# What would be a good piece to analyse?



## AdamV (Jun 28, 2012)

I'm in search of something that would be worth analysing as part of a project for my university degree. I was looking for some suggestions of pieces (preferably something that is in several movements or quite lengthy) that would be worth analysing in depth, but hasn't been analysed much before so I would be able to discover features myself without being accused of any plagiarism.

If anyone could provide me with some suggestions of pieces then that would be great, it could be anything from Romantic to Classical, as long as it contains interesting musical features that are worth analysing.

Thanks


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Perhaps the c-minor Grieg symphony.


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

Anything is worth analyzing! I wouldn't worry too much about plagiarism as long as you're willing to do some background research of the piece. With the internet databases out there (that most likely you're school is subscribed to), there is little chance of unexpected plagiarism as long as you do your research.

With that said, if you want to avoid works that are discussed a lot, probably stay away from the sonatas of Mozart and Beethoven. There are some really interesting things you can say about Brahms. In response to kv466, Grieg is certainly difficult but a possibility. You don't have to worry about plagiarism there because there is very very little written on him (analytically) in English


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## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

My recommendation is to pick a piece of music you know well and enjoy. If you play an instrument or sing, maybe you could kill two birds with one stone and analyze a piece you are currently working on learning.


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## AdamV (Jun 28, 2012)

Thanks for the replies so far. My reason for looking for something that doesn't have much analysis done on it is because my lecturers advised me to look for something that would give me the potential to find original information about them that hasn't been discovered before. Lesser known works would probably be my best option for an assignment like those, so I would agree about staying away from Beethoven and Mozart, but would anyone have any suggestions on works that have any unique features but are quite unknown compared to others? I will certainly inquire with my lecturers about Grieg.

Also, i'm a bass guitar player, sadly there aren't many pieces that would be good enough for this kind of assignment.


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

Does "it could be anything from Romantic to Classical" specifically exclude anything C20/21? If not, there are plenty of symphonies you could tackle which have had very little written on them, as far as I know. Everyone from Sallinen to Brian: there are shoals of pieces by Scandinavian composers alone. If you were interested in Brian, I can help you access materials etc.

If you want C19, continuing my theme, there are the symphonies of Franz Berwald. _Symphonie singuliere_ has one movement embedded inside another (surely an "interesting musical feature" for a work written in the 1850s!).

The Toccata Classics label is dedicated to obscure worthwhile music (of all eras). If anything there strikes your fancy, send me a PM and I can help with a contact.


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

Jeremy Marchant said:


> Does "it could be anything from Romantic to Classical" specifically exclude anything C20/21? If not, there are plenty of symphonies you could tackle which have had very little written on them, as far as I know. Everyone from Sallinen to Brian: there are shoals of pieces by Scandinavian composers alone. If you were interested in Brian, I can help you access materials etc.
> 
> If you want C19, continuing my theme, there are the symphonies of Franz Berwald. _Symphonie singuliere_ has one movement embedded inside another (surely an "interesting musical feature" for a work written in the 1850s!).
> 
> The Toccata Classics label is dedicated to obscure worthwhile music (of all eras). If anything there strikes your fancy, send me a PM and I can help with a contact.


There become issues with 20-21st century pieces because it usually requires advanced techniques of analysis. I'm guessing the OP may not have access to these tools yet.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Do a Russian composer. Just a suggestion, but it would be something less common, more original. I don't mean to analyze something so popular like the Nutcracker lol, but maybe a Symphony. Among the Romantics, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Glazunov (if I may add), even Taneyev and Balakirev wrote interesting symphonies, which could be analyzed to compare for differences and similarities between their technique and Western European technique. I've always wanted to do that myself, personally, if I can get a chance to do that some time.


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