Notes by Brent Hugh
Assistant Professor of Piano
Missouri Western State College Department of Music
Tuesday, September 8th, 1998 Claude Frank Masterclass =========== Beethoven Sonata Op. 22 ----------------------- Suggestions: Make more contrast between softs and louds. Especially--softer ps and pps. When reaching a climax, *rhythm* can help to create the effect of ff as much as absolute volume. For instance, if you rush the sixteenth of dotted-eighth--sixteenth pairs, it can ruin the effect and make it sound less than ff. On dotted rhythms, you may over-dot but *never under-dot*! 1st movement, 2nd theme must begin very, very soft. He would prefer a pp so soft that it has a few non-sounding notes, as opposed to a pp that is too loud. If you want to create a long, flowing melodic line then you shouldn't over-emphasize the metrical accents. In fact, you should de-emphasize them. If, for instance, you have a four-measure phrase in 3/4 time and you play *1* 2 3 *1* 2 3 *1* 2 3 *1* 2 3 then you have just broken up that phrase into four distinct parts. (This is hard to explain in words but he illustrated it quite beautifully--emphasizing the downbeats sounded like a student performance while de-emphasizing them sounded like an artistic performance.) Hindemith, Sonata No.3, 1st and 3rd movements. ---------------------------------------------- Suggestions: In this Hindemith sonata, the 1st mvmt=pastoral while the 3rd mvmt=regal, noble, majestic 1st mvmt syncopations must have exact counting, yet not *sound* as though they're counted. Don't underplay (this performer, probably aware of some of Hindemith's ideas on performance, was giving a musical but quite restrained performance. Frank seemed to prefer something a little more passionate). When the composer indicates to "bring out" a certain line, this doesn't mean just to play it louder. It means that line must be phrased--shaped--played musically and, of course, brought out above the others. Chopin, B minor Sonata, 1st Mvmt. --------------------------------- Suggestions: The performer can (and in this piece, must) change the mood often--but not the tempo. He thought this performance was very passionate and presented a great variety of moods, but was not connected or bound together into one organic whole. Playing in this disconnected manner is a particular temptation in this piece. The performer can stretch and bend the tempo--but only to a certain point. The indication "sostenuto" in this movement means the melody should be played "legato, connected, singing," but also indicates "free, beautiful, expansive, taking time as opposed to rushing." This piece often has V-I cadences which are the culmination of long phrases or sections. In this case, don't delay or pause before the conclusion (the I chord). The performer should keep the line and flow going right to the end. If you wish to take time, do so after the end (and before the next phrase/section)--but not before the end. To get a rounded, singing sound when playing loud (especially loud chordal passages), keep fingertips close to keys. Wrist/arm can and should move quite a lot up and down (this provides the force to play loud). But they can do this while still leaving the fingertips basically in contact with the keys. If fingertips come out of the keys say 3-4-5-6 inches, a harder, harsher, brighter, more rhythmic kind of sound is likely to be produced. This isn't the kind of sound you usually want in playing Chopin. When playing the big chords at end of the movement (the sort often seen at the end of a piece--V-I type chords, often with rests in between them), don't rush! This is a common temptation. He often said, "Not beautiful enough!". He must have said this at least 10 times. He kept emphasizing, especially in the Chopin, that the performer must be aiming for beauty of sound and line. ----------------------------------- The masterclass was very interesting--Frank was very energetic and he often beautifully illustrated his points at the piano. I was rather surprised to discover when reading the program notes at the concert just a few hours later, that he is over 70 years old. I might have guessed 15-20 years younger on the basis of his masterclass. Claude Frank has recorded the complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas. On the basis of his Beethoven performances Tuesday, I would bet that they're well worth checking out. (It looks like they were originally recorded for RCA in the 1970s but now they're available on CD as Music and Arts CD-640. See http://www.musicandarts.com/.) --Brent Hugh Department of Music Missouri Western State College bhugh@cstp.umkc.edu