Twelve New Etudes for Piano (1977–1986) is a piece composed by William Bolcom (b. 1938), awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1988, [1] while he was teaching composition at University of Michigan. [2]
The set is "new" relative to Bolcom's first set of Twelve Etudes for Piano (1959–1966; released on Advance FGR-14S in 1971 [3]), and was intended for and dedicated to Paul Jacobs, who died before the composition was complete, and thus the finished set is dedicated to Jacobs, John Musto, and Marc-André Hamelin. [4]
One of Bolcom's goals in composing the New Etudes was the fusion of tonal and what he has called "non-centered" or non-tonal elements..."a musical speech that is at once coherent and comprehensible and in constant expansion." [4]
They are composed in a language that brings together elements of tonality and dense chromaticism. [5]
Musto gave a partial premiere in 1986, [4] and Hamelin premiered the complete Etudes in 1987, [6] [7] and recorded the pieces on New World Records in 1988 (80354). [8]
The New Etudes are divided into four books of three pieces: [4]
Twelve New Etudes for Piano (1977–1986) is a piece composed by William Bolcom (b. 1938), awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1988, [1] while he was teaching composition at University of Michigan. [2]
The set is "new" relative to Bolcom's first set of Twelve Etudes for Piano (1959–1966; released on Advance FGR-14S in 1971 [3]), and was intended for and dedicated to Paul Jacobs, who died before the composition was complete, and thus the finished set is dedicated to Jacobs, John Musto, and Marc-André Hamelin. [4]
One of Bolcom's goals in composing the New Etudes was the fusion of tonal and what he has called "non-centered" or non-tonal elements..."a musical speech that is at once coherent and comprehensible and in constant expansion." [4]
They are composed in a language that brings together elements of tonality and dense chromaticism. [5]
Musto gave a partial premiere in 1986, [4] and Hamelin premiered the complete Etudes in 1987, [6] [7] and recorded the pieces on New World Records in 1988 (80354). [8]
The New Etudes are divided into four books of three pieces: [4]