Piano Literature MUAG 3270 – Course information/Policy Dr.

Heejung Kang
Spring 2010

1. Primary Aims of the Course

1) to survey piano music from the 19th through 20th centuries
2) to familiarize students with important piano works in a historical context
3) to examine styles of composition and performance practice

2. The class will be a combination of lecture/ discussion and listening/ playing.

3. Class Presentation/ Performance

1) Each student is responsible for an oral presentation on one of the pieces which
will be studied in the class. The student will prepare an informative handout and
recording; if possible, the student will demonstrate the piece by playing.
2) Each student should give a final presentation which introduces a piece by 20 th
century composer (born after 1920). The student should be able to
play/demonstrate the piece on the keyboard.
3) Each student will be required to play a portion from Schoenberg’s Suite für
Klavier Op. 25.

4. Grade (100%)
1) Attendance: Every student is expected to attend all classes. If you have 3
unexplained absences, one lower letter grade will be given. If you make
more than 3 absences, the WF grade can be given.
2) Class presentation/ performance 10%
3) Quiz (week 6) 5%
3) Midterm exam (week 8) 20%
4) Final exam (week 16) 25%
5) There will be five listening exams (40%)
Listening Test I (week 3) – Franck, Fauré. Debussy
Listening Test II (week 7) - Ravel, Messiaën, Albeniz, de Falla
Listening Test III (week 9) – Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Hindemith, Bartok
Listening Test IV (week 12) – Russia/USSR
Listening Test V (week 15) – Ives, Copland, Barber, Carter, Ginastera
9 PIANO LITERATURE SEMESTER OUTLINE Spring 2010 MUAG 3270 Dr.
Heejung Kang
Heejung.Kang@unt.edu MA119

Required Reading: Schonberg, Harold C. 1987. The Great Pianists.

Revised and updated. New York: Simon & Schuster.
DATE TUESDAY THURSDAY

Week 1 Introduction to course, Fauré- Barcarolles, Impromptus,

Jan. 19, 21 Syllabus, Presentation topic, Nocturnes
Performance assignments, Chabrier – Bourrée Fantasque
etc. Debussy – Pour le Piano,
France/Belgium Arabesque, Suite Bergamasque,
Saint-Saëns
Franck – Preludes, Chorale & Reading: G.P. pp. 281-290
Fugue / Prelude, Aria, and pp. 363-364
Finale
Fauré
Week 2 Debussy – Estampes, Image Ravel – Pavane pour une infante
Jan. 26, 28 I, Image II, Preludes Book I d’efunte, Jeux d’eau, Miroirs
and II, Etudes
Week 3 Ravel – Gaspard de la nuit, Listening Test I: Franck, Fauré,
Feb. 2, 4 Le Tombeau de Couperin, Debussy
Sonatine, Concerto in G

Week 4 Messiaën – 8 Preludes, Vingt Spain

Feb. 9, 11 Regards sur l’Enfant Jesus, Alebeniz – Iberia
Catalogue d’oiseaux Granados – Goyescas
De Falla – Piezas españolas,
Fantasia Baética

Reading: G.P. pp. 358-362

Week 5 Germany Berg – Piano Sonata Op.1
Feb. 16, 18 Reger, Busoni Webern – op.27
Schoenberg – Op. 11, 19
Op.23, 25 Hindemith – Sonatas
Ludus Tonalis
Reading: G.P. pp. 366-376
[Busoni] Krenek- sonata No.3
Week 6 Hungary Quiz – French, Spanish, and
Feb. 23, 25 Bartok – Rhapsody Op.1, German composers and works
Mikrokosmos, Two Rumanian
Dances, Six Dances in
Bulgarian Rhythm, Rumanian
Folk Dances
Week 7 Bartok - Rumanian Folk Listening Test II: Ravel, Messiaën,
Mar. 2, 4 Dances, Improvisations,
Op.20, Sonata (1926), Out of
Doors (1926), Review for Midterm Exam
Suite Op.14, Concerto No.2
and 3
Week 8 Szymanowski-Etudes MIDTERM EXAM
Mar. 9, 11 Mazurkas
Anton Rubinstein
Tchaikovsky
Reading: G.P. pp. 269-280

Russia/USSR
The Five
-- Balakirev, Mussorgsky
Mar. 16, 18 Spring Break
Week 9 Listening Test III: Schoenberg,
Scriabin
Berg, Webern, Hindemith, Bartok,
- sonatas,
Mar. 23, 25 Albeniz, de Falla
Etudes, Op.8 and 42, etc.

Rachmaninoff
- Preludes, Op.23 and 32
Etudes-Tableaux, Op.33 and 39
Sonata No.1
Reading: G.P. pp. 390-399
Week 10 Rachmaninoff continued Performance of Schoenberg’s
Mar. 30, Apr. 1 Sonata No.2 Suite für Klavier, Op 25
Concerto No. 3
Rhapsody on a Theme of
Paganini
Reading: G.P. pp. 326-331
Week 11 [Satie and Les Six] Prokofiev
Apr. 6, 8 - Sonatas Nos. 1-9
Stravinsky Sarcasms
- Petrouchka Visions Fugitives
Sonata (1924)
Week 12 Prokofiev- Concerto Nos. 2 Listening Test IV: Russia/USSR
Apr. 13, 15 and 3
United States
Shostakovich – 24 Preludes MacDowell, Griffes, Ives, Antheil
and Fugues
Kabalevsky –Sonata No.2

Week 13 Copland, Barber, Crumb, Harris, Carter, Perle, others

Apr. 20, 22 Cowell
South America
Villa-Lobos
Week 14 Ginastera Nancarrow, Ligeti, Dallapiccola,
Apr. 27, 29 Berio, Bolcom, Corigliano,
th
Late 20 Century Liebermann
Cage, Adams, Reich
Stockhausen
Week 15 Listening Test V: Ives,
Final Presentation continued
May 4, 6 Copland, Barber, Carter,
Ginastera

Final Presentation
Week 16 FINAL EXAM
May 11 8:00-10:00 am