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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until September 13, 2027

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A Performer’s Perspective: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28

Wang, Chenyu
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1683457195381643

Abstract Details

2023, Doctor of Musical Arts, Ohio State University, Music.
Sergei Rachmaninoff was considered one of the last successors of Romanticism, and his compositional output, particularly his symphonic and piano works, featured his success as a well-known conductor and virtuosic pianist. Rachmaninoff’s music remained in the romantic style, such as using the sonata form, which was favored by Romantic composers in 19th century. Rachmaninoff composed two piano sonatas, Op. 28 and Op. 36, in his life. Compared to the second piano sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 36, the first piano sonata in D Minor, Op. 28, was relatively ignored in the piano repertoire since its premiere. This author decided to explore the first sonata by studying and performing it as part of his doctoral recital. This document will discuss the reasons why the first sonata, unlike the second piano sonata, is infrequently performed by the pianists. Also, Rachmaninoff was famous for composing piano works with an expanded hand range. The writer will explain the performance style of the first sonata and approaches that could address some potential technical problems, particularly for pianists who have relatively small hands. This document consists of five chapters. Chapter one presents a historical overview of Rachmaninoff and the conception of his first piano sonata. Chapter two discusses the compositional details of the first piano sonata, including the unusual design of sonata form and musical material that features Rachmaninoff’s general music style. Chapter three focuses on a performance approach to Piano Sonata No. 1 and discusses possible issues regarding technique that pianists may encounter. Based on this writer’s experience of performing this work, some performance suggestions, particularly for pianists with small hands, will be provided in this chapter. Chapter four compares recordings of by Vadym Kholodenko, Alexandre Kantorow, and Santiago Rodriguez. The conclusion is stated in chapter five. The primary sources used for this document are Rachmaninoff’s personal letters, Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime of Music, collected and edited by Sergei Bertensson and Jay Leyda, and Rachmaninoff’s biography, Rachmaninoff’s Recollections by Oskar von Riesemann. Other materials include DMA dissertations, such as “Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28: A Structural Analysis and a Faustian Interpretation” by David E. Berry III, “Comparing Russian Trends in the Piano Sonata of Rachmaninoff and Medtner” by Own J. Hartnett, and “Rachmaninoff’s Integrative Technique and Structural Organization: A Schenkerian Analysis of Allegro Moderato, From Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Opus 28” by Christine Mari Yoshikawa.
Caroline Hong (Committee Member)
Steven Glaser (Advisor)
Kenneth Williams (Committee Member)
110 p.
Music
Sergei Rachmaninoff; Piano; Performace Guide; Piano Sonata.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wang, C. (2023). A Performer’s Perspective: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28 [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1683457195381643

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wang, Chenyu. A Performer’s Perspective: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28. 2023. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1683457195381643.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wang, Chenyu. "A Performer’s Perspective: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1683457195381643

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2023, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.