2

CONTENTS

Toccatina & Fughetta – Partita Op. 2 ...........................3

Arvo Pärt .......................................................................3

1 Biography..............................................................3

2 Compositions ........................................................3

3 Analysis of Piece ...................................................5

Sonata in F minor, Op. 54 Ludwig van Beethoven........7

4 Biography..............................................................7

5 Musical style .........................................................7

6 Compositional Overview .......................................8

7 Analysis of Piece ...................................................8

Etude Op. 25 No. 1 – Aeolian Harp Frédéric Chopin. 10

8 Biography........................................................... 10

9 Compositions ..................................................... 12

10 Analysis of Piece................................................ 13

Île de feu – Island of fire Olivier Messiaen ................ 14

11 Biography ......................................................... 14

12 Compositions .................................................... 14

13 Analysis of Piece............................................... 15

3

Toccatina & Fughetta – Partita Op. 2

Arvo Pärt

1 Biography

Arvo Pärt was born in Estonia in 1935. He is considered

a pioneer minimalism, that of “holy minimalism” and

“sacred minimalism”. Arvo Pärt is best known for his

choral works, though along with his contemporaries, they

are very popular.

Pärt’s musical life is generally described into two

periods. These are:

• severe Neo-classical style compositions, and

• the Twelve-tone technique and Serialism

At the age of seven, Pärt attended music school in

Rakvere at the Tallinn Conservatory, where his family

lived at the time. Being the start of his musical education,

by fifteen years old, he was writing his own

compositions. Often praised for his talent, his mentor of

composition Heino Eller quoted “he just seemed to shake

his sleeves and notes would fall out”. His composition

style at the time had little influence from outside the

Soviet Union. His early compositions show the influence

of the Soviet composers Shostakovich and Prokofiev,

using neoclassical or neobaroque forms and free

dissonance.

In the mid 1960s he experimented with avant garde

techniques such as serialism. He was the first Estonian

composer to use this technique. Other techniques include

polytonality and indeterminism. Pärt experienced a deep

personal crisis because of the ire in which the Soviet

establishment held towards his music. This type of music

proved to be a creative dead end.

His response to this impasse was to immerse himself in

early music — to go, in effect, back to the roots of

western music. So in 1976, Pärt’s compositions became

more toanl in style, with an emphasis on timbre and

texture, revealing the study he initiated with plainsong,

Gregorian chant, and the emergence of polyphony in the

Renaissance.

The music that began to emerge was radically different.

Tintinnabuli, as described by Pärt; like the ringing of

bells. It is characterised by triad chords, simple

harmonies and singular notes; the basis of western

harmony. Tintinnabuli works are rhythmically simple and

do not change tempo. His later works are also

characterised by frequent settings for sacred texts,

whether in Latin or Church Slavonic language used in

Orthodox liturgy instead of his Estonian language.

These latter works by Pärt are what makes him well

known. It has been said that his music is similar to light

going through a prism, meaning that to each listener, the

music may have a slightly different meaning. Thus it is

like a spectral rainbow of musical experience.

2 Compositions

2.1 Works for voices and orchestra

• Our Garden, Cantata for children's chorus and

orchestra (1959/2003)

• Credo for chorus, orchestra, and piano solo

(1968)

4

• Wallfahrtslied for tenor or baritone and string

orchestra (1984/2000)

• Te Deum for chorus, string orchestra and tape

(1984-5, rev 1992)

• Berlin Mass for chorus and organ or string

orchestra (1992)

• Litany for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1994)

• Como cierva sedienta for soprano, chorus and

orchestra (1998)

• Cantiques des degrés for chorus and orchestra

(1999/2002)

• Cecilia, vergine romana for chorus and orchestra

(1999/2002)

• In Principio for chorus and orchestra (2003)

2.2 Works for voices and ensemble (or piano)

• An den Wassern zu Babel saßen wir und weinten

for voices or choir and organ or ensemble

(1976/1984)

• Sarah Was Ninety Years Old for three voices,

percussion and organ (1977/1990)

• De profundis for chorus, percussion and organ

(1980)

• Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum

Joannem for soloists, vocal ensemble, choir and

instrumental ensemble (1982)

• Es sang vor langen Jahren for alto, violin and

viola (1984)

• Wallfahrtslied for tenor or baritone and string

quartet (1984)

• Stabat Mater for 3 voices and string trio (1985)

• Miserere for soli, choir and ensemble (1989)

• Zwei Wiegenlieder for two women’s voices and

piano (2002)

• L'Abbé Agathon for soprano, four violas and four

celli (2004/2005)

2.3 Works for chorus (and organ)

• Missa syllabica for chorus and organ (1977)

• Summa for chorus (1977)

• Magnificat for chorus (1989)

• Bogoroditse Djevo for chorus (1990)

• Kanon Pokajanen for chorus (1997)

• Triodion for chorus (1998)

• Which Was the Son of... (2000)

• Nunc Dimittis for chorus (2001)

• Peace upon you, Jerusalem for female chorus

(2002)

2.4 Orchestral works

• Nekrolog for orchestra op.5 (1960)

• Symphony No.1 for orchestra op.9 (1963)

• Perpetuum mobile for orchestra op.10 (1963)

• Symphony No.2 for orchestra (1966)

• Symphony No.3 for orchestra (1971)

• Wenn Bach Bienen gezüchtet hätte ... for piano,

wind quintet, string orchestra and percussion

(1976)

• Fratres for chamber ensemble (1976 and on,

many versions)

• Arbos for brass and percussion (1977/1986)

• Cantus In Memoriam Benjamin Britten for string

orchestra and bell (1977)

• Psalom for string orchestra (1985/1995/1997)

• Festina Lente for string orchestra and harp

(1988)

• Summa for string orchestra (1991)

• Silouans Song for string orchestra (1991)

• Trisagion for string orchestra (1992)

• Mein Weg for 14 string players and percussion

(1999)

• Orient & Occident for string orchestra (2000)

• Lennartile / Für Lennart for string orchestra

(2006)

• La Sindone for orchestra and percussion (2006)

2.5 Works for solo instruments and orchestra

• Pro et Contra, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra

(1966, for Mstislav Rostropovich)

• Credo for chorus, orchestra, and piano solo

(1968)

• Tabula Rasa, Double Concerto for two violins,

string orchestra and prepared piano (1977)

• Fratres for violin, string orchestra and percussion

(1992)

• Concerto piccolo über B-A-C-H for trumpet,

string orchestra, harpsichord and piano (1994)

• Darf ich ... for violin, bells and string orchestra

(1995/1999)

• Lamentate for piano and orchestra (2002)

2.6 Instrumental works

• Two Sonatinas, Op.1, for piano (1958)

• Für Alina for piano (1976)

• Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka for

piano (1977)

• Spiegel Im Spiegel for violin or cello and piano

(1978)

5

• Fratres for violin and piano (1980)

• Summa for string quartet (1990)

• Mozart-Adagio for violin, cello and piano

(1992/1997, from Mozart's Piano Sonata in F

major (K 280))

• Passacaglia for violin and piano (2003)

• Annum per Annum (organ)

• Pari Intervallo (organ)

3 Analysis of Piece

A partita, or suite, is a collection of pieces (originally

dance pieces, the term becoming less specific in the 19th

and 20th Centuries).

3.1 Toccatina

A toccatina is a short toccata - a fast piece which

displays the performer's touch. The term toccata is

derived from the Italian toccare meaning "to touch"; it is

used for fast keyboard pieces with a driving rhythmic

pulse and a perpetual motion character due to the

virtually continuous repetition of a single note-value - in

this case, the semiquaver. Other composers of toccatas

include J. S. Bach, Schumann, Debussy, Ravel and

Prokofiev.

The style is highly chromatic, almost atonal, though some

notes are used more prominently than others, viz. A (the

tonal centre) and Eb (a tritone above). The structure of

the piece is partly determined by register - it begins with

both hands low in bass, rises in pitch until both hands are

high in treble, has a passage of wide pitch distribution

(the barred section, written over three staves) and ends

low in the bass again.

Section 1 - perpetual motion semiquavers, unbarred.

(Numbers refer to note numbers)

b.1-9 Motive 1A, beginning on Eb.

10-16 Motive IB.

17-32 Motive 2, beginning on Eb.

33-37 Codetta.

38-44 Motive IB, with the last two notes an octave

lower.

45-60 Motive 2, an octave lower, beginning on D#

(enharmonic equivalent of Eb).

61-76 Based loosely on Motive 2.

77-85 Motive 1A, beginning on A (up a tritone

from 1-9).

86-92 Motive IB (up a tritone from 10-16).

93-108 Motive 2, beginning on A (up a tritone from

17-32).

109-123 Based loosely on Motive 1A.

124-132 Motive 1A, two octaves higher than 1-9

(except for first note).

133-142 Motive IB, two octaves higher than 10-16,

with altered ending.

143-209 Virtually an exact repeat of 77-142, an

octave higher. 210-228 Similar to 191-209,

up a 3rd at first.

3.2 Fughetta

A fughetta is a short fugue - a polyphonic composition

written in several parts (or "voices", usually three to

five), based on a single theme (the "subject"). The subject

is presented by each voice in turn at the beginning of the

fugue.

This fugue contains only two voices (soprano and bass).

The tonal centre is A. It is in the standard fugal form, but

very concise.

Exposition - subject or answer presented by each voice

in turn.

b.1-2 Subject in Soprano, beginning on A, with

tonic pedal in Bass. 3-4 Real Answer in

Bass, beginning on E, Countersubject in

Soprano.

Modulatory Section

5-7 Episode: fragments of the Subject

(particularly the semiquavers from the

second beat of bar 2) are used in imitation

and inversion.

7-9 Subject in Soprano, beginning on F#,

Countersubject in Bass.

9-11 Inversion of Subject in Bass.

12-13 Partial inversion of Countersubject in

Soprano.

Recapitulation - subject returns in the original tonality.

14-15 Subject in Bass, beginning on A,

Countersubject in Soprano.

16-17 Real Answer in Soprano, beginning on E,

Countersubject in Bass.

18-21 Episode: similar to the earlier episode.

22-24 Coda: Subject in Bass, beginning on A and

ending on Bb.

The answer is a transposition of the subject up a 5th or

down a 4th. Since the answer in this fugue is an exact

6

transposition of the subject, it is described as a real

answer rather than a tonal answer. There are several

episodes (contrasting passages) making use of the

standard fugal techniques of imitation and inversion, but

no examples of stretto (where two or more subjects are

heard simultaneously, like a canon).

20th Century characteristics of this piece include:

• avoidance of major or minor scales in

establishing the tonality.

• highly chromatic, and often tonally ambiguous.

• use of non-triadic harmony, and frequent

dissonance.

• use of baroque structures or genres (neo-

baroque).

• angular melodies, often containing wide leaps.

• free metrical structure (in toccatina).

• use of the extreme registers of the keyboard.

• absence of romantic sentiment.

7

Sonata in F minor, Op. 54

Ludwig van Beethoven

4 Biography

Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn,

Germany as the son of a court musician. His talent for the

piano was soon realized and he gave his first public

performance at the age of eight. Beethoven's father

wanted to promote him as the next child prodigy, another

Mozart.

Nevertheless, Beethoven was employed as a court

musician in Bonn from 1787. At the age of 17 he studied

briefly under both Haydn and Mozart, although it was

certainly not a satisfying relationship for Beethoven. It

turns out that events in Beethoven's life greatly affected

(or seem to have affected) him writing. Because of this

Beethoven's musical output is very episodic. As we shall

see, there are three main periods in Beethoven's life,

known simply as the early, middle, and late periods.

In 1792 he settled permanently Vienna, studying briefly

with Joseph Haydn and then with Johann

Albrechtsberger. After leaving Bonn, Beethoven never

became directly attached to another court; he nevertheless

developed friendships with a number of aristocrats who

were keen musicians, including Count Waldstein, Baron

van Sweiten and Prince Lichnowsky, who supported him

financially.

In 1801, Beethoven became aware of the first signs of

deafness; by 1824 he was totally deaf. In spite of this and

poor health, he continued to write music of great genius

and strength of character.

5 Musical style

Beethoven underwent three major periods in his music

career. Each period shows his different musical style.

5.1 Vienna period (1792-1802)

Beethoven left Bonn and settled Vienna in the middle of

November 1792. Then he studied with Franz Joseph

Haydn during the first decade in Vienna and received

some of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's musical style;

therefore, about half of Beethoven's thirty-two piano

sonatas composed in his first Vienna period (1792-1802)

show Haydn-Mozart Classic influences.

Although Beethoven's music was in the stage of imitation

at this stage, his music in this period seems stronger but

rougher in texture and dynamic contracts than those of

his predecessors. Beethoven's early piano sonatas show

characteristic of symphonies (or string quartets) rather

than piano sonatas because of minuet movement,

Mannheim rockets (sudden dynamic rise over a wide

range in broken chord or tremolo), quartet harmonization,

and a symphonic slow introduction.

Important works from this period include:

• 6 String Quartets (Op.18)

• The first 10 piano sonatas (through to Op.14)

• Symphonies 1 and 2.

5.2 Heroic period (1803-1816)

After Beethoven had mastered the Haydn-Mozart Classic

styles and achieved a degree of economic success, his

middle period (1802-1814) arose. Beethoven's musical

style in this period was more like the Romantic rather

than the Classic; he more sought the potential of dramatic

musical expressions in emotion rather than musical form.

Beethoven's piano sonatas between 1802 and 1814 show

the rise of the Romanticism and his heroic inspirations in

Music.

8

Beethoven's compositions in his middle period (also

known as his heroic style era) obviously show the

Romantic approach. An increase in degree of contrast

that affected the scoring and dynamics gave a varied

strength to the music. In addition, the scherzo movements

replaced the minuets of the Classic four-movement

sonata plan in many cases. Beethoven's music in this

period expressed much more instabilities in harmonic,

tonal fashion, and rhythm. Climax and resolution tended

to be delayed, and the development became extremely

large.

Important works from this period include:

• Symphonies 3 to 8

• Egmont

• Coriolan overture

• Fidelio

• Piano concertos in G and Eb

• Violin concerto

• String quartets:

o Op.59 No.1-3 Rasumovsky

o Op.74 Harp

o Op.95 Quartetto serioso

• Piano sonatas through to Op.90

5.3 Isolated/creative period (1817-1827)

About 1815, Beethoven was almost totally deaf; it was

arrival of his last period. Because of deafness, he was

isolated; consequently, the last five sonatas he composed

in the final period seem more communications between

the composer (artist) and music (art) than

communications between the composer and public

audience. Consequently, he achieved fulfillment in his

compositions, and experimented with non-standard (at

that time) musical form, structure, and tonal plan.

Important works from this period include:

• Last 5 piano sonatas

• Diabelli Variations

• Missa solemnis

• 9

th

Symphony

• String Quartets (op.127,130-132, 135)

• Grosse Fuge (originally the finale of Op.130).

6 Compositional Overview

• 9 symphonies

• 11 overtures

• Incidental music to plays

• 1 violin concerto

• 5 piano concertos

• 16 string quartets

• 9 piano trios

• 10 violin sonatas

• 5 cello sonatas

• 32 large piano sonatas

• Numerous piano variations

• 1 oratorio

• 1 opera

• 2 Masses (including the Missa Solemnis in D)

• Arias, songs and 1 song cycle

7 Analysis of Piece

A sonata (from the Italian "to sound") is a work for one

or two instruments in several contrasting movements.

The virtuoso element is employed in op. 54 in F major,

the octave passage in the first movement. However, some

opinions suggest that this sonata is one of the weakest

sonatas, which Beethoven had ever written.

7.1 First movement - Tempo d'un Menuetto

This movement is in the style of a Minuet, with two trios

and a coda. The themes of the Minuet undergo variations

on each subsequent appearance.

Minuet I All in F major.

b. 1-4 Theme A, moving through 3 octaves, ending

with a perfect cadence.

5-8 Theme A, repeated exactly.

9-16 Theme B, also moving through 3 octaves,

ending with a perfect cadence.

There is a tonic pedal in the first four bars,

and some chromaticism.

17-24 Theme B, slightly ornamented.

Trio I Modulating to the dominant.

25-38 Fugato passage, containing sequences and

chromaticism.

Begins in F major and modulates to C major,

ending with a perfect cadence.

Much stronger (sempre f, sf) and more

detached than the Minuet.

39-54 The fugato passage is now transposed into Ab

major.

Modulations by 3rds (C-Ab) are

characteristic of the early romantic style.

55-69 Begins with a sequence in F minor then Db

major.

9

Returns to F major/minor with a dominant

chord in b.62,

followed by a repeating figure based around

the dominant note.

Minuet II All in F major.

70-77 Theme A, heard twice, decorated with

appoggiaturas the second time.

78-93 Theme B, heard twice, with appoggiaturas

and rhythmic changes the 2nd time.

Trio II Remaining in F major.

94-105 The fugato passage, now abridged, ending on

a dominant 7th. Minuet III All in F major.

106-113 Theme A, heard twice, decorated with

semiquaver filigree the second time. 114-131

Theme B, heard twice, with semiquaver

filigree and an extended ending. 132-136

Transition, beginning with trills and leading

to a brief cadenza (Adagio).

Coda All in F major.

137-154 Based on bars 3-4 of the main theme, usually

with a tonic pedal in the bass.

7.2 Second movement - Allegretto

This movement has a perpetual motion character, like a

Toccata. It is in a binary (AB) form with coda. In

Section A the main theme is stated, and it is continuously

developed in Section B.

Section A Statement of the theme.

b.1-20 Theme introduced in F major in imitative

counterpoint.

Modulates to C major (dominant) in b.12,

with tonic pedal in b. 13-17.

Section B Development of the theme.

21-36 Theme restated in A major (a modulation by

3rd) then D minor from b.29.

37-44- Transition passage, with bass descending in

semitones to the dominant of G.

45-60 Opening of main theme in G major, C minor

(b.51) and F minor (b.59).

61-74 Second half of the main theme in Db major,

leading to a free fantasia with

chromatic sequences.

75-98 Figure based on the first bar of the main

theme in Ab major - Db major (b.79),

then another sequence traversing many keys

and eventually ending in C major.

99-114 Opening of the main theme in C major,

returning to F major around b. 109.

115-129 An apparent recapitulation of the main theme

in F major, but refusing to remain

in the tonic, modulating to Bb major in b.121

and Db major in b.127.

130-133 Transition, with chromatically descending

bass.

134-161 Figure based on the first bar of the theme in

C major - Bb major - Ab major,

followed by a free fantasia which arrives in F

minor in b.152, with a soft passage of respite

based around the dominant.

Coda Piu Allegro.

162-188 All in F major, with some chromaticism,

based on the main theme. There are perfect

cadences in b.169-170 and 179-180, and a

tonic pedal in b.184-188.

The early romantic characteristics of the piece include:

• a freer approach to form than in Beethoven's

earlier works (i.e. only two movements, neither

of which is in Sonata Form.

• modulations mostly to closely related keys,

though sometimes to more distant keys, or

between keys which are a 3rd apart.

The classical characteristics of the piece include:

• light, elegant style.

• short balanced phrases, often based around scales

or broken chords.

10

Etude Op. 25 No. 1 – Aeolian Harp

Frédéric Chopin

8 Biography

Frédéric François Chopin, (March 1, 1810 October 17,

1849) was a Polish pianist and composer. He is widely

regarded as one of the most famous, influential, admired

and prolific composers for the piano.

claimed child prodigy in his homeland. At the age of 20,

he left for Paris and made a career as a performer and

teacher as well as a composer. He had a turbulent 10-year

relationship with the French writer George Sand

(Baroness Dudevant) from 1837 to 1847. Always in

fragile health, he succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis at

the age of 39.

Chopin wrote almost exclusively for the piano, solo

or accompanied, and his compositions are widely

considered to be among the pinnacles of the

instrument's repertoire. Although his music is among

the most technically demanding for the instrument,

Chopin's style emphasizes poetry, nuance, and

expressive depth rather than mere technical display.

He invented some musical forms, but his most

significant innovations were within existing

structures such as the piano sonata, waltz, nocturne,

étude, prelude and Polonaise. His works are often

cited as among the mainstays of Romanticism in

nineteenth-century classical music.

8.1 Subperiods of the composer’s life

8.1.1 Formative years

The family moved to Warsaw in October 1810. The

young Chopin's musical talent was apparent early on in

his life, and in Warsaw he gained a reputation as a

"second Mozart". At the age of 7 he was already the

author of two polonaises (in G minor and B-flat major),

the first being published in the engraving workshop of

Father Cybulski, director of the School of Organists and

one of the few music publishers in Poland. The prodigy

was featured in the Warsaw newspapers, and "little

Chopin" became the attraction at receptions given in the

aristocratic salons of the capital. He also began giving

public charity concerts. At one concert, he is said to have

been asked what he thought the audience liked best. 7-

year-old Chopin replied, "My shirt collar." He performed

his first piano concert at age 8. His first professional

piano lessons, given to him by the violinist Wojciech

Zywny (born 1756 in Bohemia), lasted from 1816 to

Chopin's skills soon surpassed those of his teacher.

The further development of Chopin's talent was

supervised by Wilhelm Würfel (born 1791 in

Bohemia). This renowned pianist, a professor at the

Warsaw Conservatory, gave Chopin valuable

(although irregular) lessons in playing organ, and

possibly piano. From 1823 to 1826, Chopin attended

the Warsaw Lyceum, where his father was a

professor. In the autumn of 1826, Chopin began

studying music theory, figured bass, and

composition with the composer Józef Elsner (born

1769 in Silesia) at the Warsaw Conservatory.

Chopin's contact with Elsner may date to as early as

1822, and it is certain that Elsner was giving Chopin

informal guidance by 1823.

11

In 1829 in Warsaw, Chopin heard Niccolò Paganini

play, and he also met the German pianist and

composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel. It was also

back in 1829 that Chopin met his first love, a singing

inspired Chopin to put the melody of the human

voice into his works. Chopin also paid his first visit

to Vienna in that year, where he gave two piano

performances and received mixed notices, including

many very favourable reviews and others that

criticised the small tone he produced from the piano.

In Warsaw in December he performed the premiere

of his Piano Concerto in F minor at the Merchants'

Club. He gave the first performance of his other

piano concerto, in E minor at the National Theatre

on 17 March 1830. He visited Vienna again in 1830,

playing his two piano concertos.

In Vienna, he learned about the November Uprising

and decided not to return to Poland, thus becoming

one of the émigrés of the Great Polish Emigration.

He stayed in Vienna for a few more months before

visiting Munich and Stuttgart (where he learned of

Poland's occupation by the Russian army), and

arrived in Paris early in October. He had already

composed a body of important compositions,

including his two piano concertos and some of his

Études Op. 10.

8.1.2 Career in Paris

In Paris, Chopin was

introduced to some of

the foremost pianists

of the day, including

Friedrich Kalkbrenner,

Ferdinand Hiller and

Franz Liszt, and he

formed personal

friendships with the

composers Hector

Berlioz, Felix

Mendelssohn, Charles-Valentin Alkan, and

Vincenzo Bellini (beside whom he is buried in the

Père Lachaise). His music was already admired by

many of his composer contemporaries, among them

Robert Schumann who, in his famous review of the

Variations on "La ci darem la mano", Op. 2, wrote:

"Hats off, gentlemen! A genius".

From Paris, Chopin made various visits and tours. In

1834, with Hiller, he visited a Rhenish Music

Festival at Aachen organised by Ferdinand Ries.

Here Chopin and Hiller met up with Mendelssohn

and the three went on to visit Düsseldorf, Koblenz

and Cologne, enjoying each other's company and

learning and playing music together.

Chopin participated in several concerts during his

years in Paris. The programs of these concerts

provide some idea of the richness of Parisian artistic

life during this period, such as the concert on March

23 1833 in which Chopin, Liszt and Hiller played

the solo parts in a performance of Johann Sebastian

Bach's concerto for three harpsichords, or the

concert on March 3 1838 when Chopin, Charles-

Valentin Alkan, Alkan's teacher Pierre Joseph

Zimmerman and Chopin's pupil Adolphe Gutman

played Alkan's 8-hand arrangement of Beethoven's

seventh symphony.

A distinguished English amateur described seeing

Chopin at a salon

Imagine a delicate man of

extreme refinement of mien and

manner, sitting at the piano and

playing with no sway of the

body and scarcely any

movement of the arms,

depending entirely upon his

narrow feminine hand and

slender fingers. The wide

arpeggios in the left hand,

maintained in a continuous

stream of tone by the strict

legato and fine and constant use

of the damper pedal, formed a

harmonious substructure for a

wonderfully poetic cantabile.

His delicate pianissimo, the

ever-changing modifications of

tone and time (tempo rubato)

were of indescribable effect.

Even in energetic passages he

12

scarcely ever exceeded an

ordinary mezzoforte.

In 1835 Chopin visited his family in Karlsbad,

they lived, and then to Warsaw. He returned to Paris

via Dresden, where he stayed for some weeks, and

then Leipzig where he met up with Mendelssohn,

Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. However on the

return journey he had a severe bronchial attack - so

bad that he was reported dead in some Polish

newspapers.

In 1836 Chopin was engaged to a seventeen-year-old

Polish girl named Maria W

insisted that the engagement be kept secret. The

engagement was called off in the following year by

her family.

8.1.3 Chopin and George Sand

In 1836, at a party hosted by Countess Marie

d'Agoult, mistress of fellow composer Franz Liszt,

Chopin met Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin,

Baroness Dudevant, better known by her pseudonym

George Sand. She was a French Romantic writer,

noted for her numerous love affairs with such

prominent figures as Prosper Merimée, Alfred de

Musset (1833–34), Alexandre Manceau (1849–65),

and others.

The composer initially did not consider her

attractive. "Something about her repels me," he said

to his family. However, in an extraordinary letter

in June 1837, she debated whether to let Chopin go

with Mari

another affair in order to start a relationship with

Chopin. Sand had strong feelings for and was

attracted to Chopin, and pursued him until a

relationship began.

A notable episode in their time together was a

turbulent and miserable winter on Mallorca (1838–

1839), where they had problems finding habitable

accommodation and ended up lodging in the scenic,

but stark and cold Valldemossa monastery. Chopin

also had problems having his Pleyel piano sent to

him. It arrived from Paris after a great delay, to be

stuck at the Spanish customs who demanded a large

import duty. He could only use it for a little more

than three weeks; the rest of the time he had to

compose on a rickety rented piano to complete his

Preludes (Op. 28).

During the winter, the bad weather had such a

serious impact on Chopin's health and his chronic

lung disease that, to save his life, he, George Sand

and her two children were compelled to return first

to the Spanish mainland where they reached

Barcelona, and then to Marseille where they stayed

for a few months to recover. Although his health

improved, he never completely recovered from this

bout. He complained about the incompetence of the

doctors in Mallorca: "The first said I was going to

die; the second said I had breathed my last; and the

third said I was already dead."

Chopin spent the summers of 1839 until 1843 at

Sand's estate in Nohant. These were quiet but

productive days, during which Chopin composed

many works. On his return to Paris in 1839, he met

the pianist and composer Ignaz Moscheles.

In 1845 a serious problem emerged in Chopin's

relationship with Sand at the same time as a further

deterioration in Chopin's health. Their relationship

was further soured in 1846 by family problems; this

was the year in which Sand published Lucrezia

Floriani, which is quite unfavourable to Chopin. The

story is about a rich actress and a prince with weak

health, and it is possible to interpret the main

characters as Sand and Chopin. The family problems

finally brought an end to their relationship in 1847.

9 Compositions

9.1 Piano:

• 4 ballades

• 1 barcarolle

• 1 berceuse

13

• 1 bolero

• 2 bourrées

• 1 cantabile

• 1 contredanse

• 3 écossaises

• 27 études

• 3 fantaisies (including the Fantaisie-

Impromptu and the Polonaise-Fantaisie)

• 1 fugue

• 4 impromptus (3 if you exclude the

Fantaisie-Impromptu)

• 57 mazurkas

• 21 nocturnes

• 18 polonaises (15 if you exclude the

Polonaise-Fantaisie and the curious hybrid

piece containing a section for piano solo

(Andante spianato), and a section for piano

and orchestra (Grande Polonaise brillante).

• 27 préludes

• 5 rondos

• 4 scherzos

• 4 sonatas

• 20 waltzes

9.2 Piano and Orchestra

• 2 piano concertos

• 4 other works — Variations on Là ci darem

la mano; Krakowiak; Grande Fantaisie on

Polish Airs; Andante spianato and Grande

Polonaise brillante

9.3 Voice

• 20 songs in Polish, for voice and piano

9.4 Chamber Works

• 1 piano trio for violin, cello and piano

• 1 sonata for cello and piano

• 2 other works for cello and piano

Chopin composed 3 books of Etudes, the first 2 books,

Opus 10 and Opus 25 contained 12 each, and the third

which was numbered posthumously, Opus 27, contained

3. Each of the etudes in Opus 10 had a partner in Opus

25. The partner to Op. 25 No. 1 is Op 10. No. 11. They

are similar in that they both contain the same

configuration, and pivoting and rotary movement.

10 Analysis of Piece

An etude is a composition written to train the performer

in a specific technique. Usually the entire piece is based

on a single thematic idea or motive that contains the

particular difficulty. This etude is designed to develop

long cantabile phrases in the right hand over a broken

chord accompaniment in the left hand. It is also known as

the Aeolian Harp.

This etude is in ternary form with a coda.

Section A

b. 1-16 Consists of two 8-bar phrases, the

first ending with an imperfect

cadence in Ab major, moving briefly

into F minor (b.4 and 6) and Eb

major (b. 7). The second phrase is

the same as the first, ending in a

perfect cadence in C major.

Section B

b. 17-36 Begins in F minor, moving via

sequence to Ab major (b. 19) and C

minor

(b. 21), then to Ab major (b. 24),

returning to Ab major in b. 26. The

remainder of this section makes use

of chromaticism, pitch range,

dynamic intensity and a dominant

pedal point from b. 31-35. There is

an interrupted cadence in b. 28-29

and a perfect cadence in b. 35-36.

Section A & Coda

b. 37-49 All in Ab major, makes use of a

tonic pedal point.

14

Île de feu – Island of fire

Olivier Messiaen

11 Biography

One of the most unique and uncompromising composers

of the modern era, Olivier Messiaen introduced many

stylistic innovations into the stagnating classical idiom

throughout the course of his career. Very early in his life

he began to develop an interest in music, composing and

performing on the piano and investigating the scores of

various operas. At the age of eleven he enrolled at the

Paris Conservatoire, where he would spend a substantial

portion of his life - attending as a student from 1919 to

1930 and returning as an instructor between 1941 and

1978. By 1929 - the year of his first published work,

Eight Preludes for Piano - he had already developed his

own modal system, which he would outline more fully

over the next six years.

In 1931, after completing his studies, Messiaen assumed

the role of Titular Organist at L'Église de la Trinité in

Paris, a position he would maintain for the rest of his life.

Utilizing the exceptionally wide range of textures

available from the organ at La Trinité, he developed a

(not entirely favorable) reputation for his adventurous

improvisations on the instrument, as well as composing a

number of organ cycles over the years. Although a deeply

religious person himself, Messiaen's peculiar approach

did not endear him to Catholic authorities, who would

frequently direct scathing public criticism against him for

what they considered to be 'vulgar' music.

Throughout the 1930s Messiaen continued to develop his

methodology of "modes of limited transposition" and

"non-retrogradable rhythms", both in his compositions

and through published theoretical works. With a few

other like-minded composers he founded the Jeune

France collective in 1936, issuing a manifesto and

organizing concerts until the outbreak of World War II,

when circumstances compelled the group to disband. As

were many of his generation, Messiaen was drafted into

service during the mobilization of France; following the

Nazi invasion, he would end up spending all of 1941 in a

prisoner of war camp in Sileisia. It was during his time in

the camp that he would compose one of his best-known

works, Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End

of Time).

Upon his release, he began his long tenure as a professor

at the Paris Conservatoire. Free from many of the musical

prejudices of the time, Messiaen became popular among

students but was never particularly well-liked by the

fuddy-duddy establishment. Among the future notable

names that benefited from his tutelage were composers

Pierre Boulez, Iannis Xenakis and Karlheinz Stockhausen

- although many of these would later develop their own

inflexible prejudices and heap bile upon their former

teacher. An exception to this - the remarkable pianist

Yvonne Loriod - would return Messiaen's encouragement

with a long-standing support of her mentor's music; most

of the works he would compose throughout the remainder

of the 1940s contained parts written especially for her.

In the 1950s Messiaen turned to even more abstracted

apporaches to composition, exploring the approaches of

twelve-tone and serial music (his Mode de Valeurs et

d'intensities was the first piece to fully utilize the serial

method). This proved a short-lived detour, however, and

his subsequent work would be dominated by the two

predominant interests in his life: his religious beliefs and

his love of the natural world. An enthusiatic

ornithologist, he spent an enormous amount of time

translating the songs of birds into musical notation; most

of his compositional output for the remainder of his life

would draw upon these transcriptions.

12 Compositions

12.1.1 Opera

• Saint François d’Aussise (uses 3 ondes

martenot).

15

12.1.2 Orchestral

• Les offrandes oubliées;

• L’ascension;

• Oiseaux exotiques;

• 7 haikai; Turangalila-symphonie for piano,

orchestra and the ondes martenot;

• Alarm clock of the Birds for piano and small

orchestra.

12.1.3 Vocal and Choral music

• 12 rechants for 12 voices;

• La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-

Christ;

• Poémes pour Mi for soprano and pianoforte;

Harawi.

12.1.4 Piano music

• 8 preludes;

• Visions de l’amen, for piano due;

• Vingt regards sur l’enfant Jésus;

• Piece pour le tombeau de Paul dukas;

• Catalogue d’oiseaux (catalogue of the birds);

• Rondeau.

12.1.5 Organ music

• L’ascension;

• La natavité du Seigneur;

• Les corps glorieux (the bodies glorified).

12.1.6 Chamber music

• Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the end

of time) for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano;

• Theme and variations for piano and violin.

13 Analysis of Piece

Île de feu (Island of fire), composed in 1950, is the first

of Messiaen's four etudes de rythme; the other three are

Modes de valeurs et d'intensités, Neumes rythmiques and

He de feu 2. The second piece, Modes de valeurs et

d'intensités, is historically interesting, as Messiaen

applied serial techniques to duration and intensity, a path

he decided not to pursue further himself, but one which

strongly influenced the integral serial works of Boulez

and Stockhausen.

Île de feu 1 has a tonal centre of E. A recurring theme

gives the piece a rondo structure. Some of Messiaen's

characteristic techniques found in this piece include:

• irregular note groupings and bar lengths.

• use of non-retrogradable rhythms.

• frequent accents.

• use of angular melodies, including those derived

from birdsong.

• use of recurring intervals, especially the tritone.

• use of modes of limited transposition

• use of chords for their resonance or colour rather

than their harmonic function.

• use of the extreme range of the keyboard.

• exploration of the percussive qualities of the

piano.

A b.1-2 Presque vif. Main theme (martelé) in right hand.

The theme is centred on E; it begins and ends

on E, and in between each return of the E

there is an increasing number of other notes

(i.e. 1 - G#, then 2 - F-F#, then 3 - F-C#-G).

Most of the notes of the melody form a

chromatic pitch cluster above E (i.e. E-F-F#-

G-G#). The rhythm is irregular, although the

return of each E usually coincides with an

implied beat. The first three notes ( ± Å ±) are

an example of a non-retrogradable rhythm.

The left hand plays at the extreme bass of the

piano; the notes are used for their percussive

resonance rather than their actual pitch. The

left hand part is accented; these accents

operate completely independently from the

right hand melody, and occur at

progressively shorter then longer intervals

(i.e. there are 5 semiquavers between the first

and second accents, then 3,1,4,7 and 17).

B 3-4 Très vif. Begins with a rising sequence,

forming one of Messiaen's most frequently

used chords - a perfect 5th plus a tritone (Db-

Ab-D$], Ab-Eb-A$, etc.).

Bar 4 returns to the extreme bass. There is a

bitonal feel - the right hand is mostly on

black keys [Eb minor] while the left hand is

all on white keys [A minor]; the actual

pitches used, though, are of less important

than the sonority or colour of the chords.

A 5-6 Modéré. Main theme in left hand, two

octaves higher than originally, combined

16

with birdsong (oiseau) in the right. The

birdsong makes particular use of tritones,

major 7ths and minor 9ms, as well as

repeated notes. The passage freely uses all 12

chromatic pitches.

C 7-11 Presque vif. This episode has a more

expressive feel; it is in the middle register of

the keyboard rather than at the extremes, and

is less percussive in character. The harmony

is still quite dissonant, with many tritones in

the right hand and major 7ths or minor 9ths

in the left. The harmonies are often derived

from semitone clusters -e.g. the left hand

chords in b.7-9 come from E-[F]-F#-G-G#-

A-A#-B.

A b. 12 Très modéré, lourd. Main theme (first half

only) returns, mostly in the left hand, Jff. The

right hand chords are mostly tritone + perfect

5th, as introduced in b.3.

D 13-20 Très vif. This episode has an energetic

character, with many semiquavers. It

contains numerous sequences of recurring

intervals (b.13, b.15, b.17), often with the

black and white key bitonality (as introduced

in b.4). The passage in b. 19-20 is based on

one of the modes of limited transposition -

specifically, a 10-note scale consisting of two

sets of five notes, each a tritone apart (C-C#-

D-D#-F and F#-G-Ab-A-B). A similar mode

can be observed in b.14 (C#-D-D#-E-F# and

G-G#-A-A#-C). The left hand part alone in

b. 19-20 is based on a more familiar mode of

alternating tones and semitones, known as

the octatonic scale (C-D-D#-F-F#-Ab-A-B).

A 21-23 Très modere, lourd. Main theme, mostly in

the left hand, in a chordal texture. The right

hand has parallel chords of minor 2nd +

perfect 5th, as introduced in b.15. The theme

is extended in b.22, using some further short

examples of non-retrogradable rhythms (± Ä ±

and ± Å ±) before coming to rest on a unison

tonic note in b.23.

E 24-25 Très vif. Glissandi or rising scales, with

further black/white key bitonality.

26-35 The left hand has a transformation of

the main theme in double octaves, remaining

clearly centred on E, and beginning with the

same rising and falling major 3rd (though

now using the rhythm J J> J instead of j j* J

). The transformation is heard twice (b.26-30,

b.31-35); the second time is identical to the

first except that the last note is omitted.

The right hand has a countermelody

consisting of staccato semiquavers,

embellished with some acciaccatura. This

melody is centred on C, but freely chromatic.

The right hand melody is also heard twice,

but its second statement begins in the middle

of b.31 rather than at the start, so that it feels

independent of the left hand theme.

A b.36 Fragment of the main theme, with birdcall

countermelody (as in b.5).

37-40 Coda. Begins with another sequence of

parallel chords (now in contrary motion, but

still using a black/white key bitonality). It

ends in the extreme bass, with the tonic note

strongly reiterated in b.39-40.

Presque vif means rather (or almost)

lively.

martelé means hammered;

percuté means percussive (i.e. struck).

Très vif means very lively.

sec means dryly.

Modéré means at a moderate speed.

piu f means louder.

lourd means heavy.

mf (résonance) means moderately loud, but

resonant.

dr[oite] dessus means right hand above the

left.

g[auche] means left hand.

avec un pen dé pedale means with a little pedal,

gliss[ando] touches blanches means white

key glissando.