Similarities between two dissimilar Americanpiano sonatas of the 1960s: The second piano
sonatas of Robert Muczynski and Robert Starer.
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Authors Fosheim, Karen Marie.
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Similarities between two dissimilar American piano sonatas of the 1960s: The second piano sonatas of Robert Muczynski and Robert Starer
Fosheim, Karen Marie, A.Mus.D.
The Universi~ of Arizona, 1994
V·M·I 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor. MI 48106
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN TWO DISSIMILAR AMERICAN PIANO SONATAS OF THE 1960S: THE SECOND PIANO SONATAS
OF ROBERT MUCZYNSKI AND ROBERT STARER
by
Karen Marie Fosheim
A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS WITH A MAJOR IN PERFORMANCE
In the Graduate College
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
1 9 9 4
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE
As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have
read the document prepared by~Ka~r~e~n~Ma~r~~~'e~F~o~s~h=e~i=m~ __________________ __
entitled Similarities Between Two Dissimilar American Piano Sonatas
of the 1960s: The Second Piano Sonatas of Robert Muczvnski
and Robert Starer
and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirements
.0 ! i ) ~~/,/,
Date fMy Date
Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the document to the Graduate College.
I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirement.
Director
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STATEMENT BY AUTHOR
This document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library.
Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgement the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author.
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4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. LIST OF EXAMPLES •• 5
II. INTRODUCTION. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .8 A Background of the Sonata in America • 10 The American Piano Sonata in the Twentieth Century.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
III. ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND PIANO SONATAS OF ROBERT MUCZYNSKI AND ROBERT STARER. • • • • • • • • .21
Robert Muczynski • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 21 Robert Starer • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .23 Formal structure • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 25 Harmonic Devices • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 27 Melodic Characteristics • • • • • • • • • • • • .31 Rhythmic Structures •••••••••••• , _ ~35 Keyboard Usage and Performance Considerations • ~4~
IV. CONCLUSIONS .52
.. V. APPENDIX A: Formal Structures •••••••••••• 57
VI. APPENDIX B: Robert Muczynski: Written Interview • • .59
VII. REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
EXAMPLE 1:
EXAMPLE 2:
EXAMPLE 3:
5
LIST OF EXAMPLES
Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 13-14 •••••••••• 28
Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 26-29 • 28
Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 1-2 •••• 29
EXAMPLE 4: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Onus 22, Movement I, mm. 1-3 • • • • • • • • .29
EXAMPLE 5: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 193-95 • • • • • • • • • 30
EXAMPLE 6: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement III, mm. 60-63 • • • • • ..31
EXAMPLE 7: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 7-8 • • • • • • • • .31
EXAMPLE 8A: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 1-4, Graph of melodic movement • • • • • • • 32
EXAMPLE 8B: Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 1-5, Graph of melodic movement. • • • • .32
EXAMPLE 9: Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 1-11 • .33
EXAMPLE 10: Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 80A-C • 35
EXAMPLE 11: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 27-32 • • • • • • • .37
EXAMPLE 12A: Source rhythm for Starer, Sonata No.2, (mm. 93-94) •••••• • 37
EXAMPLE 12B: Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 93-94 • 38
EXAMPLE 13: Robert Muczynski; Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement IV, mm. 1-3 • • • • 39
EXAMPLE 14: Robert starer, Sonata No. 2, mm. 25A-D . . · 40
EXAMPLE 15: Robert Starer, Sonata No. 2, mm. 1-11, Graph of meter changes . · 41
EXAMPLE 16: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 148-49 . . . . . . . . · 41
6
LIST OF EXAMPLES--continued
EXAMPLE 17A: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement III, mm. 1-3 • • • • • • 42
EXAMPLE ~7B: Robert Muczynski, Second sonata. Opus 22, Movement III, mm. 53-59 • • • 0 • 42
EXAMPLE 18: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement II, mm. 1-12 • • • • •• • .43
EY_~~LE 19: Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 136-44 ••• 44
EXAMPLE 20A: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 69-71 • • • • • • 45
EXAMPLE 20B: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement I, mm. 86-89 • • • • • • 46
Ex&~LE 21: Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, Mm. 45-48 ••• 46
EXAMPLE 22: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Oous 22, Movement II, mm. 37-45 • • • • • • • • • 47
EXAMPLE 23: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Movement III, mm. 31-35 • • • • • • .49
7
ABSTRACT
Two significant American composers, Robert Muczynski
(b.1929) and Robert Starer (b.1924), composed piano sonatas in
the years 1964-66, despite the tendency of other composers of
the time to utilize less traditional structures. The second
Sonatas of Muczynski and Starer are intricately conceived,
finely crafted, and worthy examples of mid-century trends in
~~erican composition. They give evidence of the continuing
viability of the sonata form.
This study will examine the
between two works that utilized,
stylistic similarities
paradoxically, differing
methods of ccmpositional technique. These men chose different
composi tional languages, yet they chose the same formal
structure to organize their work. This study will focus on
those features that are style-determinant. I believe that
many of the common stylistic trai ts present in the second
piano Sonatas of Robert Muczynski and Robert Starer may be a
result their common environment, as contemporary trends common
to the culture of composers can have a significant influence
on the style of their works.
8
INTRODUCTION
Musicologists frequently examine not only the life and
works of a composer but also the cuI tural and personal
circumstances which surround his/her life. The current
twentieth-century trend toward historically accurate
performance practices reflects that line of thought. An
examination of a work within the framework of its particular
time, place, and culture allows for a truer understanding of
a composer's intent. A performance of music from any time
period, including works composed in the present era, requires
an awareness of the composer's socio-cultural milieu in order
to render an accurate interpretation.
From a purely aesthetic perspective, the musical work certainly has only itself as an objective. It is subject only to the law of aesthetics, to the intrinsic laws of music. But from an ethical and sociological perspective, the musical work enters into a relationship with the very goal and good of humanity. • • To neglect this perspective would be to cut the work of art from its natural links with the life of a person and of a society, and to forgo understanding it in its total meaning and significance. (Supicic 344-45)
In the area of musical structure, the sonata form itself
is a product of the society from which it grew. As
9
instrumental music was rising in popularity, the sonata form
appeared as a means of organizing and controlling musical
material within its expansive structure. Prior to the
development of the sonata form, instrumental music was mostly
utilized for church, court, or didactic purposes.
The sonata as a compositional form has retained its
importance for two hundred years. However, its role has
changed over time. In the classical period, most composers
used the sonata form as a framework within which to organize
and work out their ideas, as it was generally considered to be
the most prestigious method of creating a large and complex
composition. Composers of the mid-nineteenth century
stretched the harmonic relationships within the form to its
limits. Many of the composers of the twentieth century have
used the sonata form as a vehicle to prove that their
compositional techniques could survive and thrive within the
confines and/or demands of such a formal structure.
Al though the importance of the sonata form seems to have
waned somewhat since its popularity in the Classical Period,
many of the major composers for the piano continued to use the
sonata as a vehicle for some of their finest writing. The
piano sonatas of Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, Liszt, and
Rachmaninoff contain some of their most memorable musical
moments. While they composed very few sonatas as compared to
composers of the past era, these works are of a very large
scale and of great significance in the piano repertoire.
10
The dawn of the twentieth century saw the sonata again
being used as an important tool for compositional unity as
well as personal self-expression. Alban Berg, the pupil and
disciple of Arnold Schoenberg, wrote his Piano Sonata, 00. 1
in 1901. This work is often referred to as the premiere piano
sonata of the twentieth century as it shows the limits of
tonality being stretched. While lacking in the traditional
key relationships thought to be so vital in sonata form, it
still contains the exposition, development, and recapitulation
of thematic areas so essential to the form. Alexander
Scriabin • s personal and musical search into mystical and
esoteric thought can be traced through his ten sonatas.
Sergei Prokofieff used his nine piano sonatas as a means to
portray his national pride in the face of revolution.
A BACKGROUND OF THE SONATA IN AMERICA
Al though the piano sonata has retained a significant
position in the piano repertoire since its development almost
two centuries ago, in the united States, as in Europe, sonata
production in the nineteenth century was limited due to the
emphasis on shorter forms. It has often been noted that the
United States, a relatively young nation, was in the process
of defining itself. At least until around 1900, the forms
used needed to be relatively simple, as the resident composers
were not yet ready to commit their art to the complexities of
a form such as the sonata.
Yet the familiar apology--familiar throughout the arts--that the country was still too young to do better can be both unwarranted and misleading here. It can be unwarranted because, at least after ~~e Civil War (1861-65), the quality of American sonata output, especially of the duo sonatas, was generally competent by anybody's standards, if not better. It can be misleading because, from before the start of the century, there was more aware:1ess of the current European trends, more interest in the sonata idea, and more actual publication of sonatas than has yet been noted or supposed. (Newman 734)
11
It is important to keep in mind that in its earlier years, the
nation was inhabited by immigrants from other lands, which
included some composers. These diverse musical and artistic
influences helped American culture live up to its title as the
world's "melting pot".
The German Romantic tradition drew many American-born
composers of the nineteenth century to study "where the
Germans themselves went--to Leipzig and the successors of
Mendelssohn • • • to Weimar for summer study with Liszt: to
Munich and Rheinberger: to Berlin and Kiel: and to Dresden or
several other German centers" (Newman 735). The Americans
were not cut off from the mainstream of European musical life.
In fact, if there was anyone problem that beset the American sonata (and other absolute music) during the Romantic Era it was not so much the lack of a two-century tradition per se as the nearly total dependence on European tradi tions and practices. (Newman 735)
From the years 1801-1915 there have been found 160
published sonatas, 54 of which are for solo piano: and 70
unpublished sonatas, 12 of which are for solo piano, by
12
residents of the united states (Newman 739). More are
continually being uncovered showing that there was a
significant amount of interest in the sonata as a structure at
that time. Little remains of these works in the piano concert
repertoire, although occasionally one or more may turn up in
a collected volume for didactic purposes.
It is yet to be discerned whether the quality of these
compositions kept them in obscurity or if the musical fashions
of the American public were a restricting factor. Most public
performances in the united states at the time were replete
with music of the old masters and the works of the curre~t
European musical stars. The American public wanted to hear
works that were composed abroad, as works by American
composers were considered to be of a lesser quality.
Composers in America had difficulty gaining respect without
the support of European Publishers.
In 1884 Willard Burr commented at the Cleveland meeting of the Music Teachers National Association on how important foreign publication continued to be to serious American music. Publication in America, he said, 'not only gives little or no surety of success, but is it not rather in most cases a guarantee that they [the American works] do not possess any real value?' (Newman 737)
Very few of the piano sonatas from the period prior to
1.91.5 have survived to be considered standard piano repertoire.
The four sonatas of Edward MacDowell (1.860-1908) are among the
most prominent remaining in the piano literature. MacDowell,
like most other Americans of the time, studied in Germany, and
his first two piano sonatas were published in Germany by the
1.3
prestigious Brei tkopf and Hartel publishing company. The
latter two were published by A. P. Schmidt in Boston.
MacDowell maintained some bit of notoriety in Europe and
maintained friendships with well-known Europeans such as Franz
Liszt and Edvard Grieg. Despite the strong late German
Romantic influence, these sonatas maintain an unpretentious
simplicity in their nature that is often attributed to their
American origin.
The rather eclectic Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1.884-1.920)
went to Berlin to become a concert pianist, also studying
composition with Humperdinck. Griffes fo~~d it difficult to
subscribe to a single compositional style.
emulating the later German songwriters,
successively toward the impressionism of
"He began by
then veered
Debussy, the
chromaticism of Scriabin, and the primitivism of stravinsky II
(Chase 347). In 1.91.7-1.8, Griffes wrote his Sonata for Piano.
bringing together ~hese va=ious compositional influences in
one complex and ambitious work. It was presented as a sonata
in one movement, yet can be perceived as three distinct yet
connected movements following in the traditional slow-fast-
slow scheme of sonata movements. Enduring as a prominent
fixture in the piano repertoire, lithe essential impact of the
sonata is that of a powerfully creative and consistently
conceived work that will stand as a peak of Neoromantic
expression in American music for piano" (Chase 1.42).
The first true American innovator was considered by many
14
to be Charles Ives (1874-1954). In contrast with many of his
contemporaries, he chose not to receive his education in
Europe, but rather at Yale with Horatio Parker. Ives was well
educated in the European musical tradition and possessed an
acute awareness of the music of the American people. Ives was
often credi ted with being "the one composer who brings
together all the threads of specifically American music and
links them to the European traditionll (Small 144). His model
was the American ideal of freedom and individuality. In the
music, as in American society, each voice has its own mission
and its own character, and makes its essential contribution to
the final cOllplete whole.
In allmling each voice to go its own way he was expressing his ideal of individual freedom, but we should notice that while the relationships between the voices are complex in the extreme. • • they are not chaotic; Ives has them under control. • • Eis ideal of liberty remained firmly within the law, al~~ough ~~e law was to be subtle and flexible to allow for the greatest degree of variety of individual interaction. (Small 144)
Ives wrote two sonatas for the piano expressing these ideals
of individuality and freedom, and through these works, set the
tone for further innovations in the twentieth century.
15
THE AMERICAN PIANO SONATA IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Many American composers of the twentieth century were
iTh,ovators and iconoclasts.
Into the works of the modern American school were woven the chief tendencies of our time-Nationalism, Neoclassicism, Neoromanticism, Impressionism, Expressionism, expanded tonality, polytonality, atonality, twelve-tone method. And binding all these together was an indefinable quality, a product-of-America flavor that, ranging in mood from mystical exultation to e x u b era n t vitality, was as subtle as it was irresistible. (Machlis 420)
They asserted their individuality, refusing to cater to the
tastes of audiences that often preferred the Romantic melodies
and harmonies of the nineteenth century. Along with Charles
Ives, Ernst Krenek and Elliott Carter expressed their ideas
th~ough atonality and polytonality. Henry Cowell, John Cage,
and George Crumb challenged traditional pianism, asking
pianists to extend their view of piano technique to include
such devices as arm clusters, plucking and strumming of the
strings, and vocalizing into the instrument.
There were also composers who, even in their search for
compositional freedom, chose not to abandon traditional forms
and harmonies, but rather to expand the rules and conventions
governing those procedures. There were the Neoclassicists and
Neoromantics represented most notably by Samuel Barber, Virgil
Thomson, and Roger Sessions. These classifications were not
rigid for composers freely chose the compositional language
which would best fit their needs of expression at any given
16
time.
The piano sonata was an important vehicle for the variety
of compositional methods that were in use during the first
half of the twentieth century. The sonatas of Aaron Copland,
Roger Sessions, and Samuel Barber were highly influential in
setting a standard of both form and quality for the younger
generation of composers that followed. However, composers
after 1950 generally chose other compositional forms:
Sometime in the middle of the 1950s the need to write a piano sonata suddenly evaporated. Composers in America, jarred by the resonances of strange sounds and echoes of new procedures coming from overseas and even from rebels in their own midst, set off in new directions. (Burge 20th C. 195)
Robert Muczynski was asked in a written interview to comment
on the above quote. He replied,
Please hum for me your favorite theme from a David Burge Piano Sonata. Please enlighten me as to where all these WONDERFUL pieces (innovative and experimental) are today. Who plays 'em? Who ever hears them--anywhere?!? WANTS 'em?! (Interview 2)
Nevertheless, two significant American composers, Robert
Muczynski (b. 1929) and Robert Starer (b. 1924), composed
piano sonatas in the years 1964-66. Perhaps Muczynski and
Starer, like other young composers, still felt a need to
embrace the legacies of some of their predecessors. Hence,
they continued to expand, rather than forsake, the use of
traditional materials. They certainly learned lessons from
the formal organization of earlier sonatas as evidenced in
each of their second piano Sonatas.
17
starer and Muczynski are prominent American composers
whose works, like that of many contemporary composers, have
been the subj ect of less critical examination than they
deserve. This study will show that their second Sonatas are
intricately conceived, finely crafted, and worthy examples of
mid-century trends in American composition. I hope that this
study will be of use to performers who wish to better
understand these appealing works and that it will encourage
more performances. Musicologists who study the evolution of
the American compositional style for the piano will benefit
from this examination which pinpoints certain common stYlistic
traits in compositionally disparate works.
I have chosen to study the respected second sonatas of
these two composers not only due to their use of flowing
melodies set against driving rhythms, interesting harmonies,
challenging pianism, and general attractiveness to both the
audience and performer, but, more importantly, because they
proved the continuing viability of the sonata form in the mid
twentieth century. With these two works, I believe Muczynski
and starer have made important contributions to the piano
literature of this century.
This study will examine the
between two works that utilized,
stylistic similarities
paradoxically, differing
methods of compositional technique. These men chose different
compositional languages (Muczynski chose Neoromanticism and
starer , atonality), yet they chose the same basic formal
18
structure for their work. This study, therefore, will focus
on those features that are style-determinant:
style manifests itself in characteristic usages of form, texture, harmony, melody, rhythm, and ethos; and it is presented by creative personalities, conditioned by historical, social and geographical factors, performing resources and conventions. (PascalI 316)
I believe that many of the common stylistic trai ts
present in the second piano Sonatas may be a result of the
composers' common environment. Robert Muczynski and Robert
Starer are united States citizens of the same generation. The
jazz-influenced rhy-~s and the expansiveness of sound are
perhaps indicative of the musical and social climate that
helped to shape works of this time. Nevertheless, my purpose
is not to precisely define what makes a work i'American," but
rather, to better understand and describe the commonalities of
style in mid-century sonatas by American composers, as seen in
these successful pieces.
The sonata form first appeared in the eighteenth century
as a means of unifying drama in a purely instrumental work.
It seems relevant that, at a time in mid-twentieth century
America when the field was inundated with innovative
techniques and new definitions of music, someone would react
by turning to a more traditional formal approach to music.
Therefore, the sonata form, at this point in history, returned
to serve the same musical and social function that it did at
its birth: allowing the composer a means to unify musical
drama while maintaining inventiveness and originality. The
19
two works examined here are innovative in the use of the
stylistic elements within the formal structure of the sonata.
Indeed, these composers make the form fit their individual
expressive needs, rather than allowing the form to dominate.
These works exemplify a reaction against the prevailing
cultural impression that a composer had to have an idea that
was never before used to survive in the competitive world of
professional music. They prove that individuality and self-
expression can be witnessed in many forms.
American composers in the mid-twentieth century were
working within an atmosphere that not only idealized but also
expected absolute innovation and originality. Robert
Muczynski summed up his idea of the plight of the composer in
this letter:
It seems as thougr. music critics of the late 1950s, 160, and 170s appeared to be more concerned with the How rather than the What. They refused to judge the music for what it ~ but rather what they felt it ought to be-and often this was very vague. The most damning condemnation was I sounds 1ike •• 1 If you employed too many consecutive fourths it was Hindemith. If you were percussive it was Bartok or Stravinsky. A b1uesy phrase evoked Gershwin and a tender lyrical statement was Barber. A folk-like tune was Copland, and so on. • • • It is an agonizing situation, but lately I have come to the ccnc1usion that the originality we all thirst for is really something inherent in the personality behind the manipulation of what is available. (Muczynski 2)
The trend towards individuality and originality in the
arts was directly related to the social and political climate
of the time. The 1960s were a time of upheaval in all aspects
of American society. The vietnam War was raging and people
20
were learning that freedom of speech was not only a right but
a necessary tool for handling the American political system.
The country was struggling with the issues of civil Rights,
the equality of all persons, and the importance of
individuality and personal self-expression. American popular
music, influenced by jazz, was becoming a major industry and
a growing force in society. Music was fun, pleasurable,
exciting, and a way of escaping from the increasing tensions
of American life. Music was also used for personal expression
of ideas and ideals. The American people, for the most part,
were on a quest for truth and personal happiness, and, in this
quest, they were returning to the basic ideals of humanism.
Likewise, composers of serious music followed suit. "Artists
cannot help being antennas and are all inescapably human.
They need only take care that contact is maintained between
th'E:!i.r aesthetic endeavors and their larger contemporary lives"
(Reynolds 29).
21
ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND PIANO SONATAS OF
ROBERT MUCZYNSKI AND ROBERT STARER
ROBERT MUCZYNSKI
Composer and pianist Robert Muczynski was born in
Chicago, Illinois, on March 19, 1929. He received both his
bachelor's and master's degrees from DePaul University where
his principal composition teacher was Alexander Tcherepnin.
He also studied piano under Walter Knupfer. In 1958, he made
his New York debut playing a recital of his own piano works.
He directed the piano department at Loras College in Iowa from
1956 to 1959, and from 1965 to 1987 he served on the piano
facul ty at the Uni versi ty of Arizona in Tucson and also
developed the compositional department. He was the recipient
of Ford Foundation Fellowship Grants in the years 1959 and
1961, and in 1982 was nominated for a Pulitzer prize for his
Al to Saxophone Concerto. He has been the recipient of
numerous commissions and his output includes many works for
symphony, piano, chamber ensembles, instrumental concerti and
sonatas, and eight documentary film scores.
His style is earnest, unostentatious, characterized
economical, by spare
and neo-
22
classical textures, a gently restrained lyricism, and, in fast movements, strongly accented, irregular meters, which create a vigorous rhythmic drive. (Simmons 3:284)
When asked about composers he admired, Muczynski replied,
Scarlatti, J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Sibelius, plus a dozen more. Their music is masterfully crafted, deeply meaningful, and remains beautiful without tarnishing. I do not mention the handful of 20th century composers I admire because--as so often happens--you people say I "SOUND LIKE" theirs. (Interview 1)
Muczynski--born, raised, and educated in middle America--
is an American composer in the purest sense. Besides
inheriting the compositional legacy left by older American
composers, he grew up in the midst of twentieth-century
American culture.
There are at least three influences of United States culture on Muczynski's writing. The first two, the influence of jazz and motion picture scores. The third, is more difficult to define. It is probably the result of Muczynski' shaving spent most of his adult life living and working on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona. In this context it is significant that his studio overlooks a large expanse of Arizona desert with mountains in the background. The wide vista of Muczynski 's immediate environment is possibly reflected in the open sonorities of his music. Similarly, the ruggedness of desert mountains could be thought to have been represented by strokes of angularity both in terms of melodic line and structure. Very nearly the only element of folk music in Muczynski t s output is the periodic recurrence of melodies that remind most American musicians of western cowboy songs. In short, Muczynski's environment has been the Southwest, and a composer cannot help but be influenced to some degree by his environment. (Hawkins 46-7)
The Second Sonata. Ope 22 was written in 1966 and
published in 1969. This sonata was dedicated to his friend
23
and colleague Richard Faith, who was also on the faculty at
the university of Arizona. This work earned an award as best
contemporary work performed at the Sydney International Piano
competition in Australia in 1992. It is a work in the
Romantic tradition of four contrasting movements. In general,
all movements are characterized by a steady, driving rhythmic
impulse. The sense of excitement is enhanced by a texture
that continually al ternates between a very dense chordal
fabric and a thinner interaction of two voices. Ideas are
restated in varying registers effectively utilizing the full
range of the keyboard and enhancing the effects of contrasts.
Time is often suspended through frequent use of rubatc and
regular changes of meter and tempo. The large formal
structures are based on traditional forms. The melodic
material is based on motives that relate the substance of each
movement. The harmonic structure is not traditionally tonal,
yet Muczynski often alludes to tonality. Any consonance seems
accidental, as the chords grow out of the melodic occurrences.
ROBERT STARER
Robert Starer was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1924. He
trained as a pianist at the VieIL~a State Academy and continued
his musical studies at the Jerusalem Conservatory and
Juilliard School, where he studied composition under Frederic
Jacobi. He served on the faculty of Juilliard from 1949-1974,
earning his American citizenship in 1957, and accepted an
24
appointment as professor of music at Brooklyn College in 1963.
He has been the recipient of two Guggenheim fellowships, a
Fulbright grant, and several other grants and commissions. It
has been noted that nstarer's music is direct in expression
and characterized by chromaticism, modality, and driving
rhythms. His use of silence and dynamics contributes to an
outstanding and balanced sense of drama" (Lewis-Griffith
4:296). He has composed extensively in nearly all genres.
starer's Piano sonata No.2 was composed in 1965 and
published in 1968. The work is in one movement with sharply
contrasting sections of an alternating driving and lyrical
character. The composer works with sounds and silence to
create what is at times a very volatile effect. Sudden
outbursts of sound punctuate the silence, providing a free and
improvised quality. The wild, impetuous sections stand in
sharp contrast with very calm and freely lyrical passages
without bar lines or meter. The composer says of his work
I wrote my second Piano Sonata during a lovely quiet year in Rome (1965). If it has nothing in common with the Classical Sonata in terms of keys, it has much to do with it in the sense of statement, development, conclusion--a form capable of infinite variety: not easily worn out. This sonata is in one movement; the other movements, a slow one, a light one, a dance-like one, are all interspersed between the statement-developmentconclusion sections of the main one.
In this work the performer is allowed a certain amount of freedom: there are repeated chords and repeated figures in crescendoaccelerando and in decrescendo-ritardando, in which the exact number of repetitions is determined by the mood of the moment, by his sense of drama. I give him maximal and minimal limitations. Beyond them he is free; .when he feels the peak has been
25
reached, or the music has died down sufficiently, then he should stop. (Desto 7106)
starer pays a great deal of attention to the establishment of
moods within each section, and the contrasts of sound are an
important aspect of the work. The rhythms are intsnse, the
melodies free, the extreme ranges of the keyboard are explored
fully, and the dynamics and tempos are erratic and
spontaneous.
starer comes from a very different background than the
American-born Muczynski. Althcugh his influences are truly
international in scope, he also inherited the compositional
legacy common to his generation of Americans through his years
of study and teaching in the united states. He was also very
much influenced by the popular culture of his newly adopted
country.
One important aspect of starer's musical style is the influence of jazz which he had never heard in folk form before coming to the united states. This idiom is incorporated into many of his more recent compositions. starer says 'the young like to hear jazz in serious music.' (Lewis 20-21)
FORMAL STRUCT"u"RE
The first movement of Muczynski' s Sonata is an Allegro in
sonata form. The second movement is a scherzo featuring a
western-type folk song with an ostinato accompaniment. The
third movement is a slow movement featuring thematic
transformation of its main melodic material. The final
movement is in A-B-A form featuring imitation, fugato-style,
26
which concludes with a frantic coda. The attached Appendix
contains an analysis of all movements.
The thematic material in starer's one movement Sonata No.
~ al ternates between fast, rhythmic material and lyrical,
unmetered sections. Fragments of the opening material appear
interspersed throughout as a unifying device. Many of the
themes appear to be closely related and based on the same
motivic material, which serves to strengthen unification of
the structure. The elements of exposition of themes,
development of thematic material, and recapitulation are
present, al though all the themes are not presented in the
recapitulation, and then, not in their original order. The
work ends with an extensive coda in which fragments of the
themes are presented in rapid order. A complete analysis of
the work is offered in Appendix A.
The formal structures in both the Muczynski and starer
sonatas are determined by contrast of themes, textures, and
meters rather than by the traditional harmonic relationships.
It is not possible, of course: to t~se such traditional
harmonic relationships in a work that is not tonally based.
Works of the twentieth century, therefore, have to rely on
these other means to organize, separate, and provide the
tension and drama originally created by movement away from the
tonic key.
with non-tonal sonata forms, of course, tonal polarization and resolution disappeared completely; what remains is the thematic structure along with contrasting textures--one contrast between the
27
relative simplicity of the outer section and the more intense center, and another within the exposition to distinguish the first and second themes. (Rosen, Sonata Forms 330)
In both these works, drama is heightened wi thin the t..lleme area
using thematic transformation. As the theme returns later in
its original state the tension is released, bringing the drama
to a sui table close and providing a sense of finality.
Furthermore, the themes may become more complex as the piece
evolves.
HARMONIC DEVICES
As many composers of the twentieth century, Muczynski and
Starer have a tendency to avoid the use of intervals that
suggest triadic harmony, such as the third, fifth, and octave.
Instead, there are many seconds, fo~~s, si~~s, sevenths,
and ninths ("dissonant" intervals). "Our era is interested in
the dissonance rather than in the resolution. The greater
amount of dissonance in contemporary music reflects the
heightened tension and drive of contemporary life" (Mach1is
22).
The harmonies of both composers are based on the
intervals of the seventh and ninth. Muczynski, in Example 1,
uses the seventh and ninth chords alternately, filling them in
with a fourth. The effect, suggesting quarta1 harmony, is
reinforced by the left hand, which plays a series of perfect
fourth intervals.
28
Example 1: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. I, mIn. 13-1.4 =-e. ;,J. .... 1- ~. ,,, ..... ... ~ .... $.::: .:~ .: ::
,_ .. ,-
.. a.g. Z. ·'.i • ..,,;. .~_ ~~ ~.r ,,:_;.,1. ~~ _~...,I . ~ _ 1'-~. ___
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, In~.
In a similar manner, Starer thickens the texture by using
the seventh and ninth (e~~armonically) together, often adding
the fourth along wi th a second in the middle of the pi tch
stack as shown in Example 2. Despite the avoidance of triadic
harmony, the resulting chords create an interval of a third
from the bottom pitch, with two perfect fifths clustered in
the middle of the chord. This ie one of Starer1s rare hints
at tertian harmony, although it is almost totally obscured by
the presence of the other intervals. The bass line reinforces
the effect of the fifth through the appearances of consecutive
melodic fifths: the first, diminished and the remainder,
perfect. The fresh sense of twentieth century harmony is
pervasive by the second measure of the example as we witness
the presence of the perfect fifth, major sixth, major seventh,
and augmented octave played simultaneously I creating a cluster
of sound.
Example 2: Robert Starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 26-29 11 I
CI .. '1.
p
, 1 I
, I ~
.. .. 'I:JT .. '1- .. .. pt ~ -... .,...,......-: ~
ec) Copyright 1968 by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A Division of MCA INC. International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved
29
The addition of the second in the middle of the first chord in
Example 2 emphasizes the close relationship that the seventh
and ninth have to the interval of the second, as well as ~~e
terse quality of these chords.
Both composers place importance on the use of the
interval of the second throughout, even in accompanimental
figures, as demonstrated in Example 3.
Example 3: Robert starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 1-2
I I
(cl Copyright 1968 by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A Division of MCA INC International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved •
Similarly, Muczynski uses the idea of the accompanimental
minor second. Example 4 shows the movement between an E
natural and E flat, stressing from the onset of the piece the
ambiguity of tonality.
Example 4: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. I, mm. 1-3
All egro :138 !,;;. ~ l- I,.~
. - r I I t
fsostemdO i.. I I.. I
q!!:~ ~~ ~ P+te 'i:!t~ qTb~ ______ __
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
Muczynski usually avoids the direct statement of harmonic
devices, yet he often alludes to expected cadential figures,
obscuring one or more of the chordal structures. For
instance, the final cadence in the opening movement shows a
30
strong C sharp to F sharp movement in the bass, implying a V-I
cadential figure (Example 5). However, the right hand plays
a G natural against the bass C sharp, creating a diminished
fifth (rather than t.~e traditional perfect fifth in a dominant
triad) and the resulting chord resolves to an F sharp triad
with which contains both the major third (A sharp) and the
minor third (A natural). Thus, the move towards the
tonicization of F sharp has been alluded to: although obscured
with major/minor ambiguity.
Example 5: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. I, mm. 193-95
~::>. ~ i! .... :> .. ::>. I. • .
- ! . !
I ff marca:tisszmo sf! ::> ~
- ""J .- 11- #-!-. ; 1e
I L.....-....J ::> - ~-o.
1-JP ~ ~
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
Another technique that Muczynski uses to color the
statement of a tonal center is shown at the conclusion of the
third movement during the final statement of the theme. Here
he has established a cadential bass figure similar to V-I, yet
the bass moves in a diminished fifth (Example 6). This figure
is repeated for ten measures, solidifying the cadential
effect. The final chord creates a cluster around the D pitch,
alluding not to a harmonic center but, rather, a pitch center.
31
Example 6: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. III, mm. 60-63
,-..d
.". . T' ped. sZ·1l1.ite
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
MELODIC CHARACTERISTICS
t:\ ,
- I =-, P.P ~ / . . /oJ .
As was seen in the harmonic language of both composers,
the intervals of seconds, sevenths, and ninths also figure
prominently in melodic lines. The general outline of the
melodies tend toward the seventh and ninth, although Muczynski
often spells the intervals as either diminished or augmented
octaves. Example 7 shows melodic material from the first
theme group of movement one from Muczynski's Sonata. Within
each group of three tones in the right hand, the material
descends either a diminished or augmented octave
(enharmonically a major seventh or minor ninth). The left
hand step-wise motion ascends a diminished octave from a B
natural to a B flat.
Example 7: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. I, mm. 7 -8 !,..--c:---..... ~ ~ ~ .:---- . __ _
-::-- ;::v~. ~I""", ~c:; ~ . ...
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
32
Similar movement is found in the opening of Starer1s Sonata,
as shown in Example 3 (see above).
Contrary to the more typical Romantic ideal of a smooth,
flowing melodic line, the melodies of Muczynski and Starer
change direction frequently and contain wide leaps. The graph
in Example SA and B shows the disjunct melodic movement as
seen in the opening of each sonata.
Example SA: Melodic movement, Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. I, mm. 1-4
Example SB: Melodic movement, Robert starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 1-5
Starer1s melodies tend to move more erratically than those of
Muczynski, often leaping an octave or more within a phrase.
The phrase structures favored by Mucz~~ski and Starer are
often non-symmetrical. The phrase length may vary from
statement to statement creating a constant sense of excitement
and unpredictability. The opening of the Starer Sonata, shown
in Example 9, features four phrases. The opening phrase is a
two measure statement, followed by a more conclusive three bar
33
statement. The third phrase, in measure six, is related to
the first in melodic effect and contour, yet is extended an
additional measure, and the fourth phrase is again three bars
long. The asymmetrical effect is compounded by the fact that
·~he meter is constantly changing, and al~~ough ~~e second,
third,
contain
Example
~ ~
and fourth phrases are each three measures,
varying numbers of beats.
9: Robert starer, Sonata No. 2, mm. 1-11
Presto
11 ::: I: I: .. .. .. .. IE .. ..
~T f
I I
A!' » ~
~
~ i I I I I I
~ ~ ~ ~.
-
ec) Copyright 1968 by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A Division of MCA INC. International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved
they
Despite ....... ,..,. - ~-'-.l..&.c.L.L si:iiiilarities
34
in melodic structure,
Muczynski 's melodies tend to sound a bi t fulle~ and lusher
than starer's. Much of this, I believe, is due to the
rhythmic structure which underlies each. starer's melodies
tend to have a halting quality due to the emphasis he places
on short motives, the result being like outbursts of sound.
Muczynski tends to group his melodies in longer, more regular
phrases, often relating the rhythm of each motivically.
The melodies of both composers have emotive and
expressive qualities that are created by the rise and fall of
the melodic lines. The wide leaps result in a searching
quality. A more lyrical melody would rely on a combination of
conjunct and disjunct melodic patterns within the confines of
a regularly recurring phrase length, and would be partly
shaped by the underlying harmonic structure. Although the
melody and harmony of these works are inter-related, the
composers do not use a strong hierarchy of chords such as is
used to create harmonic and melodic tension-release in
traditional tonal works. Therefore, the melodies have a
tendency to be shaped in an interesting way, the climax often
being determined by the largest leaps or most dissonant
chords, or alternatively moving with the rising and falling
line. Example 10 shows how starer has shaped the melodic
interest of this senza misura section. starer, through the
use of dynamic markings, provides a great deal of assistance
to the performer in the interpretation of the melodic contour.
Example 10: Robert starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 80A-C
Quasi lento, sen= mis,,~a
I
-3
f' ... -r'
I",,, .?-
i I -
1-
Ie) Copyright 1968 by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A Division of MCA INC. International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved
RHYTHMIC STRUCTURES
35
The speed and vitality of life in the twentieth century
is felt frequently through the strengths of the rhythm in the
music of this age. In fast tempos, as can be seen in the
opening of both sonatas, the rhythm never stops. If one voice
reaches a note of longer duration, the other moves in its
place so that there is always constant motion. In slow or
more serene tempos, the motion is hindered to create a static
effect.
36
Although neither Muczynski nor starer borrow obviously
from Americanisms, as Gershwin and Copland did, their rhythms
are tinged with the same cultural influences that surround all
composers of the American school to one degree or another.
Copland, in Music and Imagi.nation, discusses the importance of
the African American influence on the music of America.
Copland states that a great rhythmical gift has been bestowed
on America through these influences.
What is the nature of this gift? First, a conception of rhythm not as a mental exercise but as something basic to ~he body's rhythmic impulse. This basic impulse is exteriorized with an insistence that knows no measure, ranging from a self-hypnotic monotony to a riotous frenzy of subconsciously controlled ~oundings. Second, an unparalleled ingenuity in the spinning out of unequal metrical units in the unadorned rhythmic line. And lastly, and most significant, a polyrhythmic structure arrived at through the combining of strongly independent blocks of sound. No European music I ever heard has even approached the rhythmic intensities obtained by five diff~ drummers, each separately hammering out his own pattern of sound, so that they enmesh with one another to produce a most complex metrical design. oriental musics contain subtle cross-rhythms of polyrhythmic implication, but we of the Americas learned our rhythmic lessons largely from the Negro. (Copland 84)
Both sonatas contain many examples of jazz-influenced
rhythms and syncopation. Muczynski, in Example ~~, exhibits
the syncopated bass line (measures 28-9) and the Latin-
influenced rhytr..m that had at this time become common in
American jazz and popular music (measures 30-3~).
37
Example 11: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Mvt. I, mm. 27-32
fI
! eJ
i ,.
Allegro moito J: 111\
.->
..... , '
-===== ~f marcaio, non legato
I
poco allarg:
r LT J r .~ j,J 11Z1 Ii'i I ,
• ... ~
.. > .. ~
a tempo
st:m;""e f
(marc.)
~
"
J ~k r-- j,~ ~ ~ -Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer. Inc.
In Example 12B, Starer shows his version of a popular bass-
rhythm of the 1950s and 60s. The source rhythm, as shown in
Example 12A, was used for many popular tunes, such as "Blue
Moon". Starer I S version adds an extra beat to create a
slightly off-balance feel, above which he places chords that
imply ninth, eleventh, and ~~irteen~~ chords, varying the
rhythm of the melodic material to create an improvised effect.
Example 12A: Source rhythm
.-----3--1
Ie •. ~ j • •• i • •
38
Example 12B: Robert starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 93-94
f!
CI
q ..
Andante mosso
~I!~L t..&~~ ~ ~j~
" I r
_'b: ~"!:' ~ .A. ~
I I I'fr I Ci if"
(c) Copyright 1968 by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A Division of MCA INC. International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved
Muczynski's rhythm is constantly driving, yet flexible
enough to bend with the frequent tempo fluctuations. Starer
establishes a driving rhythm, then interrupts it with
silences, creating outbursts of rhythmic material which are
similar to his outbursts of melodic material.
Muczynski uses the rhythm of three eighth notes followed
by a dotted quarter or half note (short, short, short, long)
to tie the movements of the work together and create unity
within the whole. This figure is first seen in the opening
bars as the main theme of the first movement (Example 4) and
is also seen as the main theme of the final movement (Example
13). Starer unifies the many contrasting sections of his work
by bringing the machine-like opening back intermittently
throughout the piece.
39
, ~.. ~ M:.. :M ~.
eJ _; •• );wo, • ;::::::::::~ SeTIZa ped. ... P;..".~
Reprinced by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
From the beginning of the twentieth century, composers
began to break down the tyranny of the bar line, exploring
rhythmic displacement, improvisation, and other techniques.
Muczynski and starer are heirs of this trend as evidenced by
the emphasis they place on the importance of rhythmic freedom.
The starer Sonata has several sections composed as unmeasured
and unmetered (senza misura, Example 14) encouraging a great
deal of freedom on t..l-te part of the performer. This freedom is
also wi tnessed in the several instructions such as "Repeat
chord not less than nine times, not more than thirteen."
Starer does not try to manipulate the final outcome
completely, as the overall effect is more important than the
specific details.
Even in the metered sections, starer attempts to obscure
the effect of a bar line through the use of frequently
changing meters. "The twentieth-century composer is apt to
avoid four-measure rhythm. He regards it as too predictable,
hence unadventurous. He prefers to challenge the ear with
non-symmetrical rhythms that keep the listener on his toes"
(Machlis 33).
Example 14: Robert starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 25A-D
~ «J
( CI
f% J~
~ode:-:lto. u~:.a 1111~ura ~--.
~ :~ ) ~: ~:~ .. .. ~. 1;\ -, I ~ ~.~L
-:::~ i ../ : I
P FP ~ ----;- --=p =---... ~ ! I ~
".~,J~ ?'-"" :; 1f·~U~
) ~~-!;- •. a II- I_
f ,:t~
~ • = ~~ '~ "e t1.a.
; ; : ? ;;
--- '--:--7 mf F.P
F.P~ s
5 " § ~ f-; ; --- ~ 7f ~
_ 8-, ~ - ~#~.; = ~~ -,t!..
pp
--
7----' ..
-f===--PP -
l-
(e) Copyright 1968 by ~ICA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A Division of MCA INC. International Copyrignt Secured All Rights Reserved
40
It is rare that starer maintains the same meter for two
measures in a row. Example 15 shows the meters of the first
eleven bars of the work, where there is no pattern to his
metrical usage (See also Example 9 above). The measures seem
to exist only to ease the performer's task of organization.
Example 15: Meter changes, Robert starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 1-11
6 8
3 8
5 8
4 8
3 8
5 8
6 8
3 8
5 8
3 8
5 8
41
Through frequently changing meters, numerous tempo
changes, and use of rubato, Muczynski also gives reign to
rhythmic freedom, albeit within a strictly controlled
environment. Although both composers attempt to obscure the
bar line and sense of meter, Muczynski, through the use of
specific notation, retains more compositional control than
starer. Muczynski also frequently uses asymmetric meters and
frequently changes the rhythmic structure of a theme in its
reappearance. For example, the first theme of the opening
movement originally appears in 5/4 (See Example 4 above), but,
at its return in the recapitulation, it is in 3/2 (Example
16). Examples 17A and 17B show similar treatment of a theme
in the third movement.
Example 16: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Mvt. I, mm. 148-49
.pe=zie",l .... il tema marc.
Ijj">j , ,
P'&. ~ II::~. ,~ I = sost. bj; DIP I - _ Pf" '1 L PF"
::> > Reprinted by PermiSSion of G. Schirmer, Inc.
42
Example 17A: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Mvt. III, mm. 1-3
calltabil~ COIL ~.~prt1sSi,mt! -; fI , ~
I e; ~Io~' ... ~ .... IDT~. ..... ~
I .. ' I tr~· I' 'I ~i :771' I 'i ~ I I I ':i-1 cresco p molto leg(l/r) ==-
-.... ::= ~~
DJ:[ _
lfr ~;= !nr py ~- -~, b;b; ,.
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
Example 17B: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Mvt. III, mm.53-59
.\.~ Tempo menD mosso_ ."::94
espresso I 1'\ -I ~ - ..
I eJ L.fJ"-a It r~-u , rj-~ I f" ~-r:r ~ p sempre legato
.:... pp ...-t"- P ~ .A-
.... ' ~ .... 1,....-00" .... ~ ... ~
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
Both Sonatas contain ostinatos that evade bar line
boundaries. The six note ostinato pattern in Example 18 does
not coincide wi th the phrase or rhythmic structure of the
melody. The playful asymmetry of the voices and the implied
3/4 meter enhance the scherzo-like quality of this movement.
43
Example 18: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. II, mIll. 1-12
-
so"tenuto I~
l.h. sempre stacc.,sen::a ped.
.....
, i
.f,.... !
-
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
In a similar manner, Starer;s Sonata No.2 contains a
double ostinato as shown in Example 19. This is one of the
rare moments that the meter remains stable in this work. The
two measure figure in the left hand is offset by a seven note
pattern in the right hand. After several measures the left
hand breaks off the pattern wi th the addi tion of melodic
tones, but the right hand ostinato remains constant. The
effect of the seven eighth notes moving across the meter of
five is very unsettling and creates the effect of twc
asymmetrical meters happening simultaneously.
44
Example 19: Robert starer, Sonata No.2, mm. 136-44
b~ 8-
Il Allegro b .. ;r ... .0-
eJ
~ 0: bbL bb~ ,. bb~ ,.
eJ tI CJ n' tI - - 4-
q~ b~ 8~. q:e b~ 8-:
q~ I: b.& _' .IL bL ~6. ,... ~ .0- +- ,... -
eJ
Il b~~"! b~~ .. bb.a!: ;,
eJ ... ... + v - -b~ 8?Ti b~ 8~
b ... q. b£ b~ q~ b'" Il - ,... ~ ~ ,... ~
eJ
Ibb~ Il bb~ .... >- " ~ tJ ' . .... .., I " -I ... - --(cl Copyright 1968 by MCA M'JSIC POBLZSHING, A Division of MCA INC.
International Copyright Secured All rtights Reserved
KEYBOARD USAGE AND ~ERFORMANCE CONSIDr~ATIONS
Textural contrasts appear to be important to both of
these composers, although their general tendency is toward
achieving clarity of texture.
In pulling away from the emotional exuberance of the Postromantic era, composers turned also against the sumptuous texture that was its ultimate manifestation. • • Composers broke up the thick chordal fabric of the late Romantic style; they shifted from opulent tone mass to pure line, from sensuous harmony and iridescent color to sinewy melody and transparency of texture. (Machlis 38-9)
45
Both compositions tend toward a two voice texture, although
Muczynski is more likely to double the octave to thicken the
sound.
Contrast is also provided through the use of the full
. range of the keyboard. Since bot..'t]. composers are fine pianists
themselves, they effectively manipulate the instrument to
achieve its full potential of sounds and colorations.
Registral extremes are utilized often for this effect. Starer
is very free in his registral usage, often making drastic
changes of register in mid-phrase, while Muczynski tends to
add registrational variations upon the repeat of a phrase or
melodic unit, as he does when the second theme material from
the opening movement is presented at a lower octave in the
recapitulation (Example 20 A and B). This, in effect, paired
with the rhythmic variation used, is one way in which
Muczynski provides new interest through thematic
transformation.
Example 2 OA: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata r Opus 22, Mvt. I, mIn. 69-71
Andante con espressione J:e:,.I1 __ -:---,.._
I
P 1JU)lta legaio
~I -=====-
~-"'"]' - - ~
Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer. Inc.
46
Example 20B: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Oous 22, Mvt. I, mIn. 86-89
a tC111:TJO (an,dante)
~ 8-~;S;:~:;;·~i~r.~·=~,LO::.'.1 10 .. ···:~~ .. :'~A"":' .. :.:~ "- ...
i ~ .. p sempre legato
marc. 1 11_1 1.1 L-t--I
o
~------------~------------i
rit, I ••
q-e-.- -t· Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
In contrast, starer will leap across several octaves within
one phrase. Example 23 shows the return of the opening
material (see Example 10 above) as it appears later in the
exposition. To provide contrast to t..lJ.e earlier appearance, he
makes this one much more expansive through the use of octave
displacement.
Example 21: Robert starer, Sonata No 2 mm 45-48 . , .
I ,
1'1 I I
CI "!' ;..
, , f I I 1
f I I I
fr. ..... .. • -c1
- ~~
I I I I I CI I
I i , , q~ ... - --..
"!' CI,,!, I I (cl Copyright 1968 by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A DiviSion of MCA INC. International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved
47
Coloristic effects created by pedals frequently have a
strong effect on textures in terms of depth, clarity, and
contrast. Through the use of the sostenuto pedal and damper
pedal there are a great many opportunities to blend sound and
create interesting effects. Frequently, rich sonorities and
flowing passages rely on the use of the sostenuto pedal in
combination with the damper pedal to obtain the desired effect
(Example 22). The· sostenuto pedal may be depressed and held
for the four bar phrase in order to assist in the sustaining
of the held bass note. This is especially important for those
pianists who have difficul ty reaching the interval of the
ninth, and allows all pianists to concentrate on shaping ~~e
line in the tenor. The damper pedal also needs to be utilized
here in order to blend and shape the interacting harmonies of
the upper two lines.
Example 22: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata. Opus 22, Mvt. II, nun. 37-45
ll.'~
1\1
~
'-.' 'j"- Wi -- 1 ---:'1"- I -"I :"-I-J "-I
I~.--====!
- Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
A similar technique is created in the third movement of
the Muczynski Sonata, as the slow sonorities that are so heavy
48
and ponderous in the opening of this movement give way to a
more ethereal, transparent texture. The use of the "una
corda" pedal in combination with the damper pedal helps to
blur sonorities and darken the timbre; the pianist can then
create an atmosphere where a singular melody rings out above
a wash of sound.
Articulations and attacks are extremely influential on
textural masses. Frequently, each voice within a two voice
texture has a different articulation. The second movement of
the Muczynski Sonata is an excellent example of this charming
texture (see Example 18 above). The right hand melody is to
be played legato, while the accompanimental figure in the left
hand is staccato and light.
Dynamics also offer much contrast, often changing from
note to note. A highly emotional environment is created,
especially in the slower sections, through the use of
whispering pianissimos, intense crescendos, and thundering
fortissimos. This climactic building can be seen in Example
23, as Muczynski transforms the character of the opening theme
within the space of five measures from a soft, simple
restatement to a forte, dramatic variation of the main theme.
This transformation is achieved not only through the use of
dynamics, but also through extension of a narrow keyboard
range to a full use of all registers, and through the
thickening density of the chords.
Example 23: Robert Muczynski, Second Sonata, Opus 22, Mvt. III, mm. 31-35
Tempo primo inqu£eto
. , =-----p cresc.
tenuto allarg:
1 - b.a _ !:1..-- ...
------ r I
. , ~
,
.A b ... ft
.-1.- '"" .
( v f
) ~ to] 1
~~: .. : .
I 'I r J -••
f
--10
~ q~·· ... 11ifL
>L ~ --777
~"" 1 'I ", I I
'. O....:~ __ .,
""J
~¥s i1 a tempo, ma poco me:w 71w~so
~ __ ~A~-~-~ ____ -J~~ ______ ~
(maestoso) ~
b .. ~ k- ~£ -- .~ :e 1-" .A ~~A~~ t,;b; ~p;:= z=
. - ... .
" .... ~ 5! ".
q~ = brilIante --.;;;, ~3 'r , P"'f ;n' f
t.- ~bi 12 ....... :>
~= -/1 I 1 l.... 1 ,
1 ......
..!- - I
Z2:- - . ~ :It ~_... P-- -------------- >-Reprinted by Permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
49
Example 14 (see above) from the first "senza misura"
section of the Starer Sonata shows travel through a wide
t::ontrast of dynamic range occurring very quickly. These
changes reinforce the idea of "outbursts" of sound discussed
previously and are achieved both by the use of rapid
crescendos and diminuendos, and by sudden changes of dynamic
level. Both techniques are seen in the second line of this
example. Within a very short span of time the dynamics move
from pianissimo to forte, and then back to pianissimo.
There are many technical challenges facing a performer of
these works. Large stretches with filled-in pitches require
50
fairly large, strong hands. There are moments that require
great technical facility, such as the alternating hand passage
at the opening of the starer Sonata (Example 9 above) and the
rapid passagework in the coda of the final movement of the
Muczynski Sonata. The insistent wide leaps need to be quick
and accurate.
However, in addition to the extensive technical
difficulties, per~aps the greatest challenge to the performer
is achieving unification of the many contrasting sections that
make up these works. The performer needs to understand the
overall connection between the seemingly fragmented sections
so common in twentieth-century works in order to properly
interpret them.
Thorough analysis is useful in the performance of music
of all periods, but its need is perhaps most marked in the
music of the twentieth century. If one examines the music of
earlier periods, contrasting sections are common, but
transitions between sections are generally prepared and
smoothly executed. The unifying factors in such music are the
inherent logic of tonal relationships and the balanced formal
structures. However, in twentieth century music, as evidenced
by the sonatas of Mucz}~ski and starer, it is more common for
contrasts between varied elements to be abrupt, for
repetitions to be asymmetrical, for statements to appear
suddenly and unprepared. However, performers must understand
that unity is achieved through the composers' ability to put
51
that which appears capricious and arbitrary within the logical
constraints of a disciplined and expansive formal structure.
52
CONCLUSIONS
The sonata form has been an important compositional tool
for two ha~dred years. The form has adapted and changed to
fit the changing compositional and stylistic trends that have
come and gone, yet the same basic structure has survived. The
exposition, characterized by presentation of contrasting
thematic material, has developed from the simple tonic
dominant or tonic-relative major relationships utilized in
earlier models to include more adventurous chromatic
al terations of later composers. The use of the sonata form in
non-tonal styles has forced abandonment of key relationships
entirely, and the form is dependent upon changes of thematic
material, dynamics, and textures to signify formal divisions.
Similarly, the development section, showing the
versatility of musical material as it is re-worked through
various manipulations, and the recapitulation section,
presenting the thematic material one last time, have retained
their essential functions and purposes over time. Again, key
relationships are not determinants of formal structure in
works which are based on non-tonal compositional practices.
53
Instead, formal organization is based upon the contrasting
charc:'.::ters of thematic material.
Just as it was in its initial usage, the sonata form is
an effective means of organization for current compositional
trends. Robert Muczynski and Robert starer demonstrate in
their second Sonatas that the sonata form can be utilized
effectively within contemporary idioms.
The results of the analysis demonstrate that these two
sonatas have similar stylistic effects, despite the dissimilar
compositional techniques. Perhaps extra-musical influences
helped to shape these two works into a style which we
recognize as "twentieth-century American." Throughout the
twentieth century, the world has become increasingly :more
capable of rapid interaction; truly making ours a global
community. However, strong nationalistic characteristics
persist, much as there are regional speech dialects and
customs. Similarly , compositional techniques may vary between
composers of the same generation, yet contemporary trends
common to the culture of the composers can have a significant
unifying influence on the resultant style of their works.
Muczynski and starer are unquestionably part of the
American School--composers born and/or educated here who share
a common culture--but, does that fact make these sonatas
"American music?" Are the similarities noted in this study
rooted in an "American" style? It may not be possible to
define "American" style, although many have tried. Certainly,
54
the Afro-Caribbean rhythmic qualities found in jazz, much of
it developed by African Americans, have been an important
factor and influence on both the serious and popular music of
t..ltis century. Aaron Copland, making an attempt to identify an
American style of music, comes to the conclusion that rhythm
is the aspect that sets American composers apart from others
around the world.
Confining ourselves to serious music, there seems to me no doubt that if we are to lay claim to thinking inventively in the music of the Americas our principal stake must be a rhythmic one.
For some years now rhythm has been thought to be a special province of the music of both Americas. Roy Harris pointed this out a long time ago when he wrote: "our rhythmic sense is less symmetrical than the European rhythmic sense. European musicians are trained to think of rhythm in its largest common denominator, while we are born with a feeling for its smallest units. • • We do not employ conventional rhythms as a sophistical gesture: we carJlot avoid them. • ." (Copland 83)
Copland explained that the European notion of rhythm is to
think of it as part of a phrase. American musicians are more
likely to see rhythms in their smallest sense, not confined by
a phrase structure. Copland felt that this rhythmic sense,
along with the influences of nearby Latin America and of
polyrhythmic drumming derived from Africa, has made a profound
impact on art music in the United states. In their second
Sonatas, Robert Muczynski and Robert Starer exhibit a strong
tendency toward jazz-influenced rhythm, polyrhythm and
rhythmic freedom, and percussive sounds. At least as defined
by Copland, one could say that they are composing in an
American style. At the very least, one can see the influence
55
that the diverse American cultural experience has had on the
Second Sonatas of these two composers.
To be sure, overt nationalistic tones are frequently
considered "American". However, many composers (among them,
George Gershwin and Henry Cowell) have gone yet further in
their definitions, suggesting that, just like a patchwork
quilt, "American music" is a multi-colored, lively tradition
that encompasses a variety of musical languages, bound
together by some common threads of cultural background and an
independent American spirit.
The music of the American School follows no single formula. Rather, it reflects the contradictory tendencies in our national character: our jaunty humor, and our sentimentality; our idealism and our worship of material success; our rugged individualism, and our wish to look and think like everybody else; our visionary daring, and our practicality; our ready emotionalism, and our capacity for intellectual pursuits. All of these and more are abundantly present in a music tr~thas bigness of gesture, vitality, and all the exuberance of youth. (Machlis 378)
American composers have subscribed to the use of American
folk music and jazz, have rejected it in favor of
internationalism, or have stood somewhere in the middle of the
first two positions. I believe that Muczynski and starer fall
in this last category: One can easily hypothesize that, at a
minimum, environmental and social factors may have played a
role in the composition of their Second Sonatas, as well as
their stylistic features.
In any case, these sonatas are excellent contributions
from these composers to American piano literature, rife as
56
they are with ingenuity and craftsmanship. These two works
claim their place in the intertwined musical and social world
of mid-twentieth century America. The Sonatas will survive
over time due to their refreshing individuality and innovation
as exhibited through the best of the composers' considerable
talents, effectively drawing upon recent compositional trends,
as well as borrowing the useful aspects of a long musical
tradition.
APPENDIX A Formal structure
ROBERT MUCZYNSKI: SECOND SONATA. OPUS 22
Movement I: Allegro
Allegro, Key center E
57
Exposition Theme 1 Theme 2 (m. 28) Allegro molte, Key center C sharp
moving to B flat Theme 3 (m. 69) Andante con espressione,
Key Center D
Development A (m. 94) embellishment of Theme 1,
Key center E flat B (m. 131) embellishment of Theme 2,
Key center C sharp
Recapitulation Theme 1 (m. 148) Maestoso: Tempo primo,
Key center E flat Theme 3 (m. 173) Andante, Key center D Theme 2 (m. 185) Allegro, Key center F
Movement II: Con mote, ma non tanto
A a Key center B flat a' (m. 25)
B b (m. 37) Key center A c (m. 51) b (m. 65)
A a' , (m. 83) Key center A a I r D (m. 95) Key center B flat
Movement III: Molto Andante
A Key center B
B b (:m. 9) Key center E flat b' (m. 25) Key center E
A a' (m. 31) Key center E a (m. 45) Key center B a' , (m. 53) Key center D
58
Movement IV: Allegro molto
A a Key center F a' (m. 17) a' I (m. 40)
B b (m. 61) Key center C c (m. 82) b' (m. 101)
A a (m. 114) Key center F a' I I (m. 1.23)
Coda (m. 139)
ROBERT STARER: SONATA NO. 2
I. A Presto B (m. 25A) Moderato-senza misura C (m. 26) Allegretto A' (m. 40) Presto 0 (m. 57) Lo stesso tempo E (m. 80A) Quasi lento-senza misura F (m. 93) Andante mosso
II. A I , (m. 109) Presto C· (m. 121) Allegretto B' (m. 127A) G (m. 128) Allegro (related to C)
III. B' , (m. 135A) Moderato-sensa misura G' (m. 136) 0 ' (m. 154) Presto G' , (m. 172) Allegro E' (m. 189) Andante
IV. A (m. 217) Presto includes material related to F (m.234), A (m. 241), 0 (m. 243), F (m. 259), o (1:1.. 268), and B (m. 286)
APPENDIX B
Robert Muczynski: Written Interview, April 4, 1994
What would you consider to be your main compositional influence?
(teachers, composers/compositions, styles, etc.) a< haN= NO ;'J~
td:2~~';!:;·:S;!~;)Z~It:2!,::1:i§ ~::J:~;'Z-1h1lt 1l!lNk "'",, -?"tiM-S' n "st11,u; ttl" 'J MA-p ~ 'hr,l .. < LIM CaNtHi"--8-~!)j~1-1lI LfD~s ~Ab~~~ 1~1; 't.+.J...nv;.k~ .. ~
Is there a particular composer(s) (e~ther living or deceaSed) whose
works you particularly admire? Why? ;X,y.Ja:tti,,;rs. I?gcl., TI ed+'{~
Cbop!:"'; S41i..Lo..5 tp<1. r .. "")""'" ~n.t%·1NM- w!<;r'e /4t1"'v:%.:s~-
1ti·~n;::~r'~1:z;:t;;;;;:t;~~i ~ ~itt.c. s.c--4t,S ~ rff1..... Mpp.t-c..<;-~ ~P-4- ~c..r ~ "SOrJIJp UKblt-t~ How do you regard the role of melody, ha=ony, rhythm, texture,
and/or form? In your works, is there one aspect that takes
precedence over others? .S> Aw aPrlt"l1' t1u"",d -t.W 11~IAlE'~-I"'t'l.S'''c,
~~I ~~-t h~ ~ J~"a.c.4:~~t-1"~~vtiO'h ~ '1<s;c, ;31= $ & e = .. £ u .. i to ~
.&.,..~~ t,4 ... t; tk'=pS'=t C«1d"UA-"'~ 16M H C 10M +-~'1; tJ; BJ IljeAM-~flAJ((,,&c:. )h(M..(,t"";$,A.i...~: ~s~1tfV • ;trw..{k:a!o.....a1 ~;.
How would you classify your compositional style? How has thislY"'()IlI: dl style evolved over the years? ~dcrC!l.Ot;'iels.5f"h~·--~ t!'n.<p.;1;,.J,.t1 ~1I~Yn1'h trr ii 5cm,qJ Ac.1i4 -liMai'> tis 1 .. rltc'teV j .t";"'; Ian :tc'"s, eo r _ 1 _ 1 )
1AY\fy:L~ )~ 'Goo /7),.1:'1< i't41 it,,± il baw Ib, if! cn elLe:f'..v......, ";.:1;:,, (s%:- ~D'\-I ", ~)
~; ... t" ...... .;:ih SU,C!,.qzC1a ;nu'ts H d't na.,S g1~;;o {\/(J /I'/'1rJMC'r ct. ~S'D/ ~o .sF' ... A~ .lAetI.J, ss 'b~ 1d",n 'j o..~ ~.z.;" .f.. ddk t~SR.. 4 J-tAA~-~~~~J- "-~ 1-~S"i~.
Do you feel that there is a."1 "American" school of musical
composition? If so, what factors have shaped thi~ lj~le? How have
these influences affected your individual idiom? V~ ThUjlo,sO""I'V S4.~ /I..9t ;5' ~ .LASca ±p lv c;.,.../1~ ,'eilM OMj>05M" -- tJ..ll 1p"o< k4"v-t.. t-o
d...o [ 5 .L J.,..., M ...cc -kW<11~A Oe J ""\.,ni,t" y.do,--&:.:ux .. , h,;" J 'g co. (, ri c. ~ "1.o-f.S" .. ·.- '!1 CDURSk" ot( G", is <bA "bn;c,qA .. 8boe{ rq "'"" u'cU C""1',,,c,t;,,,,, • 1$ w .... st:!!· ) rQ" gn 1 J ~"at,.,.1 ~.e." r a'"Gq 41 rr-tfcllV
/h~J.s C ~ooJ.. .,J./Lt~t 5" ;ood..) IIOL&ot- -tk"··· ik.... ~ f~ ..f.~-tL.t.. ~C/lN\. fr..U:" IS so" ~ ~UtClM.+ ~c.~ i£..ti., \ )-rok-~t ~ YzI)t(1\V i~4,-+-lu,,-f'h.~ .(~ J-RA.4( ~-r ~ -t~h.. ' [~S ~ ~ l TJ...vr J..~t CMt.. $0 ~,h ~t Lve> k.k ~'Lv'rS!!
59
How much interpretive freedom do you feel the performer should have
4'/;h::':' A:t:;;:::5't ~ZlSi;;:~~ ~:~~.~' 8c..-t' ~ alaUy &1: "0,....., :tks!:V:' rJllm = a1:'Cc (' tV': U ;qlifr~ --"""""- -f:<...a.+~ O./(. ~- IhwC.N~ .. \ -rZ!MPO (~p" J it;~ ~~'l'O't +~1:"= ~coo ~~l= BAr
From your perspective as composer/performer, whatiadvice would YOu~ have for pianists performing your second piano sonata? PPh'i-1~ a....s.{~ 1:
& ~oou:±tt;.., $q,J'Cs llrt .. ;t eLy N 01 td, d,tApm" ~ rlJ &j.... p ate ~ DUiN "..i.,uSS" fa ..f;L7'J)'t 1Lq:t=&nv 4..ttM.G:~< 'Mi='Aom::4,"0">9~S
....,-J ) - IA':- ' I ~ -L I.P~ "P'"' ~~ "T.J,M.. g:.....rnrvv,li 1, \ ... /lAOS' .... )",st: Et=:e 1'>1 1>:-- ~,,~
~mC;s s" A~P,....-t; TJ......,.'FI'..c:~J.. scO"\+ /" ~ " Doe&~J.. ~~i:0:cm-.pO$.(N~I!"':-t<-~~3i+:vi ~!~i·i~)T~~o-J.. ~1C11;fG.~ i:J..c,.. ""'~ .e. " 1- - C .
My s1:udy, of your Second Sonata for Piano. Op. 22 includes a
discussion of other (f"""andmar9 American piano sonatas of the same
period. Do you feel that the culture and generation of which you
are a product had an influence on this composition or other of your
musical composition seemed to be of the utlllost importance, did you
choose to compose in the traditional form of the sonata? What do
you think of David Burge' s COm1:lent "Sometime in the middle of the
1950s the need to write a piano sonata suddenly evaporated.
Composers in Ameri~, jarred by the resonances of strange sounds
and echoes of new procedures coming from overseas and even from
rebels in their own midst, set off in new directions."? (Twentieth
Century Piano Music, 1990)
~f¥=t:·:::;e~.Et::;/;J!::::,1;r~ ,ji = /~~r:ea~:: f::::;t:;;:7!::::t:}? ~~. u.
- - --u--:..... . 'IJ {M~ ~'i Sm'fp 1'1A'A1 d'DtI'AIIrXVQ ;wrun;;i;"'B -vb Nt I:uit " B ~ CON7tMPO.t~t.,
~~'f.I<I' ~t t.~ 1if'tl.. ~k4l ~~ .. tiD'l.oI Pi/1;lr..tf"CI?'-~-&.t~\J"1. ~+- { . ~ 1t-~l'd-!~1~crt-1\7~ ~ZW\D~)I ~A01"-t
60
61
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