Non-traditional notation and techniques in student piano repertoire

dc.contributor.advisorWheeldon, Marianneen
dc.contributor.advisorGuerra, Litaen
dc.creatorRichmond, Kevin Daviden
dc.date.accessioned2011-07-26T18:41:24Zen
dc.date.available2011-07-26T18:41:24Zen
dc.date.issued2003-12en
dc.descriptionIn the early twentieth century, Henry Cowell devised a new notational language to represent unconventional sounds and techniques at the piano. His notation included graphic symbols to represent tone clusters and various types of string manipulation. Since then, composers have expanded on his notation and unusual sonorities, creating an entirely new language for piano performance. At present, there exists a substantial amount of piano literature incorporating a wide variety of signs and symbols, resulting in performance problems for the pianists interpreting and learning them. Teachers are responsible for introducing future generations to an expanded musical language. Introducing beginning piano students to larger gestures in the form of non-traditional notation allows them to experience, both visually and physically, an extreme range of high and low, loud and soft, and short and long. The graphic symbols vi often stimulate students to improvise according to relationships, encourage them to interpret shapes, and allow them to concentrate first on quality of sound and expression rather than correct pitches. Familiarity with graphic symbols in the early years of study should enable students to decipher and understand more complex notation in the later years. There are numerous works for students which use contemporary forms of notation and techniques. This treatise describes repertoire for piano students, from beginner to advanced, that incorporates non-traditional notation and techniques. The relevance of this repertoire is illustrated by comparisons to notational and performance practices of artist-level literature.en
dc.description.abstractIn the early twentieth century, Henry Cowell devised a new notational language to represent unconventional sounds and techniques at the piano. His notation included graphic symbols to represent tone clusters and various types of string manipulation. Since then, composers have expanded on his notation and unusual sonorities, creating an entirely new language for piano performance. At present, there exists a substantial amount of piano literature incorporating a wide variety of signs and symbols, resulting in performance problems for the pianists interpreting and learning them. Teachers are responsible for introducing future generations to an expanded musical language. Introducing beginning piano students to larger gestures in the form of non-traditional notation allows them to experience, both visually and physically, an extreme range of high and low, loud and soft, and short and long. The graphic symbols vi often stimulate students to improvise according to relationships, encourage them to interpret shapes, and allow them to concentrate first on quality of sound and expression rather than correct pitches. Familiarity with graphic symbols in the early years of study should enable students to decipher and understand more complex notation in the later years. There are numerous works for students which use contemporary forms of notation and techniques. This treatise describes repertoire for piano students, from beginner to advanced, that incorporates non-traditional notation and techniques. The relevance of this repertoire is illustrated by comparisons to notational and performance practices of artist-level literature.
dc.description.departmentMusicen
dc.format.mediumelectronicen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/12589en
dc.language.isoengen
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.en
dc.rights.restrictionRestricteden
dc.subjectMusical notation--Instruction and studyen
dc.subjectMusical notation--Methodologyen
dc.titleNon-traditional notation and techniques in student piano repertoireen
thesis.degree.departmentMusicen
thesis.degree.disciplineMusicen
thesis.degree.grantorThe University of Texas at Austinen
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Musical Artsen

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