Lucas Ensign MUSIC 3830 Dr.

Wilson 16 December 2013 An analysis of Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77

For some pieces of music it will begin with a striking exposition, while others may simply have a repeated A-section, and others may have no form whatsoever. Due to this, while analyzing Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77, there were many different potential answers to what form the piece employs. A preliminary thought is whether Beethovens piece is improvisatory or with form. Some sources declare that Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77 is simply a documented joke, and was never meant to be put into writing.1 However, another view is that this piece not only has form, but a mixture of different forms. In order to acquire a fuller understanding of the fantasiaone must go further afield in tracing the extra musical applications.2 A few questions to explore are whether or not the piece contains form, is if the key area is maintained throughout, and if it is not, to determine if the contrasting keys within different sections are related. One may also ask if there is repeated thematic material or figures, if there are distinct sections, if the A section is ever brought back, and if the piece has an overall fluidity. After pondering these thoughts, it can be concluded that Beethovens Fantasia opus 77 has elements of binary form through its three landmarks; being a Prelude, a Theme and Variation, and a Coda. Additionally

Randy, Michael "Beethoven's 'Opus 77 Fantasy:' an improvisational document?" American Music Teacher Vol. 36, No. 6 (1987): 25-28 2 Butler, Gregory The Fantasia as Musical Image The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 60, No. 4 (Oct., 1974), pp. 602-615

2 these sections are connected through a hidden melody, repeated figures, and the use of E flat/D sharp and E natural.3 First, the main motivic idea of the entire piece is seen in the Theme and Variation section, which we will label as Section B. (Example 1) Example 1: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 157-160

The Theme and Variation section, (section B) outlines chords one and five to the point of exhaustion. This gives the piece what may appear to sound like improvisation as opposed to an actual progression, but its melody in the top voice of the right hand keeps the progression sound. This top voice outlines the main motive numerous times throughout the piece. As this melody is repeated it varies in some of its qualities such as rhythm, tempo, dynamic, and the style, but generally maintains the same motivic material. This variation doesnt however visit the minor mode while in the B section, instead it embellishes in extremes of style (See Table 1) Interestingly enough, at the end of the B section after the sixth variation, it closes with an exact copy of the original motive of the section, thus bringing it full circle.

Rink, John Schenker and Improvisation Journal of Music Theory, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Spring, 1993), pp. 1-54

3 Table 1: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77 Similarities Differences V1 Harmonics Very rhythmic V2 Harmonics Dynamic is p. V3 Harmonics Busier V4 Emphasis of Strays from B and D sharp melody V5 Harmonics Dynamic is p. V6 Harmonics Melody in L.H.

Mode B Major B Major B Major B Major B Major B Major

Rhythmic Figure 32nd note 16th note 32nd note 16th triplet 16th note Sextuplets

Style comments Buoyant Legato Staccato Expressive Legato Marcato

A fantasia employs the idea of having not only the conductors style of composition, but also the composers form is undefined, or harder to identify; because of this the fantasia form is often unique in its style, thus appearing to be improvisatory.4 Now, for our purposes the Prelude section will be labeled as Section A. Within Section A there are five basic but unique motivic ideas that distinguish it as a section.5 While they appear to be separate from the rest of the piece, Beethovens style of composition in this particular work shows that each of these motives are brought back at a later time, thus making them significant. The first figure, while it may appear to be introductory is repeated throughout the entirety of the piece. It is a simple, often chromatic scale; followed by an adagio tempo melody. (See Example 2) Example 2: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 1-2

Christopher Field, Fantasia, In The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, eds. Stanley Sadie and J. Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001), Vol. 8: 545 5 Schulze, Sean "A neglected opus: an examination of the structural procedures employed in Beethoven's 'Fantaisie pour le Pianoforte', Opus 77." Beethoven Journal, Vol. 19, (Winter 2004.) pp. 72-82

4 Furthermore, the A section consists of a variation of the main motive in the B section, but in D flat. This variation is truncated and repeated twice in this section, previous to the actual theme and variation section, and thus it is a foreshadowing of it. (See Example 3) Example 3: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 4-6

The third motive in the A section is the 6/8 melody that outlines chords one and five, which in its harmonic characteristics outline the theme and variation melody. This is seen specifically in measures sixteen and seventeen. Example 4: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 15-18

Similarly to Example 4, Example 5 has the harmonic progression of tonic to dominant, which outlines the theme and variation melody between the notes D and C#, which is first scale degree of one, and third scale degree of the five chord, but this time in the minor mode. This melody goes on for a large duration of the A section, eventually doing the same idea in F major.

Example 5: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 39-42

Lastly, in the A section, is the adagio melody. This adagio melody is very different from the original scale figure followed by an adagio, in that it is strictly modulatory. This reoccurs in the coda several times. Thus, this also connects the piece. Example 6: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 79-83

Conclusively speaking, the A sections primary harmonic analysis is tonic to dominant, which may seem improvisatory, but instead proves to be a connecting theme in that it is the main motive of the piece; only introduced in different styles, keys, and tempos. At a closer look the coda is unique, which is essentially the expected unexpected within a fantasia form. Generally, in a coda it is simply the return of A but in an embellished style using the notions of dynamics, texture, and style. Interestingly enough, instead of only bringing back the A section this coda brings back elements of the A section with the B sections melody as seen in the Theme and Variation. This brings the piece full circle, which gives it the

6 characteristics of binary form while still maintaining a fantasia-like style.6 Furthermore, this fantasias harmonic analysis is non-conforming to the textbook Binary form in that the entire piece just outlines one and five, whereas Binary forms sections differ in its progressions. (See Table 2) Table 2: Dr Wilson: Binary Form 1 portion ||: sequence ||: tonicized V ||: tonicized ii ||: tonicized vi
st

2 portion I-I :|| I-I :|| I-I :|| I-I :||

nd

A few examples of how this coda brings elements of the A section with the B sections melody are in the left hand as it is outlining the scale figure from the A section with the theme and variation melody in the right hand. Additionally, the scale interruptions followed by an adagio melody, this time with the theme and variation melody in the top part combine the two sections. Another example is the scale interruption followed by an adagio melody shows the transition of tempos like the A section and B section both do. Finally, the coda outlines one and five just as in the B section, thus maintaining a harmonic structure. Beethovens Fantasia opus 77 also has a repeated scalier figure, which occurs throughout the entirety of the piece serving as an interruption or transition. (See Example 7)

Wilson, Jacqueline "Binary Form" (PowerPoint received in Music Theory V with Dr. Wilson, Platteville, Wisconsin, Sep. 2013).

7 Example 7: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 1-2

Now, as we take a closer look at this particular excerpt it is shown that the scale begins with E flat descending down the scale with sixteenth notes, ending with an E natural on an eighth note. This is significant in that the E flat/D sharp vs. E natural relationship is prevalent. Each of the other scales in the piece are one in the same in their rhythmic characteristics, those being all sixteenth notes, thus it is significant that within the first four bars of the piece the E flat and E natural relationship is introduced.7 Example 8: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 37 and 78 M.37

M. 78

Measure thirty-sevens modulation shows E flat to E natural, while measure seventyeights modulation shows E natural to E flat, the fascinating part being that the keys after which are unexpected from this modulatory chord(s). (See Example 8) The key prior to measure thirtysevens modulation is going from B flat major to D minor. Whereas measure seventy-eight is
7

Schulze, Sean pp. 72-82

8 modulating from d minor to A flat major. This is unique in that the expected key after each of the modulations is never reached. For measure thirty-seven the expected key would be E flat and measure 78s would be G major, as the relationship of one and five would be expected, due to the fact that this progression is prevalent throughout the pieces thematic material. Another example of showing the importance of E natural within harmonically unstable material is used with dynamics.8 (See Example 9) Example 9: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 141-143

This portion of Section A is fairly developmental in its nature in concerns of the key area as it is shifting E minor, A minor, and F sharp minor, thus the emphasis on E natural is significant. Dynamics play a specific role in this piece as it serves as an outlining of important material; this is seen in many other sections, such as the modulatory chords in example 8, E natural is outlined with ff or sf dynamic, which continuously lends to the point that E natural is a reoccurring theme in this piece. Additionally serving as a re-transition to the coda is the exact main melody a half step higher. This is very unique in that the transitional material is both harmonically stable and familiar, as opposed to shifting and new thematically speaking.9 (See Example 10)

8 9

Schulze, Sean pp. 72-82 Wilson, Jacqueline "Binary Form" (PowerPoint received in Music Theory V with Dr. Wilson, Platteville, Wisconsin, Sep. 2013).

9 Example 10: Beethovens Fantasia Opus 77: Measures 226-229

Finally, binary form is seen more specifically through a pattern of a section followed by two themes and a scale interruption or, likewise, a theme followed by a transition and a scale interruption. This repeats itself in the A section, going next to the theme and variation section (B section) which leads to the coda. This also has a pattern in the there is a theme followed by a scale interruption, that repeats itself just once. (See Table 3) This fantasia, while it has the improvisatory elements within its harmonics and its ever-changing keys, tempos, and styles; is indeed in the form of Binary. Beethovens Fantasia opus 77 has elements of binary form through its three landmarks; being a Prelude, a Theme and Variation, and a Coda. These sections are connected through a hidden melody, repeated figures, and the use of E flat/D sharp, and E natural being emphasized via modulations and subtle uses of dynamics.

10 Table 3: Large Structure Section 1: Measures 1-156 Theme 1: Measures 1-3 Theme 2: Measures 4-7 Scale interruption: Measures 16 Theme 3: Measures 17-29 Transition: Measures 31-40 Scale interruption: Measures 41 Theme 4: Measures 41-78 Theme 5: Measures 79-82 Scale interruption: Measures 83 Theme 5 continued: Measures 84-89 Transition: Measures 89-150 Repeat of Theme 5: Measures 151-156 Theme and Variations: Measures 157-223 Scale interruption(s): Measures 224-225 Re-transition: Measures 226-232 Coda: Measures 233-249 Variation theme/scale together: Measures 233-241 Scale interruption: Measure 242 Repeated of Theme 5: Measure 242-245 Variation theme/scale together: Measures 246-249

11 Bibliography Christopher Field, Fantasia, In The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, eds. Stanley Sadie and J. Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001), Vol. 8: 545 Butler, Gregory The Fantasia as Musical Image The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 60, No. 4 (Oct., 1974), pp. 602-615 Wilson, Jacqueline "Binary Form" (PowerPoint received in Music Theory V with Dr. Wilson, Platteville, Wisconsin, Sep. 2013). Rink, John Schenker and Improvisation Journal of Music Theory, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Spring, 1993), pp. 1-54 Randy, Michael "Beethoven's 'Opus 77 Fantasy:' an improvisational document?" American Music Teacher Vol. 36, No. 6 (1987): 25-28 Schulze, Sean "A neglected opus: an examination of the structural procedures employed in Beethoven's 'Fantaisie pour le Pianoforte', Opus 77." Beethoven Journal, Vol. 19, (Winter 2004.) pp. 72-82