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Abstract
This document explores the development of the Concerto No.8 in A minor from the collection L'Estro Armonico by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) through the transcriptions by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Samuil Feinberg (1890-1962). Feinberg was a Russian and Soviet pianist, composer and piano pedagogue, highly influenced by the teaching of Franz Liszt and the principles of the new, modern 'piano school' during the end of the 19th century. Biographical information about Samuil Feinberg along with the influences Franz Liszt had upon piano education in Russia and the Moscow conservatory in particular is offered. Two comprehensive comparisons between the two transcriptions and the original work comprise the main core of this document. The analysis of the transcriptions revealed that both Bach and Feinberg embellished the original music in order to accommodate it to a new medium. Moreover, Feinberg changed the texture significantly in order to emphasize virtuosity, characteristic of the romantic solo concerto. A presentation of the challenges each composer had to consider, the problems needed to be solved while transcribing the composition is provided. An important component of this document is to explore the possibilities of creating a modern, authentic performance based on Feinberg's piano transcription. Finally, a third transcriptions by August Stradal is discussed and compared briefly as an example of over-romanticism.
