Thematic Transformation in John Corigliano’s Etude Fantasy

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/v405s9671

Abstract

John Corigliano describes his Etude Fantasy (1976), a piece for piano, as “a set of five etudes combined into the episodic form and character of a fantasy.”¹ Scholars have identified six themes used throughout the work. However, how these themes function throughout the opus has not yet been discussed and thus will be addressed in this paper.

This analysis will focus on the thematic transformation of the work’s six themes. Understanding these transformations will help a pianist organize the many layers of material and make decisions on which aspects they should highlight. In addition, these insights will enable pianists to help audiences understand what to listen for, whether done through lecture or program notes. The analysis will closely examine only the first etude. A single theme dominates this movement. The analysis will show that this theme transforms from subdued to powerful. First, a discussion of the six themes will be given, followed by the main analysis. Significant transformations in other movements will also be identified.

¹ John Corigliano, Etude Fantasy: for Solo Piano (USA: G. Schirmer, Inc., 1981).

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