Analysis for Interpretation: Samuel Adler’s Dialogues for Euphonium and Marimba by Peggy Heinkel ‘As performers, there are many times we putin hours of work preparing a new work for concert without ever really ‘examining it from the composer's pointof view. Although wwe may have, consciously or subconsciously, determined various factors in the execution of the work to make it sound “musical,” we may not have determined the true artistry of the composer. ‘This is particularly true of new music performance. In cour formal education music history and theory classes hhave taught us to recognize artistry in older works which hhave been studied for many years by many people. We know those motives, themes and large forms, and recog- nize their artistic development. We hear them interpreted in the correct style as passed down in performance prac- tice from generation to generation of musicians. Yet, we are at times bewildered by the techniques of twentieth century composers in that same artistic development. And apart from exaggerating those dynamics and articula- tions tomake it “musical,” we may not have truly realized the artistry of the work in our performance. ‘Samuel Adler's Dialogues for Euphonium and Marimba is one twentieth century work worthy of a closer look. Please note that the intent of this artiele is not to per- ssuade the reader of the correct style in which the work must be interpreted, rather itis an exposé, through sometheore- tical analysis and discussions with the composer, of those techniques and artistic intentions of his work. Although ‘round work for interpretation can be laid in analysis of fany piece of music, only those most personal elements an artist brings tothe performance will determine its ultimate interpretation, ‘Dialogues for Euphonium and Marimba was the result of LUB.As first commission for euphonium in 1974. T.ULB.A. requested a solo work with some instrument other than piano for accompaniment. Adler chose marim- tba as the instrument to best complement the timbre of ‘euphonium. He considers both timbres the most mellow of their respective instrument groups. ‘Upon closer inspection, the marimba is rarely seen in a ‘subordinate, accompanying position, either technically or ‘musically, to the euphonium. Rather the texture is a duet between the instruments, ‘All four of the Dialogues have elements in common and. their generes arein the first one. All movements share some transformation ofthe idée fixe and the melodic and struc tural importance of the interval of the third (both major fand minor in quality). Adler expands small motives in each movement for development and unification. To unify each movement further, Adler uses ABA structure and loosely follows serial principles in pitch organization. First Movement ‘The texture of the first movement is a recitative. The marimba is (for this one time) an accompaniment that includes sustained notes and chords, with an occasional “amen” cadence (see measures 16, 23, and 32. ‘This recitative texture is the genesis of what Adler calls, the idée fixe. Introduced in the opening measures by the ‘euphonium, its simply a repeated note in the opening itis on D. At measure 18 the idée fixe ison A; at the end ofthe ‘movement itis on Csharp and C. Theidée fixe undergoes various transformations in the other movements. ‘The significance ofthe interval of the third can also be seen in the opening measures ofthe first movement. Melo- ically, the eaphonium has both a major third (D-atupto F), and a minor third (G down to E). (See Example 1) ‘Structurally, the euphonium pivots around B, contin- ually sounded in the marimba, in thirds. The euphonium is first on Din measure 2nd then in the tetrachord based on G-sharp in measure 4. (This is repeated in measures 5-2) ‘According to Adler, he loosely organizes each move- Example 1. Movement I, measures 1-3 Quite stow ike fixe phonism 10 T.UBA.JOURNAL / FEBRUARY, 1988,Example 2, Movement I, measures 1-3 Quite sow i A Movement I, measures 5 and 6. A mieo Movement I, measures 45, bee »p—— Movement I, measures 8 and 9. es = ——_—=_F 7 Example 3, Movement 1, measures 10-5. oe ‘Movement I, measures 27-28. Measure 24 [Py = ft ef A or ‘ment with piteh serialism. Each movement opens with a row of portion of row. The row is used and then later ‘abandoned, At the end of some of the movements he returns to the opening row or a portion ofit. Although the third movement is the most clearly serial, the first move- ‘ment does have an opening row, octatonic in nature (D-flat,F, G, E, D, G-sharp, D,B, B-flat) The row sessen- tially abandoned by measure 16 and returns in the ‘euphonium part in measure 32. ‘Adler often develops motives by expansion. Sometimes FEBRUARY, 186 /7TURA. JOURNAL 11this expansion is additive. Compare motives “A” and “B” of the opening section ofthe first movement. (See Zxample 2) ‘Sometimes this expansion is less obvious: adding of Jghbor noes and/or octaves which are filed in. Compare ‘these other forms of “A” and “B” (See Example 3.) Adler loosely follows a large scale ABA structure in all four movements, He is quick to clarify that a modified principle of ABA is what heis interested in: remind but do not repeat. The music ofthe openingin thefirst movement returns in measure 33 in both the euphonium and marim- ba parts which draws the movement together. Second Movement ‘Adler calls the texture of this movement a perpetual ‘motion rondo. In each of the three major sections and coda distinct motives are repeated as in the spirit of a rondo. ‘The feeling of perpetual motion is clear in the rapid alter- nation between instruments, Yet, even in those less athle- tic sections, at least one instrument keeps the motion roll: ing forward. Tn the second movement the idée fixe undergoes two transformations. First, in the euphonium it is a repeated B-flat in the opening measures, an important motivicidea {for the remainder of the movement. Second, it functions as ‘structural delineator. The idée fixe closes the three major sections of the movement as a repeated F in measures 29 30, as a repeated C in measure 59, and as a repeated B in ‘measure 73. ‘The opening motive shared between theeuphonium and the marimba in this movement is structured in thfrds and serial in nature. The following pitches are sounded before any are repeated: B-flat, C-sharp, F, B-flat, B, C, B, D, F-sharp, G, G-charp, A. This arrangement strongly sug: gests a serial treatment of pitch class, but itis complicated and resists analysis. This pitch series is also strongly rooted in thirds. The most important thirds are shared between the instruments in measure 1, 3, and 6. (See Example 4.) These thirds are sometimes filled in and used melodically, as in measure 14, “The section of this movement which functions as A in the ABA structure is the chromatic triplets in the euphon- ium in measure 14 and following. These triplets eturn in ‘measure 87 of the coda in both instruments. Its interest: ing to note that the spit of the rapidly alternating parts 80 important in the first measures of the movement returns in the coda, particularly in these triplets. (See Example 5) ‘The most lucid example of expanding motives is in the Example 4. Movement I, measures 1-7. A Fest and humorous Euphoninm — idée fixe bese z w Set: BhB_C GD DE F FE Example 6. Movement II, measures 8788, (Fast and humorous) pent subito tum oft art ms 18-2 eH 12. TUBA JOURNAL / FEBRUARY, 1986,