 184-199 (119-126)

Wednesday 6 April through Monday 18 April

Poland: The epitome of Romanticism on the ivories: FrÈdÈric Chopin

  • Reading: Nineteenth-Century Piano Music pp. 221-57 Norton Critical Score pp. 91-99 R. Schumann on Music pp. 125-6, pp. 178-9 Kirby excerpt (127-143, 144-148, 149-151, 106-114)
  • Listening: Berceuse op. 57 Preludes Op. 28, Nos. 2, 4, 12, 24, Mazurkas Op. 6 No. 1, Op. 7 Nos. 2 and 5, Op. 17 Nos. 3 and 4, Op. 30 No. 2, Op. 59 Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Op. 63 No. 2, Nocturnes Op. 15 No. 3, Op. 27 No. 2, Op. 48 No. 1, Študes Op. 10 Nos. 1, 3, 5 and Op. 25 Nos. 1, 7, Waltzes Nos. 5, 6, and 7 (go to mp3 page)

Wednesday 20 April through Wednesday 27 April

The ìother side,î the Wagnerians and program music, Franz Liszt

  • Reading: R. Schumann on Music pp. 157-161 Weiss-Taruskin Nos. 104 and 105, pp. 363-369 and re-read No. 110, pp. 380-385 Kirby excerpt Piano Roles pp. 200-223 (152-154, 155-158, 116-118, 159-165, 166-177)
  • Listening: Hungarian Rhapsodies, selected pieces from AnnÈes de pËlerinage: PremiËre AnnÈe: La Suisse, Nos. 5 (Orage) and 9 (Les cloches de GenËve), DeuxiËme annÈe: LíItalie, Nos. 1 (Sposalizio), 3 (Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa) and 4 (Sonetto 47 del Petrarca), TroisiËme annÈe: LíItalie, No. 4 (Jeux díeau ý la Villa díEste), Nuages gris (go to mp3 page)

Monday and Wednesday 2 & 4 May

The late romantic generation, the return to some classical models, Johannes Brahms [also review for the final]

  • Reading: R. Schumann on Music pp. 199-200 Weiss-Taruskin Nos. 116 and 117, pp. 401-405 Kirby excerpt (178-179, 180-182, 183-187)
  • Listening: selections from Klavierst¸cke op. 76, Rhapsodies op. 79, Intermezzi op. 117/1 and 117/3, selected pieces from Klavierst¸cke opp. 118 and 119 (go to mp3 page)
 

 

Bibliography