The Nineteenth Century Piano and its Literature

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The Nineteenth Century Piano and its Literature
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The Development of the Piano
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The Piano in 1800
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The Piano in 1820
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The Piano in 1850
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The Piano in 1875
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The Concert Grand Piano 2006
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The Piano

• Popular in the home for amateurs
• Instrument for virtuosos and musicians

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Piano Literature

• Short, lyric pieces
• Nocturnes
• Preludes
• Impromptus
• More descriptive titles
• Wild Hunt
• The Little Bell
• Programmatic titles (suggesting an image)

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Frederick Chopin (1810-1849)

• Mother Polish
• Father French

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Aurore Dudevant
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George Sand
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Chopin and Piano Musicpoet 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

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Modern Piano Style

• One of the most original artists of 19th century
• His musical life centered around the piano
• Everything must be made to sing

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Repertoire

• Nocturnes (night pieces) Adopted from John Field
• Preludes
• Études (study pieces)
• Waltzes
• Mazurkas, Polonaises
• Ballades, Scherzos
• Sonatas
• Concertos

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Polonaise in A MajorOp. 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)

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Prelude in E MinorOp. 28, No. 4

• 1839
• From set of 24
• Tempo Largo
• Listen for
• Simple, conjunct melody
• Chromatic harmony
• Rubato
• Single part form (through-composed)
• Ends pianissimo

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Franz Liszt(1811-1886)
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Liszts Music

• Symphonic poems A ONE-MOVEMENT work with a
  literary or pictorial program
• Thematic transformation
• Piano pieces Creator of modern piano technique

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The Little Bell(from Transcendental Etudes)

• 1839-39 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

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Program MusicThe painter turns a poem into a
painting the musician sets a picture to
musicRobert Schumann

• Program music Instrumental music with literary
  or pictorial association supplied by the composer
• Absolute music Music for musics sake
• Four types
• Concert overture
• Incidental music to a play
• Program symphony (multi-movement work)
• Symphonic poem (one-movement work)