A Kinesiological analysis of piano technique as employed in selections of György Cziffra’s piano transcriptions

Date
2019-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: piano transcriptions of György Cziffra (1921-1994) are under-performed jewels of the piano literature, largely due to their hyper-virtuosic nature that proves prohibitive in practice. The importance of physiological mechanics behind technical movements are highlighted in works such as these, but this field of study is generally left unaddressed by performers and teachers alike. By using information drawn from the field of kinesiology (the study of movement), the author sets out to analyse and discuss the physiological components underlining technical difficulties and pianistic effects found in the four transcription-etudes by Cziffra. The analysis shows how verifiable knowledge from the field of kinesiology can be applied subjectively by the author in order to analyse and cultivate awareness of his own movements and technique. This in turn enables the performer to adjust and finetune movement optimally according to his own physiology. Pianistic sources on technique tend to exclude sufficient information on the musculoskeletal system, specifically the joints of the shoulder complex. This is addressed by focussing on ‘scapulohumeral rhythm’, as explained through kinesiological sources. An important trait of Cziffra’s etudes concerns the conversion of a performed improvisation into a printed musical score. The author draws parallels from examples by Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) in order to contextualise techniques that may have influenced Cziffra’s transcription-etudes.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die klaviertranskripsies van György Cziffra (1921-1994) is juwele van die klavierliteratuur wat skaars uitgevoer word, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die hiper-virtuose tegniese vereistes wat dit aan die uitvoerder stel. Die belangrikheid van die fisiologiese meganika agter tegniese bewegings word in hierdie tipe repertorium onderstreep, maar hierdie veld van studie word in die algemeen kwalik deur onderwysers of uitvoerders bestudeer. Deur gebruik te maak van inligting vanuit die veld van kinesiologie (die bestudering van beweging), beoog die skrywer om die fisiologiese komponente wat die tegniese probleme en pianistiese effekte in Cziffra se vier transkripsie-etudes onderlê te analiseer en te bespreek. Die analise toon aan hoe die outeur objektiewe, verifieerbare kennis uit die veld van kinesiologie subjektief toepas om meer bewus te raak van sy eie tegniese bewegings om sodoende optimale fisiologiese aanpassings te kan maak. Pianistiese bronne oor tegniek is geneig om voldoende inligting oor die spier-geraamte stelsel uit te sluit, veral die litte van die skouerkompleks. Die skrywer fokus gevolglik op die konsep van 'skapulohumerale ritme', soos dit beskryf word deur kinesiologiese bronne. 'n Belangrike eienskap van Cziffra se etudes is dat geïmproviseerde uitvoerings uiteindelik omgeskakel is na gedrukte bladmusiek. Die skrywer vergelyk die tegnieke en pianistiese effekte wat in Cziffra se transkripsie-etudes aangetref word met voorbeelde uit werke deur Franz Liszt (1811-1886) en Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) om tegnieke te kontekstualiseer wat Cziffra se transkripsie-etudes moontlik beïnvloed het.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Piano -- Technique, Cziffra, György, 1921-1994, Piano music, Arranged, Piano -- Physiological aspects, Applied kinesiology, UCTD
Citation