Tip

Moving the mouse cursor over the top of the page will display the menu bar.

 Carl Reinecke (1824-1910) was a German composer, pianist, conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and professor at the Leipzig Conservatory. His piano performances were admired by Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and Franz Liszt, and he was reputed as "the greatest and most sincere Mozart player of his time."However, you may be surprised on listening for the first time to his performances preserved on piano rolls, since there is noticeable use of expressive practices such as manual asynchrony, unnotated arpeggiation, and rubato (flexibility of rhythm and tempo), which is quite far from the kind of performance style that is considered good today.  This research clarifies the features of the performance practices audible in early piano rolls, such as those by Reinecke. It focuses on how he arranged and notated the Larghetto from Mozart's Piano Concerto No.26 K.537 for piano solo, how he performed it on piano roll (1905), and how he described the performance of the movement in his book Zur Wiederbelebung der Mozart'schen Clavier-Concerte (1891). The discrepancies between the three source materials give an insight into the implied performance practices of Reinecke’s time and his tacit knowledge. The research culminates with personal experimentation and reflection on how these performance practices can expand the freedom and possibilities of the author’s performances.

Tip

This page contains media that is intended to start playback automatically on opening. This may include sound. Your browser is blocking automated playback. Please click here to start media.

  • contents
    • Title Page
    • Table of contents
    • Acknowledgments
    • Abstract
    • Introduction
    • Chapter 1.1 Biography of Carl Reinecke
    • Chapter 1.2 Development of the fortepianos
    • Chapter 1.3 Piano rolls and what can we hear?
    • Chapter 1.4 Comparison of early Mozart recordings
    • 2.1 Introduction
    • 2.2 Two types of Rubatos: “earlier and later”
    • 2.3 Earlier Type of Rubato and Rhythmic Alteration
    • 2.4 Dislocation
    • 2.5 Unnotated Arpeggiation
    • 2.6 Later type of rubato and tempo modification
    • 3.1 Mozart's Piano Concerto No.26 in D major K. 537 and his autograph
    • 3.2 Reinecke's Arrangement "Larghetto" for Solo Piano and His Recording
    • 3.3 Reinecke's Book "Zur Wiederbelebung der Mozart'schen Clavier-Concerte"
    • 4.1 Process of Emulating Reinecke's Performance
    • 4.2 Authenticity in the Historically Informed Performance
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
    • Mako Kodama
  • navigation
    overview
  • abstract
     Carl Reinecke (1824-1910) was a German composer, pianist, conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and professor at the Leipzig Conservatory. His piano performances were admired by Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and Franz Liszt, and he was reputed as "the greatest and most sincere Mozart player of his time."However, you may be surprised on listening for the first time to his performances preserved on piano rolls, since there is noticeable use of expressive practices such as manual asynchrony, unnotated arpeggiation, and rubato (flexibility of rhythm and tempo), which is quite far from the kind of performance style that is considered good today.  This research clarifies the features of the performance practices audible in early piano rolls, such as those by Reinecke. It focuses on how he arranged and notated the Larghetto from Mozart's Piano Concerto No.26 K.537 for piano solo, how he performed it on piano roll (1905), and how he described the performance of the movement in his book Zur Wiederbelebung der Mozart'schen Clavier-Concerte (1891). The discrepancies between the three source materials give an insight into the implied performance practices of Reinecke’s time and his tacit knowledge. The research culminates with personal experimentation and reflection on how these performance practices can expand the freedom and possibilities of the author’s performances.
  • Mako Kodama - Between Performance and Notation: How did Carl Reinecke understand Mozart’s piano concerto No.26 K.537? - 2024
  • Meta
  • Comments
  • Terms

Table of Contents  


Acknowledgements

Abstract

Introduction


Chapter 1: Background

1.1 Biography of Carl Reinecke

1.2 Development of the Fortepiano between Mozart and Reinecke

1.3 Piano Rolls

1.4 Changes to Performance Practice Caused by Recording Technology

 

Chapter 2: Ingredients that Make the Performance More Flexible in Early Recordings

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Two Types of Rubatos: “Earlier and Later”

2.3 Earlier Type of Rubato and Rhythmic Alteration

2.4 Dislocation

2.5 Unnotated Arpeggiation

2.6 Later Type of Rubato and Tempo Modification


Chapter 3: "Larghetto" from Mozart Piano Concerto No.26, K.537, as Interpreted by Reinecke

3.1 Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.26 in D major K. 537 and His Autograph

3.2 Reinecke's Arrangement "Larghetto" for Solo Piano and His Recording

3.3 Reinecke's Book "Zur Wiederbelebung der Mozart'schen Clavier-Concerte"

 

Chapter 4: Experimental Application of Evidence in Performance

4.1 Emulating Reinecke's Performance

4.2 Authenticity in Historically Informed Performance 


Conclusion

Bibliography


Back to: Title Page