Charles Valentin Alkan (1813-1888), one of the great genii in music history, was widely misunderstood by his contemporaries because of his highly idiosyncratic ideas. From the perspective of the late twentieth century, his innovations can be better understood, and his music is now gaining wider appreciation. Yet, today many musicians still do not know even his name, much less his achievements. The year 1988 marks the one hundredth year since his death. In commemoration of this centennial anniversary, this thesis is presented as a plea for a greater awareness of the achievements of this important figure in the development of piano music.

The purpose of this study is to identify some of the performance problems associated with contemporary piano music, using the Sonata No. 2 for Piano by Karel Husa (1921 - ) as the basis for the discussion. In so doing, this study identifies Karel Husa as an important contributor to twentieth century piano repertoire. Personal interviews and correspondence with the composer provided biographical, analytical, and stylistic insight for this study. Supplemental information on Karel Husa was obtained from journals, newspaper articles, and dissertations. The first chapter provides biographical information gleaned from the interview, with emphasis on Husa's keyboard compositions and early compositional influences. The second chapter offers a detailed formal analysis of the Sonata No. 2 from the perspective of motivlc development and cyclic unity. The final three chapters focus on twentieth century performance problems as exemplified in Karel Husa's Sonata No. 2 for Piano. In Chapter 3, the discussion of notation provides a general background on notational developments in pitch and rhythm in the twentieth century, with the Sonata illustrating these procedures. The fourth chapter concentrates specifically on Husa's individual rhythmic language. The final chapter is devoted to Husa's coloristic use of the piano, addressing his unique contributions to …

The lecture recital was given January 22, 1977. A discussion of Elliott Carter's Piano Sonata emphasized those compositional techniques which foreshadowed important compositional procedures in many of his later works. The following compositions were discussed: Concerto for Orchestra, Double Concerto for Harpsichord and Piano with Two Chamber Orchestras, 8 Etudes and a Fantasy for Woodwind Quartet, Holiday Overture, Piano Concerto, Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord, Sonata for Violoncello and Piano, String Quartet No. 1, String Quartet No. 2, String Quartet No. 3, Variations for Orchestra. The Piano Sonata was Ty and Schumann. In addition to the lecture recital, three public solo recitals were performed. The first solo recital, performed on April 2, 1973, consisted of works by Bartok, Debussy The second solo recital, performed on October 28, 1974, included works by Bach and Liszt. The final solo recital, performed on March 7, 1976, consisted of works by Beethoven and Chopin. All four programs were recorded on magnetic tape and are filed, along with the written version of the lecture recital, as part of the dissertation. performed.

The lecture recital was given on November 20, 1972. The discussion of Webern's Variations and Dallapiccola's Quaderno Musicale consisted of a analysis of the two works followed by a comparison of stylistic and performance aspects. The two works were then performed. In addition to the lecture recital four other public recitals were given. Two of these consisted entirely of solo literature for the piano. The third recital was a vocal chamber music recital and the fourth consisted of a piano concerto performed with an orchestra.

James Sellars has established himself as one of America's foremost composers whose eclectic style reveals a wealth of influences. His artistic combination of various traditional and avant-garde techniques, along with his sensitive and expert craftsmanship has earned him an important position in contemporary American music. Sellars' compositional styles have encompassed neo-Romanticism, in his early days, through post-serialism and Dada to an eclectic, post-Romantic style utilizing popular elements including electro-acoustic techniques. His extensive catalog of over 150 compositions includes works for orchestra, opera, chorus, dance, chamber, voices with ensemble, solo voice, piano, instrumental solos, band, and media. Sellars' compositions for piano solo span a 38-year period and total 17 works, the most important of which are his six one-movement sonatas, which represent, according to Sellars, "a journey from modernism to post-modernism." Their value lies in their eclectic stylistic approaches, artistic nd technical challenges, and pianistic effectiveness. The first three sonatas, incorporating post-serial elements, fall into a modernist stylistic stance while numbers four through six, in postmodern style, contrast one another drastically. Sonata Brasileira, recalls the broad sweeping gestures of the Romantic period; Sonata V reveals the influence of the absurdist Dada movement; and the last sonata Patterns on a Field, blends …