Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013

Lyrische theme in twelve tones

The first movement "Allegretto gioviale" from the Lyric Suite by A. Berg represents a
composers attempt to integrate and combine atonal serialism with forms and traditional methods
that were prerogative of tonal music, and this at the level of thematic motives, as well as at the
harmonic or rhythmic level.
The piece begins with an introduction of one measure that precedes the main theme, entrusted to
all the instruments except the violin I, to whom is entrusted the theme that will begin right after
that in the second measure (fig.1).

In this introduction, the instruments literally introduce in four chords some of the salient features
of the piece:
- beginning of some motivic elements after a rest (fig.2,3)
Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones



- No sound/tied sound on strong beats of the measure (downbeat and 3rd beat, in the
introduction, for example) as accompaniment and later to counterpoint the singing voice (fig.4)

- Use of a secondary row to "accompany ", (fig. 5)

Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones

in this case I5, that, compared to the row of the main theme that will be in P5, presents 2
common tones. If combining together the first part of P5 with the first part of I5, not including
the two common tones, the result will have the same content in both halves and a voice
exchange organized around the axis of symmetry: in this introduction I5 literally introduces P5
(fig. 6).

- Harmonically, presence of tetrachords (0257) (fig. 7),

in the introduction transposed twice to T4 and then combined into a T-1 and T1 transposition
(fig.8),

Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones

and a combination of dyads (05) (fig. 9).

If we would think the piece as being tonal, in the first measure it is also possible to recognize a
cadence TDT between the voice of the cello in the introduction and the first note of the main
theme, Hauptstimme in violin I in m. 2, F (fig. 10).

The main theme of the piece, represented by the row in P5, begins in upbeat in m 2.
The change in the time signature from 4/ 4 to 2/4 is used both here and throughout the whole
piece to accentuate the downbeat of the main thematic motive in the following measure. For
example it can be found again in m.7, where a thematic dialogue starts between all the different
voices, or in m. 12 and in m. 16, where it introduces the Nebenstimme as thematic motive, or in
m.20, where the theme returns to the violin I (fig. 11).
Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones


The basic row of this piece, (5,4,0,9,7,2,8,1,3,6,t,e) can be divided in two hexachords having the
same prime form (024579) , where the second hexachord is T3I and also palindrome of the first
one.
As we can see in fig. 12, where the black lines are the order of the pitches in the row divided into
two hexachords and the red lines the dyads (05), the two pictures, as well as the two hexachords,
are perfectly identic.

This hexachord is also the only hexachord with the major number of interval class 5 in his
interval vector <143250>.
Therefore the used row in particular emphasizes one of the features that we had already seen in
the introduction: the use of dyads derived from pcs (05). In fact, taking two different alternating
Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones

pitches of one of the hexachords, for example { 5,4,0,9,7,2 } , these will always be a
transposition of the dyad (05) to T4 , TIo , T9, respectively , and then in the second hexachord
{8136te} to T3 , Tt , T1, with a dyad (06) between the first note of one hexachord and the last of
the other one (fig. 13).

This emphasis on the dyad (05) is also accentuated in the theme by the rhythmic grouping of two
notes bowed together at the beginning, which is a thematic characteristic that can also be found
elsewhere in the piece, in what Berg calls " Hauptstimme ", which creates a circle of fifths
(typical of the tonal music) that, because of the transition from one hexachord to the other one
and then precisely on the downbeat in m. 3 concludes with a dyad (06), typical of the atonal
music of Schoenbergs mold (fig. 14). The same type of configuration can also be found for
example in mm. 7-10 or in mm. 19-20.

With Hauptstimme Berg defines not necessarily in this case the beginning of the row, but the
beginning of the main thematic motive, while with Nebenstimme Berg then defines a second
voice which is a counterpoint to the Hauptstimme or introduces a secondary theme. Between
mm. 2-4 we will have the Hauptstimme in violin I, to which is entrusted the main row in P5 and
Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones

Ie, with the last note of P5 used as first note for Ie. This kind of technique will avoid him to have
a tritone between one row and the next, preserving the (05) quality.
Violin I plays in this case the main theme, while the other instruments continue a kind of
harmonic accompaniment based always on the tetrachord ( 0257 ) , which was the basic set for
the tetrachord of the introduction, and always following the same row I5 , also previously used.
At the same time the viola will introduce a short motive on which it will begin then a brief
dialogue with the Hauptstimme in mm. 5-6, counterpointed by a Nebenstimme that follows the
scheme in dyads (05) and in upbeats.

In mm. 7-12 the theme begins on the upbeat, starting on the last tetrachord of the row in P5 and
continuing with the beginning pitches of the series of the row P5. It establishes then a dialogue in
the form of canon among all voices to slowly disappear after a short ritardando in m.12 (fig. 16).

Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones

Bergs choice of starting a theme from a different point of the row allows him to emphasize what
it might be considered the dominant of a piece in F major, the C, so that this section may
represent a second theme in the exposition in a Sonata form. Berg does not begin arbitrarily a
row from anywhere interrupting a series, but connects it to the previous row, creating a sort of
continuity between the Nebenstimme in m. 6 to the violin II and violin I in m. 7.
In m. 8 the theme is indicated as Nebenstimme at the viola, but I think it's a misprint, because
it is obvious that the theme is here a Hauptstimme so as in all the other voices.
In mm. 13-22 there is a sort of transition: the main row in P5 combines harmonically with the
row in Ie between all the voices, while creating at the same time a theme, as a Nebenstimme, on
the cello. The Hauptstimme in this case, alternating pizzicato notes with bow notes, has the
function to create a counterpoint to the Nebenstimme (fig. 17).

In mm. 15-18 it starts a complex braid of rows between the different voices, where P5 for
example goes from violin I to violin II, while its retrograde changes from violin II to violin I. In
the meanwhile the other two voices combine P2 and P8 and their retrogrades, creating more (06)
dyads (Schoenberg) within the (05) structures (Tonal music) to return then to P5, resuming the
initial main theme.
Antonella Di Giulio, 11/11/2013
Lyrische theme in twelve tones


Here too, the return to the main theme is accompanied by a short thematic motive in canon with
the other voices.

Although it would be tempting the idea to call this Bergs work a tentative to tonal serial
music, Bergs main goal seems to be to find a better way to structure lyrical and melodic lines
in serialism, thinking the row differently than Schoenberg or Weber. The row then becomes a
theme that contains melodic ideas to imitate and accompany. A row becomes a starting point to
the creation of rhythmic and melodic counterpoint, while keeping faith to a serial sketch,
horizontally and vertically, between the different voices.