AbstractsPsychology

A Study and Performance Guide to Luciano Berio's Six Encores pour piano

by Jinyoung Kim




Institution: The Ohio State University
Department: Music
Degree: DMA
Year: 2014
Keywords: Music; Luciano; Berio; Six Encores
Record ID: 2031782
Full text PDF: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397596839


Abstract

Considered one of Italy’s greatest modernist composers, Luciano Berio (1925-2003) brings creativity in Six Encores pour piano that require performing artists to effectively communicate his or hers imagination through challenging performance techniques. Six Encores pour piano emphasizes Berio’s imaginary of the elements (water, earth, air, and fire), pushing the performer to create an audible interpretation of a visual and bringing the pianist to his or her limits of control and subtlety in “Brin”, and “Leaf”. This formal study of Berio’s work provides a guideline to the six encores, which were influenced by Schoenbergian twelve-tone techniques and are excellent examples of contemporary works for a pianist to study and perform.The first half of this document (Chapters 2, 3, and 4) will provide a brief biography of the artist, followed by a brief survey of Six Encores pour piano. I will also discuss three additional piano works (Cinque Variazioni, Sequenza IV, and Rounds) to examine Berio’s piano style. In particular, a study of the compositional style influenced from atonality, the textural layers used, and the rhythmic complexities the performer might experience will be discussed. In addition, meter and tempo changes, dynamic contrast, and pedal application will be analyzed in an effort to establish issues that may arise in the practice and performance of these works. Lastly, the range of the keyboard used and how the hands are positioned across the keyboard will be discussed in an effort to present technical difficulties that may occur during a performance.In the second half of this document (Chapters 5) I will provide a formal study and performance guidelines to Berio’s Six Encores pour piano. In conjunction with the study of the selected piano works by Berio, these chapters will provide significant and useful information for performers to better express musical interpretation of each of four pieces based on natural elements, and to better tackle technical aspects of the two later works.