Dimitar Nenov: Form and Content of His Works for Solo Piano

Date
2017-11-28
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract

The piano works of Bulgarian composer Dimitar Nenov have been largely unknown in the West. While Nenov did not make his name known during his lifetime, his music contains depth and nuance which are well-worth exploring. In the present document I aim at shedding light on a few compositions from the 1930’s and 1940’s, where my main concern is the elucidation of his forms, compositional techniques, and pianism. Using the analyses of Etude N.1, Variations in F-sharp Major, and Miniatures (1945), I follow his compositional development as it unfolds through a tireless experimentation with various styles and aesthetics. In the search for his personal voice, Nenov tended to employ certain organizational procedures regardless of the surface harmonic layout of a particular piece. Every piece under discussion here is partially or entirely based on a simple bass formula which acts as a unifying force in holding the form together. Although Nenov completely avoids the use of internal cadences, this underlying bass movement shapes each individual piece as an uninterrupted harmonic progression.

Description
Degree
Doctor of Musical Arts
Type
Thesis
Keywords
Dimitar Nenov, piano music
Citation

Valkov, Viktor. "Dimitar Nenov: Form and Content of His Works for Solo Piano." (2017) Diss., Rice University. https://hdl.handle.net/1911/105593.

Has part(s)
Forms part of
Published Version
Rights
Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
Link to license
Citable link to this page