In Search Of

Abstract

This document examines Sonata No. 1 for Piano, Op. 74 of Aleksandr Konstantinovich Glazunov (1865-1936) and illustrates the incorporated Russian musical elements. The study has the twofold purpose of firstly defining musical elements idiomatic of Russian folk song, Russian Orthodox Church music and the Mighty Five; and secondly finding their representation in Glazunov's piano sonata. The introductory chapter describes the purpose of this study and the need for identifying the idioms of musical Russianness. The second chapter provides a historical background and explores characteristics of Russian folk music and Russian Church music, which are intrinsic to Russian musical culture. The third chapter discusses the historical background of Russian nationalism in music, the establishment of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, and the contributions of the Mighty Five to the rise of a truly Russian national style as opposed to the Western traditions. Chapter four provides biographical information about Aleksandr Glazunov. The first part of chapter five presents historical background of Sonata No. 1 for Piano, Op. 74. The second part of this chapter discusses the composition within the context of Russian musical elements as identified in chapters two and three. The concluding chapter six summarizes the observations of the author. It was the premise of this study that the compilation of historical and analytical evidence would lead to an identification of the idioms of musical Russianness and of their use by Aleksandr Glazunov. The analysis performed here captures the musical elements of Russianness and offers a deeper understanding of Glazunov's achievement in integrating them with traditional Western compositional techniques.