Papers by Natsuko Jimbo
マルグリット・ロンとドビュッシー : その演奏「伝承」の成立過程を追って
音楽学, 2014
Seen as a guardian of Debussy ' s " tradition ， " by virtue of the coachlng she received from the... more Seen as a guardian of Debussy ' s " tradition ， " by virtue of the coachlng she received from the composer in his last years， French pianist Marguerite Long ( 1874 − 1966) pubhshed ill 1960 a mem − oiト hke sman book ， Au pi αno avec Clα ude Debitssy ． Some researchers regard the book as problem − atic 洫 terms of its legitimacy as a testirnony of the relationship between two musicians ． For the pur − pose of clarifying the substance and the background of what she called LLtradition ， " this paper attempts to fo且ow the prehistory of the book ， which has not been fu皿 y explored ， through a compar − ative analysis of Longs various documents on Debussy ， preserved in the Fonds Marguerite Long ， M 奇diath さ que Musicale Mahler in Paris ． Compar血 g her book ， Au pi ( xno avec Clα ude 1)ebztssy ， with Qther materia ユin which she refers to this composer
Abstract of my PhD dissertation (Tokyo University of the Arts, 2015)
Abstract of my PhD dissertation accompanied with comments from the chief examiner (Japanese)
![Research paper thumbnail of [abstract]Early Entries of Modern French Music to the Program of Concours and to Term Examinations for Piano at the Paris Conservatoire [MEDITERRANEUS 37 (2014)]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/35393653/thumbnails/1.jpg)
This paper investigates the shift in the program of the Concours (annual public examinations at t... more This paper investigates the shift in the program of the Concours (annual public examinations at the end of the school year) and of the term examinations for the classe supérieure of piano at the Paris Conservatoire in the first half of the 20th century, focusing on the entry of works of Fauré, Debussy, and Ravel, now an important part of the piano repertoire.
From the record of the minutes of examinations archived at the Archives Nationales of France, it is revealed that the most popular works executed at the term examinations for piano were compositions by Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, and Schumann, that is, “Romantic” music from the canonical authors of the piano repertoire. These names appeared steadily in the program throughout the period examined. On the other hand, we find a variety of “Modern” works of French, Russian, and Spanish composers as well, especially when there were no compulsory works and students were allowed to play any work studied during the year. Most of these works, however, were played just a few times each; Debussy’s and Ravel’s works were among them.
As for the Concours, the works imposed on the students differed from period to period, due to the change of the Director of the Conservatoire, who had right to propose the “subject” (compulsory work) of the Concours with the approval of the examination committee. For example, many works of contemporary composers were chosen under the direction of Fauré, including his own works, whereas Henri Rabaud, his successor, gave precedence to the Romantic canon, especially Chopin.
Interestingly, the frequency and timing of the appearance of piano works by the three major “Modern French” composers was not the same at all in the pre-war period. While works of Fauré were played rather frequently both in the Concours and in the term examinations earlier in the century, that is, during his own reign as Director, those of Debussy and Ravel remained sparse in the term examination programs and never appeared in those of the Concours before the beginning of the Second World War. It was after the German occupation of France that piano pieces by Debussy became part of the compulsory works for the Concours along with other “French” music, the study of which was encouraged during this period by the Director at the time, Claude Delvincourt.
In conclusion, except for Fauré’s works, the Paris Conservatoire, the centre of French music education, does not appear to have been a particularly strong advocate for what is now called Modern French piano music until the reformation of the education program by Delvincourt during the war and post-war periods.
Seen as a guardian of Debussy's "tradition," by virtue of the coaching she received from the comp... more Seen as a guardian of Debussy's "tradition," by virtue of the coaching she received from the composer in his last years, French pianist Marguerite Long published in 1960 a memoir-like small book, Au piano avec Claude Debussy. Some researchers regard the book as problematic in terms of its legitimacy as a testimony of the relationship between two musicians. For the purpose of clarifying the substance and the background of what she called "tradition," this paper attempts to follow the prehistory of the book, which has not been fully explored, through a comparative analysis of Long's various documents on Debussy, preserved in the Fonds Marguerite Long, Médiathèque Musicale Mahler in Paris.
Conference Presentations by Natsuko Jimbo
International music competitions of “Western” art music have been a special kind of battlefield, ... more International music competitions of “Western” art music have been a special kind of battlefield, where young musicians from various countries, both “East” and “West,” compete with each other to showcase their skills and artistry. This paper explores the impact of international competitions, which dramatically increased after the World War II, on the practice of the so-called “French piano school”, one of the major “national” piano schools along with the German and Russian ones (Lourenço, 2010).
At least by 1939, “the piano was to France what the singing was to Italy” (Duchêne-Thégarid, 2014). However, French pianists got gradually overwhelmed by musicians from the USSR with the strong backing of the government, who won international competitions everywhere including one in Paris, the Concours Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud (hereafter “Concours”).
It was French pianist Marguerite Long (1874-1966), the co-founder and president of the Concours, who wished to invite Russians to her competition since 1953 despite many political difficulties. As an authoritative piano pedagogue herself, Long got fascinated by the “Russian school” of piano technique which was completely different from her “pearly playing (jeu perlé),” perfect for playing Mozart or Ravel but not so much suited for Romantic grand concertos (such as Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov) often preferred at competitions. That was the beginning of the battle between “French” and “Russian” pianism in Parisian music world, as well as in many other competitions which Soviet participants dominated.
Through the examination of archival materials of the Concours as well as of arguments in newspapers, music magazines, and piano pedagogy literature in France, the study aims to clarify how the pianism of the “old French school” in the prewar period (as typified by that of Marguerite Long herself) was gradually replaced by the “new,” Russian-influenced one, to survive the new order of the musical world in the age of internationalization.
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Papers by Natsuko Jimbo
From the record of the minutes of examinations archived at the Archives Nationales of France, it is revealed that the most popular works executed at the term examinations for piano were compositions by Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, and Schumann, that is, “Romantic” music from the canonical authors of the piano repertoire. These names appeared steadily in the program throughout the period examined. On the other hand, we find a variety of “Modern” works of French, Russian, and Spanish composers as well, especially when there were no compulsory works and students were allowed to play any work studied during the year. Most of these works, however, were played just a few times each; Debussy’s and Ravel’s works were among them.
As for the Concours, the works imposed on the students differed from period to period, due to the change of the Director of the Conservatoire, who had right to propose the “subject” (compulsory work) of the Concours with the approval of the examination committee. For example, many works of contemporary composers were chosen under the direction of Fauré, including his own works, whereas Henri Rabaud, his successor, gave precedence to the Romantic canon, especially Chopin.
Interestingly, the frequency and timing of the appearance of piano works by the three major “Modern French” composers was not the same at all in the pre-war period. While works of Fauré were played rather frequently both in the Concours and in the term examinations earlier in the century, that is, during his own reign as Director, those of Debussy and Ravel remained sparse in the term examination programs and never appeared in those of the Concours before the beginning of the Second World War. It was after the German occupation of France that piano pieces by Debussy became part of the compulsory works for the Concours along with other “French” music, the study of which was encouraged during this period by the Director at the time, Claude Delvincourt.
In conclusion, except for Fauré’s works, the Paris Conservatoire, the centre of French music education, does not appear to have been a particularly strong advocate for what is now called Modern French piano music until the reformation of the education program by Delvincourt during the war and post-war periods.
Conference Presentations by Natsuko Jimbo
At least by 1939, “the piano was to France what the singing was to Italy” (Duchêne-Thégarid, 2014). However, French pianists got gradually overwhelmed by musicians from the USSR with the strong backing of the government, who won international competitions everywhere including one in Paris, the Concours Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud (hereafter “Concours”).
It was French pianist Marguerite Long (1874-1966), the co-founder and president of the Concours, who wished to invite Russians to her competition since 1953 despite many political difficulties. As an authoritative piano pedagogue herself, Long got fascinated by the “Russian school” of piano technique which was completely different from her “pearly playing (jeu perlé),” perfect for playing Mozart or Ravel but not so much suited for Romantic grand concertos (such as Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov) often preferred at competitions. That was the beginning of the battle between “French” and “Russian” pianism in Parisian music world, as well as in many other competitions which Soviet participants dominated.
Through the examination of archival materials of the Concours as well as of arguments in newspapers, music magazines, and piano pedagogy literature in France, the study aims to clarify how the pianism of the “old French school” in the prewar period (as typified by that of Marguerite Long herself) was gradually replaced by the “new,” Russian-influenced one, to survive the new order of the musical world in the age of internationalization.
From the record of the minutes of examinations archived at the Archives Nationales of France, it is revealed that the most popular works executed at the term examinations for piano were compositions by Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, and Schumann, that is, “Romantic” music from the canonical authors of the piano repertoire. These names appeared steadily in the program throughout the period examined. On the other hand, we find a variety of “Modern” works of French, Russian, and Spanish composers as well, especially when there were no compulsory works and students were allowed to play any work studied during the year. Most of these works, however, were played just a few times each; Debussy’s and Ravel’s works were among them.
As for the Concours, the works imposed on the students differed from period to period, due to the change of the Director of the Conservatoire, who had right to propose the “subject” (compulsory work) of the Concours with the approval of the examination committee. For example, many works of contemporary composers were chosen under the direction of Fauré, including his own works, whereas Henri Rabaud, his successor, gave precedence to the Romantic canon, especially Chopin.
Interestingly, the frequency and timing of the appearance of piano works by the three major “Modern French” composers was not the same at all in the pre-war period. While works of Fauré were played rather frequently both in the Concours and in the term examinations earlier in the century, that is, during his own reign as Director, those of Debussy and Ravel remained sparse in the term examination programs and never appeared in those of the Concours before the beginning of the Second World War. It was after the German occupation of France that piano pieces by Debussy became part of the compulsory works for the Concours along with other “French” music, the study of which was encouraged during this period by the Director at the time, Claude Delvincourt.
In conclusion, except for Fauré’s works, the Paris Conservatoire, the centre of French music education, does not appear to have been a particularly strong advocate for what is now called Modern French piano music until the reformation of the education program by Delvincourt during the war and post-war periods.
At least by 1939, “the piano was to France what the singing was to Italy” (Duchêne-Thégarid, 2014). However, French pianists got gradually overwhelmed by musicians from the USSR with the strong backing of the government, who won international competitions everywhere including one in Paris, the Concours Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud (hereafter “Concours”).
It was French pianist Marguerite Long (1874-1966), the co-founder and president of the Concours, who wished to invite Russians to her competition since 1953 despite many political difficulties. As an authoritative piano pedagogue herself, Long got fascinated by the “Russian school” of piano technique which was completely different from her “pearly playing (jeu perlé),” perfect for playing Mozart or Ravel but not so much suited for Romantic grand concertos (such as Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov) often preferred at competitions. That was the beginning of the battle between “French” and “Russian” pianism in Parisian music world, as well as in many other competitions which Soviet participants dominated.
Through the examination of archival materials of the Concours as well as of arguments in newspapers, music magazines, and piano pedagogy literature in France, the study aims to clarify how the pianism of the “old French school” in the prewar period (as typified by that of Marguerite Long herself) was gradually replaced by the “new,” Russian-influenced one, to survive the new order of the musical world in the age of internationalization.