Discussing The Composing Concept From Roger Session's Piano Sonata

Roger Sessions (1896~1985) was one of the most important composer, theorist and educator of America in 20th century. He has made a great effort to not only the promotion but development as well to American music during his while life. Sessions was a pure serious music composer. In his endless music career, a great many music works was composed by him and almost each form of music appeared in his music work. Although, abundantly adopted the new techniques and composing concepts of the main schools in 20th century, his music meanwhile kept the serious-featured style of traditional European music, forming his own style which named him as"the Brahms of native America". Session carried on his concept of art during his professional music education. His excellent composing theories and teaching methods made him a most affecting composer professor, making many his students the headers-sleep in the field of American music, together with whom, Session made a sea of contribution to the developing of American music. Piano sonata were a pretty important part of Session's music work. Although,Session only composed 3 pieces of piano sonata in his life, we'd to say that his piano sonata were outstanding representative of his piano works. There three pieces of piano sonata, which was composed in different compose period of Session and reflected Session's concept in different stage, was useful for us to deliberate and understand the process of the feature in Session's music. The essay mainly set these piano sonatas as the subject to research. By means of the study in music history and music aesthetics, I analysis the music body itself and then finally managed to discover the composing concepts reflected in Session's works.The essay includes introduction, three chapters and the conclusion, five parts in all.The introduction of this essay was concerned with the academic value, the statement of researching status, ideas and methods about the topic.The first chapter was about Roger Session's life and great achievements, an introduction to Session's life and the achievements in not only his music theory but his composing as well with a brief introduction to the features of his works.The second Chapter was the analysis of the music style about his piano sonata.The statement of this part concerned with many aspects, such as the complex structure of the music, diverse melodies themes, the anti-traditional rhythm, the use of modern harmony and so on.The third Chapter was a conclusion of Session's musical concept including the neoclassical music concept, the serial music concept and his unique"Natural Developing"concept. There is also analysis of where his musical concepts come from.In two aspects, the conclusion illustrates his inheritance and innovation of traditional music and the influence that his musical concept has made to American professional music.