THE CONTEMPORARY MASTERS Piano Solos by Master Composers of the Period CONTENTS BELA BARTOK Bagatelle, Opus 6, No.6... CLAUDE Desussy Le Petite Berger .. Le Petite Négre . GEORGE GERSHWIN Prelude No. 2 ALEXANDER GRETCHANINOFF ‘Waltz, Opus 123, No.6..... wee 8 DMITRI RABALEYSES: Playing Ball....... Toceatina, Opus 27, No. 6. GIAN-CaRLO MENOTTI ‘The Manger ERIK SATIE Gymnopedie No. 1 DMITRI SHOSTAKOVITCH The Mechanical Doll............ eB IGOR STRAVINSKY Also available in this series... ‘The Baroque Masters - EL96114 ‘The Classical Masters - EL96115 The Romantic Masters - EL96116 ‘ar: Joann Carrera, ‘Astwork Reproduced on Cover: “The White Horse” by Paul Gauguin © 1996 BRLWIX-MILLS PUBLISHING CORP. AU Rights Assigned to and Controlled by ALFRED MUSIC PUBLISHING CO. INC. ‘All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA.Preface 20th Century music separated itself from previous periods notable changes around 1910. Most prominent was the writing of Debussy, termed “Impressionism”, which was directed against Wagner and other German Romantic composers. There were no radical changes in his style compared to those which followed, ‘There were numerous experimental forms developed during the 20th Century, ome of which are still being expanded upon: 1) Impressionism/Expressionism (best illustrated with the lovely melodies and lush harmonies of Debussy and Milhaud.) (see pages 20 and 28). 2) Atonality/Twelve-Tone (first developed by Schoenberg, completely casting aside any formal harmonic system.) (see pages 3 and 14). 3) Serial Music (repetitive and influence by American jazz.) 4) Aleatory (chance music with no definite plan in the written or performed forms.) John Cage is best known in this idiom, 5) Neoclassicism (a return by many to the aesthetics of the 17th and 18th centuries, but with contemporary harmonies and altered forms.) (see pages 8 and 24). 6)Electronic (music developed since the end of WWII using electronic instruments in conju tion with tapes.) This area continues to develop with the use of computers and midi capabilities, Bartok, Stravinsky and Schoenberg were early leaders into these new styles. Other successful and often performed composers include Berg, Bernstein, Gershwin, Hanegger, Hindemith, Kodaly (with his tone system), Milhaud, Lloyd Webber and Webern, among others. Some have contributed not only to the concert stage, but theater and film scores as well. ‘The American popular cutture has affected music in many parts of the world, but recent theater produc- tions have begun to turn to themes in history as well as revivals of successful mid-century productions. Some consider the music, and indeed other art forms of the 20th Century a violent change from the technical and philosophical ideals of previous periods. A French critic once offered a review stating in part “...after the music with a silk brush comes music with an axe.” The complete history of 20th Century music has not yet been written as new styles, forms, new art and theatrical presentations con- tinue to emerge.BAGATELLE Opus 6, No. 6 BELA BARTOK (1881-1945) Lento (4 = 69) 33 (© 1996 BELWIN MILLS PUBLISHING CORP. (ASCo A Righty Aligned by WARNER BROS: PUBLATIONS US. INC. E0117 Teuematonel Copgie Seoucd Maden USA Ad Rigi edFLO6L7 PLAYING BALL Opus 27, No. 2 DMITRI KABALEVSKY (1904-1987) Vivace leggiero (¢. = ca. 72) 2 aa> 3 ELye1i7LyRIC PIECE(poco eres GpsseTHE MECHANICAL DOLL DMITRI SHOSTAKOVITCH (1906-1975) Allegretto (¢ = 104) ee ae ee ee a - 5 ma L967ELou17Opus 123, No. 6 from "Glass Beads” ALEXANDER GRETCHANINOFF (1864-1956) Moderato (J = 120) ‘ a2 4 & 3 EL96117