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In this paper, we study the Harmless Set problem from a parameterized complexity perspective. Given a graph G = (V , E) , a threshold function t : V → N and an integer k, we study Harmless Set, where the goal is to find a subset of vertices S ⊆ V of size at least k such that every vertex v ∈ V has fewer than t(v) neighbours in S. On the positive side, we obtain fixed-parameter algorithms for the problem when parameterized by the neighbourhood diversity, the twin-cover number and the vertex integrity of the input graph. We complement two of these results from the negative side. On dense graphs, we show that the problem is W[1]-hard parameterized by cluster vertex deletion number—a natural generalization of the twin-cover number. We show that the problem is W[1]-hard parameterized by a wide range of fairly restrictive structural parameters such as the feedback vertex set number, pathwidth, and treedepth—a natural generalization of the vertex integrity. We thereby resolve one open question stated by Bazgan and Chopin (Discrete Optim 14(C):170–182, 2014) concerning the complexity of Harmless Set parameterized by the treewidth of the input graph. We also show that Harmless Set for a special case where each vertex has the threshold set to half of its degree (the so-called Majority Harmless Set problem) is W[1]-hard when parameterized by the treewidth of the input graph. Given a graph G and an irredundant c-expression of G, we prove that Harmless Set can be solved in XP-time when parameterized by clique-width. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is devoted to solving the problem of the nutritional and biological value of rye-wheat bread by enriching it with non-traditional local plants raw materials – linseed flour and rice husk fiber. Rice husks are rarely used in bakery production, and in most cases remain unprocessed. However, this research defined the right ways for using them and set as a preliminary work in this field. The study has been carried out in two stages: firstly, linseed flour was added to the rye-wheat bread recipe in an amount of 5; 10; 15; 20 % to the weight of wheat flour. Secondly, dietary fiber was added to these experimental samples, prepared from rice husks without removing amorphous silicon dioxide in an amount of 0.3; 0.5; 0.7 % to the total mass of rye-wheat flour. The optimization of the ratios of the flour components with a simplex-lattice design was carried out and the rheological measurements of dough and bread were conducted on the farinograph and Chopin alveograph. The study results experimentally found that mixtures of rye-wheat flour and linseed flour with the addition of fiber as “medium in strength” give bread with sufficient volume. The recipe optimization parameters indicated that rational percentage of fiber and linseed flour up to 0.5 % and 15 %, respectively allows increasing the nutritional and biological value of finished products, improves the crumb structure, gas-holding and water-holding capacity of bread, which in turn prevents the stale process and thereby increases the shelf life of finished products. The obtained results allow us to suggest that, this recipe optimization model could be used in further research, as studies in this direction are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper analyses the character of Frédéric Chopin in the Summer at Nohant by Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz. The internal differentiation of characteristics introduced in the composer’s figure produces a new type of unity. The Summer at Nohant gains the dimension of Iwaszkiewicz’s “comedy of greatness”. Interconnections between similar or related works shape the multifaceted character of Chopin in the Summer at Nohant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to identify and analyse the common influences in the works of the two great Romantic composers - Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) and Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). The juxtaposition of the two composers reveals the parallelism of their musical trajectory, and points out the folkloric musical elements, specific to their natal birth place that they managed to integrate not only in the history of the European arts and music, but also in the history of universal music. This article will underline similarities of style in the works of the two composers, as: the dominance of the minor, short forms with repetitions, harmonic aspects, and folkloric influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding students' physiological characteristics is essential in piano teaching. However, how can teachers in the field know what music suits their students physiologically? This paper explores a new theory in sport science called, "the Four-Stance Theory" to provide teachers with a simple yet practical method to understand students' physiological nature. A survey-based experiment with 20 research participants (10 male and 10 female pianists) was conducted. Research participants were physically tested for their physiological "Stance Types" to see if pianists' physiological characteristics can predict their preferences for certain composers' music. Chi-square tests of independence showed that Stance Type can indeed predict what type of composers they favor (p < .05); further, this simple 10-minute physical test could also predict what types of composer's works they feel most technically comfortable to perform (p < .01) and feel are easier to understand (p < .05). These results indicate that this remarkably simple method could effectively discern pianists' physiological nature and predict which composer's music suits them physiologically. The authors envision that this 10-minute test could be useful for bringing physiological preparedness to both teachers and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on Chopin's Prelude in G minor, op. 28, no. 22, which derives its passionate character from its particularly individual treatment of tonal and rhythmic ambiguity. The upbeat to the theme of the Prelude (rhythmically distinctive as it includes the only sixteenth note in the entire piece) is tonally ambiguous. In some of its appearances, it seems to have two conflicting interpretive possibilities, functioning as dominant and tonic harmony at the same time--supporting ... and ... . The Schenkerian analytical notation employed in this paper follows guidelines for which Steve Larson uses the term "strict use." This analytical method clearly depicts the remarkable ways in which the motto seems to present simultaneous conflicting meanings. Ambiguity not only characterizes the surface of this work, but it also permeates various levels of structure, and encompasses both harmony and meter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents an indirect method of investigating the elemental diversity of historical inks. The manuscript of Fryderyk Chopin's Impromptu in A flat major, Op. 29 was examined as an example of the proposed approach for testing documents containing different inks. Preliminary in situ X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements carried out it the museum storage room provided qualitative reference data for the object. Then, selected areas on the item were examined with indicator papers soaked in 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen). The reaction with the ligand enabled the immediate colorimetric detection of Fe(II) in the form of magenta Fe(Bphen) 3 complex. The overall condition of the manuscript with regard to the risk of ink corrosion was assessed in this way. More chemical information were obtained by the proposed elemental imaging-based approach to evaluate chemical heterogeneity of the used indicator paper samples using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The recorded data were visualised in the form of elemental distribution maps. The Fe enriched areas indicated Regions of Interest (ROIs) to approximate composition of the inks from the manuscript. All calculations were done solely for the data mathematically singled out from these areas. The varying proportions of AI, Mn, Co and Cu relative to Fe correlated with the ROIs of the composer's handwriting, editor's notes and stave lines, demonstrating the applicability of the proposed approach for comparative studies. [Display omitted] • New concept of non-invasive discrimination of inks constituting precious manuscripts with no need for sampling. • The idea of separation of elemental information based on in-direct LA-ICP-MS imaging of paper indicators soaked in Bphen. • Comparative analysis of the inks forming Chopin's Impromptu as an example of the applicability of a new research approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional analysis of variance (ANOVA) modeling has been proved particularly useful to investigate the dynamic changes of functional data according to certain categorical factors and their interactions. The current existing methods often encounter difficulties when the functional data are high-dimensional, non- Gaussian, and/or exhibit certain shape characteristics that vary with spatial locations. In this paper, we investigate the functional two-way ANOVA models from a novel Bayesian perspective. A class of highly exible Gaussian Markov random fields (GMRF) are taken as priors on the functions in the model, which allows us to model various types of functional effects, such as (discrete or continuous) temporal effects and (point-level or areal) spatial effects. The resulting posterior distributions are obtained by an efficient computational tool based on integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA) Rue, Martino and Chopin (2009). We then employ the excursion method introduced by Bolin and Lindgren (2015) to build simultaneous credible intervals of functional effects and test their significance from a Bayesian point of view. A simulation study and multiple data examples are presented to demonstrate the merits of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to examine the discourse on Frédéric Chopin that took place in Poland in 1949, when the 100th anniversary of his birth coincided with the culmination of the socialist realist propaganda in the field of Polish culture. The discourse, initiated and moderated under effective surveillance of the Polish People's Republic's government, was filled with communist ideology. The authorities aimed at creating a sense of communion in the Polish nation, therefore they undertook numerous actions in the area of cultivating memory of Chopin and reception of his works. The composer was used as a banner under which the culture of socialist realism was to be consolidated. Chopin was presented by the narrators in the socialist realist context in various dimensions. "Deep humanism", "truth", "optimism", "sincerity" and "democratic features" of Chopin's music were the crucial notions used by them. Chopin was depicted, among others, as a revolutionist and a prophet of triumph of communism. The oeuvre of Chopin was said to bring together "fraternal countries and nations", Polish People's Republic and Soviet Union, while being simultaneously a crucial element of class conflict. The authorities had a tendency to overemphasize folk roots of his compositions, thus among musical genres composed by Chopin the importance of Mazurka was exaggerated. Other genres without such strong folk connotations, as sonatas, ballades and scherzos, were marginalized in the discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), one of the composers who reflected and created the spirit of the 'Romantic Period,' characterized by increased diversity in style, form, and expression, and the expansion of piano literature, crafted the musical texture in his pieces with a highly personal style, incorporating his unique harmony, flexible formal design, original use of expressive tools, and a free performance technique that didn't adhere to rigid patterns in rhythm and tempo. Chopin's distinctive style is particularly visible in the forms he chose for piano music. The flexible forms of his time allowed the composer to create a characteristic style by freely utilizing musical materials. Especially, forms like nocturnes, fantaisies-impromptus, and waltzes, which leave an impression of improvisation, small-scale, and rule-free structures, provided a clear space for the composer's expressive tools. Indeed, it is possible to identify Chopin's musical language, especially through his small-scale pieces. The purpose of this research is to analyze the melody construction, harmony, and rhythms of Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), focusing on selected pieces to provide an interpretation of his musical language based on similarities found in these pieces. Samples from Chopin's literature, including Op. 27 No. 1, Op. 9 No. 2 and No. 20 Nocturnes, Op. 64 No. 2 Waltz, and Op. 66 Fantaisie-Impromptu, were taken for the study. The research employed a case study design within qualitative research methods, and the obtained data was described descriptively. In conclusion, it was found that Chopin's harmony encompasses a wide range from simple chord progressions to complex chords. He created simple yet bel canto melodies inspired by the 'Italian Opera' embellishments and used rhythms that prioritize the clarity of melody rather than a polyrhythmic approach. This study is believed to contribute to listening and playing practices due to its exploration of the musical materials in the Turkish literature related to Chopin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have long viewed the history of Polish dances through the lens of “Polish rhythms.” These rhythms are thought to characterize dances known as Polish from the sixteenth-century lute pieces of Hans Neusidler to the piano music of Frédéric Chopin. The notion of Polish rhythms continues to shape our modern reception of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century music: certain patterns are often used as a litmus test for whether a piece is evoking a Polish dance, even in the absence of an identifying label. I demonstrate, however, that there is little historical evidence that specific rhythms rendered dances Polish in the eyes and ears of composers, performers, or listeners from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Instead, the Polish rhythms narrative appears to have stemmed from a misreading of early modern music-theoretical sources on the part of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century writers, whose arguments were influenced by—and fed into—contemporary ideas of musical nationalism and essentialism. Focusing on eighteenth-century German sources, I also challenge any monolithic notions of Polishness in dance music by revealing how terms such as polonaise could denote multiple distinct dances (or could even refer to non-dance pieces). More broadly, these findings complicate the present-day practice of using abstract notational elements to identify unmarked dance topics, and I show how a greater attentiveness to factors beyond the score is vital for understanding how historical subjects experienced the popular dances of their time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every music composition has a composer at the core of its building block, molding it into a style of their own. The creative compositional style of a composer varies dynamically with every composer which is perishable and inimitable but cannot be preserved. This paper proposes a hybrid style transfer model which is an end-to-end approach to transfer style, compose as well as evaluate the style transfer accuracy in the domain of the target music composer. The paper focuses on 3 composer maestros Liszt, Chopin and Schubert taken from the Maestro dataset. The main step of music composer style transfer is accomplished in 3 systematic steps, training composer classifiers according to feature sets, generating a model of a composition in a particular composer's style from noise, and finally style transfer and its evaluation. The 3 steps are interconnected in a way that each step is the building block for the next step. The GAN architecture of the style transfer step is built out of the GAN architecture of the second step. The compositions generated from each architecture is finally evaluated by the common pre-trained classifier of the first step. The highest accuracy obtained is 80% for composer classification using the maestro dataset, 77.27% for the classification of the generated style transferred version of a composition into the target composer class using the pre-trained classifiers. • Music composer classification with audio features. • Unique composer specific composition generation from noise. • Style transfer from one composer style to another with the proposed model. • Evaluation of generated style transferred compositions with pretrained classifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermo-mechanical properties of doughs based on zein and different types of starch (native corn starch, modified corn starch and tapioca) were investigated in this study. The physical properties of the gluten free breads, prepared using the model zein - starch mixtures, were additionally determined. The Mixolab parameters measured while running the Chopin+ protocol indicated that the dough exhibited viscoelastic properties at 39°C, and not at 30°C as in the case of gluten system dough. The type of starch used in admixture with zein to prepare the dough significantly influenced the viscoelastic properties of the samples. The lowest starch retrogradation was obtained for the zein-modified corn starch mixture (C5-C4 of 0.55 Nm), while in case of the samples with native corn starch and tapioca the C5-C4 values were close to 0.74-0.79 Nm. The zein-tapioca sample had the lowest breakdown (C3-C4) of 0.22 Nm, followed by the zein-native corn starch sample, with C5-C4 of 0.53 Nm. Bread samples prepared with zein and native or modified corn starch at high water absorption levels (77% and 85%, respectively) had the highest specific volume values of 3.18 cm3/g and 2.22 cm3/g, respectively. These results indicate that zein can be successfully combined with starch from various sources for obtaining gluten free products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical performance of thermoplastic bulk samples obtained by plasticizing wheat flours differing in grain hardness, alveographic parameters, absence or presence of bran, and grinding level was assessed. Grains of four bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Altamira, Aubusson, Blasco, and Bologna) were milled with the aim of producing single-cultivar refined flour (R), or wholegrain flour with fine (F) or coarse (C) grinding. The flours were plasticized, injection molded and tested for tensile properties. The results confirmed that the presence of bran increased the strength (σ) and reduced the elongation at break (ε) of thermoplastics obtained from the flours of each cultivar. The grinding level had an effect, since σ was higher and ε was lower in F than in C samples. SEM analysis of samples revealed that the bran and its texture affected the exposure of starch granules to plasticizer. Composting experiments also revealed that the formulations are able to disintegrate within 21 days with a mass loss rate higher in plastics from F than C flours, while germination tests carried out with cress seeds indicated that it takes two months before the compost loses its phytotoxic effects. Overall, the refining and bran particle size of wheat flours, besides their gluten composition and baking properties, represent novel choice factors to be considered when tailoring the manufacturing of plastic materials for selected requirements and uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romanticism has a series of defining characteristics which differentiate it from other movements of musical history. All these traits can be found in the works of the renowned pianist and composer Fryderyk Chopin. In the present paper we will present the musical genres approached by him as well as the Romantic aspects reflected by every genre, alone and as a whole, in all his works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research analyzes the concept of meaning from a constructionist perspective. From this perspective, while trying to determine how meaning is constructed and conveyed in piano interpretation, the study determined three different categories of meaning as a framework. One can list these categories as aesthetic meaning, symbolic meaning, and pragmatic meaning. In the aesthetic meaning category, music is essentially analyzed in terms of its formal qualities, that is, its immutable characteristics as indicated on the note. Researchers who analyze music based on this category often argue that music carries its meaning. The second category, symbolic meaning, refers to the symbolic meanings attributed to music in relation to the cultural context to which it belongs. Within the framework of this category of meaning, people also consider music in terms of its aesthetic qualities, but the focus is the meanings attributed to music by individuals or societies. The third and final category, pragmatic meaning, is directly related to how one uses music. Within the framework of pragmatic meaning, people base music analysis on the functional uses of music, and they analyze the other two categories accordingly. Here, in line with the brief definitions of the categories of meaning, this study examines the construction and transfer of meaning in piano interpretation with examples from selected works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Beethoven's No. 23 Piano Sonata "Appassionata" is characterized by the concept of contrast based on the fate motif; Chopin's Op. 31, No. 2 Scherzo is characterized by serenity and calmness; and Rachmaninoff's Op. 33 Etude No. 8 is characterized based on fairytale-like storytelling. These examples, interpreted according to the requirements of notation and edition, do not vary fundamentally because there is no information on the notes that contribute to the interpretation and explain the subject of the piece. However, the information we have about the composers' works has shown us that more meaning can be attributed to the work beyond the interpretation suggestions on the notation. These attributed meanings act as a suggestion for the interpreter. However, since interpretation is directly related to the individual's qualities, these examples of suggestive meaning do not have a given and fixed structure; they vary from person to person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of replacing the sunflower oil in a typical muffin formulation with different protein-based emulsions was investigated. Fundamental rheological measurements indicated significant differences between emulsions prepared with soy, lupin, and yeast proteins. The highest viscosity of 2.04 Pa·s was registered for the lupin protein-based emulsion, whereas the yeast protein-based emulsion exhibited the narrowest linear viscoelastic region. The influence of the protein-based emulsions on the thermo-mechanical properties of wheat flour dough was further investigated using the Mixolab device and Chopin+ protocol. Oil substitution with emulsion resulted in better starch gelatinization with the C3 torque of 0.46 Nm being registered for doughs with soy and lupin protein emulsions. Significant differences in terms of moisture, color, porosity, and texture were observed between muffins prepared with protein-based emulsions and control. The lower fat baked products retained higher amounts of water (25.05–26.00%) and exhibited slightly more vivid color (color intensity of 46.34–46.81) and harder texture (firmness of 5.64–5.86 N). The sensory analysis confirmed that soy, lupin, and yeast protein emulsions can be used for obtaining muffin samples with acceptable taste and flavor, and overall quality comparable to the control. These results indicate that the protein based-emulsions are promising oil replacers in muffin formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In m. 23 of Chopin's Prelude in E Minor, op. 28, no. 4, the music comes to a halt on what is spelled as a dominant 4/2 chord. Yet the Bb in the bass "resolves" upwards across the ensuing silence, prolonged by a fermata, to B in m. 24. This silence embodies a "negative action"-a gesture defined by an underlying intention not to carry out a premeditated act. Its notation calls upon the agency of the performer to subvert an implied harmony at the last possible moment. This enigmatic moment has its roots in a close relationship between the E-Minor and the A-Minor Prelude (op. 28. no. 2), as revealed by a sketch-leaf that holds the keys for deciphering Chopin's enigmatic spelling and recalls the troubled personal circumstances in the days surrounding the production of the sketch-leaf in Majorca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of papers published within the issue, including "Some Points of View on Performance Style," "National Flavour, Joy of the Waltz, Untamed Romanticism" and "(Re)discovering Chopin."

The aim of the study was to describe the physicochemical properties, with particular emphasis on nutritional value, of apples 'Chopin' and clone 'JB'. The new cultivars were compared with the cultivars commonly cultivated in Polish orchards, namely 'Gala Brookfield', 'Šampion', 'Ligol' and 'Idared'. The study focuses on the evaluation of physicochemical characteristic (firmness, soluble solids content and titratable acidity) and the content of monosaccharides, sucrose and organic acids based on HPLC with an RI detector. In addition, the nutritional value of apples were described separately for the flesh and peel of the fruit, focusing on the assessment of the antioxidant activity and the content of total polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonols using the HPLC technique. 'Chopin' and 'JB' clone apples are characterized by very high acidity, over 1%, which is related to the high content of malic acid. The red flesh 'JB' clone is characterized by a high content of bioactive compounds in both the peel and flesh of apples. High temperatures and a lack of precipitation contribute to a higher polyphenol content in apples, which proves that apart from the genetic features of the cultivars, the climatic conditions also determine the nutritional value of the fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apple fruit is one of the most widely cultivated temperate fruits and a rich source of bioactive compounds. Since a growing number of consumers are increasingly seeking safe and healthy food production, organic apple production provides this possibility. In this study, the content of bioactive compounds in organic apples depending on temperature and storage time were determined. 'Chopin' apples were stored for 7, 14 and 21 days at 5 °C and 20 °C. All analyses were performed using the HPLC method. The control samples of fresh apples contained the highest content of vitamin C (21.87 mg/100 g FW), L-ascorbic (11.50 mg/100 g FW), DHA (10.37 mg/100 g FW), total carotenoids (2.82 mg/100 g FW), β-carotene (0.21 mg/100 g FW) and lutein (2.41 mg/100 g FW). Samples stored at 20 °C had the highest content of total carotenoids and lutein, but samples stored at 5 °C contained the most β-carotene and zeaxanthin. Apples stored at 20 °C contained significantly more chlorophyll a (0.05 g/100 g FW). The samples stored at 5 °C contained the most total polyphenols. Samples stored for 14 days were characterized by the highest content of total flavonoids. Samples stored for 21 days were characterized by the highest content of epigallocatechin and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, but the highest content of quercetin and kaempferol was found in control samples. The highest content of total flavonoids was found in apples stored at 5 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxins are the most common occurring mycotoxin and most potent hepatocarcinogen known to mammals. The aim of this research was to isolate Saccharomyces cerevisae from cereal based fermented foods (ogi, madidi and kunun-zaki) for leavening bread and to study aflatoxin B1 reduction potential of solid state fermentation and baking of whole wheat flour dough into leavened bread. Proximate values were determined using standard techniques. While alpha amylase activity of the whole wheat flour was determined by Hagberg falling number (HFN), the viscoelastic property and dough strength of the flour was determined using Chopin alveograph. Enzyme Link Immunosorbent Assay technique was employed to detect and quantify aflatoxin B1 from the samples. The alpha amylase of the whole wheat flour was 240 seconds, while the viscoelastic property of the flour was 230 joules. The aflatoxin level during fermentation of the wheat flour dough showed that within 60, 90 and 120 minutes of fermentation at 35±2oC/2 h, the percentage aflatoxin loss increased as follows; 10.3. 34.5 and 55.2 % respectively. Conversely, the total aflatoxin retention decreased in this order; 89.7, 65.5 and 44.8% respectively. As the fermentation time increased, the percentage aflatoxin loss increased and the percentage aflatoxin retention decreased. The baking profile of the fermented dough also showed that as the baking temperature increased from 180, 200 and 220oC the aflatoxin loss increased from 58.6, 62.1 and 72.4 % and the aflatoxin B1 retention also decreased 41.4, 37.9, and 27.6% respectively. Fermentation and baking of whole wheat flour indicated that more than half of the toxin was eliminated but, some miniatures of toxins were still present in the fermented dough and the baked bread. This study showed that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from ogi has strong potential for leavening and was comparable to the commercial baker’s yeast. The use of wholesome raw material for bread production is advocated, because, the left over miniatures of aflatoxin in the finished products could be a health threat to consumers of bread produced from contaminated whole wheat flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat germs rich sources of biologically active compounds and are therefore among the most valuable by-products of the milling industry. Effect of defatted wheat germ powder addition on dough rheological properties and bread quality prepared with white wheat flours with different gluten index was investigated in this study. Different percentages of defatted wheat germ powder (5 and 10 g/100 g flour) were added to the white wheat flour samples, and dough rheological properties were tested using various Mixolab protocols. Defatted wheat germ powder addition increased the water absorption, dough development time, stability and weakening. Significant positive correlation between dough weakening or stability and Wixo parameters were registered. The Chopin+ torque values associated to starch gelatinization and retrogradation decreased from 2.03 to 1.90 Nm and from 3.21 to 2.68 Nm, respectively. Finally, the baking test indicated that bread samples with 10% defatted wheat germ powder had significantly lower specific volume and higher crumb firmness compared to the controls. Overall the results indicated that the addition of 5% defatted wheat germ powder to the wheat flour allows preparing bread with acceptable quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The durability of four grass living mulches, population of annual and perennial weeds, and their biodiversity in tree rows and tractor alleys were evaluated in the first 4 years after cover crop sowing. The experiment was established in a young semi-dwarf apple orchard 1 year after the planting of the tree 'Chopin' cv. Soil coverage was satisfactory for the three cover crops: red fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass. The sods of the grasses exhibited 100% soil surface cover in the tree rows and drive alleys, starting from 1 year after sowing to the end of the study period. Only the maintenance of the blue fescue resulted in low average soil development. Annual and perennial weed populations were lower in the tree rows than in the drive alleys. It was determined meticulous and manual soil preparation prior to all grass sowing under tree crowns, followed by precise mowing of grasses and nitrogen fertilization in subsequent years. The highest soil surface cover by the total annual taxa was observed immediately after the emergence of the living mulch. Total perennial weed populations increased in the following vegetation seasons. Trifolium repens L. and Taraxacum offcinale (L.) Web. dominated all the grass living mulches evaluated. Only the red fescue sod effectively limited the infestation of perennial weed after 4 years of living mulch maintenance in the tree row. More than half of the annual and perennial weed taxa occurred sporadically in all living mulches. In both the tree rows and tractor alleys, the soil surface cover was not more than 1%, and these species contributed to the increase in orchard biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short essay describes in a subjective manner three performances of Chopin's Waltz op. 69 no. 2. The challenge was to compare valuable insights of three of the most known and appreciated pianists and specialists in Chopin's music: Arthur Rubinstein, Alfred Cortot and Dinu Lipatti. The paper starts with some facts about the context of the Waltz, about shape and structure, it provides the analysis method (according to Dinu Ciocan), it highlights the specific connection of the performers with this music. A short portrait of each unique perspective, using a personalized analysis sketch, combining stylistic, esthetic and semantic elements, represents the goal of the author.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper was awarded with the first prize at The National Musicology Competition of the "Dinu Lipatti" Festival. Following the requirements of the contest (the comparison between three different interpretations of the same piece - Frédéric Chopin's Walz op. 69 no. 2, played by Alfred Cortot, Dinu Lipatti and Arthur Rubinstein), the author gradually came to observe a broader perspective. First of all, the interpretations painted three different "personas" of Chopin: the romantic, the classic and the aristocrat, the latter being the perfect melting pot of the first two. Then, the chronological order of these interpretations made way for an assumption of a possible evolutional chronology of the emotional aspect in playing Chopin. Above all, the presence of a crystal clear objectiveness of the subjective side in interpretation turned out as an indisputable element. This leaves us without the possibility to decide about a hierarchy of value among the three pianists, or to pinpoint the special and objective character of the ideal Chopin player. Finally, the same objective subjectiveness is decided to be the single existing element able to "excuse" the insufficiency of every remark, in the mirror illusions of the composer-performer-audience-reviewer relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses Frederic Chopin's E flat minor sketch. How debates over the aesthetic merits of sketches and pieces that display something of the "unfinished" about them were especially acute in the visual arts.

The article provides information on sessions held at the 2013 International Association of Music Libraries (IAML) Conference in Vienna, Austria by the IAML Bibliography Commission. Topics discussed include a presentation by John Rink on the digitising the catalogue of composer Frédéric Chopin's first editions, a presentation by David Bretherton on the online availability of music theorist Heinrich Schenker's papers and work, and a presentation by Pietro Zappalà on online thematic catalogues.

Sending data to a sink node is a crucial operation in wireless ad hoc networks serving humanitarian, environmental, industrial, military, or other purposes. While seemingly the inverse of broadcasting, this operation, known as "convergecast", is more complex, because each node sends different data to the sink. Convergecast should minimize convergence time (i.e., the time at which the root hears from other nodes) and energy consumption, but since these two objectives are conflicting, most algorithms will set for one and disregard the other. In this paper, we propose a family of convergecast algorithms, called CHOPIN, offering a configuration parameter that explicitly trades convergence time for energy. Using closed-form analysis and simulation, we are able to show that CHOPIN can reach operation points that are either in, or very close to the Pareto frontier. This makes the network much more adaptable to changing external conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information is provided on the 15th Biennial International Conference on Baroque Music held at the University of Southampton in England July 11-14, 2012. The conference featured talks on several themes including the composers Frédéric Chopin and Johann Christian Bach, the role of sacred music in European culture and early English music.

Whole wheat bread is an important source of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Unfortunately, the addition of bran and middlings lead to significant rheological problems, while the bread that is produced has lower volume and increased crumb density. For these reasons, bakers need to find new strategies. This paper presents a new procedure in which the addition of bran and middlings during kneading is delayed. Our laboratory-scale experiment assessed differences in dough rheology and bread characteristics as a function of three percentages of bran and middlings content (10%, 20%, and 30%) and five addition times (0, 2, 3.5, 5, and 6.5 min after kneading begins). Total kneading time was 8 min both in rheological and breadmaking tests. Results show ameliorative effects related to the delayed addition of bran and middlings during kneading. In particular, improved dough rheology (i.e. lower tenacity and tenacity/extensibility ratio, accompanied by higher extensibility), and bread characteristics (i.e. greater specific volume) were obtained with addition at 2 min. The proposed strategy improves both dough rheology and whole wheat bread characteristics, and could guide the development of specific kneading machines for whole wheat flours. Image 106078 • Delayed addition of bran and middlings during kneading was evaluated. • Three levels of bran and middlings content and five addition times were tested. • Effects on dough rheology and whole wheat bread characteristics were assessed. • Delayed addition at 2 min reduced dough tenacity and increased extensibility. • Furthermore, it increased whole wheat bread volume and reduced crumb density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the nineteenth century, major composers--such as Schubert, Schumann, Wieck Schumann, Mendelssohn, Mendelssohn Hensel, Liszt, and Chopin--contributed musical compositions to a kind of volume known as a friendship album (also keepsake album, album amicorum, or Stammbuch). Album inscriptions penned by Fryderyk Chopin provide a lens through which we can study these compositions, thereby gaining an understanding of the ways in which musical meaning, genre, and text were governed by conventions of gift exchange. Complete compositions, musical fragments, and performative flourishes left in albums by music lovers as well as professional composers and performers took on the function of secular relics that were understood to preserve metaphysical traces of the inscribers, while handwriting was believed to represent the writer's character or momentary state of mind. These ideas intersect with a broader Romantic culture of collectorship. To invoke experiences and memories shared by the inscriber and the dedicatee, some composers engaged in dialogic relationships with mementos inscribed by others or employed intertextual references. An examination of these forms of interplay adds to our knowledge of the way context can shape the use and meaning of musical borrowing and allusion. The authors of inscriptions also employed intrinsically musical vocabulary to impart the sense distortions that neuroscientists and scholars of memory describe as typical of a recalled experience. Moreover, albums provided a censorship-free private venue for political and national discourses. These musical texts constitute a separate class of presentation manuscripts that serve a specific social function and audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until rather recently, music theory has had little to no truck with performance, whether disregarding it entirely, derogating its corporeal-temporal non-ideality, or issuing it unsolicited prescriptions from atop the ivory tower. Consequently, the dialogue between these two domains, especially in the twentieth century, has been closer to a paternalistic monologue with (understandably) no audience. Happily, a rapprochement is afoot and the prospect of a sustained, salutary, and symbiotic relationship seems increasingly possible, its early fruits provocative and promising. I begin by tracing the relationship of theoria and praxis from Hellenic times to our own, highlighting the philosophical and cultural ideas and ideals that have shaped our terrain. I then survey recent work in performance analysis, in particular that of the last three decades, in which theorists have-- perhaps for the first time--truly listened to performance and performers with open ears and minds. I conclude by offering my approach to the issues at hand, exemplifying it with analyses of Haydn and Chopin that open up what I hope will be intriguing possibilities for performance interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebellar hemorrhage (CBH) is a frequent complication of preterm birth and may play an important and under-recognized role in neurodevelopment outcome. Association between CBH size, location, and neurodevelopment is still unknown. The main objective of this study was to investigate neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of age in a large number of infants with different patterns of CBH. Of preterm infants (≤ 34 weeks) with known CBH, perinatal factors, neuro-imaging findings, and follow-up at 2 years of age were retrospectively collected. MRI scans were reassessed to determine the exact size, number, and location of CBH. CBH was divided into three groups: punctate (≤ 4 mm), limited (> 4 mm but < 1/3 of the cerebellar hemisphere), or massive (≥ 1/3 of the cerebellar hemisphere). Associations between pattern of CBH, perinatal factors, and (composite) neurodevelopmental outcome were assessed. Data of 218 preterm infants with CBH were analyzed. Of 177 infants, the composite outcome score could be obtained. Forty-eight out of 119 infants (40%) with punctate CBH, 18 out of 35 infants (51%) with limited CBH, and 18 out of 23 infants (78%) with massive CBH had an abnormal composite outcome score. No significant differences were found for the composite outcome between punctate and limited CBH (P = 0.42). The risk of an abnormal outcome increased with increasing size of CBH. Infants with limited CBH have a more favorable outcome than infants with massive CBH. It is therefore important to distinguish between limited and massive CBH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical discussion of Edvard Grieg's Ballade has tended to dwell on more superficial aspects of its formal layout, rather than investigate the unique poetics that underlies its trajectory. This essay contends that in 1875, when he chose to write a song 'so people will see / that even the North can be beautiful', Grieg turned to the most profound and personal of Norway's literary inheritances, the sagas and Eddas, for formal, structural, and aesthetic inspiration. The juxtaposition of ancient folksong and late-Romantic harmony fuels a dynamic interaction that not only creates the effect of a great abyss of time, but also serves as the dramatic impetus for Grieg's narrative, one that gradually purges the theme of its chromaticism and transforms it into a barbaric final dance. Grieg's engagement with his material may be seen as something analogous to the oral poet, illuminating aspects of storytelling sometimes unfamiliar in the Western tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ambiguity of Chopin's music and its amenability to reinvention help account for its enduring appeal to pianists, composers, and critics. This article examines the conditions under which such ambiguity has taken shape on the page and at the piano. Just as curves become jagged--or "aliased"--when represented by the grid of discrete pixels that form digital displays, so have the contours of Chopin's music been both veiled and disclosed by the straight lines that define the staff and the keyboard. Despite the term's contemporary ring, the issues raised and reflected by aliasing are rooted in a set of nineteenth-century dichotomies concerning the discrete and the continuous, artifice and nature, instruments and bodies, virtuosity and poetry, machines and voices, and constraints and liberties, all of which Chopin's music was heard both to invoke and to elude. By way of recordings and transcriptions by Leopold Godowsky, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Josef Lhevinne, Vladimir de Pachmann, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and Arthur Rubinstein, the article presents various instances of aliasing and attempts to mitigate it via a range of compositional, pianistic, and cultural techniques that reveal how aliases can produce ambiguity by calling the very distinction between identity and difference into question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: This article defends Musical Stage Theory as a novel account of the ontology of musical works. Its main claim is that a musical work is a performance. The significance of this argument is twofold. First, it demonstrates the availability of an alternative, and ontologically tenable, view to well‐established positions in the current debate on musical metaphysics. Second, it shows how the revisionary approach of Musical Stage Theory actually provides a better account of the ontological status of musical works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the discrepancy between Schenker's lifelong devotion to performance and the limited treatment of performance issues in the secondary literature on Schenker -- a discrepancy exacerbated by the delayed publication of his performance manual The Art of Performance (2000). This study helps to ameliorate the discrepancy by examining his analysis of the Chopin Berceuse op. 57 in D-flat major in Das Meisterwerk II (1926) in comparison to his own annotated score of the piece, with the ultimate goal of creating a clearer picture of how Schenker's conception of performance intersects with his theories. Following Rings 2011, the article develops a Lewinian transformational model of conceptual tension based on Schenker's understanding of retention and anticipation in passing motions, and applies it to the rather complex intentional structure of finger choice (the finger chosen at various critical junctures in piano performance). Given the epistemological separation between Schenker's Berceuse analysis and his annotated score, the article refers to The Art of Performance to formulate a 'neo-Schenkerian' legato fingering ("neo" in that it represents my own performance values and participates in the modernist project of American Schenker reception) for the Berceuse theme that serves as a backdrop for understanding not only the conceptual tension of that fingering (according to the transformational model) as it relates to his analysis, but also the conceptual tension of his own fingering, taken from his personal copy of the piece. However, Schenker's fingering largely ignores his own recommendations for legato and, unlike the underlying voice leading and neo-Schenkerian fingering, does not sustain conceptual tension throughout the theme. Nevertheless, it engages the bodily core in a manner that--in light of the large-scale push to the subdominant (G major) later on in the piece, and the bodily actions associated with playing almost exclusively in the black-key plane--serves the organic coherence of the Berceuse as a whole. This coherence, which arises from the performer's physical actions, also resonates with some of Schenker's comments regarding the relationship of The Art of Performance with his mature theory, and his appreciation for what he called Chopin's "particular synthesis." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose the use of specific dynamical processes and more in general of ideas from Physics to model the evolution in time of musical structures. We apply this approach to two Études by F. Chopin, namely Op.10 n.3 and Op.25 n.1, proposing some original description based on concepts of symmetry breaking/restoration and quantum coherence, which could be useful for interpretation. In this analysis, we take advantage of colored musical scores, obtained by implementing Scriabin's color code for sounds to musical notation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) championed Frédéric Chopin's music. Yet his performances often elicited responses of shock or amusement because they rebelled against the prevalent sentimental style of interpretation associated with an "effeminate" Chopin. Even some of his staunchest admirers had trouble appreciating his unprompted repeats of measures or structural wholes in the preludes or etudes, his registral alterations, and his overly intellectualized approach. Also unusual was his choice to program the preludes as a complete cycle. Scholars have documented Busoni's interpretive eccentricities, but the rationale behind them and their significance for the evolution of Chopin interpretation in the twentieth century remains largely unexplored. Through analyses of recordings, concert programs, recital reviews, and Busoni's little-known and unpublished essay from 1908 titled "Chopin: Eine Ansicht über ihn," I connect Busoni's unconventional Chopin interpretations to an idiosyncratic perception of Chopin's character. In the nineteenth century Chopin and his music were commonly viewed as effeminate, androgynous, childish, sickly, and "ethnically other." Busoni's essay indicates that he, too, considered Chopin's music "poetic," "feminine," and "emotive." But this was problematic for Busoni, who was obsessed with "manliness" in an age in which gender roles were gradually changing. He discovered "half-manly" and "halfdramatic" elements in the music and in Chopin's character--that is, a heroic, monumental side. In striving to portray the "whole" of Chopin and his music while distancing himself from the gendered "halfness" of earlier writings, Busoni became a pioneer of bolder Chopin interpretation and of monumentalist programming. His portrait of Chopin reveals how cultural ideas inform the evolution of performers' interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the evolving use of sonata form by Chopin, with specific focus on the ways that formal innovations in his early sonatas (opp. 4 and 8) and piano concertos (opp. 11 and 21) anticipate formal patterns in his late piano sonatas (Nos. 2 and 3) and the Cello Sonata; in particular, I excavate Chopin's application of the second theme group (S) as a primary form-defining unit. In doing so, I investigate additional sonata forms by Chopin and Schubert, introduce a new formal function called "resetting of the formal compass" (RFC), and reconsider a recent debate between Hepokoski/Darcy and Wingfield, providing evidence for the resurgence of early Classical conventions in the heart of the Romantic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]