Date of Graduation

2002

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

(Franz) Xaver Scharwenka (1850–1924) was a highly acclaimed performer, teacher, editor, and composer of international fame during the late Romantic period. Overshadowed by the innovative styles of a number of contemporaneous composers including Ravel, Debussy, and Scriabin, Scharwenka's works gradually disappeared from the teaching studio and the concert hall. Regrettably, his compositions, although critically acclaimed in his lifetime, are now for the most part out of print and rarely performed. This study explores Scharwenka's works as a significant addition to the repertory of the late Romantic literature for study and performance. This research project, the result of a lengthy investigation of the piano works of Xaver Scharwenka, presents a biographical account of Scharwenka's life and an examination of his repertory by genre including the Polish Dances, sonatas, concerti, and selected character pieces. A complete list of works, a discography, and a bibliography are found at the end of the document.

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