New York School composers, piano techniques, contemporary music, New York School era, modern piano composing, Cage's philosophy, Morton Feldman, New York painters, Merce Cunningham, conceptual theories, practical piano education, methodological strategy, musicology field, modern music
This study focuses on the conceptualization and application of piano techniques by the New York School composers, the group recognized for their unconventional approaches, considerable influence, and profound impact on modern music. Through these composers, especially John Cage, Morton Feldman, and Christian Wolff, who have each developed their own ways that defy the traditional concepts of music composition and performance, this approach started to grow in popularity. Through a thorough scrutiny of their works, this study intends to reveal their progression and spread, which set the stage for them to leave an indelible mark on modern piano music. The main idea behind this proposal is that New York City composers' creative techniques are the hallmark of music history, fundamentally changing the face of contemporary music by providing innovative approaches to composition and playing.
[...] The techniques and philosophies embraced by these composers opened up vast new possibilities for the Pianist and the piano itself. The literature focuses on specific techniques and philosophical positions that are unique to each of these composers, not only from the others' contemporaries but also in their group, hence demonstrating a great diversity of methods and artistic philosophies. One of the most outstanding examples of such a change would be John Cage's elaboration of aleatory music, or music by chance. [...]
[...] asking the performer to hold individual chords for minutes at a time with minuscule differentiations of attack" (Bunger p. 92). Pieces like For Bunita Marcus continued this ethereal, hushed aesthetic as Feldman composed "gossamer-weight whispers of chords dispersed through largely empty measures" (Griffiths p. 12). These works required precise control and acute listening from the performer. The indeterminate structures and improvisational aspects found in many Christian Wolff scores represented a radically open and flexible approach to notation and performance. In pieces like For Pianist, "Wolff essentially discards inherited notational assumptions, leaving dynamics, rhythms, pitches, and other musical properties to be determined in the act of performance itself" (Chase p. [...]
[...] The analysis will document not just the techniques but contextualize their purpose within each composer's overarching aesthetic aims. Contextual Analysis: Philosophical, cultural, and artistic influences will be explored through secondary sources like scholarly writings, essays, interviews, and archives. This will illuminate how the composers' views (e.g., Existentialism, Zen Buddhism) and artistic networks/movements (Abstract Expressionism, dance, etc.) informed their innovative approaches. Comparative Study: A thematic analysis will map the progression of techniques like indeterminacy, aleatory, timbral exploration, and silence as formal elements across the composers' bodies of work. [...]
[...] Literary Imagination, 85-97. Chase, S. (2004). Christian Wolff: On Composers and Their Creative Process. Contemporary Music Review, 9-18. Friedman, B. H. (2000). Morton Feldman: A Composer's Reflections. Perspectives of New Music, 118-129. Gann, K. [...]
[...] Joseph, B. W. (2008). Random Order: The Significance of John Cage's Use of Chance. Contemporary Music Review, 251-270. Nyman, M. (1999). Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond. Cambridge University Press. Pritchett, J. (1993). [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
