Research Catalogue

an international database for artistic research

• 3. Internal publication Research published in this issue are only for internal circulation within the Royal Conservatoire, The Hague.
• 2. Royal Conservatoire Investigations Royal Conservatoire Investigations
• 1. Master Research Projects All research in KC

• Chordal Continuo Realization on the Violoncello: A look at the practice of chordal accompaniment by cellists over the course of two centuries, with a focus on recitative accompaniment practices between 1774 and 1832 (2014) author(s): Eva Lymenstull published in: KC Research Portal
  Name: Eva Lymenstull Main Subject: Baroque Cello Research Coach: Johannes Boer Title of Research: Chordal Continuo Realization on the Violoncello: A look at the practice of chordal accompaniment by cellists over the course of two centuries, with a focus on recitative accompaniment practices between 1774 and 1832 Research Question: What was the practice of chordal continuo realization by cellists in the eighteenth century? What historical precedence exists, in what musical contexts would the practice be used, and how does this realization sound when used in performance? Summary of Results: The cello was used as a continuo instrument from the earliest days of basso continuo through the early nineteenth century. In addition to the cello being used as a single-voice continuo instrument, evidence exists that some cellists realized their continuo lines, creating multi-voice chordal accompaniments. Accounts of performances in which cellists played chordal continuo realizations exist, though very sporadically, ranging from 1657 to 1834. Despite arguments from a number of scholars and performers that the use of chordal continuo realizations by cellists was widespread during the eighteenth century, there is insufficient evidence, much of which is highly circumstantial, that the practice was common before 1774. Several treatises were published between 1774 and 1834, however, that give clear and detailed instructions, including examples of execution, for the use of chordal continuo realizations on the cello in secco recitatives in opera. The use of this practice at that time sheds an interesting light on the role of the cello, the development of cello technique, and about the virtuosity required for this type of accompaniment. The presentation will include a discussion of the various sides of the debate over chordal continuo practices in the Baroque, live demonstrations by myself and colleagues of the chordal recitative techniques outlined in the treatises I have examined, and a power point presentation.
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• Jiří Čart (Georg Czarth) and his Flute Sonata in D minor (2014) author(s): Michaela Kouřilová published in: KC Research Portal
  Name: Michaela Kouřilová Main Subject: Traverso Research Coaches: Inês de Avena Braga and Donna Agrell Title of Research: Jiří Čart (Georg Czarth) and his Flute Sonata in D minor Research Questions: What is the current status of research on the life of Jiří Čart as an émigré musician? Is it possible to establish bibliographic control of this research, and outline the major deficits in existing literature? By examining Čart's writing for flute, and in particular his D minor Sonata, is it possible to define the characteristics of his compositional style? Is there a further link between his output and his position in various European ensembles, suggesting a development in line with other composers? Research Process: Musical emigration was quite characteristic in Czech musical life in the eighteenth century, but was not a completely new phenomenon. Throughout history Czech emigrants, such as Jan Václav Stamic, František Benda or Josef Mysliveček, came to well-deserved fame, but others await a return to modern appreciation. This is surely the case when we consider the life and work of Jiří Čart (1708-c.1778). Despite the contemporary success and reputation, Čart’s name has fallen into insignificance. No thematic catalogue has ever been attempted, leaving performers with no basis for modern performance, and thus audiences with limited opportunities to hear and discover his music. This thesis is potentially a model for further extrapolation of his output and a beginning of a more developed research path. However, the scope of this current document is limited, and therefore centres on Čart’s flute Sonata in D minor. Summary of Results: This work provides detailed information about the professional life of the violinist, flutist and composer Jiří Čart, which has yet to be considered in English. This information is embedded in the historical context, providing an overall picture of the social situation in the eighteenth century for émigré musicians from the Czech lands such as Čart. The so- called ‘Czech Musical Emigration’ is a very important ingredient of European music history, which partly influenced the direction and the onset of classicism as we now see it. Čart spent his adult life following his musical talents and opportunities as an émigré. In doing so, he occupied several important posts in major European orchestras and establishments. New details about his life and compositions are uncovered in this work, which is accompanied by a critical edition of his ‘Solo à Flauto Traverso è embalo’ in D minor. This edition was prepared using several variant texts from the eighteenth century, as the sonata exists only in contemporary manuscript copies, as well as a transcription for violin. Disseminated throughout European libraries, the work shows a mature compositional style, with the idiomatic knowledge necessary to craft a showpiece for the flute, allowing the performer to engage with, and enlighten the audience.
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• Barry Harris: Exploring the Diminished (2014) author(s): Vera Marijt published in: KC Research Portal
  Name: Vera Marijt Main Subject: Jazz Piano Research Coach: Jarmo Hoogendijk Title of Research: Barry Harris: Exploring the Diminished Research Question: How can the transcriptions I made of Barry Harris' workshops and recordings be incorporated in my playing, in order to develop myself in a bebop style? Research Process: I transcribed two DVD boxes containing 8 discs of over 8 hours of workshops by pianist Barry Harris that were recorded and published by Howard Rees. Furthermore, I transcribed about 54 video's of Barry Harris that were published on the website, www.franselsen.com, and several solo's of him. This resulted in about 35 pages of transcribed material, that I sorted and practiced during my Master studies. Summary of Results: Barry Harris talks in his workshops a lot about one important chord; the diminished. He explained how chords are related to the diminished and how we can use the diminished to connect chords and create 'movement'. Two important scales are the major and minor 6 diminished scales. Exercises I got out of the transcriptions and experimenting with this, opened a new world of sounds, voicings, harmonic knowledge and ideas for improvisational lines for me. I apply the material to existing pieces and wrote a composition in which these techniques are used. In the presentation I will explain about the major and minor 6th diminished scales and how they can be applied to tunes.
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• Luigi Boccherini: patronage and musical life in Madrid between 1768 and 1805 (2014) author(s): Carlos Leal Cardín published in: KC Research Portal
  Name: Carlos Leal Cardín Main Subject: Violoncello Research Coach: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Luigi Boccherini. Patronage and musical life in Madrid between 1768 and 1805. Research Question: How was Boccherini’s work determined by its social function and his musical environment? Was the musical scene in Madrid comparable to the one in other European capitals? Research Process: I have tried to reconstruct the musical landscape in which Boccherini lived and worked for almost 40 years in Spain by analyzing several aspects of the musical life: concert life, musical institutions, patronage and music printing and trade. It is therefore a historical research based on available bibliography as well as in sources of the period. Summary of Results: Luigi Boccherini lived in Madrid or near for almost 40 years. Throughout of the 18th century there were many attempts in Spain to modernize the society, the economy and of course the culture, trying to get a closer position to the leading nations of that time. In music this resulted in the development of public concerts and opera performances, very much in the line of the spirit of the Enlightenment. But at the same time there was a lack of dissemination of printed music due to the absence of a strong musical press. That’s why Boccherini published his works outside Spain where the middleclass amateur players were much more abundant. During 10 of his years in Spain Boccherini enjoyed the patronage of the infante don Luis under such favorable terms that can be compared to the situation of Haydn with the Prince Eszterhazy. We could say that even being so far from the big musical centers -Viena, Paris and London- the circumstances in which he developed his career were not so different from other composers of the time.
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  Italian elements in French music for traverso by J.M.Laclair and M.Blavet (2014) author(s): Radka Kubinova published in: KC Research Portal
  Name: Radka Kubínová Main Subject: Traverso Research Coach: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Italian elements in French music for traverso by J.M. Leclair and M.Blavet Research Question: How did the Italian style influence French music for the traverso between 1699-1750 ́? Research Process: My research question arises while studying music by Blavet and Leclair and their contemporaries. Their music includes many Italian elements and in my research I would like to reach a deeper understanding of the stylistic mixture. For that I need to uncover the social circumstances and back ground of the life of these two composers. I have studied French contemporary sources, mostly books written by the end of 17th century and beginning of 18th century describing musical life in France and its main musical personage. The big advantage of studying the contemporary sources in their original language is the possibility of getting the whole picture of the period. Summary of Results: The end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century in France was a “golden age” for traverso marked by an intense interaction between French and Italian style. This interaction is reflected in all aspects of music: composition, forms, instruments and interpretation. The Italian style introduced many new features which were hardly accepted by a conservative society represented by aristocracy and absolutist monarch Louis XIV. Another section of the society, modern and open to anything, new was represented by very controversial and powerful person of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans who was the most important musical patron in France at that time. The best conclusion of the interaction between the two styles is “Les goûts réunïs” by François Couperin. In the preface of the book Couperin explains that the best solution is to take the best elements from each nation and put them together.
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  Proposing Live Electronics as an Alternative to Larger Performance Set-Ups (2014) author(s): Mario Garcia Cortizo published in: KC Research Portal
  Name: Mario García Cortizo Main Subject: Classical and Contemporary Percussion Research Coaches: Anna Scott and Richard Barrett Title of Research: Proposing Live Electronics as an Alternative to Larger Performance Set-Ups Research Question: How can the inclusion of live electronics reduce required equipment while increasing performer efficiency? Research Process: After deciding on the topic of my research, I began reading and collecting all kinds of information related to the historical relationship between the arts and artists during major social and financial crises of the 20th Century. This included books, websites, journal and magazine articles, and museum exhibitions. In a practical sense, during the first year of the research process I was mainly focused on trying out different things by experimenting with live electronics both in improvised and concert music. For my second year, I have commissioned a new piece involving percussion and live electronics to be performed by composition student Siamak Anvari. I will also be the second person ever to play Hugo Morales’ piece 150pF, “for body capacitance and amplification system.” This piece involves a new instrument that I built myself, consisting of four jack connectors that are split into a four-channel system. As a complement for the program, I am doing a reduction of Frederic Rzewski’s Coming Together for one single player and an actress. Summary of Results: Throughout this text we have seen different proposals that have come out of limitations faced by artists during crisis periods: where creativity is forced to develop in very significant ways in order to keep creating pieces, performances - art that riches everybody, regardless of culture, politics, age, or other aspects. These limitations have provided artists with a lot of new instruments, technologies and techniques: tools that have helped composers and performers to develop new languages and frameworks within which to organize many different materials. Is very important to point out that the use of non-conventional instruments and live electronics can be considered when there are limitations, but we do not have to use these resources just because of the presence of a limitation, but rather as a part of an on-going research process that leads us to these resources as part of a particular creative solution. After going through all the practical examples experimented with and contained in this research, we can conclude that live electronics and non-conventional instruments are indeed an alternative to larger performance set-ups, not only when the economic situation is unfavorable, but even as a matter of taste.
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