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Abstract
ABSTRACT This lecture paper focuses on George Rochberg’s substantial composition, PartitaVariations (1976). In this work, Rochberg combines two different genres, Partita and Variations,
and integrates them by employing intervallic unity and a common tonal center. In manipulating a
wide range of musical styles, from the Baroque through to the Contemporary era, Rochberg creates
his own unique compositional voice which generates interpretive issues for current and future
pianists.
As a representative serial composer influenced by Schoenberg and Stravinsky, Rochberg
realized the limit to express his personal grief after his son‘s death in 1964, and he started adding
tonal passages to overcome the inadequacies of emotional expression that he felt were inherent in
serialism. Therefore, this Partita-Variations written in 1976 includes tonal and atonal movements
based on different eras.
This paper presents stylistic characteristics for each movement followed by brief
performance suggestions including proper use of finger technique, body posture and an emphasis
on observation of musical indications by the composer.