The pianist's self: Political action in piano performance as a relational practice

Inspired by the work of feminist philosopher Adriana Cavarero and political philosopher Hannah Arendt, I argue that a pianist can, in concrete terms, take what Arendt called “political action” within the concert space. In light of Cavarero’s claim that the physical voice is the best way to express one’s “uniqueness of self” and therefore to relate to others, I argue that it is necessary for a pianist to develop who they are and to express this identity to an audience with their physical voice in order to create a relational concert space. Through primary research and analysis of Amy Beach’s Sonata for Piano and Violin in A Minor, op. 34, I argue that the sonata is an example of what Arendt called “political action.” Additionally, I argue that a pianist can take “political action” by learning and performing the sonata through “embodied practice” as defined by Elisabeth Le Guin. While my analysis of Beach’s sonata explores ways that the composer was able to reclaim agency by composing and performing such a large-scale work for piano, my analysis of Maurice Ravel’s Ondine examines ways in which mythological figures such as the Siren and the water sprite have been portrayed throughout history specifically linking their sexuality and their lack of agency to their physical voices. Through primary research and analysis of Ravel’s Ondine I analyse the way that the composer portrays the physical voice of the water sprite and how this portrayal perpetuates false beliefs about a woman’s agency in relation to her physical voice. Finally, this dissertation addresses the possibility for pianists to take “political action” within the concert space by performing works for vocalizing pianist. In light of Freya Jarman-Ivens’ argument that “queer” is an ongoing practice, I argue that a pianist has the opportunity to “queer” the norm of solo piano performance, and that there is also an opportunity to challenge gender expectations or stereotypes. This research highlights the oppression women in music have faced throughout history and offers pianists—female and beyond—tools to reclaim agency with the physical voice within the concert space.