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A PERFORMER’S GUIDE TO THE EFFECT OF TEMPERAMENTS IN SELECTED PIANO WORKS OF LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Zhang, Tong
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130444
Description
- Title
- A PERFORMER’S GUIDE TO THE EFFECT OF TEMPERAMENTS IN SELECTED PIANO WORKS OF LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
- Author(s)
- Zhang, Tong
- Issue Date
- 2025
- Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
- Ehlen, Timothy
- Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
- Ehlen, Timothy
- Committee Member(s)
- Tsitsaros, Christos
- Wu, Chi-Chen
- Carrillo, Carlos
- Department of Study
- School of Music
- Degree Granting Institution
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Degree Name
- A.Mus.D. (doctoral)
- Date of Ingest
- 2025-12-08T16:17:02-06:00
- Keyword(s)
- Beethoven piano sonatas
- Well temperament
- Historical tuning systems
- Performance practice
- Key characteristics
- Language
- eng
- Abstract
- This dissertation investigates ways that well temperaments can enhance and highlight Beethoven’s compositional language. After surveying the evolution of tuning systems, a comparative theoretical analysis of three well temperaments is conducted: Werckmeister III, Kirnberger III, and Young I. These are compared with each other and with equal temperament. The well temperaments are then applied to musical examples in Beethoven’s piano sonatas, with reflections on each temperament’s nuanced tonal and expressive differences, and suggestions of how the sound of each temperament may affect interpretation of the music, including timing, agogic emphasis, balance, dynamics, and other considerations. Specifically, this exploration suggests how well temperaments can enhance aspects of interpretation based on the variety of dissonance and so-called “color” of the keys, intervals and harmonies. This work serves as a preliminary performance guide that pertains to specific sonatas and temperaments, but it may also be helpful for players of Beethoven’s other works, regardless of the tuning that is used. By highlighting the distinctive characteristics of certain well-tempered tunings, this research helps narrow a gap between theoretical understandings and practical applications of well temperaments. It also aims to suggest how historical temperaments can affect and enhance the interpretation of Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
- Type of Resource
- text
- Copyright and License Information
- Copyright 2025
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