A Pedagogical Approach to George Antheil’s La Femme 100 Têtes For Solo Piano

Abstract

This document provides a pedagogical analysis of 24 late-intermediate to early-advanced preludes from La Femme 100 Têtes, a work for solo piano by George Antheil, emphasizing the brevity and usefulness of these preludes in the private piano studio. This analysis provides a historical overview, in addition to a compositional and pedagogical analysis of 24 of the 45 preludes from La Femme. A biography of George Antheil, a guided progressive leveling, and suggested groupings for the preludes are also included. Chapter One defines the purpose, need, limitations, organization of the study, and provides a summary of literature related to George Antheil’s La Femme 100 Têtes. Chapter Two provides a biographical sketch of George Antheil, detailing his musical aesthetics. Chapter Three provides historical context related to La Femme. Chapters Four and Five contain an analysis of each of the 9 late-intermediate and the 15 early-advanced preludes from La Femme, respectively, including compositional and pedagogical analysis. Chapter Six serves as a conclusion to this study. This study offers pianists and teachers a practical guide for teaching La Femme 100 Têtes, highlighting George Antheil’s contributions to the piano’s pedagogical literature.