Chamber Music Piano SKU: CF.PL1056 Composed by Clara Wieck-Schumann, Fran...(+)
Chamber Music Piano
SKU: CF.PL1056
Composed by Clara
Wieck-Schumann, Franz
Schubert, and Robert
Schumann. Edited by
Nicholas Hopkins.
Collection. With Standard
notation. 128 pages. Carl
Fischer Music #PL1056.
Published by Carl Fischer
Music (CF.PL1056).
ISBN 9781491153390.
UPC: 680160910892.
Transcribed by Franz
Liszt.
Introduction
It is true that Schubert
himself is somewhat to
blame for the very
unsatisfactory manner in
which his admirable piano
pieces are treated. He
was too immoderately
productive, wrote
incessantly, mixing
insignificant with
important things, grand
things with mediocre
work, paid no heed to
criticism, and always
soared on his wings. Like
a bird in the air, he
lived in music and sang
in angelic fashion.
--Franz Liszt, letter to
Dr. S. Lebert (1868) Of
those compositions that
greatly interest me,
there are only Chopin's
and yours. --Franz Liszt,
letter to Robert Schumann
(1838) She [Clara
Schumann] was astounded
at hearing me. Her
compositions are really
very remarkable,
especially for a woman.
There is a hundred times
more creativity and real
feeling in them than in
all the past and present
fantasias by Thalberg.
--Franz Liszt, letter to
Marie d'Agoult (1838)
Chretien Urhan
(1790-1845) was a
Belgian-born violinist,
organist and composer who
flourished in the musical
life of Paris in the
early nineteenth century.
According to various
accounts, he was deeply
religious, harshly
ascetic and wildly
eccentric, though revered
by many important and
influential members of
the Parisian musical
community. Regrettably,
history has forgotten
Urhan's many musical
achievements, the most
important of which was
arguably his pioneering
work in promoting the
music of Franz Schubert.
He devoted much of his
energies to championing
Schubert's music, which
at the time was unknown
outside of Vienna.
Undoubtedly, Urhan was
responsible for
stimulating this
enthusiasm in Franz
Liszt; Liszt regularly
heard Urhan's organ
playing in the
St.-Vincent-de-Paul
church in Paris, and the
two became personal
acquaintances. At
eighteen years of age,
Liszt was on the verge of
establishing himself as
the foremost pianist in
Europe, and this
awakening to Schubert's
music would prove to be a
profound experience.
Liszt's first travels
outside of his native
provincial Hungary were
to Vienna in 1821-1823,
where his father enrolled
him in studies with Carl
Czerny (piano) and
Antonio Salieri (music
theory). Both men had
important involvements
with Schubert; Czerny
(like Urhan) as performer
and advocate of
Schubert's music and
Salieri as his theory and
composition teacher from
1813-1817. Curiously,
Liszt and Schubert never
met personally, despite
their geographical
proximity in Vienna
during these years.
Inevitably, legends later
arose that the two had
been personal
acquaintances, although
Liszt would dismiss these
as fallacious: I never
knew Schubert personally,
he was once quoted as
saying. Liszt's initial
exposure to Schubert's
music was the Lieder,
what Urhan prized most of
all. He accompanied the
tenor Benedict
Randhartinger in numerous
performances of
Schubert's Lieder and
then, perhaps realizing
that he could benefit the
composer more on his own
terms, transcribed a
number of the Lieder for
piano solo. Many of these
transcriptions he would
perform himself on
concert tour during the
so-called Glanzzeit, or
time of splendor from
1839-1847. This publicity
did much to promote
reception of Schubert's
music throughout Europe.
Once Liszt retired from
the concert stage and
settled in Weimar as a
conductor in the 1840s,
he continued to perform
Schubert's orchestral
music, his Symphony No. 9
being a particular
favorite, and is credited
with giving the world
premiere performance of
Schubert's opera Alfonso
und Estrella in 1854. At
this time, he
contemplated writing a
biography of the
composer, which
regrettably remained
uncompleted. Liszt's
devotion to Schubert
would never waver.
Liszt's relationship with
Robert and Clara Schumann
was far different and far
more complicated; by
contrast, they were all
personal acquaintances.
What began as a
relationship of mutual
respect and admiration
soon deteriorated into
one of jealousy and
hostility, particularly
on the Schumann's part.
Liszt's initial contact
with Robert's music
happened long before they
had met personally, when
Liszt published an
analysis of Schumann's
piano music for the
Gazette musicale in 1837,
a gesture that earned
Robert's deep
appreciation. In the
following year Clara met
Liszt during a concert
tour in Vienna and
presented him with more
of Schumann's piano
music. Clara and her
father Friedrich Wieck,
who accompanied Clara on
her concert tours, were
quite taken by Liszt: We
have heard Liszt. He can
be compared to no other
player...he arouses
fright and astonishment.
His appearance at the
piano is indescribable.
He is an original...he is
absorbed by the piano.
Liszt, too, was impressed
with Clara--at first the
energy, intelligence and
accuracy of her piano
playing and later her
compositions--to the
extent that he dedicated
to her the 1838 version
of his Etudes d'execution
transcendante d'apres
Paganini. Liszt had a
closer personal
relationship with Clara
than with Robert until
the two men finally met
in 1840. Schumann was
astounded by Liszt's
piano playing. He wrote
to Clara that Liszt had
played like a god and had
inspired indescribable
furor of applause. His
review of Liszt even
included a heroic
personification with
Napoleon. In Leipzig,
Schumann was deeply
impressed with Liszt's
interpretations of his
Noveletten, Op. 21 and
Fantasy in C Major, Op.
17 (dedicated to Liszt),
enthusiastically
observing that, I feel as
if I had known you twenty
years. Yet a variety of
events followed that
diminished Liszt's glory
in the eyes of the
Schumanns. They became
critical of the cult-like
atmosphere that arose
around his recitals, or
Lisztomania as it came to
be called; conceivably,
this could be attributed
to professional jealousy.
Clara, in particular,
came to loathe Liszt,
noting in a letter to
Joseph Joachim, I despise
Liszt from the depths of
my soul. She recorded a
stunning diary entry a
day after Liszt's death,
in which she noted, He
was an eminent keyboard
virtuoso, but a dangerous
example for the
young...As a composer he
was terrible. By
contrast, Liszt did not
share in these negative
sentiments; no evidence
suggests that he had any
ill-regard for the
Schumanns. In Weimar, he
did much to promote
Schumann's music,
conducting performances
of his Scenes from Faust
and Manfred, during a
time in which few
orchestras expressed
interest, and premiered
his opera Genoveva. He
later arranged a benefit
concert for Clara
following Robert's death,
featuring Clara as
soloist in Robert's Piano
Concerto, an event that
must have been
exhilarating to witness.
Regardless, her opinion
of him would never
change, despite his
repeated gestures of
courtesy and respect.
Liszt's relationship with
Schubert was a spiritual
one, with music being the
one and only link between
the two men. That with
the Schumanns was
personal, with music
influenced by a hero
worship that would
aggravate the
relationship over time.
Nonetheless, Liszt would
remain devoted to and
enthusiastic for the
music and achievements of
these composers. He would
be a vital force in
disseminating their music
to a wider audience, as
he would be with many
other composers
throughout his career.
His primary means for
accomplishing this was
the piano transcription.
Liszt and the
Transcription
Transcription versus
Paraphrase Transcription
and paraphrase were
popular terms in
nineteenth-century music,
although certainly not
unique to this period.
Musicians understood that
there were clear
distinctions between
these two terms, but as
is often the case these
distinctions could be
blurred. Transcription,
literally writing over,
entails reworking or
adapting a piece of music
for a performance medium
different from that of
its original; arrangement
is a possible synonym.
Adapting is a key part of
this process, for the
success of a
transcription relies on
the transcriber's ability
to adapt the piece to the
different medium. As a
result, the pre-existing
material is generally
kept intact, recognizable
and intelligible; it is
strict, literal,
objective. Contextual
meaning is maintained in
the process, as are
elements of style and
form. Paraphrase, by
contrast, implies
restating something in a
different manner, as in a
rewording of a document
for reasons of clarity.
In nineteenth-century
music, paraphrasing
indicated elaborating a
piece for purposes of
expressive virtuosity,
often as a vehicle for
showmanship. Variation is
an important element, for
the source material may
be varied as much as the
paraphraser's imagination
will allow; its purpose
is metamorphosis.
Transcription is adapting
and arranging;
paraphrasing is
transforming and
reworking. Transcription
preserves the style of
the original; paraphrase
absorbs the original into
a different style.
Transcription highlights
the original composer;
paraphrase highlights the
paraphraser.
Approximately half of
Liszt's compositional
output falls under the
category of transcription
and paraphrase; it is
noteworthy that he never
used the term
arrangement. Much of his
early compositional
activities were
transcriptions and
paraphrases of works of
other composers, such as
the symphonies of
Beethoven and Berlioz,
vocal music by Schubert,
and operas by Donizetti
and Bellini. It is
conceivable that he
focused so intently on
work of this nature early
in his career as a means
to perfect his
compositional technique,
although transcription
and paraphrase continued
well after the technique
had been mastered; this
might explain why he
drastically revised and
rewrote many of his
original compositions
from the 1830s (such as
the Transcendental Etudes
and Paganini Etudes) in
the 1850s. Charles Rosen,
a sympathetic interpreter
of Liszt's piano works,
observes, The new
revisions of the
Transcendental Etudes are
not revisions but concert
paraphrases of the old,
and their art lies in the
technique of
transformation. The
Paganini etudes are piano
transcriptions of violin
etudes, and the
Transcendental Etudes are
piano transcriptions of
piano etudes. The
principles are the same.
He concludes by noting,
Paraphrase has shaded off
into
composition...Composition
and paraphrase were not
identical for him, but
they were so closely
interwoven that
separation is impossible.
The significance of
transcription and
paraphrase for Liszt the
composer cannot be
overstated, and the
mutual influence of each
needs to be better
understood. Undoubtedly,
Liszt the composer as we
know him today would be
far different had he not
devoted so much of his
career to transcribing
and paraphrasing the
music of others. He was
perhaps one of the first
composers to contend that
transcription and
paraphrase could be
genuine art forms on
equal par with original
pieces; he even claimed
to be the first to use
these two terms to
describe these classes of
arrangements. Despite the
success that Liszt
achieved with this type
of work, others viewed it
with circumspection and
criticism. Robert
Schumann, although deeply
impressed with Liszt's
keyboard virtuosity, was
harsh in his criticisms
of the transcriptions.
Schumann interpreted them
as indicators that
Liszt's virtuosity had
hindered his
compositional development
and suggested that Liszt
transcribed the music of
others to compensate for
his own compositional
deficiencies.
Nonetheless, Liszt's
piano transcriptions,
what he sometimes called
partitions de piano (or
piano scores), were
instrumental in promoting
composers whose music was
unknown at the time or
inaccessible in areas
outside of major European
capitals, areas that
Liszt willingly toured
during his Glanzzeit. To
this end, the
transcriptions had to be
literal arrangements for
the piano; a Beethoven
symphony could not be
introduced to an
unknowing audience if its
music had been subjected
to imaginative
elaborations and
variations. The same
would be true of the 1833
transcription of
Berlioz's Symphonie
fantastique (composed
only three years
earlier), the
astonishingly novel
content of which would
necessitate a literal and
intelligible rendering.
Opera, usually more
popular and accessible
for the general public,
was a different matter,
and in this realm Liszt
could paraphrase the
original and manipulate
it as his imagination
would allow without
jeopardizing its
reception; hence, the
paraphrases on the operas
of Bellini, Donizetti,
Mozart, Meyerbeer and
Verdi. Reminiscence was
another term coined by
Liszt for the opera
paraphrases, as if the
composer were reminiscing
at the keyboard following
a memorable evening at
the opera. Illustration
(reserved on two
occasions for Meyerbeer)
and fantasy were
additional terms. The
operas of Wagner were
exceptions. His music was
less suited to paraphrase
due to its general lack
of familiarity at the
time. Transcription of
Wagner's music was thus
obligatory, as it was of
Beethoven's and Berlioz's
music; perhaps the
composer himself insisted
on this approach. Liszt's
Lieder Transcriptions
Liszt's initial
encounters with
Schubert's music, as
mentioned previously,
were with the Lieder. His
first transcription of a
Schubert Lied was Die
Rose in 1833, followed by
Lob der Tranen in 1837.
Thirty-nine additional
transcriptions appeared
at a rapid pace over the
following three years,
and in 1846, the Schubert
Lieder transcriptions
would conclude, by which
point he had completed
fifty-eight, the most of
any composer. Critical
response to these
transcriptions was highly
favorable--aside from the
view held by
Schumann--particularly
when Liszt himself played
these pieces in concert.
Some were published
immediately by Anton
Diabelli, famous for the
theme that inspired
Beethoven's variations.
Others were published by
the Viennese publisher
Tobias Haslinger (one of
Beethoven's and
Schubert's publishers in
the 1820s), who sold his
reserves so quickly that
he would repeatedly plead
for more. However,
Liszt's enthusiasm for
work of this nature soon
became exhausted, as he
noted in a letter of 1839
to the publisher
Breitkopf und Hartel:
That good Haslinger
overwhelms me with
Schubert. I have just
sent him twenty-four new
songs (Schwanengesang and
Winterreise), and for the
moment I am rather tired
of this work. Haslinger
was justified in his
demands, for the Schubert
transcriptions were
received with great
enthusiasm. One Gottfried
Wilhelm Fink, then editor
of the Allgemeine
musikalische Zeitung,
observed of these
transcriptions: Nothing
in recent memory has
caused such sensation and
enjoyment in both
pianists and audiences as
these arrangements...The
demand for them has in no
way been satisfied; and
it will not be until
these arrangements are
seen on pianos
everywhere. They have
indeed made quite a
splash. Eduard Hanslick,
never a sympathetic
critic of Liszt's music,
acknowledged thirty years
after the fact that,
Liszt's transcriptions of
Schubert Lieder were
epoch-making. There was
hardly a concert in which
Liszt did not have to
play one or two of
them--even when they were
not listed on the
program. These
transcriptions quickly
became some of his most
sough-after pieces,
despite their extreme
technical demands.
Leading pianists of the
day, such as Clara Wieck
and Sigismond Thalberg,
incorporated them into
their concert programs
immediately upon
publication. Moreover,
the transcriptions would
serve as inspirations for
other composers, such as
Stephen Heller, Cesar
Franck and later Leopold
Godowsky, all of whom
produced their own
transcriptions of
Schubert's Lieder. Liszt
would transcribe the
Lieder of other composers
as well, including those
by Mendelssohn, Chopin,
Anton Rubinstein and even
himself. Robert Schumann,
of course, would not be
ignored. The first
transcription of a
Schumann Lied was the
celebrated Widmung from
Myrten in 1848, the only
Schumann transcription
that Liszt completed
during the composer's
lifetime. (Regrettably,
there is no evidence of
Schumann's regard of this
transcription, or even if
he was aware of it.) From
the years 1848-1881,
Liszt transcribed twelve
of Robert Schumann's
Lieder (including one
orchestral Lied) and
three of Clara (one from
each of her three
published Lieder cycles);
he would transcribe no
other works of these two
composers. The Schumann
Lieder transcriptions,
contrary to those of
Schubert, are literal
arrangements, posing, in
general, far fewer
demands on the pianist's
technique. They are
comparatively less
imaginative in their
treatment of the original
material. Additionally,
they seem to have been
less valued in their day
than the Schubert
transcriptions, and it is
noteworthy that none of
the Schumann
transcriptions bear
dedications, as most of
the Schubert
transcriptions do. The
greatest challenge posed
by Lieder transcriptions,
regardless of the
composer or the nature of
the transcription, was to
combine the vocal and
piano parts of the
original such that the
character of each would
be preserved, a challenge
unique to this form of
transcription. Each part
had to be intact and
aurally recognizable, the
vocal line in particular.
Complications could be
manifold in a Lied that
featured dissimilar
parts, such as Schubert's
Auf dem Wasser zu singen,
whose piano accompaniment
depicts the rocking of
the boat on the
shimmering waves while
the vocal line reflects
on the passing of time.
Similar complications
would be encountered in
Gretchen am Spinnrade, in
which the ubiquitous
sixteenth-note pattern in
the piano's right hand
epitomizes the
ever-turning spinning
wheel over which the
soprano voice expresses
feelings of longing and
heartache. The resulting
transcriptions for solo
piano would place
exceptional demands on
the pianist. The
complications would be
far less imposing in
instances in which voice
and piano were less
differentiated, as in
many of Schumann's Lieder
that Liszt transcribed.
The piano parts in these
Lieder are true
accompaniments for the
voice, providing harmonic
foundation and rhythmic
support by doubling the
vocal line throughout.
The transcriptions, thus,
are strict and literal,
with far fewer demands on
both pianist and
transcriber. In all of
Liszt's Lieder
transcriptions,
regardless of the way in
which the two parts are
combined, the melody
(i.e. the vocal line) is
invariably the focal
point; the melody should
sing on the piano, as if
it were the voice. The
piano part, although
integral to contributing
to the character of the
music, is designed to
function as
accompaniment. A singing
melody was a crucial
objective in
nineteenth-century piano
performance, which in
part might explain the
zeal in transcribing and
paraphrasing vocal music
for the piano. Friedrich
Wieck, father and teacher
of Clara Schumann,
stressed this point
repeatedly in his 1853
treatise Clavier und
Gesang (Piano and Song):
When I speak in general
of singing, I refer to
that species of singing
which is a form of
beauty, and which is a
foundation for the most
refined and most perfect
interpretation of music;
and, above all things, I
consider the culture of
beautiful tones the basis
for the finest possible
touch on the piano. In
many respects, the piano
and singing should
explain and supplement
each other. They should
mutually assist in
expressing the sublime
and the noble, in forms
of unclouded beauty. Much
of Liszt's piano music
should be interpreted
with this concept in
mind, the Lieder
transcriptions and opera
paraphrases, in
particular. To this end,
Liszt provided numerous
written instructions to
the performer to
emphasize the vocal line
in performance, with
Italian directives such
as un poco marcato il
canto, accentuato assai
il canto and ben
pronunziato il canto.
Repeated indications of
cantando,singend and
espressivo il canto
stress the significance
of the singing tone. As
an additional means of
achieving this and
providing the performer
with access to the
poetry, Liszt insisted,
at what must have been a
publishing novelty at the
time, on printing the
words of the Lied in the
music itself. Haslinger,
seemingly oblivious to
Liszt's intent, initially
printed the poems of the
early Schubert
transcriptions separately
inside the front covers.
Liszt argued that the
transcriptions must be
reprinted with the words
underlying the notes,
exactly as Schubert had
done, a request that was
honored by printing the
words above the
right-hand staff. Liszt
also incorporated a
visual scheme for
distinguishing voice and
accompaniment, influenced
perhaps by Chopin, by
notating the
accompaniment in cue
size. His transcription
of Robert Schumann's
Fruhlings Ankunft
features the vocal line
in normal size, the piano
accompaniment in reduced
size, an unmistakable
guide in a busy texture
as to which part should
be emphasized: Example 1.
Schumann-Liszt Fruhlings
Ankunft, mm. 1-2. The
same practice may be
found in the
transcription of
Schumann's An die Turen
will ich schleichen. In
this piece, the performer
must read three staves,
in which the baritone
line in the central staff
is to be shared between
the two hands based on
the stem direction of the
notes: Example 2.
Schumann-Liszt An die
Turen will ich
schleichen, mm. 1-5. This
notational practice is
extremely beneficial in
this instance, given the
challenge of reading
three staves and the
manner in which the vocal
line is performed by the
two hands. Curiously,
Liszt did not use this
practice in other
transcriptions.
Approaches in Lieder
Transcription Liszt
adopted a variety of
approaches in his Lieder
transcriptions, based on
the nature of the source
material, the ways in
which the vocal and piano
parts could be combined
and the ways in which the
vocal part could sing.
One approach, common with
strophic Lieder, in which
the vocal line would be
identical in each verse,
was to vary the register
of the vocal part. The
transcription of Lob der
Tranen, for example,
incorporates three of the
four verses of the
original Lied, with the
register of the vocal
line ascending one octave
with each verse (from low
to high), as if three
different voices were
participating. By the
conclusion, the music
encompasses the entire
range of Liszt's keyboard
to produce a stunning
climactic effect, and the
variety of register of
the vocal line provides a
welcome textural variety
in the absence of the
words. The three verses
of the transcription of
Auf dem Wasser zu singen
follow the same approach,
in which the vocal line
ascends from the tenor,
to the alto and to the
soprano registers with
each verse.
Fruhlingsglaube adopts
the opposite approach, in
which the vocal line
descends from soprano in
verse 1 to tenor in verse
2, with the second part
of verse 2 again resuming
the soprano register;
this is also the case in
Das Wandern from
Mullerlieder. Gretchen am
Spinnrade posed a unique
problem. Since the poem's
narrator is female, and
the poem represents an
expression of her longing
for her lover Faust,
variation of the vocal
line's register, strictly
speaking, would have been
impractical. For this
reason, the vocal line
remains in its original
register throughout,
relentlessly colliding
with the sixteenth-note
pattern of the
accompaniment. One
exception may be found in
the fifth and final verse
in mm. 93-112, at which
point the vocal line is
notated in a higher
register and doubled in
octaves. This sudden
textural change, one that
is readily audible, was a
strategic means to
underscore Gretchen's
mounting anxiety (My
bosom urges itself toward
him. Ah, might I grasp
and hold him! And kiss
him as I would wish, at
his kisses I should
die!). The transcription,
thus, becomes a vehicle
for maximizing the
emotional content of the
poem, an exceptional
undertaking with the
general intent of a
transcription. Registral
variation of the vocal
part also plays a crucial
role in the transcription
of Erlkonig. Goethe's
poem depicts the death of
a child who is
apprehended by a
supernatural Erlking, and
Schubert, recognizing the
dramatic nature of the
poem, carefully depicted
the characters (father,
son and Erlking) through
unique vocal writing and
accompaniment patterns:
the Lied is a dramatic
entity. Liszt, in turn,
followed Schubert's
characterization in this
literal transcription,
yet took it an additional
step by placing the
register of the father's
vocal line in the
baritone range, that of
the son in the soprano
range and that of the
Erlking in the highest
register, options that
would not have been
available in the version
for voice and piano.
Additionally, Liszt
labeled each appearance
of each character in the
score, a means for
guiding the performer in
interpreting the dramatic
qualities of the Lied. As
a result, the drama and
energy of the poem are
enhanced in this
transcription; as with
Gretchen am Spinnrade,
the transcriber has
maximized the content of
the original. Elaboration
may be found in certain
Lieder transcriptions
that expand the
performance to a level of
virtuosity not found in
the original; in such
cases, the transcription
approximates the
paraphrase. Schubert's Du
bist die Ruh, a paradigm
of musical simplicity,
features an uncomplicated
piano accompaniment that
is virtually identical in
each verse. In Liszt's
transcription, the
material is subjected to
a highly virtuosic
treatment that far
exceeds the original,
including a demanding
passage for the left hand
alone in the opening
measures and unique
textural writing in each
verse. The piece is a
transcription in
virtuosity; its art, as
Rosen noted, lies in the
technique of
transformation.
Elaboration may entail an
expansion of the musical
form, as in the extensive
introduction to Die
Forelle and a virtuosic
middle section (mm.
63-85), both of which are
not in the original. Also
unique to this
transcription are two
cadenzas that Liszt
composed in response to
the poetic content. The
first, in m. 93 on the
words und eh ich es
gedacht (and before I
could guess it), features
a twisted chromatic
passage that prolongs and
thereby heightens the
listener's suspense as to
the fate of the trout
(which is ultimately
caught). The second, in
m. 108 on the words
Betrogne an (and my blood
boiled as I saw the
betrayed one), features a
rush of
diminished-seventh
arpeggios in both hands,
epitomizing the poet's
rage at the fisherman for
catching the trout. Less
frequent are instances in
which the length of the
original Lied was
shortened in the
transcription, a tendency
that may be found with
certain strophic Lieder
(e.g., Der Leiermann,
Wasserflut and Das
Wandern). Another
transcription that
demonstrates Liszt's
readiness to modify the
original in the interests
of the poetic content is
Standchen, the seventh
transcription from
Schubert's
Schwanengesang. Adapted
from Act II of
Shakespeare's Cymbeline,
the poem represents the
repeated beckoning of a
man to his lover. Liszt
transformed the Lied into
a miniature drama by
transcribing the vocal
line of the first verse
in the soprano register,
that of the second verse
in the baritone register,
in effect, creating a
dialogue between the two
lovers. In mm. 71-102,
the dialogue becomes a
canon, with one voice
trailing the other like
an echo (as labeled in
the score) at the
distance of a beat. As in
other instances, the
transcription resembles
the paraphrase, and it is
perhaps for this reason
that Liszt provided an
ossia version that is
more in the nature of a
literal transcription.
The ossia version, six
measures shorter than
Schubert's original, is
less demanding
technically than the
original transcription,
thus representing an
ossia of transcription
and an ossia of piano
technique. The Schumann
Lieder transcriptions, in
general, display a less
imaginative treatment of
the source material.
Elaborations are less
frequently encountered,
and virtuosity is more
restricted, as if the
passage of time had
somewhat tamed the
composer's approach to
transcriptions;
alternatively, Liszt was
eager to distance himself
from the fierce
virtuosity of his early
years. In most instances,
these transcriptions are
literal arrangements of
the source material, with
the vocal line in its
original form combined
with the accompaniment,
which often doubles the
vocal line in the
original Lied. Widmung,
the first of the Schumann
transcriptions, is one
exception in the way it
recalls the virtuosity of
the Schubert
transcriptions of the
1830s. Particularly
striking is the closing
section (mm. 58-73), in
which material of the
opening verse (right
hand) is combined with
the triplet quarter notes
(left hand) from the
second section of the
Lied (mm. 32-43), as if
the transcriber were
attempting to reconcile
the different material of
these two sections.
Fruhlingsnacht resembles
a paraphrase by
presenting each of the
two verses in differing
registers (alto for verse
1, mm. 3-19, and soprano
for verse 2, mm. 20-31)
and by concluding with a
virtuosic section that
considerably extends the
length of the original
Lied. The original
tonalities of the Lieder
were generally retained
in the transcriptions,
showing that the tonality
was an important part of
the transcription
process. The infrequent
instances of
transposition were done
for specific reasons. In
1861, Liszt transcribed
two of Schumann's Lieder,
one from Op. 36 (An den
Sonnenschein), another
from Op. 27 (Dem roten
Roslein), and merged
these two pieces in the
collection 2 Lieder; they
share only the common
tonality of A major. His
choice for combining
these two Lieder remains
unknown, but he clearly
recognized that some
tonal variety would be
needed, for which reason
Dem roten Roslein was
transposed to C>= major.
The collection features
An den Sonnenschein in A
major (with a transition
to the new tonality),
followed by Dem roten
Roslein in C>= major
(without a change of key
signature), and
concluding with a reprise
of An den Sonnenschein in
A major. A three-part
form was thus established
with tonal variety
provided by keys in third
relations (A-C>=-A); in
effect, two of Schumann's
Lieder were transcribed
into an archetypal song
without words. In other
instances, Liszt treated
tonality and tonal
organization as important
structural ingredients,
particularly in the
transcriptions of
Schubert's Lieder cycles,
i.e. Schwanengesang,
Winterreise a...
(Words and Chords to Nearly 1200 Songs 9x12 Spiral Bound). Edited by Annie Patte...(+)
(Words and Chords to
Nearly 1200 Songs 9x12
Spiral Bound). Edited by
Annie Patterson and Peter
Blood. For Vocal. Vocal.
Softcover. 304 pages.
Published by Hal Leonard
(Words and Chords to Nearly 1200 Songs Spiral-Bound). Edited by Annie Patterson ...(+)
(Words and Chords to
Nearly 1200 Songs
Spiral-Bound). Edited by
Annie Patterson and Peter
Blood. For Vocal. Vocal.
Softcover. 304 pages.
Published by Hal Leonard
(Over 850 Classical Themes and Melodies in the Original Keys) For C instrument. ...(+)
(Over 850 Classical
Themes and Melodies in
the Original Keys) For C
instrument. Format:
fakebook (spiral bound).
With vocal melody
(excerpts) and chord
names. Lassical. Series:
Hal Leonard Fake Books.
646 pages. 9x12 inches.
Published by Hal Leonard.
Chamber Music Cello,
Flute, Viola 1, Viola 2,
Violin
SKU:
CF.MXE219
Composed by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Arranged by Robert
Stallman. Sws.
56+16+16+16+16+12 pages.
Carl Fischer Music
#MXE219. Published by
Carl Fischer Music
(CF.MXE219).
ISBN
9781491157794. UPC:
680160916399. 9 x 12
inches.
The Big Book of Childrens Songs for Little Guitar Pickers composed by Tony Santo...(+)
The Big Book of Childrens
Songs for Little Guitar
Pickers composed by Tony
Santorella. For guitar
and voice. This edition:
Paperback. Collection.
Little Picker series.
Childrens. Book. Text
Language: English;
Tablature, chords and
lyrics. 180 pages.
Published by Santorella
Publications
The Definitive Paul Simon Songbook by Paul Simon. For Melody Line, Lyrics and Ch...(+)
The Definitive Paul Simon
Songbook by Paul Simon.
For Melody Line, Lyrics
and Chords. Music Sales
America. Folk Rock.
Softcover. 560 pages.
Paul Simon Music
#PS11594. Published by
Paul Simon Music
Chamber Music Flute(s) SKU: PR.114422610 Composed by Gary Schocker. Sws. ...(+)
Chamber Music Flute(s)
SKU: PR.114422610
Composed by Gary
Schocker. Sws. Set of
Score and Parts. 12+12
pages. Theodore Presser
Company #114-42261.
Published by Theodore
Presser Company
(PR.114422610).
ISBN
9781491134351. UPC:
680160684724. 9 x 12
inches.
Voice and Accompaniment SKU: BT.MUSM570361922 By Michael Hooper. Book Onl...(+)
Voice and Accompaniment
SKU:
BT.MUSM570361922
By
Michael Hooper. Book
Only. 4 pages. University
of York Music Press
#MUSM570361922. Published
by University of York
Music Press
(BT.MUSM570361922).
English.
The
song repertoire has its
origins in the late
nineteenth century when
every household had a
piano and for much of the
twentieth century,
singers and their pianist
collaborators were able
to create recital
programmes from a deep
reservoir of European and
North American song. The
recital genre became more
sophisticated as the
century progressed and
metamorphosed from a
miscellaneous collection
of lollipops to something
altogether more
sophisticated, often
featuring elaborate
themes which would enable
the music to be presented
in a variety of new
contexts. In the twenty
first century
opportunities for
recitalists are fewer and
programmes still tend to
focus on the much-loved
butwell-explored
repertoire. We hope this
collection will
contribute to a
broadening of
possibilities for
recitalists or anyone who
just wants something new
to sing. There are
several songs for voice
and piano but some
require other
instruments. There is a
wide range of styles. We
have resisted the
temptation to grade them
by difficulty, as our
criteria were more
broadly performative and
musical rather than
didactic. All selected
composers have a
particular sympathy for
the singing voice, so
there is nothing that
cannot be sung by a
competent performer. The
songs generally have a
designated voice type,
but this shouldn't be
thought of as
prescriptive; they are
designed to be flexible
and to offer the maximum
opportunity for creative
interpretation. They
range from the curious
and quirky to the
virtuosic and
challenging, the intense
and mysterious to the sad
and the light-hearted. We
hope that many performers
will find their tastes
represented here.
Compiled by David Blake
and John Potter. Edited
by Michael Hooper.
Chamber Music Bass Flute, Piano SKU: PR.114418900 Composed by Daniel Dorf...(+)
Chamber Music Bass Flute,
Piano
SKU:
PR.114418900
Composed
by Daniel Dorff. Set of
Score and Parts. 24+8
pages. Duration 14
minutes. Theodore Presser
Company #114-41890.
Published by Theodore
Presser Company
(PR.114418900).
ISBN
9781491129517. UPC:
680160668632.
A
welcome addition to the
bass flute repertoire,
Dorff’s 14-minute
sonata is designed as two
pairs of slow-fast
movements. While composed
as a complete 4-movement
sonata, either half may
be performed alone as a
7-minute recital work.
The movement titles are:
I. Sprawling, burbling;
II. Sparkling,
glistening; III. Under
Winter; and IV. Spring
Spirits. When Peter
Sheridan commissioned me
to write a piece for bass
flute and piano, his only
requests were a
sonata-like
multi-movement work, and
some kind of reference to
New York, where we both
grew up. Just the thought
of a bass flute, with its
broad and mighty
airstream, already
reminded me of the mighty
Hudson River: from the
dense woods of upstate
New York, through the
beautiful landscapes of
New Paltz and
Poughkeepsie, down
through the celebrated
Manhattan waterway.As I
daydreamed how to build a
sonata inspired by the
Hudson, I thought of its
deep primal nature carved
by the Ice Age, and the
life within the river and
on its shores long before
humans arrived. I thought
of how the river’s
magnetism drew Native
Americans who honored and
built their lives around
it. I thought of
beautiful trees and
wildlife, the annual
cycles of ecosystems, and
the natural symbiosis
between the river itself,
the life within, and the
life on land spawned by
the river’s
resources.I wondered what
if Thoreau had sat by the
Hudson rather than by
Walden Pond; I wondered
what if Hesse had set
Siddhartha in the Hudson
Valley with this river as
his metaphor for the flow
of life and time.I
wondered whether the
sonata should flow from
north to south, or have
chronological references.
I wondered if I should
allude to the many poets
and painters who have
drawn inspiration from
the mighty Hudson. Every
thought led to the
river’s essence,
its own spirit and life
— flowing through
raw nature, from skinny
trickles to mightiness
spawning cities;
supporting subtle life,
and becoming a central
commons for human
societies.The subtitle
Spirit of the Hudson
brings it all together.*
* *The sonata is built in
4 movements, with formal
inspiration from the
Baroque: A slow Mvt. 1
“Sprawling,
burbling†leads
directly to the rapid
Mvt. 2 “Sparkling,
glistening,â€
followed by another
slow-fast pair: Mvt. 3
“Under
Winter†which leads
directly into Mvt. 4
“Spring
Spirits.†In
addition to performances
of the complete sonata,
either pair of movements
may be performed on its
own for a shorter concert
segment.SONATA (SPIRIT OF
THE HUDSON) was premiered
at the International Low
Flutes Festival in April
2018 by its commissioner,
bass flutist Peter
Sheridan, with Hyeeun
Hahm as pianist.
Chamber Music Flute, Percussion, Piano, Zheng SKU: PR.114409470 For Fl...(+)
Chamber Music Flute,
Percussion, Piano, Zheng
SKU: PR.114409470
For Flute, Zheng,
Piano, and
Percussion. Composed
by Chen Yi. Christmas and
Holiday. World Premiere:
Boston. Contemporary. Set
of Score and Parts. With
Standard notation.
Composed 1993. 15+2+2
pages. Duration 8
minutes. Theodore Presser
Company #114-40947.
Published by Theodore
Presser Company
(PR.114409470).
UPC:
680160014200. 8.5 x 11
inches.
The idea of
Song in Winter came from
the imagination of the
pine and the bamboo. They
are so persistent and
dauntless. Standing in
the frigid winter, they
are evergreens. In
Chinese paintings, they
are featured characters;
in Chinese literature,
they are praised as
symbols against evil
influences and unhealty
trends. Chen Yi admires
their beautiful
appearances and their
strong spirit and
expresses their feelings
through their music,
which combines Chinese
and Western musical
materials and medium. The
silence between the
gestures is like the
space in brush painting
and calligraphy. Song
in Winter is a trio
written for harpsichord,
dizi (bamboo flute) and
zheng (Chinese
zither). My idea for
this piece came from the
pine and the bamboo.Â
Such persistent and
dauntless trees!Â
Standing in the frigid
winter, they are
evergreens. In
Chinese paintings, they
are the featured
characters, while in
Chinese literature, they
are praised as symbols
against evil influences
and unhealthy trends.Â
I admire their beautiful
appearances and their
strong spirit. I
express my feelings
through my music, which
combines Chinese and
Western musical materials
and media. Using the
harpsichord, an old
Western instrument, and
the zheng and dizi, two
old Chinese instruments,
I mix keyboard, plucking
and blowing instruments
into a whole. The
silence between the
gestures is like the
space in Chinese brush
painting and
calligraphy. Although
I have been living in a
western society for seven
years, I have found my
thinking closely linked
with Chinese arts. I
merged them into my
musical language in the
trio. Song in Winter
was commissioned and
inspired by Prof. Joyce
Lindorff, the winner of
the Pro Musicis
Foundation's
international
competition, for her
March 23, 1994 concert at
Weill Recital Hall at
Carnegie Hall in New
York, sponsored by the
Foundation. It is
dedicated to Ms. Lindorff
and Ms. Susan Cheng, the
founder and executive
director of Music From
China, who has been
enthusiastically
supporting Chinese new
music in New York for
many years. The work
has been recorded on the
album “Sparkle:
Chamber Music of Chen
Yi†on CRI,
released in New York in
1999. The trio has
also been adapted for
quartet: flute, zheng
(Chinese zither), piano
and percussion, for ALEA
III, for the premiere
concert in Feb. 4, 1994,
in Boston.—Chen
Yi(born in China,
1953).
Voice and piano (solo: T - 2(picc.A-fl).2(ob.d'am[ad lib.].cor ang.muha).2(B-cla...(+)
Voice and piano (solo: T
-
2(picc.A-fl).2(ob.d'am[ad
lib.].cor
ang.muha).2(B-clar.S-sax.
muha).2(kfg.muha) -
1.1(corn [ad lib.]).1.0 -
timp.perc(3) -
acc(windmachine
I).hp(rainmaker.windmachi
ne
II).guit(rainmaker.windma
chine III) - str:
1.1.2.1.1)
SKU:
BR.EB-9394
A
Composed
Interpretation.
Composed by Hans Zender.
Voice; Softbound. Edition
Breitkopf. World
premiere: Frankfurt am
Main, September 21, 1993.
Song; Music post-1945.
Piano/Vocal Score.
Composed 1993. 120 pages.
Duration 85'. Breitkopf
and Haertel #EB 9394.
Published by Breitkopf
and Haertel (BR.EB-9394).
ISBN 9790004188682. 9
x 12 inches.
My
lecture of the
Winterreise does not
demand a new expressive
interpretation, but
instead systematically
exercises the freedom
which all interpreters
allow themselves
intuitively, such as:
instrumental dilation i.
e. acceleration of the
pace, transposition into
other keys and
elaboration of
characteristic color
timbres. In addition,
there are further ways of
reading; the music;
jumping around in the
text, repeating certain
lines, interrupting the
continuity, comparing
different expressions of
the same phrase ... All
these new possibilities
are subjected to my
compositional discipline
and form autonomous
formal processes which
are imposed on Schuberts
original. The
transformation of the
piano tones into a
multifaceted orchestra
full of resonance is only
one of many aspects.(Hans
Zender)CDs:Hans Peter
Blochwitz (Tenor),
Ensemble Modern,
Conductor: Hans Zender CD
BMG 9026-68067-2
Christoph Pregardien
(Tenor), Klangforum Wien,
Conductor: Sylvain
Cambreling CD Kairos
0012002KAIJulien
Pregardien (Tenor),
Deutsche Radio
Philharmonie
Kaiserslautern,
Conductor: Robert Reimer2
CD's P.RHEI
(2016)Bibliography:Adam-S
chmidmeier, Eva-Maria
von: Schubert
interpretieren. Hans
Zender: Schuberts
Winterreise. Eine
komponierte
Interpretation im
Unterricht, in: Musik und
Unterricht Heft 96
(2009), pp. 50-56.Gruhn,
Wilfried: Wider die
asthetische Routine. Hans
Zenders Version von
Schuberts Winterreise,
in: Neue Zeitschrift fur
Musik 1/1997.Hebling,
Harald: Kompositorische
Schubertrezeption im 20.
Jahrhundert,
Magisterarbeit
Universitat Wien 2003,
especially pp.
148-157.Nonnenmann,
Rainer: Vom Nutzen und
Nachteil der
Musikhistorie fur das
Musikleben. Zur Kritik
aktualisierender
Interpretation am
Beispiel von Hans Zenders
Schuberts ,Winterreise,
in: Musik und Asthetik 7,
Heft 26 (April 2003), pp.
65-90.ders.: Schuberts
,Winterreise .
Komponierte
Interpretation von Hans
Zender / Ballett von John
Neumeier, in:
Osterreichische
Musikzeitung 60 (2005),
Heft 3, p. 42f.ders.:
Fremd bin ich eingezogen,
fremd zieh ich wieder
aus. Versuch zur Rettung
der Vergangenheit
Schuberts Winterreise.
Eine komponierte
Interpretation fur Tenor
und kleines Orchester
(1993) von Hans Zender,
in ders.: Winterreisen.
Komponierte Wege von und
zu Franz Schuberts
Liederzyklus aus zwei
Jahrhunderten, 2 Bande (=
Taschenbucher zur
Musikwissenschaft, Band
150/151), Wilhelmshaven:
Florian Noetzel 2006, pp.
143-205.Petersen, Birger:
Neue Musik. Analysen,
Berlin: Simon Verlag fur
Bibliothekswissen 2013,
pp. 11-24.Revers, Peter:
... Schnee, du weisst von
meinem Sehnen. Aspekte
der Schubert-Rezeption in
Hans Zenders Winterreise
(1993), in: Dialekt ohne
Erde. Franz Schubert und
das 20. Jahrhundert,
hrsg. von Otto
Kolleritsch, Wien-Graz
1998 (Studien zur
Wertungsforschung, Band
34), pp.
98-120.Schafer-Lembeck,
Hans-Ulrich:
Gegenstrebige Fugungen.
Hans Zenders Musik und
seine komponierte
Interpretation von
Schuberts Winterreise,
in: Neue Musik
vermitteln. Analysen
Interpretationen -
Unterricht, hrsg. von
Hans Bassler, Ortwin
Nimczik und Peter W.
Schatt, Mainz: Schott,
2004, pp.
295-307.Stahmer, Klaus
Hinrich: Bearbeitung als
Interpretation - Zur
Schubertrezeption Gustav
Mahlers, Hans Zenders und
Friedhelm Dohls, in:
Franz Schubert und Gustav
Mahler in der Musik der
Gegenwart, Mainz
1998.Zender, Hans: warum
wieder die Winterreise?
Hartmut Regitz im
Gesprach mit dem
Komponisten, in:
ballet.tanz -
international.aktuell,
Heft 12 (2001), p.
18.
World
premiere: Frankfurt am
Main, September 21,
1993.
For String Quartet. Composed by Stacy Garrop. Sws. Contemporary. Score an...(+)
For String
Quartet. Composed by
Stacy Garrop. Sws.
Contemporary. Score and
part(s). With Standard
notation. Composed Winter
2012. 48 pages. Duration
6 minutes. Theodore
Presser Company
#114-41743. Published by
Theodore Presser Company
(PR.114417430).
By Paul Simon. For guitar. Little Black Songbook. The little book with all the B...(+)
By Paul Simon. For
guitar. Little Black
Songbook. The little book
with all the BIG songs.
Folk. Level: Easy. Lyric
and Chord Book. 224
pages. Published by Music
Sales.
Choral (digital production kit) SKU: HL.35028867 Composed by Joseph M. Ma...(+)
Choral (digital
production kit)
SKU:
HL.35028867
Composed
by Joseph M. Martin.
Harold Flammer Christmas.
Advent, Cantata,
Christmas. Published by
Shawnee Press
(HL.35028867).
UPC:
884088888633. 5.25x7.5
inches.
From the
composer of Festival
of Carols and The
Winter Rose comes a
cantata that celebrates
the legacy of early
American carols and
hymnody. Composed in the
spirit of folk music, the
cantata combines
traditional sounds with
more rustic elements
creating a blend that is
fresh and pleasing.
Popular American carols
like Away In a
Manger and O
Little Town of
Bethlehem dance with
traditional spirituals
such as Children, Go
Where I Send Thee and
Go, Tell It on the
Mountain. Sacred Harp
tunes are re-tooled for
Advent and stand
alongside new versions of
Shaker hymns and
Appalachian melodies.
Thoughtful narration
weaves the movements
together in a meaningful
tapestry of song and
Scripture. Two orchestral
options are available
allowing maximum
flexibility in
performance. A full line
of support products is
also available. Available
separately: SATB, CD-ROM
Full Orchestration (Score
& Parts for Flute 1 & 2,
alto recorder,
Oboe/English Horn,
Clarinet 1 & 2, Bassoon,
Horn 1 & 2, Trumpet 1-3,
Trombone 1 & 2, Bass
Trombone/Tuba, Timpani,
Percussion, Acoustic
Guitar, Banjo, Harp,
Piano, Synth, Solo
fiddle, Violin 1 & 2,
Viola, Cello, Double
Bass), Printed Full
Orchestration,
Appalachian Consort
Orchestration (Score &
parts for Flute, Violin,
Cello, Mandolin, Guitar,
Percussion and Piano),
StudioTrax CD
(accompaniment only),
SplitTrax CD, Listening
CD, 10-Pack Listening
CDs, Preview Pack
(Book/CD combo),
RehearsalTrax CDs (part
predominant,
reproducible), Digital
Resource Kit (PowerPoint,
Choir Devotionals,
Poster, Program, Flyers,
Children's Program PDFs).
Duration: approx. 40
min.
(with I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm). Arranged by Mac Huff. Secular Christm...(+)
(with I've Got My Love to
Keep Me Warm). Arranged
by
Mac Huff. Secular
Christmas
Choral. Holiday, Medley,
Show
Choir, Standards, Swing,
Vocal Jazz, Winter.
Octavo.
16 pages. Published by
Hal
Leonard
Ligne De Mélodie, Paroles et Accords [Fake Book] - Intermédiaire Sher Music Company
By Various. Almost 600 pages of world-famous Sher Music transcriptions! Don't go...(+)
By Various. Almost 600
pages of world-famous
Sher Music
transcriptions! Don't go
to the gig without it!.
Various. Fake Book.
Published by Sher Music
Company.
Flexible Ensemble SKU: HL.14035124 From the Four Seasons. By Nicho...(+)
Flexible Ensemble
SKU:
HL.14035124
From
the Four Seasons. By
Nicholas Hare. By Antonio
Vivaldi. Edited by
Nicholas Hare. Music
Sales America. Classical.
Set. Chester Music
#CH55900. Published by
Chester Music
(HL.14035124).
ISBN
9780711947597.
Kale
idoscope will save you
time! Do you spend hours
arranging music for odd
assortments of
instruments? Kaleidoscope
is specially arranged to
suit almost any
instrumental combination
and these varied
ensembles are easy and
enjoyable too. So much
scope for virtually any
combination of
instruments! The series
is successful with
recorders, guitars,
percussion and keyboard
as well as with
orchestral groupings.
Whether there are five or
fifty players, every
Kaleidoscope title will
work! Just make sure that
melody and keyboard parts
are included - all other
parts are optional.
Kaleidoscope is superb
value for money - each
set contains a score plus
around 50 parts, each one
carefully written to suit
the needs of each
instrument. For example,
easy string parts are in
first position only
whilst easy clarinet
parts take care to avoid
the break. There are more
demanding parts too, for
experienced players. To
help you choose the right
pieces for your players
we have given the key of
each Kaleidoscope in
brackets. The complete
performance option! These
super-flexible
arrangements of
well-known titles are a
must for every school.
Why not choose a theme
for your concert and
perform a selection of
Kaleidoscope show titles
and film themes or have
an evening of classical
favourites? In F. Edited
by Nicholas Hare.
A
Musical to Ring in the
Holidays. Composed by
John Higgins and John
Jacobson. ExpressiveArts.
Christmas, Elementary,
Holiday, Musicals,
Winter. Softcover with
CD-ROM. 52 pages.
Duration 1500 seconds.
Published by Hal Leonard
(HL.144494).
ISBN
9781495017698. UPC:
888680062385.
8.5x11.0x0.204 inches. By
John Jacobson and John
Higgins.
The bells
of ol' Ring-A-Ding Town
have stopped ringing!
Why? Because everyone who
lives there has
completely lost their
holiday spirit. With all
the pressures of the
season, they have become
so comically grumpy that
even the bells refuse to
ring. When a severe
winter storm pounds the
village with ice, wind
and snow, the grumpy
citizens are reminded how
much they need each
other. They also
rediscover how rewarding
it can be to share and
care for one another in
the true spirit of the
season. When peace, love
and joy returns to warm
their hearts, the bells
of Ring-A-Ding Town ring
in a new season of Peace
on Earth Goodwill for
all! This comical
25-minute holiday musical
features five original
songs and easy-to-learn
rhyming dialog with over
30 speaking parts. The
enhanced Teacher Edition
includes piano/vocal
arrangements with
choreography, helpful
production guide with
staging and costume
suggestions, PLUS an
enclosed CD-ROM with
reproducible singer and
speaking part PDFs. The
Classroom Kit includes
Teacher/SGR CD-ROM plus a
Performance/Accompaniment
CD. ScorePlay - click to
view score with
recording.