Medtner - Sonata-Ballade No.8, Op.27

I listen to Medtner's Sonata-Ballade No.8, Op.27 as a celebration of life, with all of its peaks and troughs. Especially given that today I am reminiscing on the good times I had with a good friend and also missing having him around a lot (during these strange times), this piece is especially fitting!

Rather than attempting a musical analysis today, I will once again point out my favorite passages with a click-by-click walkthrough. I really enjoy pianist Geoffrey Tozer's rendition of the piece; his Debussy recordings are fantastic as well.

I. Allegretto

(0:00) Warm opening theme in F# major that immediately draws in the listener.
(5:17) The entire remainder of the first movement (through 9:37) is one extended beautiful moment, with some of the following landmarks:
- (5:17-5:36) The reprise of the opening theme in A major.
- (5:36~6:32) Medtner recasts the original introduction in F# minor to haunting effect.
- (7:26-7:59) Long measure-by-measure sequential transition from F# major to f# minor!
- (7:59-end) Ridiculous extended passage with beautiful anger around 8:13 with the sudden slowdown from adirato (It. 'wrathful'), 8:21 with the stratospheric appassionato (It. 'passionate'), and another dramatic appassionato at 8:48 who energy does not dissipate until the end of the movement.

II. Introduzione e Finale

Introduzione: Mesto

(9:38) Theme of fugue to come and returning melodic motif first played here.
(10:46) Tempo picks up slightly at tenebroso (It. 'dark' or 'somber') with a subdued but driving rhythm. The pace continues to quicken through 11:12.
(11:12) Brilliant arpeggios and daring harmonies last for just a short few moments.
(12:04) The sudden rumbling and flashes of lightning (I'm not referring to any real symbolism here, this is just what I imagine) caught me by surprise. Tozer gives these lines a really compelling dynamic (volume) contour.
(12:14) This insane multiplication of tempo and the sheer volume of sound Tozer conjures out of the piano is fanatical. Contrast this with the delicacy of the opening of the finale!

Finale: Allegro

(12:45) The complete musical idea Medtner strings from 12:45 through 14:12 is completely addictive. Some awesome moments:
- (13:15) Melody stated once on all the offbeats of the inner voice of the right hand, and then immediately played in the inner voice of the left hand with echoes in the right hand continuing in triplets from 13:17 through 13:27. I love how the echo is at once distant and ethereal but also so resonant.
- (13:22) This expansive moment through 13:39 (and especially the 'bass drop' at 13:27) also gets me every time.
- (13:39) The ethereal echo of the left hand tenor-range melody in the right hand part through 14:02 is gorgeous (and the melody itself, which is so warm and comforting in its undulations).
(14:26) Replica of musical idea from 12:45 to 13:39, with shift to F minor at 14:57
- (14:56) Melody on offbeats
- (15:03) Expansive moment ('bass drop' at 15:09)
(15:29) Fugue begins here...
- (16:00) ...and again here...
- (16:25) ...and again here!
(18:32) Restart of original opening figure of the finale
(19:00) Divergence from that opening; novel restatements of the finale theme
(19:23) Canon of the melody from left to right hand (with dense triplet embellishments)!
(19:58) Canon ends here, with beautiful harmonic motion driven by chords in left hand; the chromaticism is so rich (especially at 20:03)!
(20:12) Fantastic scintillating closure to the finale!

Hope you enjoyed the piece with the walkthrough; leave your comments below and share it with your friends!

Bach - Italian Concerto, BWV 971, III. Presto

Just wanted to quickly share the third movement, III. Presto of Bach's Italian Concerto, BWV 971 (also Concerto nach Italienischen Gusto "Concerto in the Italian taste") for harpsichord, played on piano by Evgeni Koroliov. Energetic, upbeat, and unwavering in its drive, Koroliov's performance gives the piece a happy frantic energy that is irresistible. Enjoy!

Schumann - Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54, III. Allegro vivace

The entire concerto is a fantastic listen -- if you have a half hour to spare! While the third movement in particular, III. Allegro vivace, of Schumann's Piano Concerto, Op.54 in A minor stands out to me today, be sure to listen to the whole thing!

Eventually, a harmonic analysis of the finale is seriously in order ... look out for a deeper exploration later!

Debussy - Mazurka

Though the most well-known mazurkas for piano come from Chopin, I really enjoy this short and sweet Debussyian take on the form. Rather than extensive commentary on the Mazurka, I'll leave you to enjoy the piece -- here are a few moments I particularly like:

(1:04) Lilting reprise of the melody, the following chromatic descent, and the richness of that last melodic statement together make for a beautiful closure of the A section.

(1:32) Sudden modulation to F major from D major darkens and warms the color instantly.

(1:52) Suspended chords (or densely voiced extended chords) and the irregular resolutions, along with subtle chromatic motions to change harmonic color are gorgeously rendered.

(2:31) Debussy hangs on to the E pedal tone for seven bars, finally giving way to the heart-melting D major (or D Lydian) chord...

(2:56) ...before running off to a simple and elegant ending.

Hindemith - Konzertmusik für Streichorchester und Blechbläser, Op.50

One of my favorite concert programs of all time, at the 2017 Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago, featured two fantastic orchestral pieces: Hindemith's Konzertmusik für Streichorchester und Blechbläser, Op.50 ("Concert Music for String Orchestra and Brass", also Konzertmusik for short) and Debussy's La Mer (I'll definitely be talking about this piece later ... how can I not?). Although Hindemith gave most of his works some of the blandest titles of all time (just "concert music"?), I really enjoy this piece. Both movements feature some very powerful musical gestures, make use of harmonies that are extremely difficult to parse, and stretch the musical imagination of the 20^th Century.

The instrumentation of the work, as scientifically indicated by the title, omits woodwinds (this makes me sad as a clarinettist, but what to do?). Hindemith employs a standard string orchestra (violins together, violas, cellos, and basses) and more-than-standard orchestral brass (four horns, four trumpets to the typical two or three, three trombones, and tuba). Again, consistent with the title, no percussion is included (not even a bass drum -- as you'll quickly hear, Hindemith doesn't need it).

Erster Teil (First Movement) - Mäßig schnell, mit Kraft

The first movement, cast in 3/2 time and marked at "moderately fast, with strength/vigor", begins with all the trumpets and trombones blaring octave C#s (two trumpets and trombones each continue to sustain) and all the strings entering likewise. The vigorous energy that starts off this movement does not subside for another five-and-a-half minutes of storminess, at times tonal and at times decidedly atonal.

First page of orchestral score

The strings frequently play several figurations: {1} rapid septuplet rising scalar figures, {2} 1(e+)a 2(e+)a 3(e+)a [nonfunctional harmonic progressions bounding along], and {3} series of eighth notes outlining arpeggios of highly dissonant chords, sometimes appearing to have little functional harmonic motion, like figuration {2}.

Rapid septuplet figures in many minor keys (figuration {1})

Excerpt of first page of Violin part,

consisting almost entirely of the three figurations

The first melodic segment of the first movement is stretched over nearly fifty seconds, carried by the two trumpets and two trombones that sustained the initial entrance.

First melodic segment, Trumpet I

The first melodic segment ends, giving way to the first statement of the "main theme" or motif from the first movement appears in the first two horns and first two trumpets, with harmonic and rhythmic support from the remaining brass.

First statement of main theme, Trumpet I

A short interlude played by brass only continues, introducing several new harmonic ideas and rhythmic figures.

Short brass-only interlude, in full score

The interlude gives way to a second repetition of the main theme by all four horns (Hr.).

Main theme restatement, Horns

The galloping rhythm used until now subsides into a dissonant brass chorale, signaled by an aggressive and menacing horn call:

Horn call signaling brief brass chorale, in full score

Once the chorale passes and the tempo resumes, the second melodic segment appears in the basses and cellos (also have septuplet scalar flourishes scattered throughout the melody)...

Second melodic segment, Bass

Second melodic segment, Violoncello

...while the violins (Vl.) and violas (Br.) continue "call-and-response" style with the three figurations mentioned earlier.

"Call-and-response" figures in Violin and Viola parts

The third and final melodic segment (enclosed in green) follows shortly after in the violins, violas, and cellos, all of which are split into divisi to cover both the melody and the continued "call-and-response" figurations while half the cellos double the basses.

Opening of third melodic segment and continued "call-and-response" figures

Third melodic segment in lower divisi,Violin

Once the melody has been completed across many sections of the ensemble, a total recapitulation of the earlier brass interlude appears, with doublings of ideas across several instrument groups.

Original brass-only interlude and recapitulation, in full score

[click to enlarge; scroll and listen along!]

After the recapitulation, the string figurations continue much like before, slowly reaching a stratospheric register (especially in the Violin part) and brashly interrupted by highly dissonant chords from the brass.

Stratospheric Violin part in atonal material, in full score

Hindemith suddenly forces the listener into a rapid descent of dense (nearly cluster) chords, signaling a definite transition from the original style:

Rapid tempo change: allargando ("verbreitern", "widen")

In the last two broad musical gestures of the first movement, Hindemith recombines the three segments of the melody across the ensemble in 4/4 time at "Sehr breit, aber stets fließend" ("very wide, but always flowing").

Beginning of second major section of the first movement

Here, the common points between the original iterations of the melodic segments and their corresponding points to the broad reprise in 4/4 are highlighted. Both iterations have the same pitches (no transposition between iterations) -- note that the second melodic segment appears in bass clef.

First melodic segment, both iterations, Violin/Violin

Second melodic segment, both iterations, Bass/Violin

Third melodic segment, both iterations, Violin/Violin

The complete first segment repeats, with horns joining the string melody in unison.

Entrance of horns in reprise of first segment

The final gesture, with glowing brass and a powerful statement with strings and horns together, closes the first movement -- ending on a bright C# major chord and, ultimately, an unwavering C#₄ unison.

Final measures of first movement

Zweiter Teil (Second Movement) - Lebhaft - Langsam - In ersten Zeitmaß (Lebhaft)

Rather than yet another analysis (of the second movement) here, I will just point out the subject of the fugue and leave a little exploration to you!

Fugue subject of second movement, Violin

I hope you enjoyed this in-depth post -- please comment and share it if you did!

All score excerpts taken from orchestral score published by B. Schott's Söhne (Mainz, 1931) or instrumental parts available at IMSLP.org.

Brahms - Violin Sonata No.2, Op.100, II. Andante tranquillo - Vivace

Brahms's chamber music is among the most iconic of the Romantic era, following almost entirely sonata form (sometimes opting for the theme-and-variations form that Brahms was so fond of) through most of the three violin sonatas, two cello sonatas, two clarinet sonatas, three string quartets, two string quintets, two string sextets, three piano trios, three piano quartets, a piano quintet, a clarinet trio, and a clarinet quintet!

However, Brahms would occasionally stray from sonata form. One example is the second movement of the Violin Sonata No.2, Op.100, II. Andante tranquillo - Vivace (7:59-14:16), following instead something of a binary form, in which the piece alternates between two different sections. The "A" section is marked as Andante tranquillo, featuring a sensual violin melody in 2/4 over a lyrical piano accompaniment.

Opening of "A" section in F major (mm. 1-4)*

Violinist Anne Sophie-Mutter renders the melody beautifully with her deeply emotional playing. Some listeners complain that her vibrato is too frantic or exaggerated in the first and third movements, but I really like her performance of the second movement regardless. 

The "B" section of the form, marked Vivace, returns two-and-a-half times (the "half" a time refers to the coda of the movement, which unexpectedly switches to Vivace), buoyant and fast-paced in 3/4 time. I personally love the energy; some performances turn it into a lilting waltz, but Sophie-Mutter really puts some gusto into it. Both Sophie-Mutter and pianist Lambert Orkis play the "B" section with a richness and a crispness at the same time, an extremely satisfying combination.

Opening of "B" section in D minor (mm. 16-21)*

The reprise of the "A" section is cast at first in D major, modulating into the home key of F major starting with a surprising B♭^M7 (♭VI⁴₂ in D) chord:
Chord names: A—B♭^M7—A—Gm/B♭—F/C—C⁷—F
Harmonic analysis: [in D:] V—♭VI⁴₂—V—iv⁶ [in F: ii⁶]—I⁶₄—V⁷—I

Reprise of the "A" section (mm. 72-79); modulation from D major to F major*

The reprise of the "B" section begins with pizzicato violin and syncopated piano part exchanging notes of the melody; Sophie-Mutter's aggressive chordal pizzicato is really well-placed here. The harmonic and melodic content of both iterations of the "B" section is the same; rhythmic and timbral ("color") changes account for essentially all of the musical differences. In the final measures of each "B" section (where the piano takes on a descending triplets figuration), the violin and piano swap some chordal tones, but the chords remain identical. See below comparisons for the first two systems of each "B" section iteration from the score:

Harmonic comparison of "B" sections (mm. 16-27; mm. 94-105)*

Harmonic comparison of "B" sections (mm. 28-39; mm. 106-117)*

To finish off the movement, Brahms brings back a short second reprise of the "A" section, once again reentering in D major (to resolve the A major chord which ends the "B" section reprise) and modulating into F major, this time by way of a tertiary dominant (D⁷) followed by a series of resolutions (D⁷—G⁷—C⁷) to F major. Although logical and harmonically satisfying, dominant (7^th or █⁷) chords in series is an unusual move by conservative Romantic standards.

Short second reprise of "A" section (mm. 150-154)*

To close out the movement, Brahms gives the listener almost no time to readjust to the "B" section meter and tempo before flying through the coda!

Coda in "B" section style (mm. 162-168)*

Hope you enjoyed this section-by-section overview of the piece! Leave a comment with your feedback and please share this post!

*All score excerpts taken from the C. F. Peters edition via IMSLP.org.

Chopin - Nocturne in D♭ Major, Op.27 No.2

The first Chopin piece to appear on the blog! Although I've only learned a few Chopin nocturnes (and the last time I learned one was several years ago), I really enjoy listening to so many of them. I particularly enjoy the recordings by Rubinstein, Pollini, and Biret. Here's a recording of Pollini's rendition of Chopin's Nocturne in D♭ Major, Op.27 No.2. Some of my favorite moments:

- (0:00) The opening with the gently undulating accompaniment, followed by Pollini's tender entrance with the melody, is so serene.

- (0:57) I like the second strain of the second melody in e♭ minor, with its ornamentation, and the resulting descent into d♭ minor (especially the resolution of e♭^ø7 to A♭⁷ at 1:22).

- (2:15) The sudden modulation from D♭ major into A major is particularly exciting.

- Even though the d#^ø7 chord (2:32) leads a transition into c# minor (2:39), Chopin chooses to digress yet again rather than easily coming back to D♭ major.

- After navigating a harmonically daring transition (2:43), Chopin takes a detour in e♭ minor (2:49). Listen for the metallic ring of the low sforzando B♭ and C♭ in this phrase...

- ...and the upwards chromatic motion of the bass notes (C♮, C#, D♮) at 2:56.

- (3:23) Note how incredibly leggiero (It: "light") Pollini plays this characteristically Chopinesque flourish.

- (3:52) This beautiful phrase (I⁶₄—vi—I⁶—ii⁶₅—V⁴) and the arpeggio on A♭^sus4 (V⁴) is as melting as it is resolute.

- (4:08, 4:24) The chromatically descending diminished chords in the stratospheric 'sparkly' region of the keyboard are interesting.

- (5:07) Simple and gorgeous dolcissimo ending.

Excerpts from Breitkopf und Härtel edition via IMSLP.org.

Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique, IV. Marche au supplice

Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique is perhaps his most well-known work, of which the fourth movement, IV. Marche au supplice ("March to the Scaffold") is the most popular. Written as a response to unrequited love, Berlioz wrote this programmatic symphony in five movements to express his distress. The following program for the music, written by Berlioz (taken from The Hector Berlioz Website, © Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin), begins to make clear the magnitude of his emotions.

Convinced that his love is spurned, the artist poisons himself with opium. The dose of narcotic, while too weak to cause his death, plunges him into a heavy sleep accompanied by the strangest of visions. He dreams that he has killed his beloved, that he is condemned, led to the scaffold and is witnessing his own execution. The procession advances to the sound of a march that is sometimes sombre and wild, and sometimes brilliant and solemn, in which a dull sound of heavy footsteps follows without transition the loudest outbursts. At the end of the march, the first four bars of the idée fixe [motif depicting the woman Berlioz loved] reappear like a final thought of love interrupted by the fatal blow.

As psychotic as the piece is, its compelling musical language and emotional intensity draws many listeners -- the piece remains a classic and is widely considered the first Romantic symphony, ushering in an age of deeply powerful and emotional writing that represented a fundamental transformation in music history.

Debussy - Suite bergamasque

Among the first pieces of Impressionist music I heard was Clair de Lune, the third movement of Debussy's Suite bergamasque for solo piano. When I finally read online that "Clair de Lune" was part of a larger work, I went and looked it up. This probably happened around seventh grade. For this piece, I'll just point out my favorite musical moments in each of the four movements (for some, they are very closely packed ... this cycle is just fantastic).

Stephen Walsh writes of the Suite bergamasque in Debussy: A Painter in Sound [1]:

For Jacques Durand [music publisher] it may have been bad news that, just when Debussy had been contracted to write a whole series of piano and orchestral Images, it turned out that he was starting quite a different orchestral work about the sea. But Durand could see only half the picture. Either that summer or very soon afterwards Debussy seems also to have been hatching a completely new set of piano pieces under the title Suite bergamasque. Exactly what was going on is still by no means entirely clear. Long ago he had written the suite of pieces that is today universally famous under that title, but it had never been published and was still lying idle, along with other short pieces, in his bottom drawer.

Debussy at first rejected the pieces, written in 1895, because he felt they did not reflect his more mature style, but was convinced in 1905 to have them published given the heights of fame he had reached in the years after their inception [2]. Still, he edited them heavily before sending them to Durand for publication. Thankfully, we get to enjoy this music today, and Clair de Lune, by happenstance, is now one of the most popular piano pieces of all time.

The YouTube video has recordings of two different pianists (timestamps: Cho/Bavouzet) that each have equally musical approaches. One thing that strikes me about both interpretations is what a granular range of dynamics they have in the "quiet" region - somehow they're able to distinguish and manifest Debussy's specific markings between piano (p), più piano (more p), pianissimo (pp), più pianissimo (more pp) and pianississimo (ppp).

I. Prelude - Moderato (tempo rubato) (0:00/18:07)
- (1:02/18:56): This sparkliness is so beautiful and takes my breath away every time.
- (1:16/19:08): When it jumps up to the higher register here, it's so ... crystalline and perfect.
- (2:10/19:50): The chord that just precedes the sparkle is so dark, and then the warmth that comes from that new chord ... just makes my heart melt.
- (3:51/21:14): The ending of this movement is spectacular for both interpretations, one so rich and one so bright.

II. Menuet - Andantino (4:31/21:48)
- (4:56/22:13): From the repeated theme through these buoyant chords (forte octaves and then a bunch of piano staccato chords), both interpretations nail it in different ways.
- (5:29/22:44): This beautiful lyrical melody is echoed in a higher octave with the right hand; Cho really shares the spotlight between both octaves, while Bavouzet leaves the higher voice as a mellow coat of clear glaze that leaves the lower octave very visible.
- (5:58/23:11) The wide octave drops from p with the warm crescendo always gets me. I remember obsessively repeating these last two musical moments I've pointed out when trying to learn this piece. Cho handles this so delicately and he really stretches the rubato to wonderful effect; Bavouzet plays it more in time, but with a clarity that is unmatched.
- (6:17/23:29): The real climax of this little moment comes at (6:26/23:38), but the development of the idea and the sudden modulations into F and then E♭ are magically heartwarming.
- (7:46/24:52): Listen for both the higher (flying overhead) and lower octaves (middle range) of the melody as it bursts forth and then recedes into staccato chords and ultimately dissolves into a glissando.

III. Clair de Lune - Andante très expressif (8:44/25:49)
- (9:54/26:46): This chord and the following cascade leading up to the next musical moment always gives me goosebumps; the high octaves are so bright above the richness of these muted but expansive chords below.
- (10:47/27:31): Of course, this is the part that everyone gets excited about. I love the undulating motion and the exchange between the left and right hands in order to make the music fluid and uninterrupted...
- (11:24/28:02): ...not to mention the sparkle of these four bars (so many *ledger lines!)!
- (13:28/29:53): Alternating between D♭ and Fm (I and iii) chords is unusual, even in a lot of Romantic music ... but it has such a warmth to it that's just irresistible.

*Ledger lines allow composers to mark notes that do not fit on the staff:

Debussy, Suite bergamasque, III. Clair de Lune, bar 39.

IV. Passepied - Allegretto ma non troppo (14:15/30:35)
- The whole movement has an energy that the other movements lack because of the tempo.
- (15:06/31:24): The alternation between quarter notes and quarter note triplets (while the offbeat quarter notes persist) and the eighth notes in the left hand always missing the strong beats creates a musical lopsidedness, but it still feels balance because of the incredible control the pianists display.
- (15:27/31:41): The dissonance created by the moving quarter notes, into and out of the half-step interval with the note just above is really charming.
- (15:40/31:52): The abrupt transition from legato to staccato (long and connected notes to short and separated notes) and the change in harmony I find really appealing.
- (15:54/32:07): This key change and the accompaying transition back from staccato to legato is wild, especially as the music relaxes into the key of A♭...
- (16:22/32:34): ...before awkwardly shifting back into F# minor via the F♭/E major chord using A♭/G# as a common tone. The way Debussy meanders about the final key center and cleverly shifts single notes of the chords to arrive there is pretty ingenious.
- (17:12/33:22): These connected D major and related chords are so beautiful! I personally like the way Cho handles these better than Bavouzet.
- (17:47/33:53): F# minor to B major (I-IV) in a minor key where the "4" chord is usually B minor (iv) is part of the Dorian mode, with its uniquely "happy" minor (function of the raised 6th scale degree) -- what a nice way to end the suite with those sparkling octaves.

I hope you enjoyed this! If you like this kind of second-by-second commentary on the pieces, let me know in the comments below!

[1] Walsh, Stephen (2018). Debussy: A Painter in Sound. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[2] Roberts, Paul (1996). Images: The Piano Music of Claude Debussy. Amadeus Press, Portland, Oregon.