Passacaglia in E minor. Augusta G. McSwain
McSwain’s Passacaglia in E Minor (self-published, 1960) is an expressive work that offers many musical opportunities and challenges for the growing pianist. Because McSwain made no dynamic markings on the score, the student is left entirely to their own expressive devices and must invent an interpretation. The Passacaglia’s repetitive figures and phrases necessitate a varied dynamic approach. Additionally, the pianist must contend with the breadth of the left hand ostinato figure, spanning between a 9th and an 11th. Maintaining efficient lateral motion and proximity to the keys can ensure that its flowing texture is not disturbed by protruding notes.
Some issues arise in attempting to perform work. The only available score is a photocopied paper manuscript in which several lines of music are missing and the ends of some measures truncated. For this reason, I have engraved the score in a notation software to the best of my ability. Fortunately, the repetitive nature of the piece allows for one to reasonably infer the missing material by referencing other identical passages. Measures 37-39, for example, contain the left hand material that appears to be missing in measures 32-35 where the right hand and time signature is identical. Some missing notes, such as those in measure 40, must be guessed, as they are not identical to other passages. The low quality of the photocopy further complicates matters.
Many ties are almost illegible; this led to a performance error in measures 25-28, 42-43, and 61-62 during which I repeated notes that are most likely tied. Finally, the manuscript shows an unnumbered measure between 35 and 36, so the final engraving has one more numbered measure.
This Passacaglia offers a richness of sound, tightness of composition, and wealth of expressivity that is well-suited to any pianist at or above the mid-intermediate level.
Click here to download the typeset and reconstructed score.
There is little information pertaining to Augusta G. McSwain’s pianistic life and compositional work. According to Walker-Hill (1995), she was born in 1917. A brief mention in the New York Times notes her 1947 debut at Carnegie Hall. She taught at Bishop College in Dallas, TX, where she was head of the music department. She was a member of the American Association of University Professors.
Sources
- Walker-Hill, H. (1995). Music by black women composers : a bibliography of available scores. Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College.
- Photo source: Anderson, D. C. (1930s). Dora Anderson slides: Bishop College Musical Program; pictured is Augusta Geraldine McSwain, head of the music department, “Concert Pianist” [Photographic slide]. Duke University Libraries, Behind the Veil: Documenting African American Life in the Jim Crow South. https://repository.duke.edu/dc/behindtheveil/btvst009005053
Passacaglia in E minor. Augusta G. McSwain. Performed by John-Austin King