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• 1. Master Research Projects All research in KC
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  Approaching a Rhetorical Performance of Late 18th Century Keyboard Music from the Methods of john Walker (2019) author(s): Anders Muskens published in: KC Research Portal
  Student Number 3105008 Supervisor(s) Anna Scott, Jed Wentz Title Approaching a Rhetorical Performance of Late 18th Century Keyboard Music from the Methods of john Walker Research Question How can we apply declamatory principles from late 18th century English treatises to historical performance of late 18th century solo keyboard music? Summary There is no doubt that the art of classical rhetoric played an important role in the conception and performance of music in the 18th century. In order to better understand how to perform rhetorically in an historically informed manner, an understanding of declamation as it was understood in the late 18th century is key. This thesis uses the written methods of English actor-turned-elocutionist, John Walker, as the basis to proposing a rhetorical approach to late 18th century solo keyboard repertoire. Linguistic concepts of sense, structure, style, and delivery (acting) are likened to analogous concepts in galant music and supported with statements from musical treatises and examples from musical works. Two main performance case studies are considered for comparison: the first linguistic, being Walker’s 1787 annotated version of Edward IV’s speech from William Shakespeare’s "Richard III"; and the second musical, being the Adagio movement of Joseph Haydn’s 1794 Keyboard Sonata Hob. XVI:52. It is hoped that this investigation will not only expand the horizons of the author’s solo performances, but will also provide interesting and useful tools for other musicians. Short Bio Anders Muskens began modern piano studies at the age of 4 in Edmonton, Canada. He graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto under the tutelage of Dr. Irina Konovalov. He now studies fortepiano and harpsichord at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague with Dr. Bart van Oort, Petra Somlai, and Fabio Bonizzoni. He received numerous awards including: 1st place at the Early Music Young Ensemble Competition at the London Exhibition of Early Music 2018 in a duo with soprano Tinka Pypker; and the „Hofkapelle Elbe-Elster“ prize at the „Gebrüder Graun Prize“ 2018 with his ensemble Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester.
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  The Art of Arpeggiation (2019) author(s): Niels Pfeffer published in: KC Research Portal
  Student Number 3167720 Supervisor(s) Patrick van Deurzen Title The Art of Arpeggiation Research Question How many different ways of arpeggiation is it possible to think of and how is musical meaning created through them? Summary This research is about discovering the expressive possibilities of arpeggiation – may it be indicated by an arpeggio sign or added arbitrarily by a performer. For two reasons this question seems relevant: 1. In the past century, the idea that musical performance should be an exact reproduction of the score has become increasingly predominant and in consequence the idea of exact synchronity has evolved. Seeking for a more creative and less reproducing way to perform, breaking up this rigid synchronity provides us with an exciting "playground" yet to be explored. 2. Particularly on the classical guitar arpeggiation can frequently be heard – often for more technical than musical reasons. Especially on this instrument, a more reflected use is desirable. It was barely looked at the rules on what happens "inside" an arpeggiation. A reason for that might be, that everything inside an arpeggiation usually occurs very rapidly which makes it a lot harder to be analyzed. Besides that, often in arpeggiation the performer relies on "automatic" processes that are difficult to be modified consciously. I propose the idea, that arpeggiation consists of multiple layers of meaning that can be put together in any possible combination. The layers of arpeggiation span with increasing subtlety from habitual arpeggiation to a meticulously planned effect. In the presentation I will demonstrate this concept by showing different ways and meanings of arpeggiation in recordings and on my instrument. Short Bio Niels Pfeffer finished his harpsichord studies at the Stuttgart University of Music under Jörg Halubek and his guitar studies with Johannes Monno in 2017. He is studying in master with Robert Hill in Freiburg (harpsichord) and with Zoran Dukić in The Hague (guitar). With the guitar he won numerous prizes at renowned competitions. He is passionate about playing continuo on theorbo and harpsichord. With both instruments he took part in opera and orchestra performances. As member of different early music ensembles he has been regularly successful in competitions. At the University of Music Stuttgart he is teaching continuo and theorbo.
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• Towards an integrated method for practicing: internalizing the composer’s language. (2019) author(s): Pim Witvrouw published in: KC Research Portal
  Name Pim Witvrouw Main Subject Music Theory Supervisors Paul Scheepers / David Kuijken Title of Research Towards an integrated method for practicing: internalizing the composer’s language Research Question In which ways can we use the outcome of an analysis to develop a practice method focused on learning the general musical language of a score, instead of just memorizing the right notes? Summary of Results Musicians who could very well play, improvise and compose wrote down the majority of repertoire, which we encounter as Western classical musicians. In conservatories and music schools often an attitude towards classical music is developed from a narrower point of view: learning and performing a score. There are extra classes in solfeggio, harmony, improvisation, analysis and counterpoint. However, the reality is that, for most students these subjects are not connected to their practice as instrumentalists. As a pianist, I don’t use all the resources I have as a theorist, and there seems to be a separation between these two practices. Might there be a different way to start practicing a classical work? For the purposes of my research I have chosen one piece as a case study: the first movement of Beethoven's piano sonata n. 31 (op. 110, in A flat major). First I analysed the movement and then I looked at what I can do with the data generated from the analysis. I developed some exercises in order to prepare one for studying the actual work. These exercises could bring theoretical knowledge and improvisation skills into the instrumental lessons and give the player a deeper insight into Beethoven’s harmonic language and use of formal structures. Further research is necessary in order to work out these exercises for more repertoire of all levels, styles and even instruments. It is my intention with this research and future work to bring music theory and activities in the practice rooms of musicians closer together. Biography Pim Witvrouw began his professional music studies at the Young Talent Department of the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven (Belgium) where he studied piano with Stefan Celen. He continued to study in the Netherlands at the Utrecht Conservatory, where he studied with Paolo Giacometti. In addition to this he studied musicology at the University of Utrecht. Pim is currently engaged giving piano lessons and music theory classes at the CKV-Almere. Since September 2018 he also teaches music theory at the Conservatory of Zwolle. In recent years he performed a solo program devoted to works of J.S. Bach.
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• Concepts of Embodiment in Interdisciplinary Work Within a Musical Context (2019) author(s): Sarah Albu published in: KC Research Portal
  Integrated musical experiences have long existed, previous to and outside of the traditional concert music setting. Interdisciplinary approaches to performance creation are becoming more accepted and more common in academic music contexts. This research asks the question "How does the concept of embodiment serve the creation of interdisciplinary work within a musical context?", examined through the lens of definitions of embodiment, spinning, technology, community, and inter/multidisciplinary vs. intermediality and expanded through case studies of two of the author's recent performance works.
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• Efficient Practice Design (2018) author(s): Seungjin Kang Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Seungjin Kang Main Subject: Classical Horn Research Supervisor: Susan Williams Title of Research: Efficient practice design: utilising a six-step process of borrowing ideas Research Question: How can I develop a practice strategy that involves consciously working with borrowed musical ideas? Summary of Results: The performer implements expressive performance through interpretation within the potential possibilities of the work (and the performer). This research focuses on developing a much more conscious process in which I would know and understand where my musical ideas are coming from. To do this, I used a practice design utilising the six-step process of borrowing ideas from David Kord Murray's Borrowing Brilliance. Prior to the study, I interviewed three horn teachers from the Royal Conservatoire to compare how the musical ideas that these teachers use are formed. I compared their processes of approaching repertoire with the processes described in Murray’s book. I also analysed four (contrasting) recordings of the concerto, noting details of how they were played – also with audio editing software. The analysis of the teachers' responses showed that some of the ‘six steps to borrowing ideas’ featured. In this study, I used principles of the six-step process to design an exercise regime to help me practice Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4. I used practice notes (logbook) to record the process and analyse the results. As a result, the conscious exercises (in six stages), compared to my earlier way of practicing, enabled more planned execution and showed that a more systematic and efficient interpretation of the work was possible. Going through the ‘six-step processes’ and repeating them enabled new insights and improved interpretation of repertoire. This process is summarised in the form of endless algorithms. Biography: Horn player Seungjin Kang was born in South Korea where he began his musical studies with Seok-jun Lee and Kyung-il Choi. In 2013 he completed his Bachelor's at the Korea national university of arts and at the age of 24 he was appointed the principal horn player of the Cheongju Philharmonic Orchestra of Korea. He studied abroad in this orchestra in 2016 and as a result, is currently pursuing a Master's degree at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, where he studies with Martin van de Merwe and natural horn with Teunis van der Zwart. Between 2016-2018 he played at the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Noord Nederlands Orkest, Gergiev Festival, Asko Schönberg, Dutch National Opera Academy.
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• F. A. Hoffmeister Viola Concerto - Getting the inspiration for historically-informed performance. (2018) author(s): Maria Kropotkina Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  The main goal of this research was to figure out how can the study of the features of classical style give me more insight on how to make a faithful interpretation? Through the methods of content analysis I have found which topics were discussed and considered important from mid-18th century to mid-19th century. These topics were then systematized and placed in tables, compared and placed in one common table. Then scores were marked as close as possible to L. Mozart’s intentions, L. Spohr’s intentions and the score I used before (marked before my research). After that, these were practiced and recorded. Comparing the scores has brought me to some conclusions, differences between my playing and the requests of the masters. These were all the basic features of the classical style, which can be applied to my interpretation in theory. With the practicing and recording methods, I could choose more objectively which features of classical style, which I shall apply to my interpretation (the ones listed as an answer to the third sub-question). Theoretically speaking, regarding the tempo – I have always practiced perfect tempo keeping with the metronome and never even considered the fact of slowing down, let alone accelerating in furious passages. The dynamics marked in my score are similar to what is in L. Mozart and L. Spohr versions. I had never accentuated first of the slurred notes and then made a diminuendo, as L. Mozart asks. One difference, however, was in the dolce section in which I used to play a quasi- polyphonic setting in which both piano and forte was used. Mozart and Spohr would play dolce in a soft, ingratiating. The bowings in my version are more versatile and in a way continue L. Spohr’s tradition of slowly leaving behind the down beat down bow tradition so present in L. Mozart’s Versuch. Regarding the usage of my bow, through Spohr’s Violinschule I have rediscovered the upper half of the bow. For instance, I always played the detasche bowing in the middle part of the bow, unlike Spohr suggests (upper third). My fingerings version was almost the same as the L. Spohr’s version and quite different from L. Mozart’s version. Being able to use the open string and flageolets is truly helpful. Though, according to some, the usage of the harmonics when playing orchestra auditions with this concerto should be somewhat limited. (Kugel, 2014) Before analyzing the two violin schools, I have used different ornamentation, which was marked in my score. (Hoffmeister F. A., 1996) For example in bar 41 Music Well edition that I was using asks for a trill, while Henle edition only marks a turn. Also, it has before never occurred to me to even consider adding some embellishments myself. After reading L. Mozart’s Versuch, I am much more confident to add the embellishments, as well as to treat the vibrato (tremolo) as an embellishment, which should be added only on long notes. Practically speaking, I have made different choices for my interpretation. This new interpretation is a mixture of both violin methods and it represents the classical features that I shall apply to the performance practice because of their musical consequences.19 I have often found it somewhat hard to understand what exactly the classical style is. But, in my opinion, with such little improvements as mentioned earlier in this section, one can get closer to the style. As we know, playing in a correct style has gained more and more importance in the last century (Scherman, n.d.), and the audition setting asks for it as well. (Lebrecht, 2014) What still should be done to improve the clarity of the research is to apply the topics that I have extracted in the tables on the whole concerto. Also, there is definitely room for improvement in the embellishments section. In my research, there was no place for a thorough study of all embellishments that L. Mozart had stated. Such study and its application on the whole of Hoffmeister concerto would be of great importance to its understanding. Also, a study of the difference between the L. Mozart’s Versuch and L. Spohr’s Violinschule could bring great insight to how violin technique changed from mid-18th century to mid-19th century. I consider my common table as a good beginning of the study. To conclude, I hope my research will bring some clarity to the young colleagues who wish to have more information on the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto, as it did for me. Especially I wish it to be a guide for putting down bowings, choosing fingerings, adding and performing embellishments. If but one wondering violist is somewhat helped, I shall be pleased.
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