A pedagogical guide to the 25 Etudes melodiques Opus 45 of Stephen Heller.

Abstract

This document consists of an introductory chapter followed by four chapters. The Introduction, Purpose of the Study, and Need for the Study in Chapter I provide a brief overview of Stephen Heller's life and the importance of his 25 Etudes melodiques Op. 45 as a catalyst in advancing the intermediate-level student's musical and technical growth. Chapter I also contains Related Literature and Design and Procedures. Chapter II provides background information on Stephen Heller and briefly discusses his works as a whole, while Chapter III is a historical overview of the piano etude until Heller.

The purpose of this study is to generate interest in Stephen Heller's solo piano music through an investigation of the 25 Etudes melodiques Op. 45. A list of principal technical requirements for each of the twenty-five etudes is provided and accompanied by pedagogical suggestions for playing each etude. The Op. 45 etudes are an excellent source of repertoire from which teachers may choose pieces to develop their intermediate-level students' sense of the nineteenth-century style, technical skills, and musical sensitivity. They display stylistic qualities of more complex nineteenth-century works in miniatures and are superb vehicles for teaching students how to use the body, arm gestures, and positioning of the bands to help them achieve good tone quality. In addition, they are beneficial for developing the student's theoretical foundation and promote critical listening skills, recognition of form, memorization skills, and experience in the varied textures of nineteenth-century piano music.

Chapter IV, the main body of the document, contains pedagogical analyses of each etude in Op. 45. Each analysis presents information on form, key, meter, tempo, and its principal technical requirement(s). Practice goals and procedures concerning such topics as technical concepts, articulation, fingering, pedaling, expressive qualities, critical listening, and voicing are provided as they pertain to each etude.

Chapter V contains a summary and conclusions. References are provided in the bibliography according to topic. The six appendices include a chronological listing of Heller's complete solo piano works, a categorical listing of solo piano works, a suggested sequence for study for the 25 Etudes melodiques Op. 45, a discography of available recorded solo piano works, a list of individual selections and complete collections of the 25 Etudes melodiques Op. 45 currently in print, and recommendations for further study.