L. Mark Anderson

Contemporary composer Michael Nyman is well-known and admired for his film scores. The Piano Concerto (1993), adapted from the score of the film The Piano, exemplifies Nyman’s distinctive style through post-minimalist rhythmic drive and melodic lyricism. Despite its artistic merit, the work has received limited attention from music presenters, performers, and scholars. Establishing this concerto in the concert repertoire not only enriches contemporary orchestral programming but also broadens audiences’ exposure to innovative, film-inspired concert music. This project seeks to revitalize the concerto’s potential for impactful, broadly appealing performance by offering detailed interpretative and technical analyses of the work’s form, narrative, and piano writing, creating a guide that is relevant to skilled pianists and piano pedagogy professionals.My analysis of The Piano Concerto is centered around the work’s vast potential for communicating musical narrative, a concept which stimulates meaningful performance for performers and listeners. This dissertation reveals significant musical and thematic underpinnings that I reached through methodical analysis of the music’s form, semantic connotations, and stylistic variety, revealing a work that simultaneously expands the scope of the concerto genre and is rooted in the Western classical tradition. This narrative analysis is primarily inspired by Almén (2008), who classifies the narratives of musical pieces into Frye’s (1957) four mythological genres: romance, tragedy, irony, and comedy. This dissertation argues The Piano Concerto to be a narrative comedy, wherein transgressive musical elements overcome other elements that initially seem more significant. The concerto’s form and narrative are analyzed in conjunction with folk music references, the nature of the piano’s relationship with the orchestra, the usage of different keys and modes, minimalist typology after Leydon (2002) and Eaton (2008), and the progression of affective qualities influenced by all the above.The Piano Concerto’s thematic material is comprised entirely of music from the film score. The concerto’s narrative arc imitates that of the film, confirming their parallel conception. The performance guide in this dissertation advises the soloist how to musically portray the narrative through varying methods of stylistic and technical execution. In general, my findings reveal how narrative interpretation can significantly inform musical execution.

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While the link between practice in general and flow in musical performance has been previously established, little research has been conducted on the specific practice behaviours of pianists. This study examined the practice behaviours of adolescent and young-adult classical pianists at professional or near-professional performance level through the lens of Mihali Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory and the theory of deliberate practice proposed by K. Anders Ericsson, Ralf T. Krampe, and Clemens Tesch-Römer. Through semi-structured interviews conducted over Zoom, seven pianists between the ages of 14 and 22 were interviewed about their practice habits and performance preparation behaviours. Additionally, four of the participating students’ current teachers and one past teacher common to all participating students were interviewed to compile a list of terms used to reference specific practice behaviours across participating pianists. A list of practice methods used commonly by participants in this study was compiled, and participants’ other practice behaviours were categorized into practice approaches and performance preparation techniques. Although the link between deliberate practice and flow has been previously established by researchers including Eduardo Passarotto et al., this study reaffirms the connection between the two, providing insights into specific ways classical pianists engage in deliberate practice—using practice methods, practice approaches, and performance preparation techniques—to achieve optimal performance on stage and help elicit flow experiences.

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Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951), a Russian composer, is deserving of greater recognition for his music, particularly his art songs. Unfortunately, his songs have been critically neglected in the art song repertoire, both in terms of performance and scholarly research. This can be attributed to various factors, such as his uncompromising musical beliefs, high philosophical ideals, and the inherent complexity of his compositions, both in interpretation and musical demands.The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to provide performers with a gateway to approach Medtner's art songs, specifically focusing on his Op. 9 No. 1 and all four songs of Op. 45. To accomplish this, a comprehensive understanding of the composer is necessary, including his musical philosophy, beliefs, motivations, and personal relationships. Medtner's lifelong affinity for poetry serves as a starting point, which involves delving into his upbringing and interactions with others to elucidate his strong musical philosophy.The investigation then turns to Medtner's treatise, titled "The Muse and the Fashion," which provides insights into his controversial thoughts and motivations concerning music and his compositional process. By comprehending his firm musical philosophy and ideology, the subsequent analysis gains context and informs the exploration that follows. The study of these songs begins by examining the poetry and exploring how Medtner imbued meaning into his music based on his interpretation of the poems. Finally, the analysis narrows down to Op. 9 No. 1 and all four songs of Op. 45. The inclusion of the Op. 45 songs is significant, as they showcase Medtner's frequent utilization of innovative techniques with complex poetry. Conversely, Op. 9 No. 1 exemplifies his profound emotional connection with the poetry.Overall, this doctoral thesis seeks to shed light on Nikolai Medtner's underappreciated art songs and aims to provide performers with valuable insights and guidance in their interpretation and presentation of his works.

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First published in 1922 by Carl Fischer Music in New York, Alberto Jonas’ monumental seven-volume Master School of Modern Piano Playing and Virtuosity isthe most comprehensive early twentieth-century treatise on piano playing. The present study provides a survey of the rise of the piano’s popularity, evolution of piano construction, and development of piano playing technique during the nineteenth century, as well as comparative studies of preparatory exercises found in commonly used volumes during Jonas’ lifetime, namely Franz Liszt’s Technical Studies (1873), Carl Tausig’s Daily Studies (1873), and Rafael Joseffy’s School of Advanced Piano Playing (1910). This thesis illustrates how the Master School’s scope and content surpassed those found in these pre-existing works. In comparison to the aforementioned works, the distinctive qualities of the Master School include its wider range of technical exercises; its inclusion of novel skills previously unexplored in the piano repertoire; its wealth of preparatory exercises for specific repertoire, accompanied by citations of specific examples that can be employed to practice specific technique; and its inclusion of essays on more refined aspects of piano playing such as pedaling, phrasing, and rhythm. This study posits that the Master School filled the need for a single comprehensive treatise on piano playing in the early twentieth century.

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