Insightful imitation : Chopin’s Impromptu in C-sharp Minor as a pastiche of Moscheles

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Robin Morace (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Andrew Willis

Abstract: This document proposes that Fryderyk Chopin’s Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 is not an entirely original work, but rather a pastiche in which all of the musical material is derived from three works by other composers: the Impromptu, Op. 89 and Sonate mélancolique, Op. 49 of Ignaz Moscheles and the Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27/2 of Ludwig van Beethoven. The study is in two parts. In the first part, the consideration of four distinct topics provides a necessary contextual backdrop. These four topics are (1) an exploration of Chopin’s great capacity for mimicry, including musical mimicry, a talent uniquely pertinent to a pastiche of other composers’ music, (2) an examination of Chopin’s relationship to Moscheles and his music at the time of the impromptu’s composition, (3) a cursory look at an earlier pastiche by Chopin, and (4) a discussion of the relationship between Moscheles and Beethoven, and how Chopin’s awareness of this relationship might have influenced his decision to use both of their music in single pastiche. In the second part of the study, a thorough comparative analysis of Chopin’s impromptu and the aforementioned works of Moscheles and Beethoven illustrates how Chopin transformed and combined passages from the source pieces to generate his own musical material.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2022
Keywords
Beethoven, Chopin, Impromptu, Moscheles, Pastiche
Subjects
Chopin, Fre´de´ric, $d 1810-1849. $t Impromptus, $m piano, $n no. 4, op. 66, $r C? minor $x Analysis, appreciation

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