GRMUS T675 — Writing Cadenzas

2 credits
Fall
Behzad Ranjbaran

A newly composed cadenza has the potential to feature a performer’s artistry with refreshing personal commentary on an ever-familiar work, thus becoming a highlight of a performance. This class is devoted to developing the skills necessary for composing cadenzas appropriate for 18th- and 19th-century sonatas and concertos. The art of cadenza writing, so prominent in the Common-Practice era, will be explored by examining historical documents detailing its development. In addition, there will be a comprehensive harmonic and melodic analysis of cadenzas written by period composers such as Mozart and Beethoven. We will explore various types of cadenzas from Eingang (a fermata embellishment) to fully developed cadenzas written for a variety of instruments in 19th-century concertos. Special attention will be given to the relationship of each cadenza to the thematic and harmonic language of the work in which it appears. Students will be methodically guided through the stages of composing first brief passages and then later complete cadenzas. All works will be performed and discussed in class.