Piano Festival / Embellishing

Throughout keyboard history, great composers such as Bach, Beethoven and Chopin have also been master improvisers. We seek to rekindle this important tradition by offering this prize for the best demonstrations of classical embellishing and/or improvising.

Please note that in this category the word "classical" is meant in the broad sense (classical as opposed to jazz/pop/rag) -- not classical as in "Classic period" only.

Performances need not demonstrate literal improvisation. At the least, however, performances should sound spontaneous, as if improvised on the spot.

For excellent discussions on classical embellishing (with instructive examples), see the following articles by John Salmon:

Extemporaneousness in classical music is especially appropriate in music that has repeats. In Baroque music this would be particularly effective in dances. It is especially instructive to study J.S. Bach’s own methods of embellishing, as revealed in the Sarabande movements of his 2nd and 3rd English Suites. In both Sarabandes Bach presents a simple version, followed by a more ornamented version. Presumably this was to show how to embellish on the repeats. A comparison of his simple and ornamented versions is highly recommended. You can listen to Dr. Robert Levin, Harvard Professor and one of today's top experts in classical improvisation, perform and discuss these Sarabandes on an NPR "Performance Today" 1999 broadcast -- click on RealPlayer "Audio" at bottom (don't have RealPlayer? click here). Levin also demonstrates and discusses Beethoven and Mozart improvisation

Three articles that explain Baroque embellishing in easy to understand ways are:

“Ornaments From Bach’s Anna Magdalena Notebook” by Glen Carruthers, Clavier magazine, January 1998, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 6-9.

“Adding Embellishments to Bach’s Basic Notes” by Arthur Houle, Clavier magazine, September 1994, Vol. 33, No. 7, pp. 22-36. (Note: This article contains many inadvertent misprints. For a corrected copy, contact Dr. Houle at arthurhoule@cableone.net.)

"Solving the Baroque Mysteries of Slides, Mordents, and Trills" by Nathan Bergenfeld, Clavier magazine, December 2003, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 15-25.

If you are looking for more tips on how to improvise and embellish on music from the Anna Magdalena Notebook, you may also purchase recording #926 from Houle's lecture/demonstration for the 2006 MTNA conference.

Teachers and students should also check out the online FJH Pedagogy Newsletter for great ideas on creativity and improvisation.

Here is an excellent videotape of various Baroque dances being danced, along with performances at the keyboard:

“Baroque Dances & Baroque Music VHS (Hinson)”, Alfred Publications, #12116. (Also ask about the “Performance Practices” series of videotapes.)

Schubert wrote 25 Ländler with no written out left hand accompaniments -- only a right hand melody! There are no chord symbols indicated either (talk about your ultimate “fake charts!”). These Ländler can be found in the Wiener Urtext Edition entitled “Schubert: Complete Dances for Piano, Volume 2 (UT 50022)”.

So how does a student go about creating accompaniments for these Ländler? Look at the right hand melodies. Usually the first and especially last measures require a tonic (I) chord. In other measures, the second most likely chord will be the dominant (V or V7). Third most common will be the subdominant (IV). Your clue is in the right hand melody in each measure; usually it “outlines” one of these chords. How does one know what kind of pattern to use in the left hand accompaniment? Certainly imagination should come into play. But, for starters, there is no better teacher than the master himself -- Schubert! In this same Wiener collection of dances there are many other dances in which Schubert does write out an accompaniment. Study these and use similar broken chord patterns in the “fake chart” ones. Don’t be afraid to “dress up” the right hand melody too! In performance, a medley of several of these quasi-improvised Ländler would be very effective.

Note: the tradition of creatively varying repeats applies to the Classic period sonata form as well.

Malcolm Bilson has marvelous recordings demonstrating imaginative friskiness in Mozart and Haydn.

One of the most important books on classical improvisation was written by Carl Czerny, student of Beethoven. It is (sadly) out of print, but there are 355 libraries that hold copies of this item. So check your local library; if they do not have a copy, ask for one via interlibrary loan. It will be well worth the trouble! Here is the full title:

A Systematic Introduction to Improvisation on the Pianoforte: Opus 200
by Carl Czerny
Translated into English and edited by Alice L Mitchell, 1983. New York: Longman (Longman music series).
ISBN: 0582283299.
LC: MT68; Dewey: 786.1/092/4.

RESOURCES ON HOW TO IMPROVISE, EMBELLISH AND CREATE CADENZAS IN THE MUSIC OF MOZART (some information on Haydn & Beethoven also)

The BIBLIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY below was expertly compiled by Dr. Gretchen Wheelock, Professor of Musicology at the Eastman School of Music and Trustee of the Westfield Center. It was distributed to the participants of a conference entitled "BEYOND NOTATION: The Practice and Pedagogy of Improvisation in Mozart's Time," presented by the Westfield Center and the University of Michigan on September 26-29, 2002, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

We are grateful to Penelope Crawford, Gretchen Wheelock and the Westfield Center for their kind permission to post this valuable information on our web site.

Neue Mozart-Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke (New Edition of Mozart's Collected Works). Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1955- . (Series V/15: Piano Concertos; Series IX/25: Solo Piano Sonatas; Series IX/24: Two-Piano and Four-hand Sonatas; Series VIII/22: Piano Trios, Quartets, Quintet; Series VIII/23: Violin Sonatas; Series IX/26: Keyboard Variations; Series IX/27: Miscellaneous Keyboard Pieces

Anderson, Emily, ed. and translator. The Letters of Mozart and his Family, 3 vols. London and New York: St. Martin's Press, 1966.

Bach, C. P. E. Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments. (Orig. Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen) Edited and translated by William J. Mitchell. New York: W. W. Norton, 1949.

Mozart, Leopold. Treatise on the Fundamentals of Violin Playing. (Orig., Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule , 1752. Translated by Editha Knocker. 2d ed. London, New York, Oxford University Press, 1963.

Türk, Daniel Gottlob. School of Clavier Playing (Orig. Klavierschule, 1789). Engl. trans. Raymond H. Haggh. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1982.

Badura-Skoda, Eva and Paul. Interpreting Mozart on the Keyboard, trans. Leo Black. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1962.

*Badura-Skoda, Paul. Kadenzen, Eingänge und Auszierungen zu Klavierkonzerten von Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. (Cadenzas, Lead-ins, and Embellishments to Mozart's Piano Concertos Kassel : Bärenreiter, 1975.

Bilson, Malcolm. "The Mozart Concertos Rediscovered," in Mozart-Jahrbuch 1986: 58-61.

_________. "[Classical Era] Keyboards," pp. 223-38 in Brown and Sadie, eds., Performance Practice (below).

Grayson, David. "Whose Authenticity? Ornaments by Hummel and Cramer for Mozart's Piano Concertos," pp. 373-91 in Neal Zaslaw, ed. Mozart's Piano Concertos: Text, Context, Interpretation. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1996.

*King, A. Hyatt, ed. Cadenzas to Mozart's Piano Concertos and Elaborations of their Slow Movements. 6 vols. London, 1959.

Komlós, Katalin. "`Ich praeludirte und spielte Variazionen': Mozart the Fortepianist," pp. 27-54 in Perspectives on Mozart Performance, eds. R. Larry Todd and Peter Williams. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.

*Levin, Robert D. Entry on "Improvisation" in The New Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. New York, 2001.

__________. "The Devil's in the Details: Neglected Aspects of Mozart's Piano Concertos," pp. 29-50 in Neal Zaslaw, ed. Mozart's Piano Concertos: Text, Context, Interpretation. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1996.

*__________. "Improvisation and Embellishment in Mozart Piano Concertos," Musical Newsletter, V/2 (Spr. 1975): 3-14.

*__________. "Improvisation and Musical Structure in the Mozart Concerti," in L'interpretation de la musique classique, de Haydn a Schubert [Colloquium Proceedings from Evry, 13-15 October 1977] (Geneve: Minkoff, 1980), pp. 45-55.

*__________. "Improvised Embellishments in Mozart's Keyboard Music," Early Music (May 1992): 221-33.

*__________. "Instrumental Ornamentation, Improvisation and Cadenzas," pp. 267-91 in Performance Practice, vol. 2: Music After 1600, The Norton/Grove Handbooks in Music, eds. Howard Mayer Brown and Stanley Sadie. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.

Mishkin, Henry. "Incomplete Notation in Mozart's Piano Concertos," The Musical Quarterly, 61 (1975): 345-59.

*Neumann, Frederick. Ornamentation and Improvisation in Mozart. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1986. [See Robert Levin's review in Journal of the American Musicological Society, 41/2 (Summer 1988): 355-68.]

Rendleman, Ruth. "A Reference Guide to the Cadenzas of Mozart's Piano Concertos," The Piano Quarterly, No. 114 (Summer 1981): 35-40.

Swain, Joseph. "Form and Function of the Classical Cadenza," Journal of Musicology, VI/1 (Winter 1988): 27-59.

*Willis, Andrew S. Free Variation of Repeated Passages in Mozart's Keyboard Music. D.M.A. Thesis, Cornell University, 1994. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms No. 9501229.

Wolf, Eugene K. "The Rediscovered Autograph of Mozart's Fantasy and Sonata in C Minor, K. 475/457," in The Journal of Musicology, 10/1 (Winter 1992): 3-47.

*Wolff, Christoph. "Cadenzas and Styles of Improvisation in Mozart's Piano Music," pp. 228-38 in Todd and Williams, eds., Perspectives on Mozart Performance (see above).

Zaslaw, Neal, ed. Mozart's Piano Concertos: Text, Context, Interpretation. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1996.

Brown, Clive. Classical and Romantic Performing Practice, 1750-1900. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Brown, Howard Mayer and Stanley Sadie, eds. Performance Practice, vol. 2: Music after 1600. The Norton/Grove Handbooks in Music. New York: W. W. Norton, 1990.

Ferguson, Faye. "The Classical Keyboard Concerto: Some Thoughts on Authentic Performance," Early Music, 12 (1984): 437-45.

Lawson, Colin and Robin Stowell. The Historical Performance of Music : an Introduction. Cambridge and New York : Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Rosenblum, Sandra P. Performance Practices in Classical Piano Music. Bloomington, IN: University of Indiana Press, 1988.

Todd, R. Larry and Peter Williams. Perspectives on Mozart Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.

General Studies on Instruments, Styles, and Genres of Mozart and his Contemporaries:

Allanbrook, Wye J. Rhythmic Gesture in Mozart. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983.

Drake, Kenneth. The Sonatas of Beethoven As He Played and Taught Them. Indiana University Press, 1972..

Komlós, Katalin. Fortepianos and their Music: Germany, Austria, and England, 1760-1800. London, 1995.

Landon, H.C. Robbins, ed. The Mozart Compendium: A Guide to Mozart's Life and Music. New York : Schirmer Books, 1990.

Marshall, Robert, ed. Eighteenth-Century Keyboard Music. New York: Schirmer Books, 1994. [See Chapter on the Mozart Concertos by Robert Levin.]

Ratner, Leonard. Classic Music: Expression, Form, and Style. New York: Schirmer Books, 1980.

Rosen, Charles. The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. Expanded ed. New York : W. W. Norton, 1997.

Sadie, Stanley, ed. Wolfgang Amadé Mozart: Essays on his life and Works. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Sisman, Elaine R. Haydn and the Classical Variation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1993.

Somfai, László. The Keyboard Sonatas of Joseph Haydn : Instruments and Performance Practice, Genres and Styles. Translated by the author in collaboration with Charlotte Greenspan. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1995.

Whitmore, Philip. Unpremeditated Art: The Cadenza in the Classical Keyboard Concerto. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.

(To prepare a comprehensive list of notable recordings would be an impossible task, and many fine performances are not found here. Rather, the focus is on period performance practices and instruments, and especially on recordings by leaders of the conference workshops. Selected works of Haydn and Beethoven are also included.)

The Piano concertos. Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophon, p1984-p1989. 1. Nos. 5-13 [includes Rondo K. 382] 2. Nos. 14-21 [includes Rondo K. 386] 3. Nos. 22-27. 431 211-2 through 431-220-2 Deutsche Grammophon. Program notes by Neal Zaslaw, Robert Levin, and Nicholas Kenyon in English. Malcolm Bilson, Robert Levin (K. 242, 365), Melvyn Tan (K. 242), fortepianos; English Baroque Soloists (period instruments); John Eliot Gardiner, conductor. [Reissued on Decca/Polygram Records, 9 discs. March 23, 2001. #463111]

Piano concerti nos. 1-4: Pasticci. Orange, NJ : MusicMasters Classics, p1992. 01612-67095-2 MusicMasters. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano; Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy; Thomas Crawford, conductor.

Piano concerto no. 5 in D major, K175; Piano concerto no. 14 in E-flat major, K449; Piano concerto no. 16 in D major, K 451. London, England: Editions de l'Oiseau-Lyre, p1999. 289 458 285-2 Editions de l'Oiseau-Lyre. Robert Levin, fortepiano; Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor.

Piano concerto no. 9 in E flat major, K271; Piano concerto no. 12 in A major, K414. London, England: Editions de l'Oiseau-Lyre, p1994. 443 328-2 Editions de l'Oiseau-Lyre; Robert Levin, fortepiano; Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor.

Piano concerto No. 11 in F major, K413; Piano concerto No. 13 in C major, K415 ; Rondo in A major, K386. London: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, p1995. 444 571-2 Editions de l'Oiseau-Lyre. Robert Levin, fortepiano ; The Academy of Ancient Music, on authentic instruments; Christopher Hogwood, conductor.

Piano concerto no. 15 in B-flat major, K450; Piano concerto no. 26 in D major, K. 537 ("Coronation"). London: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, p1997. 455-814-2 Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre. Robert Levin, fortepiano; The Academy of Ancient Music, on authentic instruments; Christopher Hogwood, conductor.

Piano concerto no. 17 in G major, K. 453; Piano concerto no. 20 in D minor, K466. London: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, p1997. 455-607-2 Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre. Robert Levin, fortepiano ; The Academy of Ancient Music, on authentic instruments; Christopher Hogwood, conductor.

Piano concerto no. 18 in B flat major, K456; Piano concerto no. 19 in F major, K459. London : Editions de l'Oiseau-lyre, p1996. 452 051-2 Editions de l'Oiseau-lyre. Robert Levin, piano; Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor.

Piano concerto no. 23 in A major, K488; Piano concerto no. 22 in E-flat major, K482. London : Editions de l'Oiseau-lyre, p1998. 452-052-2 Editions de l'Oiseau-lyre . Robert Levin, piano; Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor.

Concerto no. 26 in D, K. 537 ("Coronation"). Hollywood, Calif. : Seraphim, [1969]. 60116 Seraphim. Recorded in 1937. Wanda Landowska, piano; with orchestra; Walter Goehr, conductor.

Concerto for two pianos and orchestra, Nr. 10 Eb-dur, K 365 (316a) Fantasy for two pianos. Hamburg, West Germany : Teldec, p1984. 6.42961 Teldec. Friedrich Gulda, Chick Corea, pianos; Concertgebouw Orchestra; Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor.

Piano concerto no. 21 in C major, K. 467; Piano concerto no. 27 in B flat major, K. 595. England : Pearl, c1981. SHE 560 Pearl. Friedrich Gulda, piano; Vienna State Opera Orchestra; Hans Swarowsky, conductor.

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Nr. 25 in C Major, K. 503; Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Nr. 27 in Bb Major, K. 595. Deutsche Grammophon p1976. 2530 642 Deutsche Grammophon. Friedrich Gulda, piano; Wiener Philharmoniker; Claudio Abbado, conductor.

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Nr. 26 in D Major, K. 537 ("Coronation"); Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Nr. 23 in A major, K. 488. Hamburg, Western Germany: Teldec, p1984. 6.42970 Teldec. Friedrich Gulda, piano ; Concertgebouw Orchestra; Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor.

Sonatas. Volume I Table of Contents: D major K. 311; G major K. 283; B flat major K. 281; A major K. 331; F major K. 280; C major K. 330. Hungary: Hungaroton, p1989. HCD 31009--HCD 31010 Hungaroton. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano

Sonatas. Volume II: No. 6 in D major K. 284 (205b); No. 9 in A minor K. 310 (300d); No. 12 in F major K. 332 (300k); No. 17 in B flat major K. 570; No. 18 in D major K. 576; No. 13 in B flat major K. 333 (315c). Hungary : Hungaroton ; Dist. by Qualiton Imports, p1990. HCD 31011-31012 Hungaroton. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Sonatas. Volume III. {Contents: Sonata no. 1 in C major, K. 279 (189d); Sonata no. 4 in E flat major, K. 282 (189g); Sonata no. 7 in C major, K. 309 (284b) "Cannabich"; Fantasia no. 14a in C minor, K. 475; Sonata no. 14b in C minor, K. 457; Sonata no. 15 in F major, K. 533/K.494; Sonata no. 16 in C major, K. 545. Hungary : Hungaroton, p1991. HCD 31013 Hungaroton. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

[Sonata] Allegro and Andante, K. 533 and Rondo [Allegretto], K. 494; Fantasy in C minor, K. 475; Fantasy in C major, Wq. 59/6 (C. P. E. Bach); Fantasy in C major, Hob. XVII:4 (Haydn) Los Angeles, CA : Nonesuch, 1982. 78016 Nonesuch. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Rondo in A minor, K. 511; Rondo in D major, K. 485. (with Beethoven, Piano sonata no. 13, op. 27, no. 1, in Eb major.) Nonesuch Records p1980. H 71377 Nonesuch Records. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano

Sonata in D major, K. 284/205b; Rondo in A minor, K. 511; Fantasie in C minor, K. 475; Sonata in C minor, K. 457. Somerville, MA : Titanic Records, p1992. Ti-206 Titanic Records. Penelope Crawford, fortepiano.

Sturm und Drang [Sonata in C minor, KV 457; Adagio in B minor, KV 540; Sonata in A minor, KV 310; Fantasie in D minor, KV 397. Buffalo, N.Y. : Fleur de Son Classics, p2001. FDS 57951 Fleur de Son Classics. Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano

Sonata in D major, K. 448/375a ; Fugue in C minor, K. 426; Larghetto and Allegro in E-flat major. Los Angeles, Calif. : Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records, p1984. 78023 Nonesuch. Malcolm Bilson, Robert Levin, fortepianos.

Sonatas for fortepiano and violin, Volume I: K. 301-306. New York, N.Y. : Elektra Nonesuch, p1984. 79070 Nonesuch. Sergio Luca, violin ; Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Sonatas for fortepiano and violin, Volume II: C major, K. 296; F major, K. 376; F major. K. 377; B-flat major, K. 378; G major, K. 379; E-flat major, K. 380. New York, N.Y. : Elektra Nonesuch, p1987. 79155-1 Nonesuch. Sergio Luca, violin ; Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Sonatas for fortepiano and violin. Vol. III. Late Viennese sonatas: B-flat major, K. 454; E-flat major, K. 481; A major, K. 526; F major, K. 547. Los Angeles, Calif. : Nonesuch, p1985. 79112 Nonesuch. Sergiu Luca, violin; Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Sonates for pianoforte et violon. Vol. I Sonata in E-flat K. 302; Sonata in C major K 303; Sonata in E minor K. 304; Sonata in D major K. 306. [Canada]: UMMUS, p199 UMM 307 UMMUS. David Breitman, pianoforte; Jean-François Rivest, violin.

Six piano trios [Trio in G major, K496; Trio in B flat major, K502; Trio in E major, K542; Trio in C major, K548; Trio in G major, K564. London : Hyperion, p1991. CDS44021--CDS44023 Hyperion. The London Fortepiano Trio.

Piano quartets: G minor, KV 478; E flat major, KV 493. Hamburg, Germany : Archiv Produktion, p1988. 423 404-2 Archiv Produktion. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano; Elizabeth Wilcock, violin; Jan Schlapp, viola; Timothy Mason, violoncello.

Mozart and Beethoven Quintets for Fortepiano and Wind Instruments [includes Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, K. 452]. Decca/Polygram Records #455994, 1999. Robert Levin, fortepiano, with The Academy of Ancient Music Chamber Ensemble.

Concerto for piano and orchestra no. 2, op. 19; Rondo for piano and orchestra WoO 6; Concerto for piano and orchestra no. 1, op. 15; cadenzas and lead-ins: Robert Levin. Hamburg, Germany : Archiv Produktion, p1997. 453 438-2 Archiv Produktion. Robert Levin, fortepiano; Orchestra révolutionnaire et romantique; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor.

Concertos for piano and orchestra: no. 3, op. 37; no. 4, op. 58; cadenzas and lead-ins, Robert Levin. Hamburg: Archiv Produktion: Deutsche Grammophon, p1998. 289 457 608-2 Archiv Produktion/Deutsche Grammophon. Robert Levin, fortepiano; Orchestre révolutionnaire et romantique; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor.

Concerto for piano and orchestra no. 5, op. 73 "Emperor"; Fantasy for piano, chorus and orchestra, op. 80; 2 alternative improvised piano introductions. Hamburg : Archiv Produktion, p1996. 447 771-2 Archiv Produktion. Robert Levin, fortepiano; Monteverdi Choir; Orchestre révolutionnaire et romantique; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor.

The Complete Piano Sonatas on Period Instruments. Thun, Switzerland : Claves, p1997. 10 sound discs : CD 9707/10 Claves. Malcolm Bilson, Tom Beghin, David Breitman, Ursula Dütschler, Zvi Meniker, Bart van Oort, Andrew Willis, pianists.

Four Piano Sonatas on Four Period Instruments : Sonata No. 1, op. 2 no. 1; Sonata No. 14, op. 27/2 Mondschein; Sonata No. 17, op.31/2 Der Sturm; Sonata No. 28, op. 101. Claves CD50-2104 Claves. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Sonata in D, op. 28; Sonata in C, op. 53; Bagatelles, op. 126. Somerville, Massachusetts: Titanic, p1989. Ti-167 Titanic. Seth Carlin, fortepiano.

Keyboard sonatas [Vol. 1. Sonata in F major, Hob. XVI:23. Sonata in C minor, Hob. XVI:20. Sonata in Ab major, Hob. XVI:43. Sonata in B minor, Hob. XVI:32. Vol. 2. Sonata in A major, Hob. XVI:26. Sonata in E minor, Hob. XVI:34. Sonata in Ab major, Hob. XVI:46] Titanic Records p1978-1980. Ti 51-52 Titanic Records Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Sonata in E-flat major, Hob. XVI:49 (Landon 59); Sonata in E-flat major, Hob. XVI:52 (Landon 62). Los Angeles, CA. : Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch, c1983. 78018-2 Nonesuch. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano.

Klaviersonaten. vol. 3, Variationen und Sonaten [Arietta con 12 variazioni No. 1 in E flat major, Hob. XVII/3; Sonata in E minor Hob. XVI/34; Andante con (2) variazioni in F minor, Hob. XVII/6; Sonata in D major Hob. XVI/33; Variations on the hymn Gott erhalte Hob. III/77. Freiburg, Germany : Deutsche Harmonia Mundi; New York: distributed by BMG Music, p1993. 05472-77285-2 Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. Andreas Staier, fortepiano.

Sonatas for fortepiano [H. XVI, 48, C major; H. XVI, 49, Eb major; H. XVI, 50, C major; H. XVI, 51, D major; H. XVI, 52, Eb major. Freiburg: Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, p1990. 77160-2-RC Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. Andreas Staier, fortepiano.

Sonatas for fortepiano. Vol. 2 [H. XVI, 35, C major; H. XVI, 36, C sharp minor; H. XVI, 37, D major; H. XVI, 38, E flat major; H. XVI, 39, G major; H. XVI, 20, C minor; Freiburg : Deutsche Harmonia Mundi ; New York, NY : distributed by BMG Music, p1993. BMG classics; 05472-77186-2 Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. Andreas Staier, fortepiano.

Trios for piano, violin, and violoncello [Trio in C major, H. XV, no. 27; Trio in E major, H. XV no. 28; Trio in E-flat major, H. XV, no. 29; Trio in E-flat major, H. XV, no. 30. New York: Sony Classical, p 1993. SK 53120 Sony Classical. Robert Levin, fortepiano; Vera Beths, violin; Bylsma, Anner, violoncello.

CONCERTO CADENZAS AND LEAD-INS

Performances need not demonstrate literal improvisation. Cadenzas and/or lead-ins may be worked out in advance. At the least, however, they should sound spontaneous, as if improvised on the spot by the contestant.

Please let us know in the application form if the student has written (or will improvise) a concerto cadenza and/or lead-in, so we will know that the concerto movement performance qualifies for this prize. Unless a contestant is improvising literally, we would encourage contestants to write out by hand (or print by computer) their original cadenza(s) and/or lead-in(s). (Lead-ins are short enough that they could perhaps be penciled into the score.) It would be ideal to make two extra copies of original cadenzas for the judges. If a cadenza is semi-improvised, it would be appropriate to present a rough (even penciled) sketch and write “ad libitum” in the places where the student may deviate spontaneously from what is otherwise written out. Since the emphasis of this festival is on creativity and spontaneity, students should feel free to deviate from their “planned” cadenza(s) or lead-in(s). A written out cadenza may be useful for the judges to look at, but it should not be a straight jacket!

We understand that students must get help from teachers, books, articles, etc. in order to learn how to write or improvise cadenza(s) and lead-in(s). In the end, however, the student must be the primary author of cadenza(s) or lead-in(s) to qualify for this prize. We will rely on the ethical assurances of students, teachers, and parents in this regard. (If the teacher -- or someone else -- is the primary author, the performance can still qualify in one or more other categories, however.)

“Music for Piano & Orchestra: An Annotated Guide” by Maurice Hinson: 1st edition, 1973, Indiana U. Press, ISBN 0253208351, Paperback, September 1993

Are you mystified as to how to write or improvise a concerto cadenza? Then ask your local librarian to help locate (or get a copy by interlibrary loan) the following article:

“Cadenzas in the Mozart Concertos” by Wolfgang Fetsch, Clavier magazine, December 1991, Vol. 30, No. 10, pp. 13-17.

Note especially the helpful listing of common figurations by Mozart on p. 17. Use these kinds of figurations to create your own imaginative cadenza(s)! Experiment with modulation, diminution, augmentation, mirror writing, inversions, sequences, motivic development, embellishing, etc. As a starting point, study various authentic cadenzas and lead-ins when available.

“Ornamentation & Improvisation in Mozart” by Frederick Neumann, Princeton University Press, 1986, ISBN 0-691-02711-0.

This book encourages what some may see as an overly cautious “politically correct” approach. Nevertheless, the book is full of helpful information. See especially:

Listen to Robert Levin improvise beautifully in the style of the great classical composers (and play a bit of jazz!) on NPR's "Performance Today" -- click on RealPlayer "Audio" at bottom (don't have RealPlayer? click here).

This remarkable 1999 interview covers the following:
  - Bach English Suite Sarabandes, wherein Bach himself documents his manner of improvisatory embellishing.
  - The difference between improvising and embellishing.
  - The opening of Beethoven's improvisatory "Choral Fantasy," played by Levin on a period piano, followed by one of Levin's own alternate improvised openings.
  - What is a cadenza?
  - "Free" improvisation vs. communicating in the style of the composer.
  - Mozart concerto # 17 with original Mozart cadenza, followed by an alternate improvised cadenza by Levin.
  - Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea improvising on Mozart
  - Gershwin and Ravel
  - Levin's improvisation on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
  - The future of improvisation in classical music education.
  - Levin's improvisation on an NPR theme, in the style of Mozart.

Stumped by just what a “lead-in” is? See the “Improvised Ornamentation” section of Chapter 7 in this book: “Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music ,” by Sandra Rosenblum, ISBN 0-253-34314-3, 1988 Indiana University Press. Check your local library, order from your favorite local bookstore, or try:

For an easy-to-relate-to example of where and how a creative lead-in would work in music by Clementi (while this is not a concerto, it is instructive to see), see the footnote of p. 50 in:

“The Classic Era: An Introduction to the Keyboard,” Edited by Willard A. Palmer & Margery Halford, Alfred Publications, 1977, catalog # 1732.

Please note: All terms of this festival are contingent on fund-raising and subject to change.

CLASSICAL EMBELLISHING / IMPROVISING / CADENZAS

Schubert Wrote Fake Charts!

CONCERTO CADENZAS AND LEAD-INS