Stephen Hus Arik

Problems of Transcription, Fingering and Performance Practices in
Vladimir Horowitzs Duo Art Piano Roll Performance of Carmen Variations

Stephen Husarik
Affiliation: University of Arkansas Fort Smith

Address:
P.O. Box 3649
Fort Smith, AR 72913-3649 USA
Tel. 479-788-7555
FAX: 479-788-7559
Email: shusarik@uafortsmith.edu
Aims and Objectives

Vladimir Horowitz left his entire collection of scores and personal manuscripts to Yale University,
but no copy of his popular Carmen Variations was found. As a courtesy to the library, the author
donated his transcription of the work taken from a Duo Art piano roll (No. 7250) to the Vladimir and
Wanda Horowitz Toscanini Collection at the Irving S. Gilmore Library. By means of this score,
anyone skilled enough can perform the Carmen Variations with proper fingering, pedalling and
performance practices.
Context
A long tradition of research preceded the recommendation of Gregor Benko in 1967 that piano
roll masters should be used as primary research documents. This particular restoration was
achieved after consulting the Duo Art (1928) master recording of Horowitzs Carmen Variations at
the International Piano Archive (University of Maryland, USA). That recording contains the basic
outlines of the Horowitz piece, even though he modified it considerably over the years. The 1926
piano roll version for Welte Mignon, the 1940s and 50s electric recordings for RCA and the 1960s
and 70s versions were also considered in this transcription. Horowitzs television performance of
Carmen was also viewed to ensure proper fingering for certain passages and to compare the tempo
mark presented on the piano roll.
The master recording contains numerous editorial changes that affect transcription. Such
alterations include doubled octaves (in order to achieve more technical brilliance) and deleted notes
(to correct technical errors). In one example, Horowitz seems to be playing seven notes in one hand.
Upon close examination, however, several square and round holes on the roll have pieces of paper
glued over them. The editor cut out the square holes (new notes) with a knife and then glued pieces
of paper over round holes (original notes) to correct the errors. The fact that some very difficult
passages contain no editing whatever offers technical insight: Horowitz did not play all the pitches in
passages of parallel 3rds and 6thsbut he did produce an aural illusion of technical completeness.
Selective deletions appear to be part of his performance practice.
Methodology
The process of decrypting pitches from piano rolls involves the use of a template derived from
the tracker bar (interface that controls air flow) on a player piano. By moving this template across an
unravelled piano roll from left to right the holes appear in much the same fashion as pitches do in
musical notation. Holes fall into several groupingsthose in the middle represent pitches (easily
divisible into treble and bass clefs); those at the top and bottom represent dynamic values. During
the original recording session, an engineer made personal judgments about the relative loudness or
softness on either half of the Duo Art keyboard. So, dynamics on a piano roll are subjective
interpretations. Another line of holes on the bottom indicates when the damper pedal goes up and
down.
Because Carmen is so well known, the process of transcribing rhythms is relatively simple. After
establishing a time signature the pitches are grouped into conventional rhythms in triple meter with
duple subdivisions. The time signature is abandoned altogether in an unmeasured cadenza. But
some very subtle variations of rhythm require special editorial annotations. A passage just before
the cadenza required a fermata to be placed over a chord because that sign implies a slight slowing
of the tempo before coming to a rest. This ritardando is present in Horowitzs recording.
Piano rolls present a track record of the pianists fingers in lines and dots; this graphic trail helps
uncover the mechanics of playing. As a rule, the faster the passage, the more Horowitz uses the
leggiero (or half-staccato) touch. His hands literally dance across the keys as he plays. So, the piano
roll of Horowitzs Carmen Variations looks like a spray of dots, interrupted on here or there by a long
melodic line where he sustains a long note with his thumb. These long-held notes give away
Horowitzs hand placement, even when he changes fingers on the same note.
Results
The presenter will perform a substantial excerpt of Carmen Variations to demonstrate the
efficacy of this transcription. Brief comparisons will be made between the piano roll version and
subsequent performances that Horowitz made on disc and video. Attendees should leave this
session knowing how a piano roll is transcribed, what can be reasonably measured in a piano roll,
and the possibilities that piano rolls offer for musical research.
Key Contribution
Vladimir Horowitzs Carmen Variations will be presented as a finished musical score with
fingerings, expression marks and critical comments.
Bibliography
Benko, Gregor and Santaella, William. Piano Roll Legacy, High Fidelity Magazine XVII/7 (July,
1967), 52.
Bizet/Horowtiz. Carmen Variations, transcribed from 1928 Duo Art Piano Roll (7250), ed. and
fingered by Stephen Husarik. MSS 55 Vladimir and Wanda Toscanini Horowitz Papers, New
Haven, CT.: Irving S. Gilmore Library, Yale University, 2004.
Bizet/Horowitz. Carmen Variations, Duo Art Piano Roll (7250), Boxn 1007, Master Autograph,
1928/02/24, Catalog of the Reproducing Piano Roll Collection, College Park, MD.:
International Piano Archives, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, 1983, 107.
Farnsworth, Paul R. Comments on the Duo Art as a Laboratory Instrument, Journal of Applied
Psychology XII (1928), 214-16.
Husarik, Stephen. A Flashy Carmen from a Piano Roll, Clavier Magazine 44/2 (February,
2005), 26-27.
Husarik, Stephen. Piano Rolls: Untapped Musical Resources, Clavier Magazine 25/4 (April,
1986), 14-16.
Whipple, Gary Montrose. A New Method of Analyzing Musical Style by means of the
Reproducing Piano, Journal of Applied Psychology XII (1920), 200-13.

Stephen Hus Arik

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Stephen Hus Arik

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Stephen Hus Arik

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Problems of Transcription, Fingering and Performance Practices in

Vladimir Horowitzs Duo Art Piano Roll Performance of Carmen Variations

Affiliation: University of Arkansas Fort Smith

Aims and Objectives

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.