This study examines the incorporation of jazz idioms in modern piano works by focusing on Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 54by Nikolai Kapustin and Three Preludes for Piano, Op. 18by Zhang Shuai. While both works share the common feature of integrating jazz i...
This study examines the incorporation of jazz idioms in modern piano works by focusing on Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 54by Nikolai Kapustin and Three Preludes for Piano, Op. 18by Zhang Shuai. While both works share the common feature of integrating jazz idioms into contemporary piano composition, they differ significantly in their modes of adoption and structural organization. Kapustin systematically integrates jazz idioms into classical formal structures, whereas Zhang Shuai reconstructs jazz language on the basis of Chinese traditional pitch organization and folk rhythmic elements. This study aims to reveal how jazz idioms are received, transformed, and recontextualized within different cultural frameworks through a comparative analysis of these two works.
Methodologically, the study first outlines the historical development and idiomatic characteristics of jazz, establishing rhythm, harmony, scale, and structural organization as the principal analytical categories. Each work is then analyzed in terms of formal structure, rhythmic idioms, harmonic language, and scalar features. Finally, a comparative analysis is conducted to identify differences in the assimilation of jazz idioms and to elucidate the structural characteristics and cultural implications of each composer’s musical language.
The analysis shows that in Kapustin’s work, jazz idioms function not as external stylistic elements but as internalized compositional principles embedded within the musical structure. Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 54 maintains the framework of the classical sonata while incorporating Charleston rhythms, syncopation, swing, walking bass, and polyrhythms to construct a jazz-based temporal organization. Harmonically, extended chords, coloristic harmonies, quartal structures, and pedal points are widely employed. In terms of pitch organization, blues scales, Mixolydian modes, altered scales, and chromatic progressions are integrated within a tonal framework. These elements actively participate in thematic formation, sectional development, and structural coherence, rather than serving as mere ornamentation.
In contrast, Zhang Shuai’s Three Preludes for Piano, Op. 18demonstrates a reconstruction of jazz idioms through their interaction with Chinese traditional musical elements. Rhythmically, jazz features such as boogie-woogie patterns, syncopation, and swing are combined with flexible temporal treatment and rhythmic patterns derived from Xinjiang folk music, producing a synthesis of ethnic and modern rhythmic expression. Harmonically, extended chords, polychords, quartal and quintal structures, and open fifth sonorities are employed, emphasizing timbral color and textural layering over functional progression. In terms of pitch organization, pentatonic and modified pentatonic scales serve as primary materials, enriched by chromatic alterations that expand the expressive and sonic palette.
The comparison reveals two distinct approaches to the use of jazz idioms. Kapustin internalizes jazz language as a structural principle within a unified compositional logic rooted in classical form. In contrast, Zhang Shuai adopts a more open and integrative approach, combining jazz idioms with traditional Chinese musical elements to construct a multi-layered and hybrid musical language. These approaches can be summarized as “structural internalization” in Kapustin’s case and “idiomatic fusion” in Zhang Shuai’s.
This study demonstrates that jazz idioms in modern piano music function not merely as stylistic references but as fundamental compositional principles shaping rhythm, harmony, pitch organization, and structural design. Furthermore, it highlights the adaptability and transformative potential of jazz idioms across different cultural contexts, offering a new perspective for understanding jazz as a structural musical language in contemporary music analysis.