I wrote last year of my adventures pursuing higher education in New Zealand, at the University of Auckland. It came about as the result of a decision made 3ish years ago that I wanted to pursue a Masters degree in music. I do occasionally question why, as does Troway I'm sure, but I am glad that I have persevered, and ever grateful of the support I have in this endeavour, particularly from Troway (who more and more gets stuck with cooking dinner and cleaning the house, yayteam effort for Denise's sanity!).
Last years' move to Auckland, and subsequent research projects in the second half of the year, resulted in a Post-graduate Certificate in Musicology, as well as introducing me to the ways of university life in NZ (probably still figuring much of that out...). This year I am officially a Masters student, working through a 12-month research project for a degree in Musicology.
It was pretty cool to log in to my account this year and see student level marked as "Graduate." :)
What does this mean for my daily routine now?
I have fortunately been able to arrange my schedule so that I can work in the mornings/early afternoon and then head home to study as needed/able for the rest of the day.
What am I studying?
Nineteenth-century four-hand piano transcriptions by Carl Czerny. One of my projects last year highlighted his transcriptions of other music such as symphonies to be highly complex due to a seemingly intensive effort to not lose any of the original score when reducing it down to a piano version. I have been playing through the piano scores so I can do a comparison of the orchestral scores (or chamber music in the cases of something like a violin/cello/piano trio) and trying to quantify what his method and/or goal was in creating the piano version.
It turns out that in the first half of the nineteenth century the piano was a very popular thing. It had not yet reached its full development to the instrument we have now, which partly contributed to its popularity because each new and improved version was of interest to the musical public. But it also allowed people to socialize musically in the home, while also ensuring their daughters were learning cultivated husband-attracting skills.
In addition to the score playing and analysis, I have a self-mandated extensive reading list to get through over the next few months. It is all interesting to me in one way or another, but my favorite things thus far have been the books or manuals written in the nineteenth century, on a variety of topics.
I have learned that "dazzling gew-gaw" cannot cover up one's mistakes (Carl Czerny).
And that "death can end one's usefulness," no matter how influential one is during one's own lifetime (Alfred Dolge).
A favorite so far is the commentary on a rising opera star, whose figure "did not weary in contemplation" (Edward Holmes).
My program started on 1 March and is a 12-month challenge. By 28 February next year, the goal/assignment is to have thoroughly researched to prove or disprove my working hypothesis, in order to hopefully answer my primary research questions, and produce an approximately 30,000 page thesis explaining all this with, ideally, some useful conclusions.
I am nearly 2 months in and all seems to be going well so far. I will endeavor to give interesting updates along the way.
Happy Easter!
