~ .....

-:., :.:~~'
.· ~ ~--' '
..... ;;,-~ ¥:·~;. ..::.;'
"'
· 482.722
III
ACCOMPANIED CHAMBER MUSIC

TECHNICAL. -- 1. Definitions.-- 2. Origin ot Chamber Music:

W~drigals transcribed tor instruments; trio writing; the
Claveoin, solo instrument.- 3. Adaptation of the tour
traditional Types(s. L. M. R.) to aooompan1ed Chamber Music.
HISTORICAL.-- 4. The Creators.-- 5. The Classic and Romantic.
-- 6. Modern Germans and Russians.-- 7. Modern French.

TEOF..NIOAL

l. Det1n1 tiona.

Originally, the expression ~hamber Music simply meant

___
a difference in intention in relation to "Church Music": the
camera (tor the chamber) were opposed 1n this
Italian words da .............~-

......,......,.. (for the ohuroh), the same as our

way to the words da ch1esa
titles secular and sacred are used to distinguish between
these two types of mus1o¥ '-his opposition, it is seen, is
alwa7s founded on the principle we formulated at the beginning
ot this work, 1 and wh1oh has served as a point ot departure
tor the general ol.assi.t1oation of musical types; 2 the
distinction between 'he A£!£! ¥ovement, leading to the
Dance, to the 4anoed EOE~as sons, and trom there to

1see Book I ot this Course, ohap. 1, p. 36.

2 see Book II, Part I, the table on p.12.

303
 304

instrumental or sJ111Phon1o JNslo, on one s1deJ nnd., en the

oth&P, the !£.!. !£ !fi.R•~.oh, no1 ted. or sung, leading to the
preS!~1ap x~nt, the Mot.t, and from there to vocal or
dramatic music, the l&'tter al•:.ve having 1 ts source in
re11g1oua 1nap1rat1on, while symphonte mua1o, on the contrary,
is alwa7s attached. in some ·'fillY 'o the popular nnd aeoular
danoe.
Nevertheless, the ll:lti.rt'iP Ohe.mber M\le1o no longer keeps
this tint aooeptt\t1on, because there a~ many mus1em:l types
wllioh have ~ma1ned eaaent1ally a~oular in their goal,
w1 thout having kept the character "tor the chamber•. Th1a
title 1s linked today rather to the 1dea of the ~lm1ta~10f £1
.!!:!!! numbtr J! ;een;emer:••. ex.olud1ng tor this very reason eveey
oho:ral or orchestral body 1n which the mH3oitn£: would be
1mpmot1os.l in a pllloe the alae of a •chamber•. From th1e,
it would eeam tl':ult the performance ot th1a Ohalober Mua1c must
b+<: oont1ned to a enw.ll group composed exclusively ot aolo1eta:
nothing 1s lese exact, because. from the advent ot this t7Pe
ot music tlu~re appeared the talse use of the base oalled
~i&HNA., that is to ear trom one pa•t ot the harmonic
.!ooomp~r~~men,t, ot'len tho most rudimentary, where the chords
are 1ncHoa ted by num.ber'e wr1 tten above the bass notes. The
process C<' lled "harmon1a.nt1on at the keyboard 11 or tl-J.es~ "hn:r-
mon1c abbr.ev1at1ons• soon became the speciality ot interior
professionals, which the anstoorat1o jealousy Of the
solo1ata took great oare not to a.dmi t into their midst. We ,
ere e.gain 1n the preaenoe ot these two unequal oa ten:r~e.e ot
 305

performers, who, as we have pl)1nted out above ( :'>P· 115 ),

characterised the (.!Jarl;)Conoerto form (and later on the
[developed] Concerto) t the soloists and the ~.coo!P!;n:tin~.
The soloists in Chamber Music, the same as those 1n
the early or developed Concerto, are therefore aooo~anied~

Ana this is one of the reasons. le:;s suporf1oia.l than it

appea:rs, that has letv us to discuss this ~~oompanie~ Chamber
Music separately in ·the present ch.~pter, distinct tor this
very reason, in our opinion, from the one where all the solo
parts are 1 equallf important", as in the tfpical form ot this
species, the ~trins gua,tet, which will be the subject of the
following chapter. Without doubt, the importance of this
last form is sufficient by itself to motivate this separation,
in spite ot the current talk which ranks the Stri~g Quartet
in Chamber Music; but it will soon be seen that the similarity,
often very great, between these two tn>ea ot musical
oompos1tion 1a; 1n many respects, more apparent than real,
and that the peoul1ar1t1es by which they are differentiated
are, particularly at the beginning, quite oharaoterietio.
Musically, the harmonization ot the figured harmony
by a polyphonic instrument (ordinarily the olaveoin, some-
times the organ) 1s quite similar to a reduction for the
keyboard ot the accompanying orchestral part in the early
Oonoertost because many of these parts were merely the
hamon1t:ation of a true fi!!!!!d (or t.1SY:rable) bass by the
bowed instruments, and a keyboard could often be substituted
 307

their composers and particularly their editors have given to

them.

2. Origin of Chamber Music. --Madrigals Transcribed

tor Instruments. --Trio Writing. --The Solo
Instrument: The Claveo1n.

Most ot the secular symp~onio.torms having as a

common source the vocal Madrigal and its transcription tor
various instruments. we necessarily find here again the same
point of departure ae tor the Concerto and tor the Symphony.
We have already pointed out1 the rapid dittus1on,
toward the end of the 16th century, of these instrumental
transoript1one, sometimes partial, under the rorm ot the
aOC!!J?anied ~dr1gal, sometimes as a. whole, under the tom ot
genuine Chamber -~ale. It should be remembered that during
this period the line of demarcation between the sacred and
secular type had already lost muoh of its ancient strictness.
The beautiful Gregorian flowering, initiator ot the
Palestr1nian polyphony, was then on its decline, while the
spirit of the Renaissance, with its cortege of humanism and
elegant 1nd1tterenoe, caused the axis of human thought to
deviate quite a little; and the effects of this deviation
were soon to be felt even in the titles used. In this

laee especially, in our First Book (pp.301 and 303), which

dealt with the acoom~an1ed Madr1sal, and, in the Firat Part
ot the present S'econ looi \p."158J, the part that dealt with
the origin of the Suite form.
 308

"chambel"' <w•m> whet'e the tn>e ot music whloh sa being

4laoueee4 11111 be performed, tbe g.roup ot musicians will
oonetl tute the ct ohapel' ot the nobleman o~t pr1noe who listens
to them and pays them, even 1f the latter no longer had in his
palace any t:rue 1 ohape1 1 other than this aoJ't of •temple ot
art•, very unlike a holr plaoel
It thls •mua1oal chapel• ol'dlnarUJ requ1r.4 tlve
persona, who bad nothing to do wltil the ecolealaattosl, 1t
was beoauee the poly:phon1o w.r1 t1ng 1n t1Ye true parto had
remained the onlJ one 1n uae, enn though the soloist,
formerly • td.nger aocompMled by a s1tring qua.rtet, had
hlmaelt become a tltth 1na,I'Umentallat. fhua, the t1ve voices
ot the Madl'lple from ~e beautiful period. that of Aroadelt,
W1llaert, Costeley and othere,.gradually su~ndered their
place to the soloist w1 th the· 1nsti'WHfttal qua11et 1n the
~~PO!P!eled ~dr!s!l, then finally to the tlve 1natrumenta
ot the MUe1oa !!. Camera (that 1a to any to Chamber Mu•1!•)
For eome time a tew Madrigals with a •ololst were still
found, the lattel' was eometlmea a a1npr, sometimes an
1nat:t\1menu11et J sometimes hie part could even be oonttded to
e1~e:r !.4 f..1bJt}JI~ '!hta single teatUJ~~e 1e enough to show ue
the importance ot the words 1n the e7es ot the oompoaer. One
may believe that 1 t waa not long before the slngeJ-s wlth any
tal en' alao became d1e1ntereated wl th the lucu~tione where
their part could be oont1ded to a tlutiat or a •1o11n1et Just
as well. Thus, the exolue1vel:r lnstl"U.Blental adaptation
 .309

definitely suppla.nted the vocal polyphony of the out-of-date

period, but kept its custom of writing for five voices.
Nevertheless, the most curious variety is rev~c• led in
the choice of instruments to which these invariable five
parts were confided according to the place, the f&shion, and
nrobably also the financial means at the disposal of wh~tever

Patron happened to be emPlOYi:n,; then ..

The arrangement for stringed instruments is
undoubtedly the most frequent. Again these instruments b8long
to two rather different families. One time, these were bowed
instruments corresponding approximately to the ones which we
use now--two dessus B:s viole (treble type of violin), a
haute-contre (our viola), a taille (a small cello) with an
e.ccompanying ~ (our present violoncello). Jlnother time,
on the contrary, they were lutes of various sizes--two
others called ch1tarroni (ancestors of ou~ guitars) and an
enormous ~~which no longer has any parallel today.
Up to here, there is nothing very unusual; but now

t}?.e wind instruments aooear which came to take part in these

ostensibl~ "chamber concerts'! First it was the oboes, then
a com!Jlete family, 1 th.at divided the five voices &mons
two dessus 5!.! hautbois (analogous to our present instruments),
two taille::: ~ heutbo!s (corre::-,ponding very nearly to our

l
·t.:)ee, 'in the Introduction of the present Book, the pert that
deals with the "Oboe family" (pp. 38 ff).
 310

English horn) sustained, if 1t can be stated in this way, by

a terrible bass !!_ hautbois [bass oboe] the sonor1 ty of' which,
if it oan be Judged by the specimen that we have b&d in our
hands, 1 would put to shame the moat .strident "klaxons" of our
modern automobiles. Everyone is inclined to believe that this
barbarous implement was used tor only a very short time and
-
that the true faettp, our present bassoon, was soon preferred
to it. ~ut were there no brass instruments, unoonscious
forerunners of our respectable saxophones reoei ved toda!' in
"the beat eoe1ety 1 , that bad their part in this tirst phase
in musical instrumentatlont 8oes one not find; ln reality.
madrigals tre.n,soribed tor a oornetto (a 11 ttle trumpet, perhaps
with a slide, also) and tour trombones of different size?
This special conception ot Chamber Music would make one think
that the "chapel" to wh1oh its performance was confided was
rather in the open air, and that unquestionably only a few
traoes of 1ts "eooles1aet1oal" or1g1n remained 1n 1t.
It was to be the same, after a brief delay, with its
madr1galesque ancestry, the last ~estige ot which, the
writing 1n five voices, was to d1sappea~, 1n its turn, in order
to make room for the new trio writinit adopted 1n a very short
time by almost all the composers ot instrumente.l music at.the
beginning of the lSth century.

lA speoimen belonging to the oolleotion of M. Br1oquev1lle,

at Veraa1lles.
 312

the Symphony, very rapidly realized.

Between the Concerto, l\ihich WG.s to glorify the
triumph of the ~ (and later on, of the soloist) even up to
its abuse, and the Symphony, founded on the ever-increasing
complexity :Jf :ti'E instrumental polyphony End tone qU&.litit:S 1
Chamber Music, by definitely adopting the three-12art writing,
was proposed, in some way 1 ~.e a middle term, and it seems
that it has kept this characteristic very well. Nevertheless,
its relationship to the Concerto will remain more strict, since
the polyphonic 1nst rument ( clavec.in or org~.n) will have no
function other than the realiz~tion of the b,as§_q-continuo;
such is, in reality, within a trifle--!n most of the Concerti
of the first period--the role of tne tutti for the accompanying
instruments called "the filltng in" (ripieni). Many of the
.Qhamber Trios, according to those which must be considered as
the creators of the type, are true Concerta.ntes in wh.ich the
a.ccompanying part has simply been gtven to the cla.vecin or
orgen, if not even sometimes reduced from tne orcnestra for
these instruments. We shall see some examples of these later
on, in the hi§torical section of the present chapter.
But this state of transitory things could not last
very much later th&n the first years of the 18th century.
From this time on, either tilrough the greater skill of the
composer, whose style was in some ways regenerated by the
return to tnree-aa.rt writing necessit&ti11g a greater
contrapuntal carefulness, or through the demands of the
 315

claveo1n1sts and organists, they themselves also reclaiming

their "plaoe in the sun•, instead ct being relegated to the
background, or perhaps f1nal+7 as a result of the notable
improvements brought to the meohan1em of the keyboard
1nstruu1enta, one sees the latter assume a much more aot1ve
part in the musical recitation and expression 1n the Chamber
Trios. Without ceasing to furnish to the ensemble the
harmonic leaning that their very oonatruotion imposes on
them, they are associated in the dialogue of the parts as
a true interlocutor; this new 1nd1v1dual will soon come to
oppose its harmonized reply to the ensemble ot stringed
instruments, as we still hear it, at the present time, 1n
our Tr1pa, Quarteta, etc., with ;e1anp1 Yery different t:rom
that of the Quartets tor strinss alont•
In our contemporary fl,!)Oom;eanied Chamber t&~sig, the
piano part has always preserved this oharaoter of "reduction
of the orchestra tor the ke7boara•, which gives it its own
pbfsiognomy, entirely d1stinot trom that of the Quartets for
Bowed Instruments. It is therefore definitely this add1t1on
ot the ola.veo1rt (or organ) to the solo instruments which
oonat1tutes the ttspeoif'1o difte:renoe• by which this species
ot music is defined.
In aummary, if the SJlDPhony, founded on the balanoe
between the instrumental parts reputed to be "equal 1n
value• appears as a sort of reaction against the Oonoerto
 314 I..

with 1ts two classes of 1nstrwuental1sts, 1t oan be said that

~ooo!P!nied Chamber Music is itself a reaction against the
~olo, this other oharaote~iatio or the Concerto, to which it
is opposed by the dialogue or the solo instruments. Finally.
as we shall see 1n the following chapter, the String Quartet
was to mark in its turn a reaction against the abuse of the
olavecin or the piano in accompanied Chamber Music.

3. Adaptation of the Four Traditional Types (S.L.M.R.)

to Chamber Music.

We know that the polyphonic p1eoes belonging to the

period ot the Motet and the Madrigal have no especial rule
in regard to their thematic and tonal construction• it is
the t'orm ot the text to be sung wh1oh rules that ot the
music. Nevertheless, as 1n the Madrigals, this text is muoh
mo~~ all1e~ to the popular Chanson, the secular alternation
of the refrains and the couple's appears here very often,
under the aspect ot repetitions ot the same musical periods
separated by different periods, as 1t happens in the
instrumental pieces having a fast tempo ot the Rondo type,
or in the slower p1eoes having the Soni form. 'It goes
without saying that the accompanied or ' "semi-instrumental".
Madrigal does not differ from the vooal Madrigal: 1n each,
it is 1n the torm of the poetry that is sung that one must
seek the reason tor the musical form; and in spite of the
suppression of the vocal soloist, gradually making room tor
 315'

the instrumental soloist, the same errore will remain in use

for a long time yet in the first embryos of Chamber &tus1o, tor
the three~2ar~ wr1t1ns will not definitely take the place ot
the five voices lett by the antique 14adrigal.
Returning more or leas to the •concerting style•, the
Chamber Trio played, however, a larger part in the dialogued
imitations, of contrapuntal origin; but, 1n this ool,Ulse that
would be obliged to bring it back again towaztd the art of the
Fugue, it was paralyzed by the basao-oon.'t1n;i9 with its
cumbersome cortege ot harmonic conventions, while alone the
String Quartet, liberated from this "dead weight', will
demand again trom the Fugue and Motet 'trad1 tiona the lite
giving strength which will soon give it the most splendid
flourishing.
Oriented in this way toward the style of the
Oonoertante, the Chamber frio quite naturally adopted its
forms~ ~t the opposition between the solo and the tutti,
obvious cause tor the order ot the statements in the
Oonoertante, loses here its reason tor ex1stenoei 1he simple
replies ot the continuo harmonized at the ~yboard could not
oO!Ilpare with that of the ~t~3,1 so they almost totally die-
appear 1n the primitive Chamber Music. Nothing 1a left ot
the construction borrowed tram the, Oonoertante e2eept the
use ot a tnematio des119, subJect of the concerting dialogue,
similar in this to the FUgue ~ubJeot, and treated as it, at
first on the principal functions (tonic and dominant), then
 316

modulat1.ng to a few neighboring keys (relative, .subdominant,

etc.) in order to conclude in the principal key, generally
~ithout & reappearance of the initial design. One seBs by
this the analogy with the Suite form. These first Chamber
Trios, in re&.lity 1 did not dlffer very much from the ~3ui tes

for clavacin or orgcn except through the more frequent re-

statements of the theme; the ls.tter c:~r12 due to the variety ·
of the tone qualities of the concerting instruments, as well as
to the application of the principle then in favor of their
nequslity in valuen, each being reputed to possess an "equal
right" in the statement of the principal thematic design.
8oon, 1 t vdll be the keyboard instrument that will
reclaim the exercise of this "equ;:;.l right", abandoning thus
its subordinate role of basso-continuo in order to t~xe part
in thE. dialogue. And, v:1 thout teing able to find out v.ith
much certainty what we. s, 1:-1 this c&se, the cause or the effect 1
it is verified that this sort of accession of the keyboard to
the superior rank coincided, during thE: second he.lf of the
18th century, with a growing discredit of the fif:.:Ured bass.
It was during Elmost the same period that we saw--
instigated by Carl Phillip )!;mE..nu€1 Bc:.ch a.nd Joseph Haydnl--

the transformation of the: Suit~.:; form into the Sonata

form. The adoption of this form, then new, wa.s, with good
reason ,to be considered by the best composers as a

lsee Book II, ?art I, p.25J ff.

 317

genuine progress: etteot1vely, it 1s seen to penetrate

rapidly into almost all instrument&~ mus1o oompoa1t1ons and,
naturally, into the accompanied Chamber Music. The latter
otters, therefore, no trace ot a construction Which belongs
to it as its own: the tour traditional types which we have
studied in regard to the Sonata, 1 with their innumerable
variants, are suttioient to preeerve to it, even at the
present time, all its interest. It is only necessary to
Observe that the £?0l~honio Character Of the kerboard
instrument (olaveoin, organ and now piano) which continues b
aooo!Easz the group of stringed instruments, has always kept
the aspect or a reduced orchestral bo4Z, the ensemble of
which is opposed unaided to all the other interlocutors in the
musical dialogue. This is why the piano (or its substitute)
maintains the privilege of responding very often, by its own
statement, to the statement of the principal themes by the
solo instruments. This double statement, vestige of the
Oonoertante, has remained trad1 t1on.al tor the initial theme
ot the principal movements in Chamber Music. It is much more
rare for the second theme, which, during this period, was
scarcely formed and will not take its importance until with
Beethoven. In reality, this arrangement is common to
aecompanied Chamber Music and to the Sonata tor two instru-
ments that could Just as well be called a •Chamber duo" from
this point ot view.

1Ib1d., pp.243 to282,375 to392, etc.

 318

Exoept to!" th1a peoulla%"1 tr, the thematic and tonal

construction of the movements called upon to constitute the
Trios, Quartets, Quintets, eto., with plano aocompaniment,
does not differ in any way trom what has been said 1n regard
to the tour traditional types (s.L.M.R.) 1n the Sonata.

HISTORICAL

4. The OreatoN.

It is alwa7e to the Madrigal, simple or accompanied,

that we need to return 1n order to find the origin ot most
ot the musical forms belonging to the symphonic or instrument-
al field. But before each ot these forms oan be olearl7
1nd1v1dual1zed, a rather long period has passed, in the
course of wb1oh the wol"ks, still poorly defined, oan be
brought back to a sort ot 1 germ11 , common to aeve:ral different
types which could not be fixed until later on. One must not
be surprised therefore to t1nd, here or later, the same
names ot composers, already mentioned in regard to the Suite,
the Concerto, etc., and destined to Jteappear again, 1n regard
to the String Quartet, or even 1n oertain types of Dramatic
Musto (Cantata, O~atorio, Opera, etc.) in the Third Book of
the present Work.
Such will be the oaae, tor example, w1 th Ludov1co
GROSSO !!, ~f.AD('Nft., whose tranaor1pt1ons tor instruments ot
vocal Madrigals oan be classified either as one or the other,
 319

the same as those b7 the Ital1an f.flf.~.~~f (l57~161t.e), as

the t1:rat dratta of aooompan1ed Chamber Musto or string
Qu.e..J'tete. Wi thov:t del.a11ng oureelvee w1 th these ver.y
dia~t torerunners, we sha.ll take ae po1nt ot departure
the name ot Abbe Steftan1, who adoptee. the first .!ibJ:!!-i!£.1
,.nt.1!!£·

Ago8t1no SteftM1 • • • • • • • • 1654-172S

•

Alessandro &oarlattl. • • • • • • ~659-1725

G1ovann1 Carlo Uarle Clarl·· •• • 1669-1745 1754
Giovanni Baptista SammaJ't1n1. • • 1704 (1709 -1774 [177~
P1ei!'N Van Ual4er • • • • • • • • 1724..1768

Agol.,.!nl!' .flTitFPANI, whO began as a singer at the Sa 1n t

Muk • a .Church 1n Venice, * became a monk 1n 1600 and was by
tum a an abbe, diplomat ann oompoaer~ Appointed a b1ahop, 1n
16921 1n payment tor hie ab111tJ as a negotiatoP tor the
EleotoJ~&te of Hanover, he abandoned hie mua1oal aaPee:r atter
.
tbat. He lef't, aside from aeYeral operas, a colleot1on of
. Sonata J!!. 0&J!!r'6 tor two V~?~1na,. V~Ol!; and basao-oontln\1.0
(1683) assuming more the aapeot ot eaib170n1o but al.Nad7 veey
1ntereat1ng 8trtns gyartets, and a oe:rta1n quantity ot true
Tr1oe.

*some author! ties aay aa a choir bo;r 1n Padua.

 320

Alessandro SCARLATTI, who was born 1n Sicily and

died in Naples, was the father ot the celebrated olavee1n1at
Domenico Scarlntt1. 1 The composer of a number of works of
eeoulat~ and sao red drama tic Music (we have one hundred and
six Operas* and more than two hundred of hie Masses), this
musician, with a prodigious teound1ty, left also e1shteen
collections or Chamber Mus1o 1 each ot whioh contained at
least $1iht oompoe1t1ons called Sonata~ although their form
already was very similar to that of the true Chamber Trios,
as it is going to be fixed definitely in the works ot the
composers after him.
Giovanni C~rlo Maria OLARI, originally from P1sa and
master ot t.he ohapel at Pisto1a, near Florence, published,
in 1720, a rather large oolleot1on of very worthy Chamber
Tr1oe.
Giovanni, Battista SAliWARTlNI, Milanese organist who
was Gluak•s teacher, was the tirst known composer** of olearlr
defined Chamber Music, either tor bowed instruments with
basso-continuo harmonized on the claveo1n, o~ tor stringed
instruments alone, as in our present Quartets.
Pie!'re .!!!l ~DE!J born at Brussels, wae one of the
best mua1o1ans at the chapel o~ Prince Charles ot Lorraine,
1 see Book II, Part I, p. 206.

*About 50 ot these operas are extant.

**Later authorities say one ot the first.
-
 321

governor ot the Low Countries. ('Going to Paris in 1762, he

later made several sojourns there: he was the t1rst known
oompoaer of instrumental music who was not Ital1ant he lett
several Symphon1es 1 some Quartets which will be discussed 1n
the following chapter, and particularly !!!.T.r.1.o Sonatas,
Wh1oh are true Trios1 written in a style already greatly freed
trom the follies, universally observed up until then, of the
basso-continuo.

Jose2h HAYDN, 1 whose inexhaustible musical fertility

we kno•, left ~hirtr-tive Trios tor piano, violin and
violoncello, and three others with a part for tlute in place
of the violin.

In spite of their true merit, the works of these

three genuine oreatora of Chamber Musioc Sammartin1, van
Malder and. Haydn, do not supply anrth1ng that is not already
known, in matters of thematic construction and general fo~c

it is always the Sonata, with one or two themes, which remains

the constant model.
At the side of these three illustrious names, we
cannot rail to mention again the French musician GRETRY,
whose just :renown comes from his Operas, but who also wanted
to try his skill 1n Chamber Music, as he had for the
Symphony, as has been said above ( p~ 179

1
-
) ' lle left two

See Book II, Part I, p.335.

 322

~uartets !1th flutg, which were written in 1758, ~ithout

counting his String Quartets alone, in regard to which -e

shall find his name at the side of his rival and contemporary
Gossec, also a composer of Symphonies.

5. The Classic and Romantic.

Wolfgang Amadeus Moze"rt. • • • • • • • • • • • • 1756-1791
Ludwig varl Beethoven • • • • • • • ..• • • • • 1770-1827
Franz ~eter Schubert • • • • • • ..• • . .
. • 1797-1828
Jakob Ludwig Feli.x Mendelssohn-:'Lc..rtholdy • • • • 1809-1847
Robe~t Alexander Schumann • • • . . . . .. • • • • 1810-1856
1
Wolfgang AmadtUL MOZAR% obviously could not remain a
stranger to a type of composition so suitbble to his tenius
as Chamber Music •. The speed with Y.h1ch he wrote tlis works is
already known--he boasted cbout it moreover. One will, thE::re-
fore, not be at all surprised e.t the number of nis Vworks of·
this type with ?ilino, exclud.:!.ng those designed for bowed
instruments alone:
1 Quintet for piano, two violins, viola, and violoncellO)
l Quintet for piano, violin, violoncello, oboe, :nd clarinet;
2 Quartets for piano, violin, viola, &nd violoncello;
7 Trios for piano, violin, and violoncello;
1 Trio for piano, c:larinet,. <:..nd viola.

We remember that th8 clarient was, in the time of

Mozart, kD absolutely new instrument--the large pl~ce he

lsee Book II, Part I, p.351.

 323

attributed to it in his Ohamber Music 1s very probably

explained by this.

Ludwig !!!!. BEETHOVEN, 1 in his career, although .much

longer than tha~ of Mozart, did not produce as large a
quantity of Chamber Music works. We have of his:

1 Quintet for piano and wind instruments;

1 Trio tor piano, clarinet and violoncello;
g [9) Trios for piano, violin and violoncello;
2 Quintets for piano and bowed instruments.

The ~r~e ~eptet, written for a sort of restricted ~rchestra

{violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, clarinet, horn and

bassoon) nncl several other little pieces for vartous instru-
ments, Which will not offer the true character of Chamber
Music accompanied by the piano, oan be added here.
The best specimen to examine in this type of
composition, reaching the degree of perfection that the master

-
from Bonn alone could give 1t, is the Trio Op. 971 dedicated
to the Archduke Rudolpht in lSll, at the moment of the full
bloom of What we have called Beethoven's second manner: the
general arohi tecturae of this work, trorn a thematic end tonal
point ot viewt conforms entirely to that of most of the piano
Sonatas of this same period.
The first theme of the 1n1 ti.a.l movement is formed of'

-two elements ot opposite character:

. -
the first a• of a rhythmic

lsee Book II, Part I, p. 521 and following.

 324

-
order and the seoond a" more melo(lio because of its diatonic
degreeae
a' --- - -- - -- - •'' -

,_£trtl w 2
rt t 0

The bridge 1e merely a little development of the first

-
element a•, leading in several measures to the tonality ot G,
where the $eoond theme (B), formed~ according to the custom.
-
of three elements,the last ot which is a rather long genuine
period, is etated.
The develop!!nt proceeds 1n three •stages"; the t1rst,

.
.£b (subdomitlant): the second,
-
rbfthm1o, deals with the first cell a• and leads to the key of
settled 1n this same tonality,
states this same mot1 vet D.i "ttl:lltta:a :..:.t~tT :· then progreesiYely
eliminates 1t, while the tonality gradually leans toward the
dominant of QJ the third, in g, treats the second fragment or

-
the initial theme a•, and resumes the tonal march in order to
attain and even go beyond the dOminant r Of the principal key,
where it will atop some time before the recapitulation. One
should note the effect of ealm and sadness which results
from this •s~ation• preliminary to the entry of the themes
in the same tonality: several examples ot this are found in
Beethoven's works, particularly toward the end of his lite,
during a period where 1t cannot pass tor a beginner's over-
sight. In itself, this process 1e not recommended: so many
 325

worko offend by their ?~-en~tl• tor the simple reason tha~

one oannot "re-enter• a key where .2!1!. !! alr!a~. Here, to

speak properly, the thematic Character does not re-enterz
one gradually f'inda it again, in 1ts tonal frame, as it it bad
always been therer one has •re-entered" without being noticed.
A great ability 1s necessary to keep a means, as paradoxical
1n itself, from hindering the restatement of a thetue. More
than this, in this restatement, it seems that the first theme
(A) simply' fades away; the br1~J! almoet completely disappears

-
and the aeeon.d theme (B) oooup1es tbe greatest pa:rt at the end
ot the piece: a sort of melodic oonolus1on, tal<::1ng the place

ot a true ~~.dini ~evelo;emeqt, 1ns1a~s one last time on the

-
1n1t1al theme (A), a faot th1oh explains and Justifies the
brevity of its appearance at tbe moment of re-entry. The
tonalities whioh serve as leaning points to the t1rst movement
Md that we have called tonal baS!,!t 1n regard to the S;ynrphony
(p. 194), appear 1n this orders !b1 ~ !?• !b1 torm1ng) as we
have observed, a harmon&o a!P•i§1Q and not diatonic sounds.
The Scherzo which follows is construeted as the one
which the Ninth Sym.phonr turn1shed us the model. that 1s to
say that the trio is repeated twioe, between three expositions
ot the true Scherzo, a fact which gives to the whole a type ot
construction 1n £!!! sections that we have called Large
aoherzo (Mli), by analogy with the developed Song (LL) also
 326

. l
divided into f1ve parta.
The principal period ot this SCherzo 1e formed ot
lJ2 'Ule•t1o ,eleJ.!!!'I <t.' and e_•) with a repetition ot the
fl.rat !.'1
... --- ---------~------------·- -

. . •
1 rrr
.3

I JJ ,f I UJJ Jl:t
--~

The exposition 1a oonatruoted as that ot the Scherso 1n 1he

Ninth S)'m.PbotlJ', but without being as long. The ~.•1.£t 1n Jab,
oonte.1ns two themat1e elements also, the firet more aom.b!'e
AM ohromat1o, the eeoottd veey rh7thm1oal, atated h1oea at
fint 1n the key ot the tl'1o, then, atter a 11 ttle aequen tial
pbN.ae, 1n the ke7 ot !}11 that ie to aa:s 1n
2 .
!t ~t it should
be heard 1n 1 ls true ke7. A SA !•H pep-e11 t1on ot the SObez-ao
and ot the trio is 1nd1oated by the compoeer: tlnally, an
ending reoap1tulat1on ln the Scherzo ••~• a oonolQslve tors,
w1 th a reoa.ll, 1n p, ot the t1ret ele~~ent of 1ihe t£l~· The
preponderant tonal1t1••• toftling 'be lo.nal 1M!••.'\ ot this

lwe ba.Ye mentioned already', 1n Part I ot the present Book

(p. 498 ), this enlarged type ot Moderate Aiovement, although
the true 3onatas do not otter anJ examples of 1t.
2fh1• 1e an exoellent exampleot lihat we ba•e oal.led, atter M.
Maur1oe Gandlllot, a b!'•~ and not an enharmonlo 1 Which
is another thing entlffi:vliie e no,ea, pp. 2!3 an! ~'~').
 327

movemen't, are ~ed ao n chord ot the l!fl\!P,~,~·A t1£.!l.\t

!b• B.b1 !.b (wr1 tten r. l1) •
The celebrated Andante 1n Jb the ft%7
~aeta.~.13--.e~
expreeGJ1Ye theme ot which served us as a mode1, 1 1s of the
Varied Song t!P~ (LV)!

~ '*11 i :2J tl...__.II J1

J
pJ I i
...::.,/
J_0P I tJ @j I J J r Ir· Eff"l JJ j 1.:
The period 1s d1V14ed into two phn.sesa tlle f'1ret 11 mle4--
'wloet by the p1ano1 then b7 the aolo 1l'uJ,ruaenta; after gotrg
up to the !\Om!!!~'· the aeoond phrase redeeoen4s to the ~!!~!.
and 1e ended by a sort ot 1 Ntleot1cm 1 • The 1nat:rwll3nta N!)est
eo.oh member ot the period a:rter the plano.
The \heme ie followed by £1•• Var1ationat the t1ret
.row-, ot the tn>e wh1oh we have called A!OO£!t1Vf-l• suooeed each
other without 1nt.erwpt1on and are not d1et1ngu1shed trota eaoh
other exoept 'bJ the1r own l'b1thm1o dos1gn ( 'r1plete tor the
tlr•t• passages 1n aixteenth notse tor the eeoond, repeated
chorda 1n triplets 1n sixteenth notes tor- the thil'dt and drum-
beat• 1n WrtJ-eeoond notee tor the f'ourth) that la to ea:r a
rteo••tm .S.fAO£!a.stnJ& !t Je!, YSteQO• one should note, over a.r.d
over ap1n. trhe magn1t1oent uee of the prooeae ot tl"• presence
ot the theme ~ro!!r!! 11! ~mon1!J!, alO"IJ the melodlc design
being absent or even replaoed by anoth&r (see, tor example,

1 aee Book X, p. 57 • 'l'h1e An!~ S.e alao quoted 1n the chapter

on the VaP1at1ont aee Book f , art I, p. 744 •
 .328

the cello and violin parte of the First Variation, eto,).

Af,er the 1 agog1e paroxysm• ot the Fourth Var1at1on 1 every-
thing 1a interrupted suddenly:· it is the theme alone which
seems to re-enter as in the beginning. But, after the second
meaaure, it modulates and 1s divided into responses as in a
true ~e;velo:e!en,,~ .iZT1ving l;t the key of !• 1 t is tra.nsformed
into a sort of aeguenc1 and gradually regains the principal
key, where a new period, a sort of commentary on the theme,
aerYee as a conclusion and progresses to the Finale. Thus,
this F1tth Variation. culminating point or the work, has at
the same time something ot de~~loEment and of ~m~l1t1oation:

here 1s definitely the •oompoa1t1on•, as the composer unde~

stoOd it, at the time he made the modest response, which we

have already o1ted, to an interlocutor some years later, 1n
1&.7. 1
'!'he Finale is in Rondo form, auoh as Beethoven had.
fixed 1t, in his t1rst Sonatas. The l'etPS.1n. whtch ~~appear~­

not less than five .t.i~m.e.e,, otters the peculiarity or being

clearly in the,subdom1nant ot the principal key, that 1.J t1.1

- -
say in Eb, with an ab which does not disappear until the final
cadence, giving it thus the aspeet of' a suspensive oadeuoe on
the dominant ( o:f' !,b). The first and third couplet are
composed ot the SP.me element taking the place of the second
!,deaJ atter the third. Oo:HElet, the rhfthm changes and

1 we have related this aneCdote on p. 110 or our book on

Beethoven mentioned above, p. 213 • v. I.
 329

appl'Oaches that ot the Gigue: the retrain, thus transformed,

appears then 1n the distant tonality of ! , in order to
return gradually to the principal ke~n a ~ourth, very Jerky,
couplet confirms this tonality, but the last appearance of
the retra,in11 for the tlfth time, renews the impression of the
aubdom1nan.~, which the rather brief ~ does not completely

erase. In sp1 te of all its animation, this Rondo is not the

best movement in this beautiful work.
Upon leaving Beethoven, and before taking up the
Romantics, the exigencies of Ohronology force us to mention
here the names or two composers of Chamber Music, almost
contemporary with the Master from Bonn, with the genius ot
which tbe7 have, however, no ~elationship. As a result of
their fecundity, which is equalled only by their lamentable
banality, these composers were, for almost halt a oentur.y,
the delight of the •amateurs" in our little province towns.
The first in date, Georse ONSLOW ( 17a4-1g52)·, in spite of
this name with a toreign ending, was a native of Auvergne,
born at Olermont-Ferrand, but of English origin; he succeed-
ed Cherubini, a.s a member of the Academy ot Beaux-Arts, and
even wrote some dramatic works. Aside from his String
Quartets, which will be mentioned in their place, Onslow
composed, it one may say it this way, .!!!!_ Trios with I!iano,
and tnirtl-~ gpintets, the only peculiarity ot which is
their indifferent adaptation to the various bowed instruments,
"according to the convenience of everrone", as has been said
 330

tormerlrt they may be played, 1n reality, either on two

violins, a viola and two cellos, or with two violas and a
violonoello, or even w1 th a single violin an,d two violas •••
their interest gains nothing thereby. 1
As.. toP' Fre4et1c FESOA (l7g9•lg26), a violinist
originally from Magdebourg, a worthy rival o:r the preceding,
he lett a tew Trios with Eiano, t1Ye Sg1ntets tor bowed
instruments and some Quartets.

Franz SOHUBERT 2 also tried to write Chamber Music,

whe:re he brough't: 't:he qual1 ties and taul ts which we know he
had. He only wrote two Trios for J21ano, violin and violon-
cello, and ~ guintets, one tor Eiano and string instruments,
the other tor ~tr.lnas alone (two violins, viola, two
violoncellos); his "Octet•, a barbarism by Whioh one desig-
nates an ensemble tor two violins, viola, violoncello, double
bass, clarinet, horn and bassoon, should be mentioned also.

Felix MENDELSSOHN3 lett two Trios and three Quartets

w1 th J21ano, .2!!!. Sextet tor 21ano and string quintet, !!!?,
gu1nte~a tor str1nsa alone, without oount1ng another 11 0c'tet"'

lGeorge Onslow's son whom we formerly knew very well, followed

the noble protesslon of Collector of assessed taxes in a
country town. A.s.
2see Book II, Part I. p. 647 •

3see Book II, Part I, p. 653 •

 331

which is simply a double String Quartet.

Robert SOHtn~NN, 1 amid a certain number of fantastic

pieces tor piano, violin and cello, whiCh do not have the
Charaoteriatios ot Chamber Music, composed three true Trios
(lst in s: 2nd in !• )rd in &) without forgetting his veP,Y
beautiful Quintet with 2iano ( Op. 47) and a guarte.~ with
Riano also. One could also add to this list the Fairl Tales
(Op. 132), a sort or Trio for piano, clarinet and viola. The
musical quality of these works permits us to plaoe them among
the beat of this period, whe:re the misunderstanding of the
essential principles ot tonal and thematic oonatruat1on
unfortunately handicapped the moat sublime geniuses~

6. Modern Germans and Russians.

Joseph Joachim Rat:f ,. • • • • • • • • • .lei22-lSg2

Frederic Smetana. • • • • • • • •• 1S24-lgg4
• <I •

Johannes Brahms • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1g33-1g97

Alexandre rorphlr1ew1toh Borodine • • • • 1g34 [1a33] -1SS7
Johann Severin Svendsen • • • • • • • •• lglio-1911
Anton Dvorak. • • • • • • • • • • • • • .lg41-1904
Giovanni Sgambati • • • • • • • • • • • .1843 ~g~l) -1914
Nicolas Andreiewitah R1maky-Ko~sakow. • .1S44-l90~
Alexandre Oonetantinow1tch Glazounow• • • 1g65-t19361

1 see Book II, Pa~t I, p. 662 •

 332

.Joachim RAPF1 br-ings only e

.......,.....,.......,.,.,.,. relnt1vely mod.est oontrl-
but1on to the category
Su1pts~l two suf+E!et~
or
and
ttoeompanled. Chamber Uus1o 1 a
tor '!'no• -
w1 th 21atto,; en •ootet 11
and a Sextet for various instl'\.tmente must be added here. Very
little, one sees, tor this composer ot more than two hu.ndl'ed
catalogued works, without oount1ng tho othere.

Fr.derio ~,Mp:TANA, a student of L1s.ct, who lived at

Prague where he founded a SChool ot Music, ended h1a oareet• as
the conductor ot the oJ-ohestN. at the national theatre 1n this
same town, and had there, among h1s v1 ola play en, the young
Dvorak. These two namee must rema1n associated, consequently,
as the t1rst Pepresentat1Yes ot a tNe Ozeoh Sohool,
ohamoter1sed, as the R.u.sstan School, by the large share that
its Dl'Wilic owes to the popu.\u national songs. 'l'heee songs
being very ditterent in Bohemia and 1n Russia. the C:eoh SChool
baa received from them a Ve'1f"1 o:r1g1ne.l stamp, which already
,.:hon 1taelt 1n Smetana•e ChaMber Muaica !. Trio with plano.

Johannes BAAin:.fS
2
composed a gy!n'!S• .two ~~rtet! and
tour Trios with l?,1&n,!• aa well aa !!2 6~%\ete., anc. two
gtl}.nt.~ts, tor. atri;naA W,uttrumente alone, another !fN1n~e.,! tor
olf!.r1net and bowed 1netrumente, Md a 1r!e. tor 2.1e..l1,!t clarinet
and v1olonoello. Interesting tlO:rka, oerta1nl:y, but where we

lsee Book II, Part I, p. 668 •

2see Book II, Part I, p. 670 •
 333

too often find th1s heaviness of style whioh we have already

mentioned, w1 th also some tonal errors as the one that always
surprises the listener, at the end of the Scherzo or his
t:~uintet w1 th piano: by a f~lse appear~anoe of the subdominant,
this piece seems to be interrupted without concluding: a.
complete silence by the public, which does not begin to
applaud until after a long 1 pauae" of several seconds, is the
result of this. This verif1oat1on ot the indispensability ot
tonal laws must be mentioned, for the instruction of young
composers.

Alexandre BORODINE, whose name we have already en-

countered (p. 268), as a composer of Symphonies, also tried
his skill at writing Chamber Music, but more especially in
the form of the String Quartet alone, of whioh we shall apeak
later on (chapter 1v).

Johann SVENDSEN, whose unrortunnte destiny in the

choice ot his professors we have recalled ( p. 268 }, wrote two
works for bowed inetrumentst an "Octet" and a ~uintet.

Anton DVORAK, the second ot the representatives of

this Czech .SChool, of whom we have Just spoken 1n regard to
his elder. Smetana, ha.d a rather undulating career, as we
have said. in regard to his Conoert1 (p.163). His music feels
the effects ot the influence ot his native dances: we have ot
 336

Sohuberth and Co. of HambJurg and Leipzig. It was not until

1S79-lggo, nearly forty years later, that he returned, with

-
his magisterial Quintet in t, to this form of composition, to
attain, ten years later, in 1889, the sublime heights in his
Stri !¥ Quartet in .£1 of which we shall speak in the following
chapter.
or these three Trios, we must oheok especially the
first, in
-t*, which contains the first attempt at these re-
currenoes of the theme that we have called ozolic, marking thus
an important date in the evolution of musical forms. Having
had the occasion to analyze this same work elsewhere, we shall
borrow from our own wri tinge the information which is going to
follow.

-
"The Trio in fif;, 11 we have said,l "is constructed by
means of two principal
-
oycl.~.o themes, the :f'irst of lil1oh serves
as the base tor the three sections ot the work and engenders,
in its various modif1oat1ona, the greatest number of develop-
ments, while the second, inflexible, reappears reproduced as a
whole in each of the three sections.
"The t1rst of the two generating ideas, as its active
role demands, is 1n a complex category; it commands a counter-
point, which, whether 1t accompanies it or is moved in its own
right, becomes one of the most active agents in the thematic

lgxtract from our book on the life of C6sar Franck (published

by Alcan, 1907). v. I.
 338
•Franck already shows, from this first attempt, his
predilection for tonaliti.es laden with ,!bclrl}f, which v.ill
furnish the material for such high inspirations .later on.
"It should be noted that this AndMt,!!, conforming to
the ancient Italian style, does not modulate except by the
changing of' the modeJ it .is therefore--and the composer
definitely heard tt thus--a simple explanation of' the two
musical characters who will act their parfl3 1.n the following
movements.

RThe second movement, established 1.n the subdomina.nt

(!2), preserlts the type of the Lars.!a Scherzo form with two
!ri2~ (D) and follows step by step the .Beethovie.n outlines
fer the Tenth and Fifteentq Quartets, with this peculiarity
that th6 second trio, culmineting point of the movement, is
formed of the generating B theme, based on 8 rhythm already
hehrd in the initia.l Andcnte, :.. rhythm wh-f ch was also the
principal subject of the first trio:
~-·-·-·-·-·-
B theme (Length of
notes extended.) f)J.l :fit ,.. 0•

w -
Thematic rhythm
the 1st ~rioz
or
-
"""'" I
\
.. ,__.
'
.. ..}'
 340

"I.'i,ke a coronation, the primitive !a theme res.f:near.s,

intect and immaculate, concluding triumphantly hl t11e key of
J!:#. Thi.s last movement is the only one that presents the
gredations of shades due to tonal combinatiom which i'~rcmck
used afterwards to such a good purpose.•
By this brief analysis, one can judge the immense

strength the young nineteen-year-old composer had reedy

realized on the route to thematic unity Ei!ld thef>e devices of
development and the return of the themes that we nave celLed
.£YCl,ic, because they are presentfld, under various f'orm, in
the "cycle" of the different movements, the ensE..mble of which
constitutes the entire work. nitnout doubt, the intrinsic
quality of these themes is still fro;r from forecb.sting the
future mastery of the coraposer of the Qui,ntet we r~re going
to examine; but the assimilation of the principles of
construct ion applied by .i,)t:ethoven in t~i s last Quartets alreGdy
sttair:s, in Franck's \fOrk;;;, a depth unsuspected by c:ny of his
forerunr.er-s and even by a great number of his contemporaries.
The iuinte~ in f.., for piano bDd str:!.nt;:ed instruments,
was written in 1880, nearly forty years after the Trio in
!.#1 these two (with the other two, less interesting, Trios,
published at the same time as the first) are Franck• s
on;.y works that belong in the accompanied Chamber Music
class. Here as in the Szmph~Dl in ~' the Cfclic role is
attributed by the author not only to certain themes, four in
number, but to certain tonalities, a.cting as "poles" ot
 341

attraction and remaining antagonistic to each other until one

is victorious over the other. on one side, there is• with the
intention of the author, lJ the key or the first movement, to
which all the mOdulations toward more soJ'Il~ tonalities in the

the other, there 1s !)

-
direction ot the subdominants (Db, eta.) are connected. On
carrying with it all the cortege of

movement,
--
modulations toward the dominants (D, A, eto.).
placed between the other two,
The slow
is a sort of oourse,
a ~ridS! if one wishes, relating the 8 £ pole• o£ the first
movement to the MF pole" of the Finale, by means ot the"1nter-
-
-
mediate• tonalit7 a, related by its mode to the
(£), and to the 1 clear poleg (!) by its tonal proximity
11
som~ pole 11

{relative of the dominant).

The tour Ol011o themes (~, !.•l.J.!.) are the following:
 343

nothing more nor., 1•••

tbaR what .as 4one two oenturlea earlier,
b7 a Pb111pp Emanuel Bach or a SOarlatt1. KeYertheleee, aa a
J'eaul' of the lmporbnt role which la aaalgned to 1 t 1a ter,
Wa !. theme ooo1lJ)1ea here mere17 twerliJ Maeune, «Ad
41eappeara lanedla telr 1n ol'dez- to uJre :room tor the Aevaoa-
men•. The latter paaeea 1hrough three euooeaa1Ye
1 1 IF
~ataN••••
D

'lhe flNt, 1n a aute ot pJliOINa810ft through 'lhe lbrthm ot the

tlrat th•e (taken trom the 4 motlYe), leaAs qulok.l¥ to a
NO&dllng ot thle Wlerae ltaelf b 11 where lt 1a 4eveloped
wltb the ald ot the 1 oeu ot the 14tMJ~&l theme~ 1lbe •eoond
•tas• bec1na w1 th a £IE!J:111.fi0 noallins or the tt:rat 14ea 1n
!.~(written hen •• .f.,"o), 1fttenupte4 bt the .!. theae 1n a
•••' aunoe, at tbtat la ), then ln Q1 ( ~ t 1a to aar R,b• an
1Btpol'knt t01lal1t7 ~ughout 'Che work) 1 the flret idea retlume
ap1n, vloltm t17* 1n tbe keJ ot tf (tor 1P) • 1ntemapted apln
b,J the seneral !. theae, modUlating 1J"4duaU7 until lt beoomee
•ak'b11ahed 1n J.b• and oomp1et1ng 1tae1f aelodloally b7 'the
npla• PhJ'thll in q"t~aJ'ter no'lee cion aeft'ed 1 t as a baee up
to he"• '1!he third aad ve17 brief laet eage ot the develop..
ment, 1e a leqUen.oe1 ~~&riled w1th oalla or the !. the • 1n oZ'der
to tonoaet the """entrz ot thle eame the•• under tb& to• ot
1*.e &1£•~ !At!.• Aa soon ae tb1e re-entry takea place, the
net&t811eAt ia interrupted, before the en'ry ot the aeoond
theme, b;r two l'eOUI'Tenoea ot tbe z. theme, rea·U.ng 1naot1ve
eiftoe .._ lntroduotlon, and br1ng1ng here a supernatural
appeaaemen t, trh.loh comes to 4oa1na'e the vlolenoe ot the .1
 344

theme and prepare for the exposition, complete for the first

-
time, of the noble v theme, torrmin:;::- the second ...............
. "'~,.
idea in the
principal key. Then, by a striking tranaforrne.tion, this very
sweet theme (z) from the Introctuction inr:':>oaee 1 tself in a
fortissimo enaettble of the stringed instruments, sustained by
octave passages in the piano which augment 1ts intensity still

-
more, and. brlngt. about for the last time the v theme, more and
more animated, up to the coda,made ofa brusque recalling of the
first theme (taken from 5) Which progressively fades away. All
of this ~nd1ns ~evelopmen~, having a poignant effect, seems to
confirm the supremacy of the general !. theme, as if 1 t were
gradually intiltered into ~he work, always thwarted in its
flight by 1ts e.ntagonist, the z theme, full of tenderness in
the beginning and. ot unbridled passion at the end.•
The predominating tonalities, that we have called the
tonal bases, form among themeelves a sturdy harmonic arpeggio:
!• ~b, ~b, and £) which assures the solid. equilibrium of this
piece.
This care for the tonalities, which was, we lt.now,
always present in the composer's mind, is manifested very
curiously in the slov• movement, considered by him, 1n his own
opinion, as a sort of "tonal transition", serving to relate
the tonalities of the initial movement to those, very differ-
ent, o:r the Finale; ~us the singular distance between the
keys he used in this magnificent Lento, the construction of
 345

which 1s, however, very simple, ie justified: this is a ~on~

form (L) 1n three seo~ions, the second of which serves aa the

development. By an -e.rrangemen t analogous to that of the
first movement of the sl!;phonz 1n _4. (see above, p. 273 ) , t>e
1n1 tial theme 1s stated twioer first in !.• 'because of the
atf1n1 ty of' this key w1 th !. assumed 1n the P'1nale; then in £1
in order to recall the tonality of the first movement; at the
same time the last cyclic theme (E..) appears, the 1mportsnce
of wh1oh 1s going to increase later on. Without a conclusive
oadenoe, this exposition gradua.lly assumes the character of a
development, toward. the tonal! ty of ,!?.b, a rem1nd.er of the
first movement, and. 1a tl"~naformed into a. new, distressed and
sad. period, up to the moment where a. d.1stant recalling of the

-
general theme (v) evokes a feeling of sweet consolation.
However, the sad period iP continued, at a tempo which must be,
according to the eo~noser•s 1nd1oat1on, more and more
aooelerated; then 1t 1s transformed and progresses to the third
section containing the recapitulation. Here, the beginning
theme ree.ppears on other degrees and w1 th other htu:•mot1ies; but
the A theme, treated 1n canon, acquires a greater place here,
while the modulating reoall1ngs of the development return by
another tonal route to the end.ing cadence in a.
-
The Finalet with the same construction as the first
movement (s), begins, as it, with an important Introduction,
where the elements or the first theme are outlined• seeming
to return gradually from 1Jh:e remote keys (~s ,!!~and !l).
 346

TLe chromatic tremolos of the stringed instruments remain

indecisive up to the moment where the theme, stated. in
octaves by the stringed instrument a, ana. clearly in r, is
going to progress, without a clear oadenoo, to a
-
sort ot
melodic Rri9ie emanating from tbe cyclic ~ theme, itself
coming trom the slow movement. Why is this theme, taking on
the oharaoter ot a true second idea in the Finale, going to be
stated in this mysterious tonality ot la~ (mgJor and minor),
without any apparent af:f1n1 ty with the principal ltey; an,::. why
Nil1 it rGappear in the recapitulation, in E;i.f, domln.an:t of the
1

preceding key, without any attempt at progressive ap~roa~1ing

toward the principal key which 1. t will never rejoin, fiJB.rking

here a striking contradiction to the formal principles o:f
tonal construction which the master taught all his life? This
question, which we still regret not having asked "Father
Franok", remains without any satisfactory answer in our mind:
the strictness put to the test many tirnee by this composer on
the questions of tonal relationships excludes all idea of an
oversight on his part. The Master moat certainly wanted this
curious "derogation", but we shall never know the reason why.
Be that as it may, we are soon brought into less unknown
territory by the beginning of the develoEment treating the

-
first theme in o, dominant o:f the principal key; then in a,
-
also neighboring: but the distant tonality ot
-tf, less
unusual in a development, is going to reappear with the high
melodic design which served as a oountersubjeot to the melodic
 34'7

bri,d~~ (theme _!) ~ In the second phrase of the development,

the first thene of the Finale 1s treated rhythmically in the

-
aubdominant (b b), sustained by an insistent baas, the role
of v:rh1ch will. be enlarged in th~ perom tion; A third rather
brief phrase, combining this bass w1 th the second theme, leacls
us to the recapitulation. Immediately after the en trance of
the first theme in the principal key, the second is co;nbined
with it nne. "~!Jith a recalling, by the stringed instruments, or
elements coming from the Lento, a fact ~hich makes the return
of the melodic bridSe useless~ then this curious restatement
o:f the second theme appears, clearly in E,j/ 1 maJor e..nd minor,
without any return this theme to the principal key. A
simple 11 clesoend1ng ohronw.t1c sliding" of the basses gains by
degrees the tonal! ty of J2.b (£)), marking the beginning o"! th~
!Jnding develol'ment: here the general theL1e of the entire work

-
( v) gradually returns combined w1 th the .first theme of the
Finale, and regaining the keJr of !·
-
.t.. sort of· e..gogic coda
is accelerated more l!.nd more, ana., coming always from the
general theme. ends the ~~rk.

Perhaps the raat that Franck never revealed the

sins;ular construction of this Finale, the tonal bases of 1uhioh
rest on !,; J!.~, £.J!: and fimtlly !_, could be attributed to some
dramatic intention. The genius of the master alone could
realize the tonal balance or a piece constructed on these
pa:radoxical bases and extract from it this moving poem mioh
Justifies our admiration for all that.
 348

Eduard ~, whose Symphony in ~ we have already

mentioned (p. 282 ), also composed three Trios for ;piano,
violin and violoncello, without counting his String Quartets,.
which will be discussed in the following chapter.

Camille SAINT-SAENS1 wrote a guintet with piano, Op. 1~

a Suartet with piano, Op. ~1, and !!2 Trios for pianp, violin
and violoncello, Op. lS and 92, as well as the Septet, called
the trumpet, Op. 65, where this single wind instrument
skilfully blends its tone quality with those of the string
quartet and the doublebass, accompanied by the piano.

Alexis de CASTILLON 2 left us, aside from two interest-

ing Trios
-
and a Quintet with piano,
-
(Op. 7) a guartet with
piano, which deserves a special examination. Without approach-
" Franck,
ing with the professional security of his teacher Cesar
Castillon alreadY marks in this work an effort to renovate the
form: but the generous spontaneity of his themes is hindered
by his inexperience. A long Introduction sounds at first the
~eneratins phrase of the first ~ ot the initial movement:
this idea is stated then with some he:eitation, and its
statement is interrupted by a recalling of the Introduction,
linked without transition to the ..........,__......,...;.;._
second idea. The latter,
having a very Schumannesque aspect, admits the three

1 see Book II, Part I, p. 687 •

::>
c·see Book II, Part I, p. 688 •
 349

troadi tional elements, the second of which borrows i 'b:! rhythm

from the initial theme, while the third, reproducing a
fragment already stated, concludes in the principal key, ~~

in place of provoking, by the ordinary modulation, the

•starting" of the development. In spite of this premature
return ot the tonality, the developmen,t. proceeds, the end of
the second theme being dealt with by various repetitions, with
a recalling o:f the Introduction, in passing through the tonal-

-
ities o:r F and A and by gradually contracting the elements of
the theme.
-
Then comes the initial theme again, at a slower
tempo, without one being able to decide Whether it ia really
a recapitulation or the continuation of the development:
however, the second theme follows immediately, without a
bri4ie, and leads to a sort of conclusive amplification. Hers,
by a rather suocesatul innovation, one sees the entire
Introduction reappear, completed. by a brief endinS' ~ev,elopment.

It seems that it is above all the indefiniteness of the first

idea which destroys the balance of this first movement, a
little too monotonous, in the strict sense or the term,
because of the inopportune return of the first key at the end
of the exposition.
The Scherzo in ~ which follows, with its absolutely

-
free rhythm, independent of all measure bars, is a charming
thing, which leaves tar behind all the accompanied Chamber
Music compositions of the same period. At the end ot the

- -
trio, in d, one should note, because of its undeniable
earlier date~ the period aimila.r in avery respect to the one
Which will be recognized later on under 'the naa:ae of ,.the thea•
o£ tbe Rhine atdeu "', in the ~U3:242&t by Ricbard Waper. !i:.be
r(J:petition 1Jf the Scharao ends b;r a recalling 01' the ilia 1a
the tonal1 ty of t,:/1, before the :t"ina.l cadence• W1 th the aos\
excellent effect.
Tho Au4imit 1 simple ~ 1n ~- 11Ai;t2Jll, preceded

by eeveral Ma.aros of lnt:roduetion, proceeds aoraall\V' up to

-u. reatat..,.., ot tae ~~ 1u 'Ill• el'ldJ.rw •eeuo.n. At tld.a
ple.oe the initial theme, 1n three :phraaos a.ooo~:ding t.o U'a41 tion•
is CotilJ>leied tcnrrard th• middle b;y a. uew design, which stl'ti.Ulea
w1 th the theme of the :6JIItn'*l until 1 t becomaa 1 ttMlt the firet
td.a 1n the :Fiaale, eta. ted by the •olin.. .An 1t14enious &Z'rtlll&e-
raent. poorly e.Qloited latfW oJu •ll1• F1D&le1 oonoeived u a
perpetual S.ncraa.ainc ot the as:Oflio Q to ita Qonoluei on. •• a
4at•ot1Ye. oonstruction. The 'H'U JrS.M, at& ted tWiee io ita
first aeot1on, 41aappeua ~hen comple.tely 1 tho entire aov. .at
cona1•tlna et u e.J~;plottation of the .IHQil\ 141f." One eho\ll4
aay t.bat 1D the t,hlrcl and la ~~~ »&:ri.od of thJ.a aeoom 14• thel:•
ta a. sor• ot auaraenta:t.ion of.' tl?.• 1111 ttaJ. th~me, ~Yh.iob \UK\~"..
edl.y ap;pea.red a.d•quate enoU&h -.o the CODJBoser tor him to d.aperuae
with the tno reata.tement of this theme. Ai tn. a.wtition thh
suppression doeanot ••• to be vruy suoce&afuJ.. Xhi$ aouw.bat
•oorab1ned" seoord idea is rela.t,ed to the first b,J a. m:asat w
tranlli t1 oa wall ti q ot lldl:l. oh • 1 •spec~ll.y-0 fU"e not 'bet te:r.
 351

-the same defect as in the first

The return of the initial key, G, immediately after·the end
of the exposition, reproduces
movement; after a short development, the second theme reappears
alone and concludes with ita third period, replacing probably
the first idea in the intention of the composer, In spite of
its very lively rhythm, this Finale 1s undoubtedly the poorest
part of this Quartet, which oonta!nsJ however, some very
interesting experiments, utilized s1noe then by more exper-
ienced composers.

Gabriel FAURfu, 1 whose beautiful violin Sonatas we have

already mentioned, and whom we shall find again in the Third
Book 1n regard to his imperishable vocal meloo~es, also
composed 1!!.2. Quartets with J21ano (Op. 15 in _e., 1879; and Op. 55
in g, 1SS6) and !!,2. gu.1n tete, the first of which, 1n £!_,.
appeared in 1906, ( Op. g9) presents, particularly in the
initial movement, some interesting peculiarities of construc-
tion' 'lh1e movement, in g, with £1111 rather frequent, clearly
influenced by the First Gregorian Mode, rests on a single
theme composed ot two· elements
A
--
(A and
-
~-·-·-~--"~--.
, treated alternately~

B
riD •
~Pe ibEJtffliJ.tJqg IJJJJI§'
lsee Book II, Part I, p. 689 •
 352

A 11 ttle complE~meritary theme, in a state of progression, is

combined with the ~ design, and does not reappear an.y more
later on. After a short development, the ~ element,
succeeding the! element, but in the dominant, is treated
longer than at the beginning and brings about one l&st time
the A design, in the major subdominant (g), a fact which forms
a plagal cadence in the opposite mode completely characteristic
of the Gregoria.n mode in g without any nccidental. To finish,
the two designs A and ~ combine\ :-nd COLClude in n.
The Ade:gio that follows is a. Song form, in Q,
subdominant of the opposite mode. The first section contains a
long modulating :Jeriod in ¥ ; the ce!ltro.l section is a sort
of Fugue subject in .12 1 treated very freely (with four beetts);
the ending £ection, aft(:;l' having restated Ute beginning pe.::-iod
in octaves by the stringed instruments, is combined with the

fugal subject, forming a sort of very free, but extremely

musical, ca.non.
The Finale is a Rondo in .tl, the refrain of which,
stated in octaves, without a bass, is related to the !! element
of the initial movement:
.. ""
"\~

----"~-"·~

The first exposition of this refrain, like a song

period, contains three elemer:ts. After a !irst modulating ~­

~~~ the ~er~ajo returns briefly and with an inflection toward the
 353

subdominant; then a second o,ou,E_l~.t. deals w1 th an element of

the refrain; a last, more agogic, couplet serves as the

-
peroration, followed. by a coda, where one recognizes the
refrain itself' reduced to a simple rhythm in triplets.

Vincent ~'INDyl has composed a Quartet with I?iano

(Op. 7, 1878), a ~rio tor Eianc, violoncello and clarinet
(Op. 29, 1SS7), a Quintet with ~1ano (Op. Sl, 1924), and a
Trio for Eiano, violin and violoncello (Op. 9S, 1929), to
which should be added the Suite in £ (Op. 24, 1SS6), a true
Septet for string quartet, two flutes and a trumpet.

-
The analysis of the Trio with clarinet may offer, we
believe, a certain interest, because of the attempts at new
forms which it contains. In the first movement, there 1s an
attempt to construct on three ideas, suggested by the anal-
ogous fo~n of the first movement of the Eroica Symphony by
Beethoven, without giving us full satisfaction. On the
contrary, the two ideas of the Finale actually form only one,
a tact which no longer appears to ue as an advantage.
Three principal oyclic themes (~ z, A ) oiroulate
throughout the work:

x •••••••••••••••••••••.•.•••••••• Generating theme

of the
x--------- -------- entire work

' il't! J
2
~ ~ I ~ : ~ I ~ iii LEJ I i#
 355

-
bination of the first with the z theme which is going to
assume more and more importance, since it is stated in its
turn as a true third idea 1 first by the violoncello. then by
the clarinet, with a sort of chroma t,.o countersubjeot:

This type of addition to the exposition. participating

at the same time in the development, has the fa.ul t, 1n our
opinion, of lengthening inordinately this section of the
piece, a tact which has leet· us to shorten the recapitulation
as much as possible: from which a true unbalance results. The
true developmen~ does not begin until atter the pause in £
wrdoh ends this entrance of the third idea: it deals particu-

-
larly with the x theme, at first in the base of the piano, in

-progressing
d,with the chromatic countersubjeot in the clarinet,
to a complete exposition of the second idea on the
dominant (£:), to which a long conclusion which did not appear
in the first section is added. The chromatic element reappear,
in struggle with the third idea (z theme) modulating toward a:
- -
-
the x theme returns gradually, forming a sort of false
re-entry, before the true ~-.e_n_tr~v~ in the principal key, stated
foroetully, but shortened for the redaon that we have stated:
a sort of ending development, inserted between the first idea
and the second, serves as a bridie, in order to d.eter the last
appearance ot the .e_e_o.on_d_ idea, whioh was stated at length in
 357

The first trio (as that of a militarz Allegro) is

in the subdominant, but, in order to neutralize the absorb-
ing effect of this nformidable function", the second E:1Q. is
on the tonic (£b)in minor mode. It is here that the
conductor theme z is stated under its definite form, as a
popular Song. The §cherzo theme returns immediately and is
combined with the latter, more and more npopularn, and
obstinately in duple meter "agBinstn the three beats of the
Scherzo.
The "elegiac Song" which forms the slow movement is
a simple Song in three sections, where the clarinet and the
violoncello represent two different persons, while the piano--
with its four major chords, the upper notes of which are the
transposition into ~b of the four first notes of the general
theme--represents a sort of immobile frame. In the first
section of the song, the clarinet states its own theme, on
the persistent harmonies by the piano, which complete at the
end the rhythmic d~sig!l_:

. =- .==-
The section is immediately esteblished in Fb (written
~~), where the violoncello states another, very different,
theme, while the rhythmic design is affirmed more and more by
the piano; toward the end, the clarinet overlaps the last
period of its theme with that of the violoncello. The third
 358

aeot1on takes ap1n with pea' teroe the tour oho:rde in !b,
awaftged in large arpeggios, whlle the two 1natrwaenta Join
to repea't 1 td.th a great intensity ot e.x:pNieion•, aoaet1mea
in oeta•e• (the Yiolonoello above) 10met1mea at the unlaon,
the oantilena tx-om the beginning. The rhJ--1o design,
al•r• 1n the plano, torJU " abort aodulai1ng •n41ng 4e'Yelop-
ment, Wb1oh long aaoend1ng ohroaat1o holds ot tbe inatrumenta
b:r1ng about by an 1nd1reot route, tNm the dOminant to the
tonto.
!he rtnale te a sonata torm (s). without an7 attearpt
•• 1Movat1on other than the ••mat1o un11;y required troll 1ta
two 1deaa (A and Bh
~ -----·---·~·---- ~
----- .

A ~~. !~n y11 i ;

· doo>C

UDCler 1 ta double aepeot, this theme ia peoul1a.r to the Finale'

ate.ted as theDie A, 1 t 1a followed by a rather long briS!£!, 1
whel'e we find again our popular Song <z.> which appeared 1n the
aoheraor the B theme, as aeoond idea, 1s, very wisely, in the
dominant F.
-
I t takes 1ta A aepeot again to begin the de;t:eloE~en~.•

1n At and modulate• up to !_b, by be1ng combined then w1 ~ the

-
gene1'81 theme ( x) reoalled br tbe clarinet, then w1 th 'the
 359

popular Song Ct) confided to the violoncello. The ~ theme

triumphs and is stated for the most part by the violoncello,
6
in IJ 1 with a new ~ rhythm which forms a "central episode"
more related to the Overture form than the first movement
decorated with this title. This episode is completed by a
recalling of the z theme slowed down and almost · "f:Ulleral-like".
The recaoitulation appears then brusquely, with the bridge
(taken from the z theme) still more developed than the first
time, and a recalling of the second ~ B, on the contrary
very shortened. This single motive assumes again now its A
form, while the general theme (~) in the instruments seems to
dominate it. An ironic sketch of the z design forms an unex-
pected agogic £2£!.
Ernest CHAUSSON (see above, p. 300) composed a Trio
with J2ie.no, a ~uartet with piano, which, v.:ithout containing
any innovation justifying its analysis at this place, is none
the less a reme.rkable work, and a "Concerto" which must be
considered as a true Sextet, for violin solo, accompanying
.§tring guartet, and piano.
As we remarked when ending the chapter on the
Symphony, since the time when these analyses were made in the
composition classes at the Scbola Cantorum, many Chcmber Music
works have appeared, the instructive interest of which does
not cede anything to those of the various works we have
just mentioned. There is no need to undertake here the task
 360

of "bringing the list"--which sooner or later must itself

become incomplete--"up to daten.
 362

teo lgned tor tov bowed. 1na'Vwaenta (two Y1ol1n•• a viola and
a rtoloneello) the 1nd1v14Ual role ot wh1oh 111 equivalent 1n
interest and lm.portanoe, without anr ot the tour having the
permanent Oharaoter of aooompan1at•.
Thus, trom the gontt!!J tile ~!l'ipl fila£!•,'. borro1111 the
pr1no1pal ot aaue1oal dialogue and ot polyphonic m ting J trom
\he ~:s!M!!l 1 t borrowe tbe Jh:-;~M'lffi~_lot the 1nat!'WHnt:al pu'a
1
1liU!O!P!f!1tA Chamber !)l,s,1o 1t borrows
equal in value• J from.
the reatP1ot1on ot the nWilber ot 1ta pertormer:s, whUe
el1m1nat1ns the ti.otti*Mo.- . 92!!t~uo of the ao.oompan1st. But,
atd.de trom th1s, lt la clearly related to the ·¥\le" through
ita oon'trapuntal d1apoa1t1on, while the thematio and tonal
oonatnot1on in moat ot 1te.oonat1tu.t1ve pa:rta la modeled on
'hia •prototJPe of all the 8J11phon1o torma• which 1a the
Sona,$. 1
t I ffltU I

we hold to the orlg1nal sense ot the word ~ona '"•

It
the stnpa 9¥arts\ would eve-n be tile &onata RfA! exoellenoe,
since 1t is peJltormed. b;r the onlr 1netJ'W1'ien\a to whioh one
applies tile Yer'b •P•£•1 •oenaD (to sound) the na-b reserved,
cme remembers,. to:r the bowed 1nrirwaenta. 1n opposition -.o the
~z:l?!aF,A 1natl'Utaen•• wh1oh are plqed ( '~"!II!• toooa)!) and
to the vo1oe wh1oh p_!ns.a (!!!tare, !!}!tp.'ba).
It belonged to the Be•tnoY1an genius to complete th1•
tu1on Ol'l synthee1e of all the known toftll in the S,trtql

l lee Book II. Part I, p. 697·

 363

9!!!;:te,l, .I till m.o!'e1 b:y 1ntPOdue1i1ng 1nto 1 t t:be moat beaut1tul

examples or the ya~y12P• .and mu1'1ply1ng tne number ot 1tl
aovet1ents 1n or48r- to recall ~e ano1ent !SltF tom.
fl!!:"'!.' rom appeare 'theNf'ore to ua as a :result,
!he
OllJ 1t one pl"eters, n *qutnteaeenoe• ot nll the othena tor

th1e reaaon, it baG to be trea'ted eet>-"!rately, to a plaoe whloh

could. not lteep frorJ belnr Ule f1nt 1 1! one had any regard tor
lts mer1lt or the la.at, 1t taking 001m' at the same time of
11;$ ta~ appeaanoe 1n the b1eto17 ot Ule symphonic apeolut
and ot .~ obllption to know befonhand the •re slalple torma
111here 1t had 'o 1mb1be the O<MDplex •1••••• tott ita perteotlo-..
!l11a 1• "'4lJ' the atua, of the lEta~ e..£.\!! appee.re
hen laa1;, aner all the purely aJ'If.PhOnlo tonne, and 1Jmned1ate-
lJ bet•re those fh1oh, 1:1ketbe 2.!.~£!!.~ and tlle Jll!R!!!Bttf ~1)••
have alret\4Y been peaet~Mlled bJ the pr!no1plea from the
AJ'!!Itl,..q field, the oartttul axam1nat1on ot m1ch will be the
objeet or the th1JI'd nook of th1e ~!11:11•

2. Orlgln ot h Stl'bs Q.wt.ftet

'!'l'le Motet ..... !he 1\ape. - fbe ChlallbeP T:rio.

If' we o<ms14'!!'f:.~ nothing but tbe !!!lttt!!l of the

S!£J.n& i\1!£!15, its pal'fo~n, 1ta oonatntot1on, there would
be no need to attribute to lt a d1st1not o%'1g1n trom the one
wb1oh was <tommon, ae we ht.1"e seenJ to nll the otheP aymphonlo
toftlUft and one VJOuld be obl1ptl to tina here 'the 1nev1 table
return to thfl Madri@&lt aooaapanied or t:ransoP.l'bed tor
J.natJ'tiiUatlte, Tecera.ble ano••tor aa well ae ael:ul.A of ou~>

ins:b:•uaeaW art. .UeTe:l·thelese, this sort of •oonQX"ete

ftliat.ton•, a czoude reprosen'tation of which we have atte»te4
to give at the bqianiJC ot the F1nt Pa:rt t! thia S.Ooz:d :Soole
l
et the g,gii:M J.Jl 1\'IJ.HI. liiMI!•i~i91• woul4 be 1a ,.,. 1NJ'
tU•lY •~tl:Q'atoal•, and we •oul4 not learn ot &Jl7thin& bUt t.b.e
"boq• ot the Hl\g... 1 ta 1utelleotua.l cono•pt1 on, 1 te •soul•
tlall we M:l:'e &q; 1a not tbera. Aa tor this trait of ea.oh of
\he foUl' aolo parta k$GJS.UC ita own identity•· formal c~o-
ter1a-1o of tba Quartet •inco ita beginni~- this 41d aot
eome froa the liadriaalt a.oo <apallied or otherwise 1 it came fl"'om
the il~!i•
It '11'8.$ the awakening of this es.t.hetic need tor pOll'-
pbony, t:han mor. and more 4essicated by the inva.sion of the
Mii2 .sumiiDJA2 in the Concert;:> and Chamber llueic, which
:provoked in the better coraposers at the end. ot t:h$ lit.h oen'llll7
a true reaction 1n the J.iDni ~· In the aa.u. wq tllat,
in the Oonceto,. the aupprea•ton o£ th• aooom:panyin& o:r
•nulu,a in • (Zbit»i) lna~ents bad ;prfll)ar&d tho a.dYent •t
the 3J'aphoJO', t:.l:nlst ill Cnaaber K\l1J1Cfl the a.na.J.•aou.a eli.Jiiaat.loa
ef tm 1.ta1u1. ltaiirma »•nt1..,tN. t.ne i:txi;a anarl•~ 'io ue-.
S.ta logtt.uate rank in the IJ,orioua liuea&e o:r tm lt.ot.ei u4
\he l'qu.e. !'h14' is why• While Asstpt.ng to t.he .QHAtj;l~ 1 ta

ua tual pla oe, as an !traedia te descendant ctt iho .QlMJlll Zi.ia

and, tltroup the kite, of the aooompaniod lia.dripl, we i&Ye

1 see Book 11, »art 11 p. 11, the table ot tbe Claaaifioaiioa

o:t' mua 1oal Forma.
 365

endeavored to br-ing it as near as possible to the IB\l&1oal Fupa

and, through the l.a'ter, w the Motet, thioh we consider w1 th
eoae reason as ita true "sp1r11:ual
l
uoeetor1 •
It 111 1s bue, 1n l'ea:U.ty, · that 1n oeaa1ng to exist as
an autonomoua musloal oompea1111o•• in order to beoome a
pedapg1eal exercise, the F!i!e form haa not Jet given birth to
a new speo1ea, which might be olasaed a a 1ts 41 reot deeoendsn t,
it has none the leas continued to exero1se a preponderant
1ntlueaee on ••r·nral other torma et compoa1 tion either vooal,
or 1nat~enta1 and, among tho latter, it could not be denied
that ·'lbe &11r1ng
'!ll'JI!LI!b;t
Qu.r'•' appear.·.
"
1n tiret rank. !he exolue1Yel7
solo Qharaoter ot 1ts tour simultaneous melOdic lines was
1ne•1tably bound 'So bring it baok again to the or1g1nal model
tor noal polJPhon7, the ..,,tet, ud through 1t to the !:YIP••
whieh was nothing a't tlre'i but a 1ex1nlal 1ne1;rumental traneorip·
t1on. The true aa1ure ot the bowed 1netrwaenta, dee1gned, we
haTe aeen (p.a ), for the ea1aa1on of <.U.a1tn~.fl• therefore
!l;elod1e, soundS, could not keep fJ"om re-entoroing th18 analogy
et111 moret eaoh p1eoe 1n tugal atyle, 1n realitJ, is brought
IIIUOh nearer to vocal dlalope when 1 t ia performed b7 bowed
1ns1Jrwnents, each of the latter being able at eaoh lllOmen t 'o
aollftd,like the vo1oes, 1 'is own aooenta and expression, while
the unitormitr ot the pla71ng on the olaveo1Jh and part1oula:L"-
lr on the organ, neoeaaa.J-111 ten4a to ettat~e the themat1o
1nd1Vidual1t7 of 1he parta to the 'beneti t ct the harmonic
ena•mble. 'fhus, 1;be auppl'eee1on of the keyboaPd aooompan1men t 1
 36

1n 012!b£ .lus1c, was bound to .lead to protowtd mod1f1oa,1ona,

not only 1n the eneio:r aaptot ot the Str~y ga~~'l' bat
alao 1n 1ta ••rucwre and • .,_., it lt BU!lf be aa1d, 1n 11ie
ooneeption.
S1noe it oae from thla 1111111ple o-l'lg1n:; the guar'ttet
form must 1og1eall.7 appear la'Mr tnan the otlleN, in lhe
blato17 of the latter •• well as in the 1nd1Y1d1Aal oareer ot
eaoh compoaera 'becau•e all these whoae works have arq value
proctuoed their !.'~~.nl Sl!!r'•'• late 1n lifet aner (otten even
a long time &fter) tbet.r otheP phallb!£ Mue1o ~apoeitiona.

J1u11t as these deelgfta at the peat masters, 11h1oh

derive their expressiveness t:rom the taot that they were re-
duoed, almoet •ohemat1oallr, to their etrlotlJ eaeentlal parts,
these foul' oosab1ned. melod1o lines, the baJ~mon1oua ensemble of
\lh1oh oan attain Ullleh gJ'eater pe:rteotion as the meana set to
work are more restl!'ioted, demand from the oompoeer the onl7
quality tor wh1oh the oond1t1ona ot time oannot be eu'bst1 tute4
by any other& matur1tr.

AppeaP1ng late in the ehNnology ot the J.IU&1eal. ap•o1ea,

the torm ot the l'r1'11 9~Etpt ald no' e2;Perieaee tile loq
peptep thNugh 11h1eh the other toru paaaetlt barelr a halt
oent\117 passed between Albnohtabercer'• tirei a'tteapts to give
a apeoltio phy•1os;aota7 to the Quartets Md tlle a"tabU1aat;1on ot
the olaesio Q.ual'leti by h1a genial student !eethoftn.
 367

Albreohtaberger attempted to substitute for the timid

attemp1us b7 samart1n1, Van llalder, Goaeeo and aeve:ral o~es-a

an earlier Prelude and Fugue form, borrowed trom. J. s. Bach,

without dOubt, beoauae 1t aaat/ted 1taelt bette:P to the polf•
phon1e atrle ot the QUartet. But lt was not long before he
abandoned lt, 1n order to adopt ln ite plaoe the aol1d
conatruet1en of the Sonata ton, from 111h1oh u oo~tpoaer baa
notabl7 deT1ate4 a1noe. 111Jb HaJb•a and Meaar,•a oontem-
poan••• th1a urt ot 11 oroheetJa'&loa tor llowa• 414 not differ
lllU.CJh trom tbe olaaelo S1JIJ)hon7 1n ••• ,Ulan exo e,p t by the
abaenoe ot the wind instrument• p 1 t 11 a tt Sona "* tor Strings•
as tbe Symphony 1s merely a • sou. b toJ' OZ'Oheat8 1 •
W1 th the doe111 ty and prudeaoe wh1oh we know he bad,
aeethoTen 41d not tail to o-.e~e ta1tbtul111 1n hla t1ret
wosa, the I'Ulea wh1oh he bad reoe1Yed tJtom h1a teaoben,
Albrechtaberger and Hqdna h1a t1rat Qual'tete were 1n eYery
reapeot aim1lar to thoae ot h1a toJterunnen.. Hevertheleaa, 1ft
their example, he 41d not hasten into th1a 4lff1ault type of
oompoa1 t1on at tint. If hi a JU.'JO;eo'to:r and trlend Count
Appcmy1 aalted h1111 about 1795, to &44 a QUartet to the three
Trios and to 'the three piano Sonatas which he had alread1
published, he refrained trom giving him aat1ataot1on lmmediate-
17. We know, 'b;v the pl'e01oua •Bltetoh Booka 1 wh1oh Holtebobm
1n.l:roduoed to ••• Wlat he aban40lltd 1't 1n 1797. aner attempts
1ibat he Judged to be inadequate, because he utll1zed 'the
el•eata trom 1 t tor hls 'trio, Op. ), and tor his Ql;lnte'l
(op. 4) • It waa not u.niil four years latert &bout 1801 or
18021 that he raa the risk of writing and publishing hi a tks'
tix (4wurtet•, Op. lS • ta wlli ch oae oan a.lrea.q aee the line ot
dema:rc..\tiou. 'betw•• this JIDJI\ st. jaita.:kj,QJb which ·w,. de Leu

ealls his •tt~et manner"• and tlk 11$~24 gt ~..ali~~ ooouJied

b)' his•aooond marmer"t which the same historian attributee to
him.
We have already manti on\:ld t:t.w diotinsuiei.dns :f'ea..ture.-
'
anexoeptional for a. musician worthy of' tllis name-- by whieh
this •••oODCL snnC"" is reveal.Qd.. The tirst a1x Quartots
oona·titute the point of departu1,. tor this eeoo:rul. stage or his
development,. :Setter still thun in the piano Sona~s from the
,,
• • periOd we can verify here to llha.t ·point :Beethoven
"definitely refra.ined. trum repudiatine> the a.neient e~;tta.bliehocl

forms•, but "'Wi:.~.s !oroed:1 on the contraxy• to adapt them to hL•

etate of thought and aspirations. from then on 1no~tib1e

Wi tl1. the oldt aome. . .t oonv•t1onal. ra.ua1c&l to.rmu.laec, w1 tb.

which he was content until thaaf l
Ia lese than four years. between 1802 and lSOO, a
cisanilic atep bad 'bean take:u the first a1x 'iua.rte-.. Op,. 1$•
bad jua-c beau au.ecee4ed by OJ? .. 69,, oor1taining the next till'•••
The tra.nsforuation of the old form \fe.s &lmoat oompl~t• in the
aind o£ the one wl.~.ose • equal baa not appeued tw1 co .. , and the
:p&J'ticular fom of the olaaai.c ~rtet was !rom. 't/J.en oa
oreat&d1 foUD4e4 all a.t ono• ~ the ~~etnovi~ aeniu~.
 369

The exterior structure was always that of the Sonat&,

and the principal of instrumental balance was always that of
the Symphony, but special distinctive features appe~red, ~hlch

made the String ~uartet from then on the symphonic form par
excellen9!, created by Beethoven, and elevated by him to heights
which are scarcely accessible today even by the best educated
musicians.
These new features, characteristic of the classic
Quartet as l)eethoven left it, can be brOtlght together under
six principal points:
1. The construction on two themes having cor.trasting
characteristics, with development and recapitulation, ~hich we
have called the S type, becones that of most of the constitu-
ti.ve movements of the Quartet. This dominance 2f. ~ .§. ~

is particularly striking in .beethoven's fi.rst ten quartets;

the Seventh has each of its four movements in this form; the
Eighth and Ninth have three out of four of their movements in
this same form. It was not until after the Eleventh that new
attempts became obvious.
2. The ~ themes in the Sonata form, almost alw~ys

opposed and separated in the other types of composition, on

the contrary offer in the Quartet--after the Seventh--the
entirely new peculiarity of blending into ~ other. The first
theme, or a rhythmic order, is combined with the second, of a
melodic order, after the appearance of the latter the
opposite to what ordinarily takes place in the Sonatas or
 370

Symphonies.
J. The larse &!fl1t1e4 VaP1at1on, Beethov1an oreat1on,
it that ls possible, oooup1ea a muoh gnater plaee 1n the
Quarteta than 1n the Sonataac one t1nd8 1t used, trom the
'l'weltth, 1n the slow m.oTement (Theae and Yar1at1on), a tact
which seems no:rmal J but after thia work; this expreaalve means
of developaen'i .18 used more and more frequently 1n almost all
ot the moYemen'Da.
4. !he a4d1t1on of an In,rodU~~19n• e1ther as a
phparat1on or •port1oo 1 betore the tmt movemezl't; er as a
transition or 1 paeaage way• between two different movements,
became a very frequen'S element of the oompos1t1on ln the
Beethov1an Quartet, although, in the Bona tas, it ls on the
oon,r.&rft exceptional. Not lees tban twelve Introduotione are
distributed among the sixteen Quartetsr ther oonalst, 1n general
ot a sort of ant1o1pated sta'Ce~~ent, distorted or .e1mpl1t1ed, ot
the pr1no1pal thfJJI8, ot the Plt'l'lt!£-!!1!. e1 ther of 1me entire
wo:rk, oJt at least of the movement it preoedes: this is the
ane1ent ooneep'l;ion of the role ot the Prelude 1n the Suite, at
the t1me ot J.. s. Baoh. eona14erlrlg neverthelese 1be d1tterenoe
1n pe:riod and style wh1Gh exist• between ~••• two masters.
5. The 1noxweac1ng ot the .n'WIIber ot the .-41.t..t..e.r.-en..,.,_
movemen•• ••nd.ecl al.eo. in the Q,ual'tet, to approach the eu.etom
ot the ancient Suite, from 'lllh1oh the See'tho"f'lan Sonata. on the
contNl"ft ie •re and lllOre remo'te, s1noe we have seen that tile
laat nx-e net:r1oted to three and eYen to onlr two JDOVements.
 371

On the contrary, the C(uartets never had less than ~

movements: twelve of them observe in a way the tradition

invariable in the ~Symphony; two others (the Sixteenth and
Fifteenth) have ~ movements, two others finally, the
Thirteenth a.nd Fourteenth, which, in spite of their number
on the list, were, as will be seen, the last to be written,
contain up to ill movements. This return to the antique t:uite
form, abandoned in the Sonata as in the Symphony, is clearly
manifested in various ways in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth
Quartets, as if the composer had foreseen some rjew route in
this direction, then "forgot", as it so often happens with
things that our va.ni ty calls "novelties", or "innova.tionsn.
~. This greater variety or liberty in the choice of
the purely sym}:honic or exclusively music&l means, for the
composition of the Quartets, seems to have had an extra-musical
or simoly poetic source. Through this, the beethovian Quartet
is gradually going to bring us nearer to Dramatic Music, which
will be the object of the Third Book of this Course. It is
certain that the Quartet "dramatizes itseLf", by obey.ing, more
or less consciously perhaps, a program, ~ith a poetical 2r
allegorical intention, concerning which the composer only gives
us incomplete information, and as if grudgingly. A few brief
titles such as_ka. Malinconia [ Melancholz] for the slov. movement of
the Sixth Quartet, Cavatina in the Third, and more especially
the ~anzona of the Fifteenth, expressing the same sentiments as
 372

the f:tnal Fugue in the pia.no Sonata, Op. 110, 1 finally, the
famous ~ .!! sein? which closes the Sixteenth, can sometimes
guide our search into the intentions of the poet-symphonist.
In most cases, on the contrary, we are reduced to guessing,
according to our own imoressions, the profound meaning of these
;>ages, almost always sad, without ever hoping to knovv what the
composer wanted to say or paintJ but we cannot refuse to feel
that he has wanted to say or paint something.
Nevertheless, contrary to what happens too often in
our contemporary Symphonic Poems, this mysterious poetic
intention, the presence of which is undeniable, is never ex-
pressed at the expense of, nor against the immovable laws of,
symphonic construction: the principles of tonal or rhythmic
balance are always sufficient to justify the form given to the
work, whatever the part reserved for the i.ntimate or trngic
embtion that animates it ma.y be.
It will no longer be the same, when the solid classic
armature given to the Quartet form by ~eethoven gradually
becomes disintegrated, at first under the romantic impulse,
then, at the present time, under the clearly anarchic influence
which tends to make no distinction between any of the types.
This appeal to poetry or drama, always subjected by .l.)eethoven to
the norms of the musical workmanship of tonal laws in a
word, of the architecture, will soon become a simple call for

1
See Book II, Part I, p. 584.
 373

disorder, a p:retext oalled •or1gina11tr•, aerv1ng qu1'e Justly

to Yell the ignorance ot the ooDPoeer o~ his 1mag1nat1Ye
laziness. Only those will still emerge, rrom this decadence ot
a torm whleh the laat works of the olaas1o masters had eleYated
to the highest auam1 ta, who have JJOt disdained 'to toll ow the
ter't1le route which baa been open to them, although while givi~
Yent here eometimes to the g1tta tor picturesque or desorlpt1Ye
recollection be7ond compar1aon.
I't was th1a sort ot propeas1Ye enoroaching ot the
dramatic or deaor1pt1ve elemente, exterior to mua1o, which seem
to have subJected the oontea.po~ry String ~uartet to a tate
._tber oorrelat1Ye to 1ts origins a little Symphony tor bowed
instruments at ita b1rtht lt will soaroel;r be aJ17th1ng mor• at
1'ta deoline than a S)'lllphonlo Poem tor bowed instruments, with
the aame good qualities --and also the same faults-- that this
very •m.odem" apeo1es has 1ntroduoed into our contemporary
instrumental art.

4. Un1 t;y ot. the Olaeelo 'lua.JII'tet. -.A.tt1n1 ty or

the Themes. ·~Tonal Relationships. --Rank and rorm of
the Various MOvement•.

The eeeen,1al oond1t1on ot •matur1tr' that the oompoa1·

t1on of a String Quartet requiree trom ita composer eannot fail
to elevate tbie, in aoile fl8'1 • quinteaetmoe and ayntbetio• torm,
. to a degree ot !f?:1'z: et111 more profound, 11' that 1a poaa1ble,
than 1that of the Sonata tors, to a greater perfection, the
 374
result of a supe~ior amount of preliminary reflection and
technical ability. By studying the masterpieces which the
sixteen Quartets by Beethoven prove to be, one witnesses the
surprising transformation through which nis genius passe.d in
order to reach the almost inaccessi.ble summits of the J.Est
four or five. It is seldom, in reality, if one begins to find
todey a pqblic, still very restricted, in ~hich the height of
intellect is adequate for the beauties these last Quartets
contain.. Each truly artistic work, we know, bri.ngs with it its
lesson, but this lesson has no V&lue except for a while, for
a given period: the more mature and more beautiful the work,
the longer this time, the longer this period iS pushed farther
into the future from the date of its appearance. This maturity
and tl';lis beauty are defi;;itely in the last Quartets, to such
an extent that after a century (they were written in 1826)
they have barely arrived today to their time, t11eir period.
This is another reason, we think, why the detailed examination
which we undertake here should be devoted to them, because ~hey

are, in our opinion, "the apocalypse of the .beethovian Musical

Gospel".
These thematic rela~ionships, which we have pointed ·OUt
#i",.·

in Beethoven's piano Sonatas, 1 are much clearer still in his

String Quartets. Already, this mutual penetration of the two
ideas in the same movement, whtch ts one of their character-
istics, shows well the tendency toward a more intimc::.te unity,

1see Book II, Part I, 513 ff·

 3'75

1hie tendency is again re-enforced by the thematic relationships

which are revealed more and more frequently between one movement
and another, and give to the work, still more than 1n the last
Sonatas, a true ~z~lic form. The Introduction generally plays
an important role here, through its affirmation of the thematic
elements destined to be found again in the movemen~ which
follows it, and sometimes even in the others. The Fourteenth
Quartet presents the moat striking example of this manner or
proceeding, because it is built almost exclusively on a single
theme.
The tonal relationships established between the various
movem~nts of th~ Quartets, are treated with less strictness than
in the Sonatas: one will find that about half of the latter
(fifteen of the thirtz-!!!.2..) are absolutely t.m1ton1c, the only
difference existing between their movements being only a change
of mode on the same tonic. Of .the sixteen Quartets, on ~1e

Eighth.
-
contrary, only two of this type are found, the Fourth and the
Of the fourteen others, ~ have one ot their move-
ments in the key of the subdominant: lt 1e the SCherzo in the

-
Seventh; in the five others (Second, Fifth, Sixth, Tenth, and
Thirteenth) it is the slow movement.
-
In four other Quartets,
this same slow movement is in the key of the fourth desoend1ns
t1tth, that 1s to say a major third below the principal toniet
these are the Third, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and the Sixteenth.

-Four Quartets have one of their movements in the relative of

the principal key: the slow movement in the First and Ninth, the
 376

fleher1to ln the Tenth and Fourteenth.

-
In two others, on the
contrary, one of the Jnovement s 11 ln the tonnl1 ty of the third
B;G~!,n415 f1tth 1 tba:t 1s to say a minor third belowe this is
the slow movement 1n the El•venth and the aoherzo in the
Thirteenth. Finally, the ·slow movement ot the Thirteenth
c~ual*tet is in the key ot the 1:i~\!ll deaoen<U:ns t1tth, or the
. minor th1£sl a~ve, and the Soherzo of the Fourteenth 1B in the
very d1etant key of the fifth ~eaoe~~~ f1~t~, the use ot
wh1o..'l 1s explained 1n our opinion by the· melodic prox1n1 ty ot
the tonics (the half-tone above) oom1ng trom the os.denoe called
"by the Neapolitan Sixth•. The important Introduction to the
Finale in this same Quartet otters, besides, the peoul1sr1 ty of
being almost entirely 1n the ton811ty of the agm1~.nt, 1Jf the
principal l1;;ey: 1t is undoubtedly to its nature as an introduc-
tion, as a tr.ansitipn, that this slow period, although rather
long, owes the oho!oe of this tonality,. wbioh the composer
almost never used, let alone tor an entire movement of a
1
oompos1t1on. The i&OPJ1ne.n~, 1n J~teality, occupies such a large
place in the internal construction ot all the forma and
particularly of the Sonata torm, the one ~sed most in the
Quartets, that one VJOuld not know how to make 1 t the tonall ty
ot an entire movement without monotony or ambiguity, unless the
latter had exactly this character ot transition or !!•entrz,
' .
which is the case tor the Introduction ot which we speak.
1The Andante in the aeoond f31il.lphony 1s, ae we have said (p. 211 },
the on%7 bftier ltnown denial or thie principle.
 377

The uee ot the !U~oenant is entirely 41tferent, the

undoubted •abaorb1ng power• ot whioh, in the oouree or 'the
same movement, we have manr·timea mentioned. We know Beethoven
unde::rstood how to- pl"'Vide against the tts.ngezt ot the talae Ntrio
on the aubdom1nant• of our tantareaa 1 he d1~ n~t u~111Be 1t
even a.s e. foreign tonal1 ty, tor one ot the movements ot the
Sonata, exoept w1 th the greateet o1rcumapeot1on. on the
oontra17, he used 1t m.uoh lt'lOre t'J!'equently in his Q.uarteta,
because of the greater number of the movem.enta ot whloh ther
are composed, and at wh1oh sm.~z ~p~, the Glow movement, or the
moderate movement, hae a d1tferent tona11t)t. Through this
means, e..-en 1f this tonal1t7 1a that of the eubdom1ne.nt, ~the
'' • J 1 I ,.1

tonal balanoe 1a always re-eatabllehed b7 the o'ther movements.

The tonal !'!lat1onah1R.f 1n the course or the same
movement are ot two typese those eonoe:m1ng the thesqe.a, with
rare exoep tiona, oontorm to the tndl t1on.el rules; the second
theme 1a 1n the A.t~~'l;t when the movement 1a 1n ~JO£. ~· 1

1t 1s 1n th11 relatS,Ye ~JOl. when the mo..-ement is ln the m1nor

mode. Only Q!! oontmd1ot1ona of this usage are toundt three
times in favor ot the !}•~£ modulation to the tourth ~~oen~1n5

fifth (major third above), and twdoe in tavor ot the oppoe~d

sombre modulation, to the touztth A••oend1,!!i t1,£th (major third
below).

1See Book II, Part I, P• 502.

 3'78

developments, and forming what we have called the tonal bases

in the Symphonies, witness an equal oare for the solidity ot
the construction: Beethoven always searched tor these tonal
"basea 0 , the respective tonics of which were related among
themselves by the intervals of a third and a fourth, so that
their ensemble presents the aspect of a harmonic arpeggio,
and not an inharmonio diatonic auoo~asion. 1
'rhe rank and _
form_
of _
the ...;,;;;..o.......,_.........,..........,.;..,.;;,.,.--.,;...;;...;;.
various movements in the
Quartets will also otter certain special peculiarities. In
them the Sonata type (a) always oooupies the first rank, and
very often the last also, because eleven out of the sixteen
quartets end with a movement having this form. But the
structure of this type also penetrates, much more frequently
than in the Sonatas, into the slow (L) or moderate (M) move-
ments: Beethoven even seems to hesitate sometimes concerning
the form which is suited to them, and on the respective rank
wh1oh must be assigned to them.
first four, the Sixth, Eighth,
-Nine his Q,ua:rtets
of
Ninth, Tenth and Twelfth) have
(the

their slow movement second, immediately after the tirst

-
movement, according to tradition; five others (Fifth, Seventh,
Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth} have on the oontrar,y a
moderate movement before the slow movement, which does not
1see particularly later on the analysis ot the eecond movement
(Alletretto) of the Seventh Quartet, that ot the Introduction
an! o !fie first movement ot the Twelfth, the beg{nnlng 'and the
finale of the Thirteenth, finally the very our1ous oyclio
construction ot the entire Fourteenth.
 3'79

appear until th1rda in the Eleventh, this movement is omitted,

and 1nthe Sixteenth, the construction is entirely special, as
also in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth. Three Quartets, the
Sixth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth have, besides, two slow
movements, while the Thirteenth,. Fourteen~h
--
and. Fifteenth have
!!£.mo.d_e.r.a~t.e movements, the number of the movements being
augmented in proportion as we oome to the last Quartets.
Thus, the ensemble of the sixteen Quartets contains not
leas than twentz. slow movements, t1ve of which prove to be of' a
simple Song type (L); four of the Large Song tJpe (LL), three
of the Varied Song type (LV) and five in the Slow Sonata. form
(SL), only one single example o:t' which did we f'ind (Op. 22)
among the piano Sonatas. 1 !_ single slow movement on the
contrary, that of the Thirteenth Quartet, has the Sonata Song
type (LS) or Sonata without develoRment. not less than six
examples or whiCh are 1n the piano Sonatas. An isolated slow
period, that of the Fourteenth, has no aist1not form, and the
1n1tial movement of the same Quartet, in a slow tempo and having
the torm of' a Fugue, could be considered as a unique model of a
Slow Fugue type ( FL). In regard to the ancient binary type,
coming from the Suite and utilized again in a slow period ot
the Sonata, Op. 101, 1t seems to have completely disappeared
1n the String Quartets.
T,he movement of the M tJpe is the one which offers the

1
See Book II, Part I, p. 542.
most peoul1ar1tr in the Quartetat it 1s never omitted in them
and 1s represented seve:ral times in oertsJ.n of them. The form
that we have oalled Large Soherzo ( 111<.0 originally appeared in
the Quartet, trom whence it passed into the Symphony, without
ever having been used in the piano Sonatas: as early as the
Eighth quartet, one finds this construction again with the
return of the trio and the third exposition of the true Scherzo,
a tact which brings the number or movements to five, as in the
Large Song (LL). There are not less than ;.,ou,r examples of this
form (in the Eighth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth) out of the
fifteen movements Of the M type that the Quartets oonta1n: 1
1he moderate movements ot the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Quartets
have a special construction. Which relates them more to the old

-
Suite form; the nine others are in the ordinary form of the

-
Scherzo, although four ot them are called Minuets: only one
perhaps, that of' the Ninth, actually has the proper rhythm for
a Minuet theme, as 1t has been detined: 2 all the others are

built on seve:ral measure rhythms, that 1s to say with the

rhythms of' a Scherzo, regardless of their title. Qf these
t1tteen movements ot the U or MM type, eiSht have their trio
on the same tonic witil a changing ot the mode, only three have
it in the key of the pubdominant, ·and the other tour 1n various
tonali t1es.

1
see Book II, Part I, p. 498.
2 See Book II, Part It p. 492.
 381

finally, the movement with a lively tempo whioh always

ends the Quartets 1s 1 as we have seen, of the Sonata type 1n

----
eleven of themr the other t1ve merely return again to the Sonata.
Rondo (RS) form of whioh Beethoven was particularly fond; the
Rondos ot the First, Fourth, and Sixth have three couplets and
~ ref'l'a.ins; those of the Eleventh and Fi:f''teenth, only two
~ouplet.~ and three retrains. Between the Sixth Quartet and the
Eleventh, the RS type disappears completely, the same as in the
Sonatas from the same period. And this isolated oase of the
Eleventh makee one think of the similar oase in Sonata Op. 90,
as if the composer had wished, here and there, to say a last
farewell to this form abandoned s1nee his youth1 the Rondo
from the Fifteenth Quartet, the eminently Mendelssohn1an cast
or wh1oh does not prepare us very well for the profound mue1oal
meditations wh1oh appeared 1n certain movements ot the
Sixteenth, is not explained so easily.
Obviously, the un1tz of the classical Suartet, euoh as
Beethoven has lett us, consists in the thought and 1n what
could be called the •thematic substance": the euooeeaion of the
movements, on the contrary, 1s broken up more and more, &Q in
the Suite, the opposite of what happened in the Sonata. But,
1n the latter as in the string Quartet, the influence whioh
predominated in proportion as the genial •maturity" of the
composer improved, was that of the amplified large Variation,
combined with that of the Fugue, the first and the last of the
forms that were studied 1n the First Part of the present Book,
 382

the alpha and omeia or the ~t ot symphonic composition.

HISTORICAL

5. The ~uartet before Beethoven.

As we have recalled at the beginning ot the historical

section or the chapter on aooomen1e(\ Chamber M~s1o 1 we always
1'1nd the same composers• names when we go back to the period
of the formation of instrumental musio, whether the question is
of Concertos, Symphonies, Chamber Trio~ or or the properly
so-called String Quartets, because these types not being clearly
differentiated from each other, the works by such and such a
composer may be 1nd1at1notly ranked in any ot these categories.
Among the number ot these venerable ancestors, we find again,
therefore, the well•known names ot VIADANA and or AGAZZARI, to
whom that of SAMMARTINI Qan be added1 whose trustworthy pieces
for bowed instruments resemble true StrinE Suartets ver,r much.
It 1a not until a quarter Of a century later, in the m:.ddle of
the 18th, that we can designate with more preo1s1on those who
truly oontribuied something toward the establishing ot the form
peouliar to the Quartet.

Pierre Vl:',n !tfalder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l724-176S

Joseph Haydn • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1732-1g09
Johann Georg:· Albreohtsberger • • • • • • • • • .1736-1g09
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1756-1791
 383

Pierre !!!!. ~~<ALP.F:ft, whose Netherlander origin 1o well

marked, as we hc.Ye mentioned ( p. 326), the reappearance on the
eoene 1n Chamber Music of the old Flemish genius, ONa tor ot
the Motet, at the moment when the Quartet was organized, com-
posed (aside from hie Tt'"1o Sonatas), t1tteen String Quartete,
which oan be considered as the t1ret.
1
J,o~,!R!! HAYDN oame a 11ttle later on, anlt lett us not
lese than aeven!f•seYen Quartets, arranged as 1t tor a true
ame.ll oroheatl"a 1n whioh tile w1n4 1na'hwt.tments had been
lhlppreaaed. The oldest are divided into tl:u'ee movements, aa
the Oonoerti; the later ones have tour movements, as the
Symphonies. Among the laat, the one .1n!. is the moat inter-
eating. In the first exposition ot the second theme, it is
the tiJIGt whlch he usee as an aeeompan1ment J but eaoh of these
follows 1ft4ependentlJ ot the other, n thout there being aD1
traoe ot the •mutual penetl"'&tlon" wh1oh will be Beethoven' e
personal propert:r. After the tlrat movement, the development
of whtoh seems, long and not ver1 1ntere8t1ng, a Minuet, n ther
our1oua, due to the al temat1on ot the tour and eight-measure
rh7thms of 1ts theme, thrOws 1n 1ta gay note, 1te trio le
witten 1n the remote tonality of ,£b (fourth deaoendi!l£ t1tth).
The Mtdan;te, on the oontl"AJ7, is 1n the lte;r ot R. (third
ascending t1tthh a faot which con taste s1ngularly. B7 a
rather nx-e exception in Ha7dn •a works, the Finale 1e not 1n

1
see Book II, Part I, P• 335.
 384

the torm ot a RondO, but in Sonata ror.m: this is, neve~theless,

its only peoul1a~ity.

l
Johann Geo~s ALBRECHTSBERGER. whose name we have not
run across since the histor,y ot the Fugue, reappears at this
time in the same capao1 ty, because his tor'tz-.!.!'!?. String
Quartets were conceived tor the most part in the Prelude and
Fugue form. However, it was not very long before the composer,
certainly very oaretul to give a special form to this type ot
music, tor which his talents as a "fugue writer" naturally
qualified him, preferred the Sonata construction, which he did
not abandon from then on. One even finds in one ot his best
Quartets a slow movement in song torm with three clearly
characterized sections: this Quartet is ended with a Fugue.
H.1.s genial student Beethoven was bound to remember it one day.

!oltfi&D! Amadeus MOZART 2 brought nothing but his

exquisite grace and his lightness ot writing in the twentl-~

Quartets that he lett us: their form is the same as that ot

Haydn's Quartets, and they feel the effects sometimes or the
haste with which their prodigiously tertile oompoeer produced
them.

A person may ask himself 1f, in the hypothesis where

Beethoven had not lived, the history or the String Quartet

lsee Book II, Part I, p. 146.

2see Book II, Part I, p. 653.
 385
would not have ended here. Nothing in the works of the
composers we have just mentioned could foresee the destiny
reserved for this form, up until then very closely blended
with Chamber Music or the Concerti. Other composers of
less talent undoubtedly had nothing to add to a type that
neither Haydn nor Mozart had advenced p&rticularly--among
the farmer, in reality, we find the names alre&dy mentioned
previously: Gossec, Gretry, Onslow, Fesca. The first two
deserve, however, a more honorable place: one should remem-
ber that Francois JoseQh GOSSEC (1734 ... 1829) wrote not less than
twenty-st• Symphonies, to which 11;e must add tv,enty String
Quartets; and that his contemporary GREfRY (1742-1813), limit-
ing himself to six Bymphonies, w~s to add to them ~ String
Quartets and other Chamber Jlusic works (see above, p. 195 and
321). With regard to the other two, it is only by the quanti-
ty that their "musica.l production" deserves a commemorative
mention: Georges ONSLOW (1784-1852) did not 0 compromisen for
less than thirtz.-.m String ~ua.rtets, while his "honort.tle
colleague" FESCA (1789-1826) restricted himself to twentl
works in this species alone. One cannot witho~t a mild irony
bestow on these two less-than-mediocre composers the term
"contemporary with Beethovenn, to which they have the right,
however • • • by their birth dates at least.
Moreover, nothing could foresee, even in the works
of musicians of larger scope of intelligence than these last,
the profound renovation which was to tG.ke place in less
 386

than twenty years in the composition of the String Quartets,

under the sole impulse of Albrechtsberger's genial student.

6. Beethoven's Sixteen Quartets.

Ludwig~ BEETHOVEN! composed only sixteen String

~uartets, and not seventeen, as is represented by certain
German lists which, holding to the instrumental arrangement
alone without having any regard for the musical content of
the work, place the Great Fygue in ~~ Op. 133 1 between the
Fifteenth Quartet, Op. 132 1 and the Sixteenth, Op. 135.
This Fugue, of which we have .spoken in its place,2 was
definitely written for the four bowed instruments forming
the quartet 1 but it does not conform in any way to
Beethoven's conception of the String Quartet--it is in reality
a curious combination of the Fugal form, treated very freely,
with the Variation form. There is no serious reason, there-
fore, for placing it on the list of the sixteen Quartets,
which are distributed in this way:

lst Quartet, in ,l·, Op. 18, no. 1, written in 1801

2nd in Q, Op. lg, no. 2, n
Jrd " in D,. Op. 18,. no. .3, " " n
4th " in £, Op. 18, no. 4, " "
"
5th "
n in f1, Op. 18, no. 5, "
"
""
"
1 see Book II, Part I, p.
521 rr.
2see Book II, Part !
1 ~P· 148, 9. ! f this Fugue had really
been attached to the publication of the Quartets, its place
would have been after the Thirteenth, since, in the opinion
of the composer, it would serve as the "monumental" Finale
to thts work.
 387

6th Que,rtet, in ~b, Op. 18, no. 6, written in lSOl

7th " in
in
z,§ Op.
Op.
59,
59,
no.
no.
1, " " 1806
8th "
in
1
£1 Op. 59, no.
21
3, " " "
9th
lOth
"
" in Eb, Op. 74 "" "
"
"
1810
11th " in I, Op. 95 " " 1816
12th " in ~b, Op. 127 n " 1822
13th " in lab, Op. 130 " " 1825
l4,th " in s:_#, Op. 131 " " 1825
15th " in !!, 1 Op. 132 " " 1826
16th " in E,, Op. 135 " " 1826

The publication dates of tte <;,uartets do not always

coincide with those of their composition: thus, in Op. 18,
is was no. 3, in F, that was written first; Op. 131 s.n:i 132
(Fourteenth and Fifteenth) were earlier than Op. 130
(Thirteenth), and the composition of the latter work itself
was interrupted by that of the Sixteenth, Op. 135, in such a
way that the Finale of the Thirteenth Quartet can be considered
as the last finished composition Beethoven left to us, al-
though Op. 131, 132, and 133 were published later.
The first six Quartets, Op. 18, were written some-
what earlier than their date of publication (1801 and 1802),
for they cannot be attributed to what we have called the second
neriod of Beethoven's works: They belong clearly to the first,
called "period of imito.tion". It is Op. 59, 74 1 and 95
(from the Seventh and Eleventh Quartet), which must be ranked
in this "period of transition", while the last five (Op. 127 1
lJO, 131, 132, 135), appearing between 1822 and 1326, are among
the most beautiful monuments of the third, or •period of reflec-
tion" wnich crowns the career of their composer.
 388

F1J~>at fiUfl,rtet, .2£• t.E~• ~· !• .... fh1s Quartet 1s

dedioated, along with the other five which, w1 th 1t, complete
op. 1e, to s. A. His Highness, the reigning fr1noe of
Lobkowi tz.
-- Composed in 1798.
-- Published 1n June 1ao1, by T. Mollo and co. in Vienna.
--In tour movements (S. L. M. R.):

1. Alle1f.2 .22!!. brio f in !• . . . . . . . . • . . Twe a..

EXP • 'l'h. A. Note& The first element
--- Bridge or the B theme is the
--- 'l'h. B, 1n two elemen te. tranepos1t1on to the
DEV. t..~?Ough A, veey short. dominant of the 1n1 tial
RECAP. normal. !es!in X.
·-- small snq1n& Dev.
2. Ada&1~ attettUQSO !.! awasa1onat,. t' in s . . . 'l'ype s.
EXP. Th. A. Note: From his first
--- very short Bridge. Quartet, Beethoven
--- Th. B, 1n !• 1n a single utilized the a tT,pe
ornamented period. for the slow movement.
DEV. a sort of variation or :e
aooompanied by the A Th.
RECAP. normal; Th, A 1n ~.
--- Th. B in ~.
--
3. Allesro mol to
-
Ooda through A, iii d.
.¢' 1n
-
!. . . . . . • • . . • • . • Type M.
SOHERZO: Th, with a rhythm of 2 and 2, then 3 and 3
measures.
Trio in Db, very aodula:~oey, return1ng progressively
- -to the pr1no1pal key.
J2:i oax:o textual.
4. Allea!E t' in ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Type RS.
REF. lt Th, A, on the f.
~1. lJ Bridge and !h. B, 1n the 1?.•
, 2: 'rh. A.
Ooupl. 2t new element in ~b.
 ,:JB9

I
REF. 3: Th. A, 1n the vioJ.a.
Ooupl. 3: Bridge and the B 'l'h., in the T.
tmr. 4a Th. A and Coda.
-
--
Second S9!rte't, .21?.· !§.· no. 2. -- Same dedication as
the First.
-- Composed in 179g.
-- Published 1n 1801, by T. Mollo and Oo., 1n V.ienna.
-- In tour movement;a (S. L. M. s.h

1. A,lleEg f in 2. . • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • Type s.
EXP. Th. (A a' and a"l.
-- Bridge,- very snort, melod1o.
--- Th. B in b and in D.
DEV. through aT and.!-' rn:rthm.
RECAP. normal.

~. !daf510 ca.nta bile ~· 1n .[ (a. -D. ) • • • • • • • • ~r ype L.

I. Slow Th. on the T. Note1 The piano Sonata,
II. +l*e.£0 in !• 1n f. taken Op. 2.1, no. 1, offers
1.1-· an analogous d1spos1-
trom the Ooda ot the slow t1on.
th. -
III. Slow th. on the T. with
variations.
3· Alle13:o t• in .f! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Type M.
SCHERZO (a, ~ J!1 b) •
Trio 1n a- ( ~:J.;;,.D. >7
P.!. capo.-
4. Alle1ro molto guas1
EXP. Th. A, on the T.
-
~resto ~, 1n G. • • • • • • Type
Note: This F1na1e1 1n
a.

--· Bridge. spite ot the aepeot ot

··- Th. a, on the D. its themes, 1s not a
DEV. connected w1 th the !m.• Rondo.
directly without
repetition.
RECAP. normal.
 390

Third Scuar~et1 .2E.• ;_~, .2!• l• -- Same dedication as the

F1:rst.
-- Composed 1n 179g, earlier Uhan the two preoeding.
-- Published in June lSOl, by T, Mollo and Co., 1n Vienna.
--In tour movement• (s. L. M. s.):

1. Allelr<?. O, in 12.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Type a.

EXP. Th. A, on the r.
--· Bridge.
--- Th. B (b t 1 b" 1 b tn ) •
DEV. by A1 very ihorf.
REOAP. normal.
2. Andante oon moto f 1n _!!b, • • • • • • • • • • • Type L.
I. srn~ th .. <!!
b, e.) the b tragment
o w 1oh ooncTudes by tie trans-
Notea The tonality
ot the maJor
pQs1tion of a into the D. third lott:er 1s
II. Dlf,;V. module.tTng of the A th, very tax- awa:r.
III. RECAP. of the A Th. abridged, on
the T.
:;. A,tles;ro t' in R.• • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • Type M.
SCHERZO on the T.
Trio in d (min. T,)
1Tl1!a;eo Tn 1r"i1 th a variation of the
- ar:rangemeht of the instruments.
4, Presto f in .!!. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Type B.
EXP. Th. A, on the T, Note: The charac-
- - Modulating bridge. ter or this
- - 'fh. B ( b 1 , btt, b"') on the D. piece is thst of
DEV. through-A, i'a tliir short, 1lhe ancient
REOAP. normal. CUgues o:r Bach.

Fourth S~up.rte,, £2.• lS, no. _!. - Same dedication as

the First.
-- Oompoeed 1n 179g, after the first three.
·- Published 1n October 1801, b7 !. Mollo and Co., 1n Vie~
 391

-- In four movements (&. s. M. as.):

1. Allei£2 .!!. !!.2!!. tanto c, 1n .2.• • • • • • • • • • Type s.

EXP. Th. A, on the T. Note: The importance ot
--- Modulating bridge. the F tonality in the
--- Th. (b•, b", b 18 ) in Eb. dev. -is common to
DEV. through A-in i and in-c. Seethoven, when there
--- by b 1 stated Tn r and !· are three flats 1n the
RECAP. normal: th. A Tn o. key.
--- Th. B 1n o (without - The style of this sec-
bridse>. - tion is very similar
·--
-
oo!a-oy A in o.
- to that ot 'bhe Great
~,e;ptet, Op. 20.

2. Andante scherzoso guasi Allesrett,o f in £· • . Type s.

EXP. Entries ot the A th. in Note1 This movement,
stretti of a f!J!!e called Saherzoi has the
c;,· ~a~ } measures). place of r.He s ow move-
--- Bridge in 1-measure oanon. ment, and 1s written
'l'h. B, dialogued, on"llie D., entirely 1n a fugal
DEV. tugal, by A. style.
P..ECAP. Th. A w1 th a new eounteJ:~~oo
subjeot.
Bxo1dge and. :S th., on the T.
--- Hannonio Coda.
;. All~5rett~ t' 1n ~· • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Type M.
MI. NUET: Th. !,f. :2.• .·!1. on the T. Note; In spite of the
Trio 1n Ab, tLel. maJ. ot the t1tle, the theme 1s
-·G:l--
w..... n. more that of a Scherzo.
2!, oa;eo. designed to be con-
nected with the Finale
w1 thout a pause.

4. Aflegro C, in £ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 'l'ype RS.

REF. 1: Th. A• on the T. Note1 This retrain otters
Ooui{l• 1: Th. a 1n Eb. muoh s1m11ai!iy with
Kmt. 2: Th. A developed. the one trom Sonata
po~l. 21 New elem. on the Op. 13 ( Pathetiaue).
!!!!J_. T.
REF. ~h. A, varied.
Oou~l. 3:
Th, B varied, 1n £.
~r; 4: Th. A Prest1ss1mo and
-
Coda.
 392

Fifth guartet, .QE.. .!§.; !!.2.• .2.• ..... Same dedication as

the First.
-· Composed in 1798, atter the t1rst three.
-- Published 1n October 1801; by T. Mollo and Co •• in
Vienna.
-- In tour movements ( s •. M. LV. s. ) :

1. ~.llerro *' in ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Type s.

EXP. 'l'h. A, on the T,
--- Kodulat1ng bridge.
-- Th. B (b', b 8 1 b"') on the D.
DEV. by A, in
D and Tn d.
--- tr. paes~ie in ~· -
REOAP. normal, with repetition indicated.
2. Menuetto .f 1n !• .. ' . • • • • • • • · • • • • Type M.
DNUET: Th. A, on the T. Note: The theme 1s con-
!J:!!.•
on the same T. structed more like that
!! J.8i0• ot a Scherzo.
3· Andante oantab1le f
1n .P. • • • • • • • • • • • Type LV.
Binary th. and t1ve decors- Notes This Aedante, in the
tive variations) 'followed key of thi !.-b., the
by a little end1nf dev. onl7 movement of the
bringing abou1 a aar- Quartet Which is not 1n
exposition of the theme in the principal ke7, is
a conclusive fonn. also the f1rst which
occupies the )rd and not
the 2nd rank.
• • • • • • • • • Type s.
EXP. Th. A, connected with Note: A theme rather
the Bridge,· which ls similar to the second
t"ormed from the same theme of the Finale, 1n
cell. Sonata Op. 13
--- !h. E. (b'• b•, b'") on (Pathet1gue).
the D. - - -
DEV. br the a cell modulating The harmonies of the b'
into Q., -and combined with period become the most
the bT period. common to Schumann.
RECAP. normal.
 393

Sixth gua:rtet, .2.£• l,S, !1..2.• §.. -- Same dedication as

the First.
-- Composed 1n 179g, the last of Op. 18.
-- PubliShed in Ootober 1ao1, by T. Mollo and Co., in
Vienna.
-- In five movements (S. L. M. L. R.).

1. Alle£!? oon brio 0, 1n §..b • • • • • • • • • • • Type s.

EXP. Th. A, repeated twice. Note: The cadence
- Bridge and. B th. on the D. tormed by the very
DEY. by A, in 1?J _g, Eb. banal harmonies of the
RECAP. normal wltli ripetition. B th. is the one
Which the composer•
or Italian Operas will
abuse later on.
2. Adai1o • !!2!1 tro;2~0 i' 1n !_b (S.-D.) • • • • • Type L.
I. !h. A, with repetition, on the T.
II. Th. B 1n eb, modulating.
--- D. Pe'!. ·
III. Th. A ornamented and Coda.
3· Allefir.P. f -
in !!,b. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Type M.
SCHERZO t Th. !,J b, !,1 on the T.
Trio on the aame~ •
.m£ OllJ:O•

4. Adagio
- 2, in .........
~
Bb1 La Malinoon1a. • • • • • • • ~ Type L.
I. Th. modulating trom Bb to Notet Firat sign of a
the D. of E. - 4ramat1c intention
II. Period modUlating from e to In tile ~uarteta.
o. -
III. ~rogresa1on modulating
toward the D. ot Bb.
-
 394

5. ~llegret~Q quasi Allegro z, in ~b • • • • • • • • Type R.

REF. 1: Th. A, on the T. Note: This Rondo is the
Coupl. 1: little dev. of A. only one th~t returns
REF. 2: Th. A. --- to the old form used by
Coup*. 2: modulat~ng dev. .tiaydn, er~.ch qou121~ in
of the h. th. it being different.
REF. 3: Th. A, interruped
by
Couol. 3: initial period of
the .b.dagio which
preceded, and f<dse
re-entry of t!Je ref. in
G
REF. 4: Th7 A on the T. and Coda.

This Quartet, which ends the first series, ec.rlier by

five years at ~east than the next three, Op. 59, is also the
first marking the dramatic tendency intro~uced by Beethoven

into tnis form of composition. There is vecy cert;:.;inly a

mysterious c·1legory in thiz movement ce..ll.ed ~ :4al1ncon1a
full of melancholy , progressing to the joyous Rocdo Y..hich
follows, in order to reappear a last time before its &lmcst
exuberant conclusion. It is necessary to go ba.ck to Rust f:nd
even to Phillip EmFnuel Bach ir. order to find a similar page
superior to all that surrounds it as fe.r as musical qL~'~lity

is concerned. Later on, in the Thirteenth Quartet, we shall

find agPin these opposing sentiments, the ftrst example of
which was furnished by the Fugue finale in Sonat,~ Op. 110.
The next five ~uartets, u?· 59, 74, and 95, belong to
the "second period" of .oeethoven' s •~orks: their cornpo ition
was divided over a period of about ten years, fcom 1qo6 to
 395

lS16. Between their style and that ot the preoe(ling, an

immense Btep has been overcome. Almost nothing remains ot
the ancient Haydn formula, copied from thR.t of the S71I1phony
minus the wind instruments: 1t is a new form, independent
from the Symphony as from accompanied Chamber Music, which
is revealed to us, as early ns the first measures of Op. 59,
leaving Yeey far behind it the stutter1nga ot Op. 1a.
Seventh Quartet, .2£• .2,2, !!.e• !• - Dedicated to Count
Rasoumowsk1.
-· Composed 1n 1S06t according to a note on the manuscript
by the composer. this Quartet must have b~en started May 26,
lS06.
-- Published 1n ll!OS, by the "Bureau ot Arts and Industry",
in Vienna.

-
-- In tour movements of the S type. As in uonata Op. 57
(~ass1onat~) which was wr~tten during the same per1od,l

- -
it is the initial oells, a and a•, complementary to each
other, which will engender all the essential elements ot the
first movement: 2

1see Book II, Part I, p.559 and following.

2
w. de Lenz states that this Quartet and the next two were
 -
The n design is the true
movement;
oonducto~ motive of the entire
its complement!' furniShes the principal element
for the ~ridie and reappears in various repetitions in the
exposition of the second theme, by the effect of this mutual
penetration, which becomes a principle of composition 1n the
Quartets, trom this period on.

l. A~leg~ o, in ! . . . . . • • • • • • • • • • • Type s.
EXP. Th. engendered by the a and a' cells and
completed by a less important a• element.
--· Bridge by the a• cell and a recalling ot !J
leading to the-o. by a sort of inner ~edal
on g, by the second violin, pro~uciiig very
ha.J'(I friction.
-- Th. s, on the D. 1n three periods, b', bM,
b'"• the last of Which is a recalling oY
lhe a cell, progressing to the j_t~.,
without repetition of the exposlllon.l
DEV. in t1ve elements:
the"'"l'''rst, on the A th., in F, Bb and b b.
--- the second, on the second a'-element 1n
very scholastic form, in ~ up to the
return of the whole note chOrds coming
-
from b 11 •

played 1n 1a12 1n Mosoow, at the home ot Count Soltykott:

"It was on this oocas1on, 1 he says, "that the great Bernard
Romberg, the violoncello m;:e into a man (a1o) trampled under
e ~uaf•et-rB r;-iak1ng it for a
hoax and declaring 1 t unplayab e.~ Rave we not seen, more
his feet the hiss part of
reoentl7, the violonoelJ.ist Alard· formally demand a correc-
tion in his part, in order that the design in eighth notes
a•, which he played obstinately with a b , to Which the first
violin must necessarily respond, titteen measures farther on,
with an~l, in order to complete this "lesson 1n good 'aste"l
1 It was Beethoven himself who indicated on his manuscript:
"Quartette 2r1mo,
Quartet, ..........
la
the tihtse on
iiima
M. ffe solamente una volta."
onde. .
. .. -
First
 --- the third, oonA1st1ng of n long vocalise
by the t1J'st v1ol1n, paraphrasing and
ampl1tJ1ng the A' th. in the style or the
Gregorian Alleluias.
--- the fourtn;· lt1 rtitme form, t,he subject of'
which is taken fl"'m 'the preceding vocalise,
with a new oounter-subJett, in long valuoo,
in eb.
the-fifth, treating the formula in triplets,
which comes from the bit phrase and the
brid5e1 while the £; o'ill accompanies it.
RECAP. the true re-entry of the principal element
a anrl a', eta t1ng the A th. under 1 ts 1n1 tie.J.
aspect; is preceded b.Y an exposition of the
acoesoory element a", in place of being
followed by it, Which gives the character
of a false re ..entry to this pe.ssage.
Rridfte' directly followee by the A th.
{ w!lnout a 11 ) and. modulating to Gb immediately,
1n order to retard the return o? the
principal key, by the inside pedal on o,
reproducing the same tr!otions as in-tne
beginning.
--- Th~ B (bT, b", b'") on the T. entering in the
viola. - - -
--- F.nd. dev. having the character of an ending
Siitemant of the A theme, as a song ol
v!otory, with the replies of each instrument
and the recallinge of the rhythm in triplets.
2. A~legretto vivace~ een~re Soherzando t' in Bb (S.-D.}
Type s.

Although this movement fulf1Ds the role of Scherzo

or of the moderate movement, it is built, as all the others,
on the plan of an initial movement or a Sonata (S), each
element ot which, except the second theme (1n song form: ~~ ~

-
a), would be double.
to eaoh e~os1t1cnt
A persistent rhythm serves as the t:rs.me
 398

Imnos1t1on of the ooriductor rhythm nn~ or the A

th., with the return ot the rhythm between 1ts
two elements of different oha~oter.
--- Double bridge, at t1rst by the elements ot the
A th., then by a. development of the persistent
rhythm itself.
--- 'rh. 13 7 on the !l. ·but in mino:r mode (f) : song
..........
ner1od {a, b, a).
~
---- -
:UEV. in four elements:
the~t, on the initial design of the A th., in
Db, moa.ula.ting brusquely into Ob ( wr1 tten B )
ihere the other element of the-A th. 1s s~ted.
..--- the second, on the conductor rhythm itself,
forming a melodic ltne whioh passes through the
keys or Cb 8 n('I Gb.
--- the thira'd, coming from the second element of the

-- brid~, in 0 , then in a.
!fi~ ~urth,-reproduo1ng-1n major the harmonies
of the B theme, on elements appearing to be
borrowed from the end of the A th. again in Gb,
in order to prepare the re.... entr:r. -
RECAP. The second element of the A th. 1 prepared by
the end ot the dev., is restated alone, without
doubt beoo.use ol""t'he frequent use which hne
been made of the first.
--- Double bridge, as the first time, but more
modulating: the first element is in iJ and. the
second in E •
--- Th. B (!,.t !- a) always in minor mode, on the 1\
--- End.. d.ev. symmet:rioal with tlie · cen. dev. but
ll.br1d.geif, treating the first el'iiiiint-o?' the A
theme and leading to an end1n' e!Pos1tion or its
second. element, with a ~ecal! ng of ~he
obstinate rhrthm forming a Coda.
-
The principal tonalities, which form what we have
called the tonal bases in the Symphonies, are here those or

-Bb, -Gb, and Db.

-
3. AdaS,io molto .! mesto f in ! ......... Type SL.
EY.Jl. Th. A, 1n the t1rst violins, then by the
violoncello.
--- Bridge or simple transition passa~e ot only JL'Ven
measures.
 399

--- Th. B, in .2. ( m,inor D. } on the rhythm of the

violoncello, ~urlng the exposition of the A
th. by the violin.
DEV.in l~ir sections:
--- the rat, through the B th. in Ab;
-·- the second, through the A th., entering inS,
in the violoncellos and distributed then in
modulating !'er>lies;
--- the th1~ rather short transition ~as~e;
- - the fourth, in p_b,_ stating a true an!.~ed
variation of the B th., with infleo · on
~ow.ard tEe D. c.
-
RECAP. Th. A, one time only, in varied form.
- - Bridge again very much shortened ( ti ve measures).
--- Th. B, on the T., abridged equally ana loi!o~e!
by an endinf •!Position on the A theme, resolv-
ing itself nto a cadence for violin on the D.
in order to progress ~o !he Finale.

The tonal foundations of ~1s movement, the exposition

of which recalls .!!:!.! Fu.nera.l March .!!l ~ death .2! !. ....
h....e.:ro._,
from the E:roioa Sl!}?honz, are the tonal! ties of !• !,b and J2b.
1

~. Allesro !' in ~: Russ1an Theme • • • • • • • • Type s.

EXP. Introduction by the A th. a~anged in responses
by the instruments, up to the definite entranoe
ot the violoncello (measure 35). ·
--- Th. B, linked without br141e to the preceding,
and formed ot tfiree ralner !ndistinot elements
combined with i.fie rhythms from the A tK.
DEV. resting principally on the second element of B,
followed b;r a talse re-entrz ot the A th. on the
s ..... n.
RECAP. normal, interrupting 1tselt on the D.
--- Ending .!!.!!• with pedal on the D. and cadence.

This movement is muoh the least interesting of this

Quartet.
 400

the precei!1ng.
-2. -- Same dedication as
-- Composed 1n 1606•
.... ~d1ted in 100g, by the •Bureau of Al"te e.nd Indue try•, 1n
Vienna.,
- In tour movements ( s. SL. t!. s.).

1. f.,~;t•St!. i' 1n .!.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 'rype s.

r.XP. '!'h. A formed ot two eleraent!J_ of whloh the 1n1t1al
cell, sometime• ;-pll7el IIIUltaneously, sometimes
-
a • broken, otrouTs.tes thztoughout the entire piece:

-- A oadtu'lo.J' whtoh Peaupeara at the

pef!M ( •) ot the a: end of
th. tranapoaed verbatim ln
the Rela't'ive g, oornpletee the A 'th. t
the tl,.st

lst Viol.
Cadence a

... Bridge, by the a 1 design.

-- :a th. • in G, in-three verY aho:rt periods ( b•, b 11 ,
- -
b••), the ttrat ot Which b' ends in the above-
oadenoe.
The ~~~11.t1<?..ll. of this exposit ion is expressly indi-
cqted by the cowposer who wrote the joining r::e asure s.
 401

DEV. by the a and a• cell, then by the a' element,

w1thout-pecu1Tar1ty. -
RECAP, A th~ embelliahed with replies in sixteenth
notes, prepared 1n the d$V.
--- Bridge and B th. transposed in the usual manner.
--- f.. new repetition of the entire dev. and the'recaE•
is indicate~, With the tiret an~econd endings as
before, a tact which would g1ve this oompos1t1on
an inordinate length.
--- A Ooda by the A and a' oell follows this unpre-
ce!en~ed repetYtion.-
Mol to _~
2. .................... -
adar71o O, in. E... • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • Type SL •
mXP, A th. (in halt notes) stated twice, then followed
by a complementary period, during which a persia-
tent Jerlcy' rhythm is created and will soon become
an important element.
-- Bridge on this new reythm, · ·
--- B th. in three elements ( b •, b", b •• ) , the nrat
of which~· continues ihe-rhylhm or the bridse.
DEV. leads directly, without cadence, at the end ot the
the B th •• ~d using the A th. chiefly: the
conductor rhythm reappears and prepares the
re-en~ry.

RECAP. A th• without repetition, with its complementary

period accompanied by the persistent rhythm. ·
--- Bridge and B th., ~:ransposed normally.
--- Endins e:Pos1t1on ot the A th. in chords, and
conc!us!on.
3. Allesretto t' in . .t • • • • • • . • • • • . . . . • Type MM.
SCHERZO 1!, ~ a), with repetition.
Trio in E,· on a~uaeian theme, treated at ~irst with a
- countereub]e•l In lrip!ets, then in canon.
~ oa2o ot the Scherzo, then an integral repetition of
'the entire piece.

7h1s movement is the tirst where Beethoven indicates

in every detail the manner in which he wishes one to play the.
suooeasi'l'e repetitions ot the Seherso, then of the major trio,
then the Scherzo once more, a tact which brings the number ot
-
divisions in this movement to five. It seems that he has
multiplied the possible repet1 tiona up to the maximum
1broughout this Quartet, sinae the t1rst movement itself has,
according to the anaient custom, the repetition of its
development and its reoapitulatiol!. But this attempt, by

means ot the simple ~ capo, does not conform in any way to

the law of varie!z !a unttz Which 1s indispensable to every
work of art: and we shall soon see the composer perfect this
form which we have called the Largg or Develope~ Soherzo, 1
by introducing a new element in the second trio, as well as
variations in the other repetitions.

~.
-
Presto O, in e {but by its conclusion only) •• Type RS.
REF. l: A th., stated as formally as possible 1n the
tonality of g, which he never leaves in any of
the repetitions, as extraordinary as that may
appear; this theme is repeated three times.
CouEl• 1: Bridge and sketch or the B th. in b (D. of the
· true key), w1 th recall1ngs ot ~ whiCh oould be
explained by the Nea;eoli tan sixth ( 7). This
oo!2let is oonneo!e~wltH a ~assa~ re-enforcing
~~tonality of o.
REF. !r A th.; in £, repeated twice.
00U;J21• 2: a sort o:r complement ot the A th. in halt
notes, leading to a true d;v• ot th1e theme.
•-- oomplete statement of the th. 1n the key of
~ which does not give any imp~ession of the
re.. entrz: to th,e kf~
--- ne~ Rasaaji tower he key of c.
REF. 3: A th., In C, repeated twice. -
Couplt 3: Bridge, or endins dev., without the B th.

-
e. ~ -
Mlfr. .q.l A th.; in C one t1meC5'iily, w.1th a rapid Ooda in

Truly one does not know to what to attribute this

1
see Book II, Part I, p.498.
 403

singular tree~ in the tonal orde~, on the part of the person

who, more than all others, always remained a scrupulous
observer or the tonal laws; in spite of the key signature,
this Rondo is not, and never was, in ~ minor; the eight

-
repetitions of the theme of the retrain in 0 formally oppose
it, and the few measures of hasty conoluaion cannot re-
establish the balance. Without doubt the composer was
preoccupied elsewhere: the thematlo work of the first two
movements, where one sees the notable progress of the
principle of mutual 2e~etra~ton, is proof or this.

Ninth g,uartet, .QE.. 22.• no. l• -- Same dedication as

the preceding.
-- Composed in 1S06.
-- Published in lsog, by the naureau of Arts and Industry",
in Vienna.

-
--In four movements (s. SL. M. s.): thus, with the exoeP-
tion of the moderate movement of the Eighth and Ninth
Quartets, ~Ve£Z movement in Op. 59 is 1n the Sonata torm.
After the innovation wh1oh, in the preceding Quartet, raised
the number of sections in the Scherzo to five, we are going
to encounter here, tor the first time, the Introduction.
Nevertheless, it is still only, an experiment& the Introduction
1s not utilized as an element ot the composition, any more
than the repetitions of the trio and the Scherzo have been as
a means of variety. We shall soon see What Beethoven knew
 4. Allesro molto o, in£ • • • • • • • . • • • • • Types.
EXP. Th. A~ in successive entries of the tour instru-
ments, as tor a tu~e, but without any strictness:
subject, irregular canonic resl?onse, subject and
su15'. t iii thout l*e3. ) •
rn"dge, on the-r-"rhythm.
--- Th. B, little oharaoter1.zed and without sub-
divisions.
DEV. in four elements:

---------
the-m:st, ·in Eb, on the A th.
the second, very Short, by the br1dS! design.
the third, by the coda of the B tli.
thde fourth, by the' liead st.!!!!..! subJect, in 5.
an c.
-
RECAP. Th. A in suocess,.ve entries as 1n the beginning,
but with a sort of new oounter-~ubJeot, in hs.lt
notes.
--- Bridge and B th. on the T.
--- End. dev. through A in !b, followed by a long D.
rf"'lii the upper part, recalling the Fugue form,
tfi a oadenoe.

This Finale presents an early attempt to combine the

Fugue with the Sonata term, but it is the Sonata form which
predominates.

Tenth guartet, 2E_. ~· - Dedicated to Prince

Lobkow1tz.
Composed in 1go9 and 1810.
-- Published 1n lglo, by Breitkopf and Haertel, at Leipzig.
--In four movements (s. LL. MM. LV.): here, on the oontrars
one movement only hae the Sonata form. But the role of the
Introduction for the 1n1t1al movement bas increased: 1t
contains, under one form, 1n some way interrogative, the
principal rhythms of the themat1o elements or the Allesro which
 406

follows, as if the latter responde~ to the question asked b7

the Introduction.l

1. ~ A,dasio and ~lleS¢! C, in !b . . . • . . . . Type s.

Slow Introduction, which seems to prepare more or less
consciously the initial oell.of the A th., the
passage in aixteenth notes of the B th. and the
rhytr~ of the last roeRsures ot ~ne axposition.
EXP. Th. A.· on the s. -D. ot the principal Ab.
--- Bridge, 1ns1st!ng on the chromatic harmonies
similar to those which end the Introduction.
--- B th., on the rhythm of the sixteenth notes ot the
Int~duotion, but without a precise melodic contour.

DEV. short, by the A th-. and the rhythm of the end of

the Introduction, bringing about a re-entry where
i1zz1oat1 appear, Which have giver. the name of
Mirp tluartet" to this work.
RECAP. normal, followed by an end. dev. where the
p1zzicat1 appear again, ~-a-Coda, in eighth
note rhythm, of the A th.
2. Adagio !!, !:.2.!2, trotroo ~ in ~b (S.-D.). • • • .. Type l~L.

I. l'ri.noipal th. in two elements followed. by a

conclusion •
.II. Accessory design 1n _!b.
III. Principal th. varied and accompanied by a triplet
rhythm.
IV. New period 1n ~b, completed by a fragment of the
theme.
v. New exposition of the principal th. with a more
agog1c variation and new conclusion, amplifying the
theme.2 .
VI. Coda, or .!!!.S!· ~· by the accessory design from

ltn Germany, this Quartet is sometimes called the Ha.rp 11

Quartetft, without doubt due to the t1zzioat1 in the first

development. w. de Lenz states tha 1~ was rather poorly re-
ceived: •It is not desirable tor instrumental music to lose 1te
way 1n thin m.annet-", discredited. the erudite critic of the
Musical Gazette.
2This 1s the attempt at a~l~tied Variation Which was mentioned
in the chapter on the Var ation (Book II, Part I, p. ?6~.
 407

seo. 11, containing, 1n the second violin, a ver,r

olear rteall ot the B th. from the 1n1t1al move-
ment. This end la tmportan t enough to be
considered as a e$Par&te section.
3· Presto f' 1n .9. ( Rel. ) • • • • • • • • • • • • Type J.tM.
3CfiERZOa 'fh. A developed on 1teelt.
Trio in ,g, taetet- and rather similar to the 5ohgrso
trom the Ninth SJ1DPhOftYt with entr1ea an , on
Uftequal number ot measureah va17!ng the rhythms.
~ •!i.! of the Scherzo.
'.l'i'1o repeated.
Ji jaao, textual, ot the ~~ht~ao, with an addition ot a
~ torm1ng a oonneol1on With the F!nale. It
iliOU'ld be obeel"\f'ed that all these repetitions were
wr1 tten in ...,ex.t...,e....n-.e....
o bf the composer.
4. Allemttp !.2!1 ;tmr1e.~.1~,1 .f 1n !b· • • • • • Type LV.
Theme in Eb.
Var.
Var. ,L_ IT, and li
e1m.plf deoorat1v. e.
E!f pJICCMed · by a reduction of the theme to ita
· •~odic !!!heae.
Var. !t Ki:rmoiiio.
Var. !.b containing a modulation into Pbt which tends
- aJ.read1 towal'd ampl1t1oat1on, and-wh1oh leads to
an agogt.o Co$\!.

Eleventh gual'tet, .2e.• 22.• -- 11

A sel'ious Q.ua:rtet
dedicated to !!!!. ..tr...,t.....e.n.-4 N1oolae Zmeakal von Domanovetz" 1
Beethoven h1mselt, who was not lavish with this term, has told
us.
·- Composed in 1810, ended 1n Ootober.
-- Published 1n 1Sl61 b7 Steiner and Oo., 1n Vienna.
- In :tour movements ( s. LL. frlM. M. ) a

1. fU.lem oon bno o, in !· . . • • . . . . . . . Type a.

EXP. Th. A, 1n two tragmente, tile t1rat ot wh1oh1 a •,
is torm!d of the three ~pnA~o~ot, motives ot die
movemen~t
 408

a' 1 '.Putt1
a.l !. T~o~ttt -- ---- . --

j .tdc; ~~·!
:::=rt ~
J Y 1 ;p
___. .
at Viol. I
2
~.V~.ot.- ---

,~-·!HQ

--- the second a•, more melodic, will reappear, soaroely

modified, 1n the tlrst element or the B th.J
a"
Viol. I

--- Bridge ot three measures only, by the initial cell.

--- Th. a. beginning am tfie sk1p of an octave ot the
second cell a• and divided into three elementa b', b 1 1
~~ • • i.he?rr'it b', taken from the a" design, 1a-1n 15b
tRei. ot the s.=D.); it is sustained by a triplet -
design which enters 1n the violas and must always
remain in secondary role in the performance; the
second b" consists of a very short intervention ot the
initial-a• cell, the violent character ot which
contrasts with the gentleness of the~· th.; the last
b 11 , repeated twice, clearly comes from the third oell
ot !.'. -- One proves here how tar this J:!enet'rat!on' of'
the \hemts, ot wh1oh we have already seen tne l'Irst-
in'emptis, oan go.
DEV. very short, by the 1n1t1al oell a • and the skip of the
octave (ascending an! !eacenalng)-of the ...........................
second cell a• • __
 409
RECAP. Th. A, reduced to its 1!1f~i§l ~ _g,•, without a
brid~e.
----- Th. , beginning by its ch&rs.cteri5tic skip of an
octave with all the ~· period in Q , preceding the
true re-entry in ! of' this same £' period End of
the other two b" and b'"·
----- Ending Dev. by-the elements of the A th. results
from the persistent repetitions, on the viola, of
the cell in eighth notes on the T, ~ sort of
inside R,!!da,J: wlth a very curious effect.

This first movement marks a stage in the Beethovian

conception of the Quartet: not only is there the .2enetration
21 !h! themes, but they are treated as true characters enter-
ing into a struggle a.nd expressing opposed sentiments. It is
a.lready the grama that transpires under the symphonic plOtJ
nevertheless, contrary to what will soon be seen too often,
particul3rly in the romantic or modern Symphonic Poem, this
symphonic plot remains here strong and logical. ~ven the most
violent passions expressed will never introduce an element of
disorder in the construction.

2. Allegretto m! nog trOPQ2 ~~ in ~ • • • • • •• Type LL.

~-measure Introduction, designed to fi.x the tonality,
very distant in appearance, since it is related to
the key of the Finale, E, rather than to that of the
preceding movement.
I. Th. A: song pe~iod (~, £, !), the last element of
which presents interruptions before returnLJg to the
T.
II. Th. B, arranged in Fugal Ex~osition, very nearly con-
forms to the rules, s. thing rather rr·re in Beethoven's
~orks. .
III. Dev. treating the Introduction ftrst, then the B th.,
alwpys fugal, but in a modulating form.
IV. Th. A re-stated without notable modification.
V. B. th., always fugal, but now on the T. ana completed
at first by the end of the A th., then by the
Introduct-ion which serves as e. tr;.;nsition to connect
it with the bcherzo which follows.
 410

;. AlleU,2 assai v1vaoe, !!. ser1oao f in ,! •• Type MM.

SCHERZO: Th. of uniform rhythm, developing on itself.
Trio I, 1n the distant key of Gb, homophonic of F#,
related to D, tonality of the preceding movement:
the trio period is repeated 1n D and leans toward b
tor ~re-entry. - -
SCHERZO; Th. of the beginning, without repetitions, but
brought about by different mod.uls.tions from those of
the first exposition.
Trio II: same design as the first trio, immediately
~ransposed into D, then inio 0, ~into o (D. of the
principal key.).- - -
SCHERZO: summarized by its essential elements and oon...
ol uding in !•

The developed form of the ~arse Scherzo (MM) is seen

here organized with its special physiognomyt simple£! capo,
indicated the first time (Op. 59), then written over again as
a whole (Op.
----
74), it now possesses two trios, already different
through their tonalities as they will be later on through
their themes themselves.

4. Larghet,tC! f in ! and .Allee:retto ag1 ta to §• in ! and !.·

Type RS.
Slow Introduction, in the style o:f Sonata Op. gl,
without any relation to what :follows.
REF. 1: Th. A, stated twice.
xoupl. 1: Th. B, very short, in ~~ accompanied by
tremolos.
REP. ~~ sietoh of the A th., becoming transformed by
dev.
CouP!. 2: simple transition, modulating to the s.-D.
ft'-F: 3: Th. A in the s.-D. in b b, concluding in f.
Coupl 3a B th. on the D. or t7 -
RE?: 4: Th. A, abridged and fOllowed with a transition
lassa&e• a sort of ~ndin' dev. leading to a eo!a ~.
n Z, without any sort o l'iiferest or usefulness.

The unstable construction of this Rondo seems to bear

 411

the mark of a quest to r~novate 1.ts forma but 1 t cannot be

said that the result of this effort is very satisfactory •••
unless one wishes to see in this an example ot "what should
not be done."

Twelfth O,uartet, .Qe.. 121. -- Dedicated to Prince

Nicolas Galitzin.
-- Composed between ig22 and 1S24.
-- Publ1shea. in 1g26, by the son ot B. Schott, at Ma:yenoe.
-- In four movements (s. LV. M. a.). With this Quartet,
the last series of Beethoven's works, which corresponds with
the end of his third manner and of his lite, begins. Period
of "reflection", if there ever was one, and of such profound
and abstract reflection sometimes, that one would not dare to
say that all its mysteries have been fathomed.

1. Maestoso t' and Allesr2 ~ in !?· • • • . • • • Type s.

Slow INTRODUCTION, which serves 1n some ways as a
resslator of th& tonalities forming the bases of
ftie piecet stated in Eb in·the beginning, l'e will
reappear in G at the ~eginning or the dev. and 1n
-
0 in the middle, in order to mark a pam.
EXP. Th. A, in the violin then in the viola, on a
oharaoterietie rh7thm ot thNe guarter notes (a),
which will circulate througKout the entire move-
ment:
a 1st violin
l]J;t u:.l , ·.· ' r , .

if'i r Fr I ~ EFI Q ~ ¥
--- Melod1o bridge ot several measures.
 412

...... Th. B 1 very short, ended by the !. rhythm in S.•

Slow IN'TROmJOTION 1n ,g.. snnouno!ng the dev.
T>F.V. thr'ough 1!1 oomb1 ned w1 th the B th., 1n S. then 1n !_b
and ln
-
r.
Slow !r{'!'RODtiOTION 1n ~ abr-idged I'J'ld 1M.rit1ng the last ste ge
otth~ Af.I•• wb1c1l 1s completed b:y a simple modulating
m;s~&e.• moving towal'd the principal. key.
llli!CAr. noJIIDlal.
--- F,nd1ni dev. proceeding b7 the progreae1ve e11m1nat1on
of l5i eleaente Of the A th. which eeeme to tlie
gradually away.
2, A§ttetl~ !!,. !!!!!. ~l"fli!J20
!. mol to C!lnt&b1le v~ 1n ~b .. Type LV •
Theme in binary d1 ne1on, analogous by 1ta form and
expression to that of the Andante Cantabile of the
'l'r1o; ot.>. 97 (see above, p. 327 i. _..1
Var. I, II, III, IV, and v, nnalysea pPevloual;r ne the
most rePTeaentat!ve, perhaps. ot the Beethov1an
genius.
3. Schersando vtvaoe f
1n !b· • . • • • • • , • . • Type M,
SCHtRZOr 'l'h, A developed on 1taelt1 _ with repetitions, !n
a rh:rthm rether analogous to 1m.at ot the llaroh in
Op. 101;2 two interruptions, in duple meter, seem to
have a d~U~at1o 1ntent1on, 111 thout any known explana.
·t1on.
Tr-io, in Eb, the atyle of which ~lle tba t ot the Presto
in tne· N!ntb Symphon:rj one notes here, in tlle seoon'!'
period, a desten in tne t1ret violin which olearl:r
reproduces the e. rhythm ot the first movement, A
long fie~l on t1\e D. leads to the A th.
r •~· al'!'Qnged d1tfe.Nn'tl7t wl th the entries.
SCJ''Tr>J1Z0t
sometimes in th~by three, sometimes tour by~
measuNs ( a.a !'rl 'I NintH "'!ymphonth tbl; '!mmr!Hor
1nteJTUpt1one Ne.ppear, then a reminder o: the tno
nnd the Co4A.
-
1 See Book II, l'art I, p. ?69. , and toll owing.
-

2
see Boolt I!, PaM I, p, 577.
 413

4. Finale ~~ in ~' without any tempo mark • • • • Type s.

EXP. Th. A tormed of two distinct elements,· the tirst
a' stating the cell under t\•o different rhythmic
aspects:
same cell arpegg1ated

--- the second element

important: -tt", more melodic, is much less

a"

---
--- Bridge, by the & ' cell arpegg1a ted.
Th. s, formed oY a single design, somewhat
-
Mendelssohnian, and sustained by the a• rhythm.
which can be·d1v1ded into tour seot1cns:
--
DF.V.
the first begins on the la~group of quarter notes
of the B th. and seems to modulate to the D. of c.
--- the second, through the initial A cell in !b1 ooUld
be 1nterptteted as a Rondo ttetra1n: but this
equivocation ceases through the Immediate inflection
ot the th. toward the relative minor o.
the third is a combination of tfie a tn. with the
a oell in its arpegg1ated form.
lhe fourth begins by an entrance of the violoncello
solo of the a• th. in the key of the s.-D. and
could pass aTso for a fragmentary transposed
retrain: it is rather, in our opinion, a false
re-entry preparing the true.
:RECAP. through the arpegg1ated f'o:rm of the a cell.
without its initial affirmation and wilhout a
brid~e, in order to shorten it.
--- !S., in the s.-D. rather than the T., interrupt-
ing itself brusquely in order to bring about the
0 tonality.
--- Ind. dev. which a$sumee here a capital importance:
-
~1e-a-va~1at1on of the a 1 cell in 6 rhythm:
~
 415

- '41 ted by· Al'tarta, in Vienna, between the month or

November, 1g26 and t~y 71 1g271 the date or pub11oat1on, about
a1x weeks attett the death ot the oom.poae:r.

-
-In alx movements (s. M. LS. M.
. .
L. s.)s the presence of
two elow movements (Ls. and L.) and ot two moderate movements
OH clearly marita the tendency toward the ancient a.tt.rangement
ot the Std.te, totally abandoned, on the oontl'al'71 1n the
sonatas.

1. ~dasto !!!. !!.!!. t~o ~· and Alle§ro c,

1
tn !b • 'rJ"Pe s.
Introduotlon, alternately slow and taet. oonte1n1ng all
the euuumttal elements ~t the 1n1t1al movemen'tt, in
two d1at1not Rhe•e!b ! an~. !•
~~e,:t1nJI ehrase z., to ~'~ned of two elements .lt and
··-·· .

r E' Jj , i3
--~lll"-"--- -. -. - ~- -
--- 1n1t1al element x• immediately becomes the
RP1no1l}al oellt -

1 In regard to the oho1oe ot thla tonalttr ot Bb, w. de Lenz

imagines that this key •tn Beethoven's op1n1oii', oonve:red the
traits ot h1a ldle fancy the most ta1thtullY 1 t then he o1tee
e1x part1oula%-ly r~marbble worke in this same keya the FouJ'th
s~ (Op. 60), the Sixth Quartet (Op. lg), the TM.o l'or ?II'

~Er ~d.Uke Rudolph (Op:-lrr)~' Vie 'two Sonat-.s tor pta.no

(Op. 2.2. and 106)t antl. rlnaiiy the eurpr!a!ng ~h1Ft!J9th
'lua!'tet ( Op. 1301.
 416

-· the xu element, on the contrary, does not reappear

except as the eecond idea ot the Alle!£2•
O?mJ?le:entarz E~~se L also formed of .!!2 elements z.• and
Z. I
Viola , yH
7
Viola.. !j---------
' .

~~h~O~!!I1
11'. •.; ,#,/

-- z' element has always appeared to ua to formulate a

Kind ot interroS!t1on, the answer to which would be
oonta1ne! !n ~he a mdtit ot tie Xlle,ro, which 1B
sketched in the Iiitroduotion 1mmea!a e1y atterwards

).;. r r . tt 1 r·p
--- the
Alle~.
z" element, will become the br1dse design or the
--- a recal of the sen era t1n,S phrase, by the violoncello,
ends this Introduction.
EXP. Th. A, very short, formed almost exclusively of the
two mea.ures above (a), repeated on various degrees
and accompanied by a-passase ~. sixteenth notes as in
the Introduction.
--- Bri~e, formed ot the
Gb.
z•
design, and modulating toward

--- ~. th.· formed or a period (b) in Gb, stated tragmen-

taril71 and accompanied by 1'he 1?,!S&age in aixteen,th
notes coming from the A th.: the esaentlil mbtir ol

1 For ohang1nga 1n the tonality,. 1 t should be noted that, in the

last period or his lite, Beethoven proceeded muoh more often by
modification of the key signature; but these mod1t1oat1ona are
indicated very arbitrarily and coincide very poorly with the
actual changes: such is the case here tor the key ot Gb, whe~e
the entry precedes the six tlats written in by e1ghte&n
measures.
 417

this period is formed from the x" element stated at

the beginning of the Introduction:
b

Da oano integral, not only ot the Elrosition, but ot the

-- --efttire Introauotion, with its ~~erna!ee ot sweetness
and violence, whioh give a very pronounced dramatic
character to this entire piece.
DF.V. A sort ot resume of the Introduction, always with its
opposite tempos, lea.ds to the true dev., proceeding by
superposition of the A th. and of ~B th. under a
new aspect Which almost gives it the value of a third
-
theme (c), stated in the distant key of D:
o Violoncello
-

the rhythm of the x• oell sustains this theme, which

seems to be a simpTe harmonic emanation of it, leading
quickly to the re-entry.

rssar
RF,CAP.
ne
Th. A in the first violin, accompanied by the
in sixteenth notes, re-enforced and augmenting
e teOV ot violence.
--- Bridge, more agogic than in the initial ~·
--- Th. B, at first in Db, then in the prino!Pil key Bb,
suddenly produoingYts·contrast or sweetness wh1on
interrupts, as the first time, the more and more
aggressive violent replies of the iassage in sixteenth
notes, as if this viclenoe were go ng to triumph. Mut
the '!ntroduotion reappears, pacified and calm, in a
kind of end. dev.·wh1oh again interrupts the sudden
leaps ot-vfoienoe, until the A th. seems to submit
itself to the nuance of sweetness which is imposed on
it by ite adversary. ·
 419

dev. which returns to the initial deeign or this

same B theme to conclude.
4. £!!. danza tedesoa, Alleg£0 assai t' in .f!:• • • Type M.
SCHERZO in the traditional rhythm, formed or two
elements. the second more agog1o, with passages in
sixteenth notes: the aooente, oa.retull;y indicated,
give s very special character to the first part of
the th.
~ in the s.-D. in ~' developing the second element
ot the theme from the Scherzo, and modulating easily
into e before the re-entry, In order to efface the
effecT or the s.-D.
SCHERZO restated in a more agogio form, with a kind of
variation in the manner or a conclusion.
5~ Oavatina1 Adasio mol to ~apreasivo ~ in _!b • • • Type L.
I. ~ theme stated somewhat at length 1n three
~erent elements, a, b, o, with responses echoed
Sy tHe seoon! •lo!in7 - -
II. Dramatic element, quite aad and contrasting, 1n a
triplet rhythm which aooentua~es tl~...; 1:1fteot ot
uneasiness still more.
III. Th. summarized, in a concluaive torm, with its
reapenaee echoed: Beethoven usee thia proceas rather
frequently in the works of this period: the slow
movement of the Nlnth Symphony offers an example ot
it similar to the latter.
6. Allegpo t' in !,b • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Type s.
EXP. Th. A, having the charaeter of a Rondo retrain, and
beginning on the D. of ~·

--- Very short bridge in dialogued entr~es.

--- B th. on the D., rather poorly characterized.
b
 420

--- after an integral rJeet1t1on of the exposition, a

-
new theme, a, in A~appears:
0

DEV. beginning only after this exposition of' the 0 th.,

and consisting of a .~Dl interl\lde on the rbftbm
ot the A t:n •• follo~ a tranal!ion passage on
the br1f11e rh)"thm, and b7 two talse entries of the
A th., preparing the true re-entry.
RECAP. Th. A, re-entering in the v1olonoello, with
replies in canon.
--- Bridge, modified only by the changing or the
tonality.
--- Th. B, restated normally and a rather short tran-
e1 tion J!&Ssa~e.
--- 'l'!i. o, enter ng on the s... n. to arrive then 1n the
pr1no1pal key and conclude on the D.
·-- A kind of -nd. dev. on the A th., containing a
true suE2liiinti£i reoa!itulation of this theme,
treate~aa a retrain, .~ts an agog1o oonoluaion.

The form ot this movement, the last ot nll ot

Beethoven's works, 1s rather d1tf1oult to eatabl1ahl one feels
here the desire for balance to be established b7 means of three
themes, without doubt 1n order to renovate the olase1c oon-
struot1on, but 1 t la still nothing more than an attempt here.
In spite of ita excessive length which oaused it to ~e

suppressed, the Great Fui!•• Op. 1;;, completed this admirable

Quartet with a Finale more worthy of him.

Fourteenth 9uartet, Op. 131. •• Dedicated to Baron

Stutterheim, 1n recognition ot the fact that he had aooepted
 421

Beethoven's nephew 1n an Austrian army regiment of which hs

was the oolonel.
-- Composed at the end of 1825; ended before March 1g26.
-- Published by Schott, at Mayenoe, in 1826: according to
Schindler, the editor paid eighty ducats, which would corres-
pond to about two }lundred and forty franc.s 1n gold, for the
manueorlpt of this Quartet.

-- - In six movements (and not seven, as is indicated 1n

several ed1t1ons 1 which give a separate number to the eleven
measures serving as an Introduction to the Theme and varia-
tions forming the third movement)a aa in the preceding, this
multiplicity or the movements brings us nearer to the ancient
Suite, and the form or the first two 1s also rather foreign
to the usages in the sonata. In reality, the initial move-
ment ls a very free Fugue, and the next could be considered
strictly speaking as related to the ancient binar1 division,
although it resembles the irregular Rondo construction more.
The third movement is a Varied Song (LV), that has been
analyzed 1n 1ts plaoe; 1 the fourth 1a a moderate movement with
repetition (MM); the t1tth, a Song period (L) 1 and the Finale,
a kind ot equall7 irregular Sonata (6) movement. The choice
of tonal~t1es is none the less unstable, and cannot be
explained except by the principle of the cadences, on wh1oh
1
See the oha~ter on the Variation (Book II, Part I, p. ??O
and rollowinij.
 424

REF. ;: Th. A, in the principal key, 1n the viola• then

the violin.
Coupl. J, forming~· through the Relative and through
the a.-D.
REF. 4, entering in the s.-D. in the violoncello, then
on the T. and followed b7 a Coda through the B th.
3· Alles~ moderato C and Andante~~ troppo ~ molto
cantabile 2, 1n A: a simple Introduotion, by a Recitative, to
1f - "
the Theme followed by seven variations and by a final recap-
itulation, Whioh has been analyzed in the chapter on the
Variation, as has just beer1 said.
4. Presto fr in != in spite of its binary rhythm, this
movement 1s in the rorm of a Scherzo with a repetition of the

-
trio (MM).
SCHERZOs Th. A and Th. B on the T. The B th. 1s some-
what similar to that ot the following trio wh1oh
the tonality alone permits us to distinguish one
from the other.
~ 1, on the s.-D. in a tour-measure ~hythm.
!OHERZO repeated as a whole, exoep' tSe initial repeti-
tion.
Trio 21 repetition, exactly, ot trio I.
~RZO repeated a third time, without reQetit1on, and
followed by a new recalling of the trio! always
on the s.-n., a tact which aooantu e~t!tl ~ore the
impression of conclusion on the D. ot A, when the
A th. returns for the lasTtlme.- -
5. A,daE$10 guaei .!!!!. pooo andante f 1n sJI': ~one;: period (!,1
~~ ~) absolutely independent of the Finale, although it serves
as an Introduction to1he latter, because it concludes on its
tonic.
6. A~legro ~. in !*' this movement is the only one 1n this
entire Quartet which very nearly follows the construction of
the a type:
 426

the composer's death.

-- In t1ve movements: une first has an absolutely special
torm, as different from the Suite as from that of the Sonata;
the second is a mode~ate movement in classic form (M); the
third is a developed aon.g (LL); the fourth is a detin1 tely
binary March period; the Finale is a Rondo (RS). All the
movements have the aame tonto, minor or major, (A) 1 except the
the third, the Cnn:z:ona, written 1n the Helative of the
- s.-D.
(!) 1 but without any alternation, and alternating with 121
s.-D., in opposing mode, ot the principal key a.
-
1. Assai sostenuto ,!! Al.lem ,2, 1n !.• One oa.n aoa:roel7
analrze this movement without dividing it 1nto three
•!Positions of the two A and B themes in various tonalities,
the first two as a whole• the third shortened:
EXP. I. Th. A, formed ot two distinct elements (a• and a"),
the first of wh1eh, in halt notes ( then in ihole),-
seems to contain the key to the entire work, in Wh1oh
1t oiroulatee, sometimes striot. sometimes 1nvertedt
a 1 Vel. a• Vol.
( str1ot) (inverted)
---(~~~-,~I;~ [!!] 'CeUo(1nvert£d.)

•· , ~--cl_ff9'
= ill fill F: f 11J .§ l
a" Viol. I
 428

This dry analysis--while indispensable for becoming

acquainted with the curious construction of this admirable
movement--cannot give eny ides of the interest and the emotion
with which it is filled; its tonal order is so carefully regu-
lated that it can be considered at tt1e same time s.s o model of
balance and solidity.

2. Allegro I! non ta.ntQ. J., in A,, forming F. normal .;..·cLi.erzo:

4
SCHERZO: Th. constructed as a 2ong period (~, £, s):
the ~ fragment is in the tonality of F (Elthough
the key signature indicste..s Q.).
Trio on the same tonic and of similar construction,
with an interruption recalling the four initial
notes of the first movemet1t (!''), before the
restatement of its first fragment.
r1CHERZO, i!!i c;ano without modification.

J. Mol~o adagio C, in !. and Anda.~te J• in D, slternated,

8
formirlg a kind of Large Song (LL) in ~ sections, known
under the name of~~~ and be~ring thjs title in the com-
poser's own handwriting: Song g.!. recogqitioD offered :E.Q. God
.Ql. ! .£QE.Yalescent, 1!1 the ~zdign ~. 1
I. Th. A Adagio, in !_, a. kind of £{!ora.l§ in thin harmony,
divided into f1!g fragments of equPl length, the last
of which modulates to the D. of ~; in the opinion of the

1
What Beethoven calls here--somewhat lightly--the "Lydian mode"
is our ~ ~ f or fifth Gregorian mode, repres~nted by the
natural scale of l without alteration; but nearing the
harmonies of this Chorale, in the strictly figured ,£~ style,
is enough to prove tnat this phrase has no particular
modal character, the ~ natural here alwrys being treated as
th~ maJor third of the dominant of Q, that is to say as a
modulation to the dominznt in the
regard to this our ~z:ammar~ Kusicaj,e
purp
m!!jor mgde. f:~e with
usical rammax:J,
paragr~ph 313 (p. 249, &nd paregra?h 332 (p. 262), wliere this
cuestion of the Kodes and tneir resoective Cadences has been
~specially treated. · A.S.
 429

author, this is the song of an invalid who feels his

s'rength return. ·
II. Th. B, Andante, in D, tormed ot two very distinct
elem~nta expressing-that the invalid 'teels new energyM:
the style, at first hesitating and irregular, takes on,
at the repetition of the second element, an entirely
ditferent fullness.
III. Th. A, A¥n'ioi restating the tfve fragments from the
Ohorale'~so o by the first ilo11n, while the other
instruments !orm a kind of decorative variation of the
theme.
IV. Varied and more and more agog1o restatement of the B. th.
in ~ expressing the return to health.
v. Th. A, A~io, in a dialo'*in~variation and amplified
by the ! ve fragments o! · e orate, 1 with a very
intimate?ieling", the compoae'r ie!!s usa an admirable
page, the tonality ot which remains in spite of every-
thing in the key ot £ with the cadence on the s.-D.

4. Alla ~rgia, assai vivace 0, in A= a clearly binarz

period in March rhythm, expressing without doubt the spright-
liness of the cured invalid as a simple, somewhat crude, whim.

it, by
-
A passage in a, taken tromthe elements ot this
a kind of rapid recitative by
Ma~oh, links
the violin, to the Finale.
5. Allesro aPP!sa1on~to t' in ~' a simple Rondo, the style
ot which could be considered as the finished model tor the one
which Mendelssohn would write twenty years later, 1n a great
number of h1a compositions.
REF. lt Th. A, stated by the first violin, while the
second repeats the olivia on the D. (t-e) wh1oh
ended the recitative serving as Intro~uot1on.
Ooupl. 1: Th. A;· !n ~ne ~· linked directly to the pre-
ceding.
REF. 2: Th. A, with a reply by the viola.
~rl• 2: Dev. ot the A th., 1n F and in d •
• 3: entering through the s.-~. in the-second violin,
before reaching the princ1pal key.
 430

Oou;el. J: Th. B in the normal ker followed by a sho~

' ,na.,ins dev. bringing the retrain back again.
REF. 4; Th. A, Prf•'f• in the upper register or the
violoncello mO! fled a little, modulating to~
where a rather long oonoludinl Eeriod 1s stated,
where the theme t:.rom' tlie .-elrain Is found again
in major.

Sixteenth !!!4 last QH!rte,, 22.• ~ -- Dedloated to

Johann Woltme1er.
-- Composed 1n lS26, but ended before the Finale ot the
Thineenth.
-- Published bJ Schlesinger, in Berlin, 1n November 1827,
aner the death or 'the composer.
-- In four movemeats.having the tour olaae1cal types
(s. M. L. R.); however, the last, the famous!!!!!! ae1n?
ma1 also be considered as ot the s type.

1. Allegretto~ in r• •• • ••• • • • •••••• TJpe s.

EXP. 'l'h. A, toaed of three d1at1not elements (a • • • •,
a•• ), the tint or whioh appears to us as a ltlnd
ot J.ntenol!!!on.. preliminary to the theme 1'tselt:
@v;,~a
§3Jii t. t4

--- Bridge, rather short (replies 1n sixteenth notes).

 431

--- Th. B, barely outlined by an arpeggio formula ~:

,.~@ JQ 1 g~ r
::.:..,.....;~
- J

DEV. by the elemeDta ot the A th. 1 at r1ret a", then

a••, bringing three entrances ot the inTerrogation
i' 1n order to att1rm the modulation, used ve17
Il ttle, to the D., 1n the. o2Jcu11te ~.o~~' !I then
to thtt s.-D. Bb. Tlii i,T"'dea gn reappears an
instant 1n the principal key to modulate soon into
£!:, and t:rom there into 2.·
RECAP. 'l'h. Al the 1nterNgat1ve a• formula enters at
first in the viola; then the-a" element ia stated
as a Whole by the t1rat violin, 1n plaoe ot being
divided into repl1est finally the a'" element comes
in a more agogio varied formJ it is
followed by
two noallings of the interrogation a •.
--- Bridge, transposed without an7 notabTe modification.
--- Th. B, b.Y simple transpoa1t1cn of 1te b arpeggio.
--- En~ 4ev. by the same elements as the central
!eiiipments but the interrogation a• is made more
insistent and adds 1ta own impression of mournful
restlessness; a last recalling of the ~· design, on
the s.-D. and on the T. aei"Yes as the conclusion to
this paPt1oularly stirring movement.
2. Vivace t' ln ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Type M.
SOHERZ01 Th. A being expanded, 1n a style where we can
see a model of the one Sa1nt-Saena adopted a half
century later, 1n his Chamber Music.
Trio, brought about by a long transition, because ot its
- tonality at tlrst rather distant (G), which 1a
~pproaohed then through f:, aed1ant-ot !!!:.!. J!r1no1pal

SCHERZ~da faRo, with repetition and a COda having

seviia measures. ----
;. Lento assai,' oantante _.._
e tranguillo
- "1"6, 1n .....
Db. • • Type L.
I. Th. A, peaceful and sweet period, very melodic
because ot its eaaent1ally diatonic line, becoming
darker toward the end to prepare tor the changing
ot modality.
 4J2

II. Th. B 1n _gb(written c,#), hesitati:ll'. and mourn-

ful.
III. Th. A, restated tn the bass, aud with more ago1fc
design~ placed abov<: it, becoming s true endin~g
variation.

Here again, one must lamE-:r.t th..:.: fact that i:.:Ven if the
technical analysis does show the means utiliifed, it is power-
less to give us an idea of th1s !2.£.!. itself; these menns, it
is seen, are the simplest: a song form ;.md changing of mode
f'or the central fragment; no complication of co:; st ruction nor
.:nodulation: "almost notnlne~", one could sayt But in this
"nothing" we become conscious--tlthou~ch the composer ho.::·, not
explicitly ad;vised:"'tts of 1 t--of tne di::;appolotm~nt, of this
tor:"ment of sicknes:::, c::ontra~;t1ng witl1 a {~ompletely supern&tural
gret i tude for the regaL~ed hf~al th, as r1e has told us in the
Arioso ~ill of Sonata Op. 110, rind tne Can~ of tne pre-
•
ceding !..~uartet, Op~ 132. Here ;wd tbere, i.t is z.lwt:iys the
same poignant drama thbt unrolls before us.

4. Grave J
1 tn f &nd ~llegro in £, f. . • • .
Ty?e or S.
2
INTRODPCTION 1 a kind of mu~.ical epigraph cH· ttThematic
table of cort E:'nt s" opnosing the two CO•itrf,d tete ry
motives: l(y,ss !!.§. sein! (interrogative J20rrectua:)
and~§.~ !lli (resolvi:Jg torculus), preceding
the true introduction of this Ji':tnale, tb0 title
of whtch, "Der schwe1" fef&;sste ~tschi~", wnich
w. de Lenz translr::test. resolution t&.ken with
g,l!'ficultz", formally express s a des'cr!pt~or
 433

allegorical intenti~n.l
This Introduction asks,in various repetitions
and on different degrees, the question .Muss .!.§. sein?
EXP. Th. A, formulating the response Es Muss sein, t~ice
completed by an accessory element; which-wril
furnish the second theme also; this initial theme
can very well be considered as a refrain.
Bridge and B. th., in A, reproducing the accessory
element of the preceding th. and formint:, e. couglet.
DEV. by the A th., returning gradually into the key, as
is often the case in the restated refrain. Then the
modulating central cqu12let in 12, with a re;allingb of'
the B th. in ! 1 and a long transition, ill . ..,;,. and a-' ,
bringing back the Int reduction with its opposition
between the question ~nd the answer.
HECAP. Th. A or refrain, shortened into e. kind of stretto.
--- Bridge and B th. entering in ~ in order to return
into l and conclude, as a final QOU'Qlet of the
Rondo.
~ .£!22 of the entir:, development and recapitulation,
whtch adds still two more repetitions of the refrain
and two couolets to this interminable Rondo.
Cgda, beginning 'lfith a recalling of the principal element
of the A th., as i~ a last abridged restatement of
the tefrain, and concluding \dth this same torculus
expressing the response:~~ ~t.

Certainly, tt is not :tn this last mov=:ment that we see

the best of the immense renovation broug~t by Beethoven into
the synthetic conce:ption and tnto the realization of the Stri~

Quartets. Let us sooner compare among them the first movements

of the last Quartets and the admirable slow movements, always
so stirring: here and there, the same tendency becomes obvious.

1 several explanations have been proposed for this "resolution•;

a discussion between the composer with an editor, or with his
chart•oman? The crudeness of the theme has even made one search
to see if it did not come from some popular air in vogue at the
time. We should be tempted to believe ·it 1 if only in order to
justify this rather crude facetiousness, which certainly adds
nothing to the glory of the composer of the Ninth and the 1Jiass
in ,!2l
 434

to the attentive observert a more or less conso1ous return to

the primordial sources of all music, to the art of a Bach or
a Palestrina. Here, 1t is the Fugue, with its traditional
combinations, inversion, augmentation, etc. There, it 1s the
eternal melod~, with its magnificent Variations, which have
however neYer equalled s1noe,... it seems,.. the richness of Jean
Sebastian. Farther back still, at .the base of these Dcy'sterious
coils of the soul where the d1eoover1es of tomorrow are
elaborated, we perceive the first signs in the preoccupation
with the Modes: inverted minor made, found again by this
.:r:es_ponae. in the subdom1nant 1n Op. 131 (ll~th)J "Lydian" mode
or pretended such, in the Oansona or Op. 132 (15th); in summar,v,
the latent need to beoome liberated trom this banal nma.Jor"
and this artificial ~minor" which laboriously restricted, for
a century and a half at least, the musical horizon. We shall
soon see what part a Oesar Franok will know how to extract
from these first landing marks Whioh ap~earedr scarcely
d1aoem1ble. 1n the last flights of the Beethov~ian thought ...

7. The Quartet e1noe Beethoven.

Beethoven's personality so oompleiely dominates the
history of the s.t:rins Qcuartet form, that we have placed his
auocesaors in a single class, becauae they all followed his
errors, without having renovated 1n an appreciable manner the
geneN.l construction of wh1oh he had laid the foundations.
 435

Nevertheless, among th~~ composers two rather divergent

tendencies m&y be distinguish~d on one side--in Germany e,nd
the Scandinavian countries--after'.the Romantics; and, on the
other--in France and Belgium. ~e shall subdivide the most
representative names of t11ese two tendencies, therefore, into
two groups, or if one prefers, into two Schools.

german and Other Foreign Rom~ntics •

Franz Peter Schubert •• ~ • • • • • • • • • 1797-1828

Jakob Ludwig Felix lriendelssohn-Bartholdy. 1809-1847
Robert Alexander E. chuma.nn • • • • • • • • • 1810-1856
Joseph Joachim Raff • . . . . .. . . . .. 1822-1882
Frederic Smetana •• . . . . . . • • • • • • 1~24-1384

Johannes Brahms • • • • • . . . . . . • • •. 1833-1897

Alexandre Porphiriewitch Borodine • • • • • 1834 [ 1833)- 1887
Anton Dvorak
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . 1841-1904
Edvard Hagerup Grieg • • • • • • • • • • • • 1843-1907

Modern French
,
Cesar Auguste Franck. • • • • . . . .. . •• 1322-1890
Edouard Victor Antoine Lalo • • • • • • 1823-1892
Charles Camille Saint-Saens • • • • • • • • 1835-1921
.I

Alexis de Castillon de Saint-Victor ••••• 1838-1873

Paul Marie Theodore Vincent d'!ndy. • • • • 1851- 1931
Ernest Chausson • • ..• • • • • . . ... 1855-1899
Jean Guy Ropartz •• • • • • • • • • • • • •• 1864-
 436

Guillaume Lekeu • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1~70-1894

Claude Achille .l..iebussy. • • • • • • • • • • • • • :.86.2-1918

Franz SCHUBERTl composed E-ight* Etrirl! Quartets, wllere

tl'H: undeniable chsrm of the ldees is b.lmo~;t al.?u:y.s .h'nd.ered
by an ignorance o~ or ~ false contempt for the ~r!nciples of
construction.

Felix MENDELSSOHN,
2
on the contrary, in the~~
~uertets that he left us, gave proof of <.:tn eleg~mce in writing
f:nd a methodical order i ·~ the developments wh1 ch heve no er.;lH:.l
except in the b~Dality of the themes.

Rober~ SCHUM.ANN,3 composed only 1~ Strlnt c;.ur1rtets,

full o"'. charming pages and full of emotion, they may still be
heard with pleasure, in spite of their length and the d1stres~­

tng awkwardness which appear in many place::, part 1 eel a Ply in

the developments.

Joachim R.AFF, 4 did not overlos.d his enormou~; cmtput

~dth too many Qua.rtets: there are only ~ight, \'h1ch ;;t:itn£or
add anything to nor subtract fr(>m his ordint:.ry med1ocr1.ty.

lsee Book II, ?art I, p. 647.

2"'""e e Book II, Part I, p. 653.
3,, p Book II, Part
'· e- I, p. 662.
4t', ee book II, Part I, p. 668.

*
ft11e aboU14 be aneta qur..., ••
 43'7

<
Frederic SMETANA, Czech composerwhose Trio with
piano we have mentioned above (p,. 332), wrote ~ String
Qua.rtets, * estimable particularly by their rhythmic animation
and their eminently •nationalN popular allure.

Johannes BR.AHMs1 lett three Quartets (Op. 51, Nos. 1

and 2) in .2. and !I the third (Op. 67) in _!!b written with the
conscientious carefUlness which characterizes this composer,
but also with this heaviness and this verboseness which often
disfigures his best works.

Alexandre BORODIN, whose very short career we have

mentioned above (p.268 ), also tried, and with success, to
write Chamber Music, and especially in the String Quartet type•
1he three works in this form which he lett attest to the rare
qualities of the composer, without bringing, however, any
great novelty in relation to those who had gone before.

Anton DVORAK, whose Concerti we have mentioned above

( p. 163 ) , composed, aside trom the Chamber Music mentioned
prev1ous11 (p. 333 ), t1ve** String Quartets in this style,
inspired from popular Ozeoh or Bohemian themes, which charac-
terize his music as well as that of Smetana.

1
See Book II, Part I, p. 670.

*This should be three string quartets.

**Dvorak wrote thirteef!. string quartets.

 438

Edward GRIEG, 1 the most recent among the composers

representative of this tendency that could be called "post-
romantiott, is not, however, the most •modern" nor above all
the most interesting. We have spoken of his five Sonatas tar
various instruments in their place and shown, by a oonoise
analysis of the violoncello Sonata, Op. 3g, what a peculiar
idea of composition this musician, endowed nevertheless with
suoh oharming qualities, seemed to have had. His unique
String Quartet, in ~· Op. 27, proceeds unfortunately with the
same errors, and would oontirm, if there were need for it,
what we have had the occasion to state many times in regard
to the too numerous victims of the Leipzig teaching. This
school, eo utterly oblivious of the traditions lett by the
ancient -
Saint Thoua School of ·t;he l:::mr.ortal Johann Sebastian
- - ..::...;;..;~- ,;;;...;;;..;o;..;...;;;.,;;;.

Bach, seems to have as 1ts obJective the J,uxta;Eosit1on and the

transposition of the musical thematic elements, much more than
their true oompositio~. It these motives, enclosed in the
little Mcasee" placed beside one another, Juxta2osed without
any connection among themselves, if these entire pages of
music, reproduced in another key, textually transp~ are
encountered again, sometimes in the classic works and more
orten in those of the Romantics, it is never anything but
ignorance or mere oversight on the part ot the latter: but it
becomes a visibly encouraged process, 1.f not a true system, in

See Book II, Part I, pp. 675 and following.

 439

the Leipzig pttOducts, of which the Norwegian Grieg, so

deplorably denationalized by his German ed.uoat1on, is the
most finished type.
The frame of the Grieg Quartet 1s that of the ~

traditional movementst the first and last are, as the a type,

on two themes with a central part representing the develop-
ment. The slow movement is a large Song (LL) divided into
!!!! .sections, of which the three Odd (I, III, V) have the
same theme, and the other two (II and IV) in quick tempo.
The moderate movement which follows, called Intermezzo, is

-
ot the normal (M) type, being a Scherzo with trio. By its
simple form and its dance characteristics, this movement is
much the best, particularly in its ~·

A slow Introduction obviously bears witness to the

?lcl1c intention ot the composer: one will find it again !a
aUS!entation at the end of the part which serves as a develop-
ment, then at the end of the first movement: 1t will form
then the theme for the Intermezzo, to reappear, a last time,
before and atter the Finale. But these various repetitions
remain completely foreign, musically, to that which surrounds
them: they do not penetrate into the work itself at all.
The first idea of the initial movement oonsiata, as ,
in the violoncello Sonata, ot a several note motive (three f fo
and one quarter note) repeated to the saturation point by the
instruments, as it 1t were alreadY being treated as in a
 440

development, before it has been clearly stated· A conclusive

cadence separates this idea from the second, in which an
attempt to use the Introduction--soon abe.ndoned to fall
agc.in into uninteresting repetitions--should be pointed out.
The centrBl part shows still more, the author•s, as probably
his terlcher' s, fundamenta.l lack of understE~nding of develop-
ments and their nature. A first fragment, founded on the

rhythm of the first idea, simply transposes it into .!;!.b; a

second takes up &g,.:: in for more than twenty measures the pre-
ceding fragment, but a half step higher, in .tJt; e.;. little
transitory pa.ssage of eight meas 1Jre~; serves as the third
fragment; then another ?eriod, with its inevitable repetition.
Let us now take a glance at the Finele; exactly the same means
will reappear in the seme order: rhythm of the first idea,
transposition a half step higher--lasting here for thrity
measures--transitory passage and repeated period, etc.:
nothing is 'l.acking here, except the true development. With
regard to the ideas, the least that can be:.said is that they
are particularly U!iZ~tltd.\&ble for the most part to be tret::ted
in a quartet; more the.n this, the entire v.ork was obviously
conceived for a sort of reduced small orcuestra, up to and
including the unstable use of the tremolo.
The charming musician of the Borwegien Dt:.nces and
feer ~ would have been able to derive more benefit from
his ne.tural gifts if he had been directed toward true musical
composition. Was he ever aware ~hat Cesar Franck's Trio in
-
 441

1
Cesar FRANOK lett 9n~z ~ String Quartet, in ~

t1n1ehed in 1890, several months before the death of the

composer. Thus 1111 th 'the Quintet {lfJSO) and the three Trios
(la41), he oontza1buted to the repertoire of Ohamber tius1o,
accompanied o.r not, three of his works, ot wh1oh the first,
the Trios, and the last, the r.;uartet 1 a~ in some wa:y the
al~ and ~~,B! of his musl01 the three Trios are 1n reality
his t1ret known work, and the Quartet w1th the Three organ
Chorales, the last pr&J4U" ot a (Jying Ohriat1an, which were
written during the aame periOd, 2 can be considered as the last.
Thus we eee again the predilection ot the maater tor these
forma that oan be oalled the "qu1nteeaenoe• ot musical art, and
tor this reason, the moat suitable to his genius, onpable of
aonoe1v1ng and rea11z1ng the most aUdAcious combinations of
teohnioe.l oonst:ruot1on, .S.thout the profound emotion and
poignant exp:reaslon wh1oh 1s 1n them receiving the least
de.rlagea victorious response to eo many pretended "renovations"
1n art, which anarchic ignorance undex-takes per1od1oally-, in
1see Book II, Part I, p. 680 and follow1~.
2
See Book II, Part I, P• ??9 and following, the analymia ot
these Three Chorales, which were published after Franck's death,
as well as the little pleoes tor ha~uonlum, composed ver.r muon
earlier, tor the moat pe.rt. The autographed manuscript of the
Quartet, which we have betore us, beaN ln the comuoaer•e hand-
writins the following dateat First Moveme~october 29, lSS9i•
aoherzo, November 9, 1SS9 J La~ N5tel r 2S, 1sg9; F1na !I
3anuaJ7 1890. As tor the l.Yr 0 asele, which goee 'biat
to the same period, 1t vae never f1n1 ~. A. a.
 443

atter the exposition of the A~le&rp and at the end of the

entire piece, is a true slow movement, completely autonomous,
- c

- -
with its two cyclic motives (v and x) clearly distinct from
the two themes (A and B) of the Alle1ro: these motives are
stated at first on the tonic and on the dominant; at the end,
they will both be on the tonic; and the plgato from the middle
will be the peculiar development of the ~~L~e_n_to., also
d1st1not from the one in the Alleiro, in such a way that the
elements belonging to each of the two movements keep their
own physiognomy and combine among themselves, as the two
initials of a monogram, without ever becoming confus3d. The
composer himself having giYen the explanation tor this sur-
prising construction, no one can pretend that it was the
effect of an accident.
The initial
entire edifice:
~otiYe
- -
ot the Poco Lento (v) sustains the

v-- - - - - -- - - - -
ttt~l! J J
J.._.,I J r F rIu lj J
'
}
.1-

Well 'rem2ered Clavier,

-
1ts similarity to tr·: subJect of Fugue XXII, in bb• from the
.. shews us once more1 the latent

lone has noted without dout{' the analogy or construction, and

even ot the motives, Wh1eh exista between the Toooata 1n e
cited on p. 84 ot the First Part of this Book, an~ tne-vrilude,
Chorale ~ Fuee tor piano by Franck. ·· "
 444

affinity existing between the thought of the master from

Eisenach and that of the master trom Saint Clot1lde.

-
The second motive (x) from this same movement,
treated as a true .;;...;..;;;...;.,;,.;;--
second idea appearing on the dominant in
the initial exposition and on the tonic in the recapitu1at1on.
experiences only a more depleted role: it will only penetrate
into the development of the Allegro, 1n order to link it
thematically to the Poco Lentoz

The initial exposition ot the slow movement is double,

in order to establish definitely the themes: at the second
time, the two motives (~and 5) are on the tonio; the last

-
notes ot the x motive serve as the conclusion for the entire
movement and at the same time, as the 1 head" of the A theme of
the A,llesro•
A End Of
the Lento
~· (e:nd ..! tl.e Lant. t
9 £0 ,I i I J~j g
This A~l~sro is in 1: attar three different restate-
ments of the A theme, forming a orescendot the br1~ is
established rather lengthily by its suooessive modulations to
 445

a new motive (t) destined to have a very important role 1n

the courae ot the workt

-----------

During the br-1,dSe (P) modulations, one sees a trans-

formation of the 3. motive appear, ooming trom the ~ Lento
and penetrating for the f1ttet time into the Al1;8SJ"9• 1n order
to participate then in its development:

j
--

~ (@-t~'t_r_r--,! r
w

Aooording to the olass1o custom, the B theme 1s in

the relative major !J and. its 1n1t1al design recalls that of
the corresponding theme in the violin Sonata:

This rather short th.Ame l.s, however, formed of three

elements, the last of which ie none other than the A theme,
as in many ot the Beethov1an Sonatas, in order to mark clearly
the end of the exposition ot the Allesro, oompletel7 eym.
metrical with that of the f.29.2. . . ,Le,.:; .,o.....
,n t...,o, with the same subet1tu-
t1on ot the mode. The sudden entry into the key ot F marks
-
 446

the return of the slow movement, proceeding to its own

develoDment by a complete FuSHe exposition, with tour entries,
the subJeo~ of which is the ~ theme itself~ ~ short diver-
tissement. then an entry in the subdomina.nt and another in the
relative of the latter completes this first development, that
a transition passage leads, by accelerating gradually, to the
second development. It is the one trorn the Al~esto, recog-
nizable upon the return of the A theme in ~· then 1n E,.b,
combined with the z theme coming from the bridie; ~e second
element of this development treats this same z theme alone,
1he third affirms the liaison anticipated between the Poco
Lento and the {\,lle!!.o, by means ot the P motive or ,as; And the
last is simply an abridged l'ecalling of the B theme, placed

latter,
-
on the dominant A in order to lead to the recapitulation.
in order to form e. balance with the initial exposition,
The

will at first complete the Alleii!• in suah a way that the

restatement of the !.2.2.2 .,.L,.; ;,e...n.-to-. which will follow 1t, placed s.s
an ending development, will bring about the conclusion ot the
entire ensemble. To the A theme, reproduced almost textually,
succeeds the briaEe, transposed to the key of !f in order to
approach again the tonality of the slow movement, ~; and the
B theme, transposed into ~ wil~ accent again this approaching,
while anticipating the key chosen for the slow raovement
(Larghetto) wh1oh will come after the Scherzo. But this entry
in a distant key is soon wiped out in order to re-establish
the rest of the ll theme in the p1•incipul key i!t in ox·der 'to
mark well the correct end.i ng of tho illtiiDh Ther!, in a far
&VID:9' aaui••Wt the I:UWM®:ii ()f tl'.\e i.ala .,_JdUb 'ttba.t 1e
to ea.y the prinoipa.l t1~e z, &:ppea.ra, foUow4ild by i t.a ool'.lple-
ment •• both on the tonic l'J&tur&l1.1·- and t.!lia ti~ restate•
ment is ended exact~ the sam~ as the iPiti&l e~oaition.

Thus, in spite of ita c~lexity of conatruction auo. the dives--

a1ty of its thematic elem~.a.t~ ti.J.\) w.tt..rolJ. fJf this t:1·ua ••a.ou.ble
movement" ramaimJ extremely clea.J: an'.i can be easily 1'ollowed.
a.t the a.udilion. Aga.i.n there a.re ~l:Pl:ll predomina.tin~ tonal1•
ties. which we haifa ~led "i.Rllif+l }il\liUI"t fvrm:lng an &XlHlSaiO
among tJ'_ei:r touica, according to t.he Beei.r.AoV"iall principlcu ~

(a3 ~ and •'agz) consti tu Gin& the Jlji}a,a; ~Pa~Q to tile two
movements, whicb. differ only i.n II.Ode; ): (ifil~ at the e.ii;i)oei-
tion of tho l3 thewe, gigor 1n tu.e developaetrtla and -. gajqr 1
ser'V'i.Jl& as the Junction betwcu~n a a~ngr and ~ mt;!t~9i• a.s the

lUB'D1iUI aisaiUDt to the two aodea.

A IQl.uaraQ of the area.teat aimplici t7 (type ~} euoeeed.a
thia imposing edifice. lt.e two thiiJIVil.tio element.s, one YctJ:¥

qogic (a) • the ot.lAer m.ox·e expressive \.'a) • are stated in thG
nol.IJ.'la.l order (a.~ 1 A}. The fix·.at is cut wi t.h i'J:.;}qttent .ret~te 1
one would dare perhaps to S<:i.Yt too fJ:equent, becaUfU') the re-
statement, in which they have been o;;;;.itted; , l·Oaes none ot
ita interest by elirninating th15 jerky a.td. llesitating a.a~ect

of the beeinr:tingt
 448

----~·· ------~·--

,~~ J J,ilj I ~
The repetition of the ~ design, completely different and
without interruptions, i.s followed by a £~ 1 the last notes
of which "suggest" in some way those of the beginning of the
i!i£ 1 by the same means utilized in the initial movement to

pass from the end of the fQ£2 t~nto to the Allegro. This
!!:iQ., which returns to the key of }2 1 contains a. discreet
recalling of the general theme (y)by the violoncello, in
order to :!.nd,icete defin:ttely th&t its role is not ended; then
the Scherzo is restated in f!_ with a different arrangement,
wt thout interruptions, and £:. reminder of the Trio, in f!l, ends
the movement •
"! want to find a beautiful period,"'~· said Franck., when
he hunted for the theme of the 4arghetto Ythich marks the
culminating point of the entire Quartet; and nearly two months
passed before he was able to accomplish his purpose with this
admirable model of the song Eeriod, in three phrases, which forms
the first of the five sections of this Larghetto (LL), in order
to reappear condensed, in the third section, and fade away in the
 449

treble with the new elements in the last:

ij§J ( J_)
Between these three appearances ot the principal character,
the aeoond section, whioh seems at first not to be anything
but a complement ot the first. is trt-nstormed into e. true
theme, modulating toward the sombre , me,-. in order to set ott
by simplG ohangings of the mode, the return of the principal
theme, in the third section. The fourth section, on the
contrary, states an entirely new theme, the later nppearanae
ot whioh will be explained When it reapoears, as a corollary
or the principal theme, subst1 tuted for its midd.le period at
the beginning, at the time of its ending statement in the
fifth section. Then, 1n order to ~nd the synthesis ot the
various elements, it is the beginning of the second section,

-
transformed into a Ooda, which will turn1sh the conolus1on of
this movement, as simple in its construction as it is stirring
and expressive, because ot this s1mpl1e1ty itself.
The Finale, where all the thematic characters of the
work are found again, to which a special theme (~) has just
been added, otrers on the contrary, a rather complex a.:rohi-
teoture; but the general bases of the Sonata type remain
clearly recognizable here. A recap1tulat1ve Introduction
again places us in the presence ot the various conductor
motives of the entire composition.
 450

-
It is at first the new theme (z), so directlr
emanated from the one in the Finale of the Prelude, Aria and
Finale, three rears earlier:
--
Tutti Tutti z _______________________ _
4•a -z $.G;J J1ulijJ- u.u: . . ;J:; 1u-J.hr r112J Ji 1J
t- -;.,

The frequent periodical returns ot this theme could cause it

to be considered as a sort of retrain, through which the form
of this movement would be related to that of the Rondo (RS);
but this analogy is above all rbfthm1o, because the eminentlr
variable tonalities of these reappearances of the z theme,
always "moving" toward something, give it an entirely differ-
-
ent role. Its three first "calls" in the Introduction will
frame the successive recollections, at first in the period
from the Lar5P-etto in 2,. then 1n the one from the Scherzo in
!1; finally, atter the third call, it is the seneral theme
(~) which seems to respond here, at first calmly and slowly,
then in the AlleEo molto movement of the Finale, as the first
~ (A), by two entrances forming the subject of the F)ls!le in
the viola (tonic) and the response by the second violin
( dom1nan t) •
The ~ theme soon returns, always moving, occupying
here the entire first part of a rather long bri~e, the rest
of which is a modulating return of the oycl1o z theme gradually
gaining the key of the dominant, where it constitutes, in
 452

-
is not long betore the •terrible" z theme takes up its
aggressive and always "moving" torm again, 1n order to furnish
the second element of the development, combining it with the
~· period, which modulates and gradually disappears, while one
becomes conscious of the principal I theme, under the form
which it took as the first idea A of the Finale, returning
from the very distant tonal! ties (!,b and !!,b, maJora and minors) •
1his is the third element ot the development; a fourth t!'eata
the z theme, Just as it was utilized as the first .!!' period ot
the second idea, in long values~ finally, the fifth and last

-
element of the development containa the v theme, equally in
long values, then a sort of recitative by the first v1ol1n on
the same theme, returning to the aspect and tempo of the first
~A in order to anticipate the recapitulation. The latter
is sketched only by the viola, as in the beginning; but in
place of the exact response by the second violin, the latter
oodulates immediately into 9.* ( wr1 tten :!,_b) without replying
in the dominant. The pr1die is immediately displaced, in ~,

and leads, through new modulations, to the second .!&!!!, (B) in

g_, the central period of which ~" alone, has remained maJor.
The endins develoEment contains, as the Introduction, a true
general recapitulation ot the themesa . it is first the z theme, -
in ita milder and longer form; then the Scherzo, out with
· oalls which recall singularly the Quintet and its z theme,
which we have cited (p.200 ); then a combination of the
Scherzo with the gene~~ theme (~) in s; finally a sudden
bursting of the Lareffie.tto theme dominates this entire magni...
tioent peroration, analogous 1n this to that of the Symphony
in~ (aee p..,l66 ). A long dominant call causes the ..! theme
to reappear returning gradually to the tonic, 1n order to formI

the simplest of cadences, which completes a unison of the four

to the Finale.
-
instruments on the z theme, the only one which belongs atrictly
.

As dry as this true "dissection", which we have Just

helped the reader to make, appears to be, one need not believe
that this intellectual sat1staotion is the leaet bit 1n opposi-
tion with the inexpressible emotion that each listener endowed
with any artistic sense derives from the contemplation of this
pure masterpiece,
1
Eduard LAL0 composed an early String Quartet written
at the age of thirty-six years, and published in 1g59 as Op.
14. A new version, entirely rewritten nearly thirty years
later, in 1ggg, Op. 45, is 1n real1 ty not another Quartet, but
the same one, composed over again, in tull maturity.
2
Oam1ll6 SAINT-SAENS
-
lett one String Quartet, in e,
Op. 112 (lS99), the solid olase1o construction ot which
-
deserves to engage our attent1vns a single theme constitutes
l
See above, P·l66, and also the Third Book ot this woztk.
2
See Book II, Part I, p. 427.
 455

1n !1 at firat. then 1n s, and is combined w1 th the geners.l

oyolio theme. A recalling of the second !a!!, in the ve17
remote key ot
development.
-AFfreturn otthetherourth
to~a andlast element of this
Int:roduo,tion sl:reaey marks the
.!:,!-,enta ot the general theme in !1 · then of the second in !t
followed by a th1:rd and by a coda taken trom the br1a&,!
desisnJ but the true tir•t idea bas been omitted; 1t no
longer exists except as the trao~, in Concerto style, embel-
liShing now the general theme, and serving as the oonolusion.
This movement is tar trom equaling the beautiful arrangement
ot the tirst movement of the Franck Quartet, but it ofte~s

nevertheless a very interesting specimen ot a composition with

three themes.
In the Scherzo, 1n 2 1 which also oomes as the second
"Jt:
movement, the composer has given a muoh more personal marks
it is a kind ot oomb~nation with the Rondo form, beginning
with three repetitions of the retrain. The trio, very
Mendelaeohn1an, reprod.uees the cell ot the Soherr:o 1n ! and
develops it, under the torm ot a true Fusue, oonta1n1ng alter-
~tions of the rhythms in two•a and three's with an excellent
effect. Then th1a Soherzo-Rondo is repeated with ita three
refrains. This movement is not without analogT with the
Finale ot the Fifteenth quartet b7 Beethoven.
The Adait? states a beautiful melodic period with
three different repetitionst ita form is that ot a simple Song
1n ~e _teotiona.
 456

The !l!'!!!.Et• 1n the Rondo-Sonata (RB) form, with tour

retr&!!@ and three couplets, makes the oonduotor themes re-
appear at the end of the third o,ou;ele,, be tore the tinal
repetition ot the retrain, by instating on the two notes ot
the cell; but the very weak personal1t7 of this theme takes
away much ot the interest ot this t1nal reoall.
All reservations made tor this inadequacy of thematic
value. this Quartet remains nonetheless an excellent model or
construction.
. l
A•ex11 ~CASTILLON, whose Concerto (p.96 ), other
works ot Chamber Music and more especially the Quartet with
piano ( p. 204 ) we have alreadY mentioned, also composed one
String Q.uar·tet,
-
which test1t1ea to his beaut1tul qua.l1 ties as
a musician as well as to a certain teohn1cal 1nexper1enoe.

2
Vincent A'Inst( has composed three string ~ua.rtets:

the t1rst, publiahed in 11!90, Op. 35 in ~ the eeoond 1n 11!97,

Op. 4; in E, and the last
- -
1n 1929, Op. 96, 1n Db.
!he second, which proceeds trom teachings lett by the
Franck ~uartet, with several experiments of a d1tterent order,
oan usefully be analyzed. It rests on a ~1gue motive ot toUP
potss, treated on various degrees, sometimes striot and some•
ttmee inverted, and constituting the 1n1t1&l oell common to

lsee Book II, Part I, p. 427.

2see Book II, Part I, p. 428.
 45'7

the other oyol1c themea in the woriq these mysterious no·tea

a:ro plnoed 1n "epigraph" 1 6\S certain enigmatic. canons ·oy
J. ~. &.oha

This motive 1s ut111zed in tl'lree ditfel'&nt wa7s• acoord1n~&

to whether 1 t is read. trom the f1pm1n!Jl!; to the *·"adini tone

(first clet), from the SJMet to the (\Rm1l!.W!' (second clef)
or, t1na.lly, b7 oontra.%7 motion, from the me4±m~ to the top&~.

(third olef inverted). Tht Q.u.artet ie divided into ~W£

m.ovementa corresponding to the tour olnes:lO types ( s. E. L. R.),
only one or 11bloh, the seoond, (IJ9h!£10) le 1n another tonal.1'Q"
(_g), the third (f~~t!) being sitlply a ol'lailge ot mode (.t)•
The 1n1t1al movement ( s} begins ttith a f:rastaentnry and
dialoguing eXL)OGition of the crcl1c theme, under 1ts t1rst t.O
a~)eots, followed 01 a complete ~~,~p exposition, the s~bJect

o:t wll1ch 1s tnlr.en from this same thet1e1 the 1nve:rted. th$me,
treated ae a li~e also, will ~ppear before the reoa.p1 tula-
t1on in the 1~ inal.e,
1
1n order to rom a balance to this e.xpoe1-
t1on e. t the beginning. A modulatine trane1 't1on l1nk8 th1a
Glow prelude to the true .t:-.lfTBi£2 1n Sonata tom.. the first 1dea
(A) or wb1oh 1e also 'taken trom the general theme, and. is
1
I1 1a neoeaaary to note the
motive owea 1ta(own nh.YG1opo
&riz&&:tl"~t
"ab1r4. to wh1oh thS.a
easily :recog-
nizable always see note l• P• 454)?
A. a.
 459

augmented form, the general theme which rapidly becomes

weaker &.nd fades away. One should note that this movement
rests exclusively on the ~Jor tonalities and that no m1no~

tonality ever appears except 1n a transitory and ep1sod1c~l

state.
The first minor tonality actually established will not

-
appear until the trio of the Scherzo, 1n order to anticipate
the mode chosen for the Andante. This movement, 1n g, 1s verr
simple (~UI):

taken tram the general themer

----
the theme, with t1ve beats to the measure, 1e
it 1s linked directly to the
~rio, ln ~· in *: then it reappear• with different instrumental
dispositions, followed by a second trio, in S• with the same
rhythm as the first; the Soherzo reappears a last time, raster
and faster, and the agogio increasing 1s continued until the
end.
The slow movement, in !) ls of the pevelo~e~ Sons type
(LL).in five sectionaJ the first states the theme, ola.ss1c
soni period (!J .£, !.) followed by a modulating passage towat-4

established;
-
the distant kay of Eb, where the second section is going to be
this section contains a new theme, in three
phrases equally, passing through tonalities which are grad-
ually app1~aching the principal keYJ a short development links
this section to the following, where the initial theme,
briefly recalled, ie completed by a fugal passage, oorrelative
to that of the Introduction and the.t ot the Finale: the tourth
 460

section reproduees the theme of the second, but in the

principal kef: and one perceives then that this theme comes
1n reality from the general motive treated in contrary move-
ment; the fifth section 1s atsply a return to the minor mode
in order to conclude w1 th fragments ot the 1ni t1al theme.
The Finale 1a a Rondo-Sonata (RS) with four retrains:
a brief Introduction recalls the oyol1o motive, whiah immedi-
ately becomes an accompanying design (1n the viola), and the
t1rat retrain ia stated; it ia made trom the same motive
inverted, stated with three different repetitions1
;

The tirst OOJ2~et con,a1na, according to the Beethov1an ouatom

the briAse and a second theme concluding in !• at\er a atop 1n
the tonal1 ty ot !_, a 11 ttle too close to the principal 1te7.
The second retrain, 1n abridged and modulating form, leada to
the development, toraing the second couplet: here the ~rig.se

design 1s found again,. soon combined with the second theme,

-
in E, 1n the viola, then the violoncello; a solemn recalling
ot the general motive announces the return ot the Fugue
exposition, eymmetrioa1 with that or the beginning of the
Introduction, but on the inverted subJect. The third retrain,
forming the recapitulation, enters triumphally Ja canon
between the t1rst violin and the viola: it is repeated then
ea lt aoea ••.,, tddle the tov •eabal.tat1o .. DOtd of tbe
.,.l.lc ettv• ••• ~ toal' Uove, la $be bllb reat•ter of tbo
'floUth A Did Ullall ooatatr.ta th• :.ua al'lct the .111111
tb•• Wblob, tbla tla, stvea tll'+ lmpl'e•doa ot Welltllll &o
ott, ' " · · · ,, eater• 11l
. . . . . hoa a lo&Cq?..,. a'tt, ,...
Yloloaoello 1 ia o:r4N so neat.D pnareeetYe)¥ tbe kef ot .,1.
De &RaiD atad 1aat aRA•a· ••• asoas•, ta hea1'4 ala\llta-
aeoaall wtlll tlle soUhl tbome ia 1oa8 ftlll•t .& l.Ht .._
oal.lltc ot atsu taaea•• aa tee oe~udUi'fa tqJ~&ea 1alloete4 bf
\ll• •eooa4 k&l 1r.. tbe eptpapb otte4 atao•e, enct• •b• •"•'•
llall:l !i.V»>YJI C•• allo'fe p. 100 and att) ._, ta
the ptooeaa of wt•tnc a ftDa 1M to' a S'-.WS&.s ..;...-.,, ln £111

M!tlltlllt W'hea u •• atriok.e 'bJ the ••ate 4eatb wbtota ••

ba'te a~ee.AJ Mat&oaetl. me t11'd aov--.t al!4 the ••J:J aoul'a-

ttal aln ...,_.., ••• f11llu••• a.a4 the labano ••• enttNlJ'
wa-1 lien ap to 'be l••• pape ot lbe J'eeapS,ulattoa. OD tll•
Ul'&•nt eatHall•• ot Jd. • taa111 1 \he cthor ot 'lbt• iallll
er•4••• ..•• 'o ~'M•lld
0 •• ataetae »81" bJ appftachtna ••
• • •• poea1ltle Wba $ • - 4 to Ilia te be 111e l11tenttoa ot bSe
4eoea M4 trlod. H• Wae ftqU.ete4 to •Mnateii'\UI. the ftaale
tD a •t~~ aanAe~. but ~b~ aketchea found la Cbeu•aea'a papera
nJ'e ao\ •4eq.ute tor one to, coaeoi4>'.•tOttelJ 1 .,,_,, to
fl'OY14e • ntJ•tttute to_. 'the ou tha' bat penapa a1~ea4J beft
ooaoelYe4 d a lfhole uetor• hie ••th.
 462

J.tf.'l S!!l! IOPAM'Z (see above, p. 300) was the composer

of three String Quartets. one in .& ( lS94), another 1n g_
( 1912) and the last 1n 1. ( 1925).

Guillaume ~EKli:U, the last ot Oeaar Franok's a1udents.

dying when he was twen ,,..,four years old, had begun, perhaps
prematurely, a String Quartet, where hie qualities ot inven-
tion are manifested. But it can be asked it he had reaohed
the stage where he could suooeastully manage a composition ot
this tJPe.

Olaud! DEBUSSY, who w1U 'be d1aouaaed ohietlr in the

Third Book ot the p!'esent ~~urae, in ngard to his dl"ama.tio
works, and partioulU'lY Felleae !.!. M.,..e1
.......1.a. ,.an;;;;.;.;;4...
e., has also tried
to u1te Chamber Music and has wr1tt1m a String QUartet, con...
oe1ved in a spirit completely different from that of the
olaasioa: the inatruments 1n this are treated more as a re-
stricted orchestra, and the aearoh1ngs tor 1m1tat1ve tone
qualities are pulbtt here to the extreme, 1n the most suooess-
tul manner, however. This Quarte'l, 1n .i• has a slow movement

- -
1n Db (or rather 1ft Of) wlth an exqu1a1te poesy; it 1s
divided into four movements.. but it·· would be d1ttioul 1i to
asa1gn to them a clear form and, then, to collect trom them
any uaetul teaching tor the aubJeot which we pursue. This
work, published 1n 1894, has been oona1dered as marking the
advent ot a •new route•. This 1s not the place to search to
 463

see if the following events have or have not oont1rmed this

manner of understanding, rather similar, according to our
opinion, to what has been evident at each man1teetat1on ot
this tantastio Romanticism that has been seen to reappear
per1cd1oally, 1n the course of the history ot musical forma.
The crole of purely symphonic instrumental forms,
having as common point ot departure the Motet, and above all
the. Madrigal, that is to ..., the Art of rhTthmie Movement or
the Dance, 1s tin1ahed with the ~ttt1ni Q.uar1Jet. Neverthe-
less, as we oould r,bser'f'e by the table ':."1h1oh appean 1n the
First Part or the present Book, the setting ot the boundar7
between the truly aymphonio forms and the dramatic forms was
not established by aeans of a stl'aight line. Albong the
typee that we have ranked in this "zone or common 1ntluenoe
fl'Om the RbT'hm of Movement and the R.llr~ of s,eaoh",
several are still too near the true Symphony tor ua to be
able to attach them. to the study ot dramatic forma: this is
Why, as we have said in the Introduction to this volume, it
has seemed more logical to devote the two chapters which are
going to follow to them, and which already mark a sort ct
progreae toward drama tic ar't.
 v
THE BYMPHONIO OVERTURE

TECHNICAL. -1. ])ef1n1 tiona. --2. Origin ot the Overture.

--3. Oha:m.cter1st1c Forms of the Overturea in Italy, in
France and in Germany.
HISTORICAL. --4. Primitive Italian OVertures (1600-1680).
--5· French Over1n1Ma ( 16So-ll305). --6. Olass1c and Romantic
GeNan Overtures (1805-1850). -7. Modern OVertures.

TEOHNIOAL
1. l>et1n1 tiona.

The type ot composition designated here under the

name ot Sl!p~on1o OVerture consists ot "a separate musical
composition, constructed according to the principles ot a
symphonic order, but destined to be heard preliminary to the
representation or performance of a work having larger
dimensions, belonging by ita nature to tbe dramatic and
soen1o field.~

One immediately sees by this definition the link

which is established, in the Overture form, between al!Pbonio
art, taking its origin from the rnrthm !! movement, and
dramatic art, taken from the r&thm ot W•oJl; up untU now,
we have ver1tled, OV!)r and over again, the intluenoe exerted
on aymphonio works by some aere or less oonsc1~ns poetic,
1m.1tat1ve, picturesque, or sentimental intention 1n the

464
compoaer'a works. Is not eaoh ~ork" of art, in the strict
sense a "poem"? But the deati~tion of these works alw~e

remat ned exol usi vely mu'si·cal, without their audition ever
havin..s had any true object other.tha.n the sonorous combina-
tion in itself. Her~, on the contrary, it is specifically
the function that differs. J1. ~phoniq OVer;iyrg remains
definitely conceived as a separate piece, having a bagtnninat
a middle, an end; but, once it ie heard, ita purpose ia
not fully ~ccomplished if the lyrio WQrk of 3reat scope -
!or which it waa compos$d in principle - is not performed
iBWlediatelY attorwa.rds. NeYer'bh~less, it should de1'1n1te]J
be reoogni:?Hld tbat this entirely theoretical function does
not always oorre:4pond a.:s much ~~s it silou'!..d. to the pra.ctioa.l.

reality of th$ ~1mpb2ni2 QieJtUlt•

Without doubt, ma.n;:r OVertures -. and not necee::»~r1l7

the U3liest - do not fulfil their true ?bJect as Overtures,

since it must be <fl.dmitted that thay d~ not "opt~ntt anything,
the ly~ic works th~y were suvposed to preoede having never
beon composed. ~ut it is not the ~ame trom a ~mphonic

point of view, because their construction - perfectly

balancad and musically rational ~ is rais•d to a perfect1oa
o! form entir~ly satis!aot~y, without there being a need to
join a sceoio repreaentation to them.
It is l)recisely tl-.1$ fo:nn that, becau.se of ita at
least intended dr~atic function, has undergone oerta1n
 466

oharacter1st1o mod1fioations, adequate clearly to differen-

tiate it from the other types of eymphon!c oompoe1t1one which
have been discussed in the preceding chapters. And this 1s
why the study ot the ~X!phon.tc OTerture, a.e 1 t has just been
defined, must take place arter thoee of the other instrumen-
tal torms with whloh it is connected, but be:t'o:re that ot the

-
dra,mat1o mus1ot:l A!'t which will be the subject ot the Third
Book.

___ ____ -
_......_
The use o:t' the term Overture, tor 1es1gnat1ng every
composition ..........
preliminary to another more important, has
already been round many times in this Works one remembers
notably that this was one of the names used tor the p1eoe
preceding the Fugue, 1 aonovrentl;r w1 th the word.~~ fnl,.ude,
Fantasy, ~oocata, panzona, etc. These titles have been
applied, in the course of the centuries. to many ver.y varied
p1eaes, and otten without linking them to any subsequent work.
On the contrary, the .~n1t1!J: element of each compoeiti.on, the
one whose role consists of ttbeginning something11 musically,
has reoeived many other names besides, but the various
speo1t1o distinctions that we are going to endeavor to estab-
lish between them are very little respected, alasl by the
composers as by their publishers, who seem particularly in
lhe matter of titles, to have surrendered themselves to a
true "competition 1n the impropriety of terms".
l
See Book II, Part I, p. 95.
 46'7

The moat ancient name used as early as the end of

the 16th oentury to designate the few measures of instrumen-
tal music performed before (and also after), an !.!!:. sung
(aria), during the time that the performer. was i£111;' and
peturn1ni (in Italian: ritomare), is the word R1tournelle:
one has seen above (p. 174) that the word smhonz (Sinfonia)
was soon to succeed it in the same acceptation, in order to
make room then for the word Ovetltu~ the only one ot the
three which has preserved its first acceptation, because the
Ritournelle 1s today nothing but a term of ridicule• while the
Symphony, as we have studied it in Chapter II of the present
Book, has become the orchestral form ~ e~cellenoe.

Especially 1n the instrwnental field, 1t was the word

Prelude (Praelud1um) which appeared. first (17th century),
applied at first to the several improvised arpeggios that the
clavecinist played before beginning the performance of a true
composition, 1n order to try his instrument, limber his
fingers, 'place himself in the keytt aooording to the popular
expression, and perhaps also to obte.in the silence of the
audience. Soon beoome, in the time of Bach, a ~~1tten musical
piece. the Prelude was linked W1 th the ~e to :form the t1rst
known coupling of different pieces designed to be heard oonsee-
utively : and so 1t will be found again in the Suite to:rm
also. To speak. truthfully, the word Prelude is the only one
whioll really signifies u that which is played betore". This is
 468

why 1t appeared at the beB1nn1ng as an unimportant piece 1 all

the 1nte~est being concentrated on "that which 1s played afte~

ward"; but, there as always, 1t was not long before an abuse

or the term took place, andt well before there were OVertures
which did not "open" anything, Preludes were seen which did
not 11 prelude 11 anything either. They kept nothing of the true
Prelude preluding something1 but the indefiniteness of its
form, and it was with reason that the word Fantasl (Phantasie,
Fe.ntasiat etc.) was applied to them concurrently w1 th that of
Prelude, whether there was another piece after it or not.
But, since the Romantics, these two words have lost all their
exact and true l'leaning, because they will be round again later
on, 1n the course of the last chapter, applied to more or less
descriptive and. poetic oompos1 t1ons, proceeding consequently
from the Symphonic Poem.
While the ~e;2arated Prelude eft'eotively divorced itself
rroom all liaison with another piece, the connected Prelude,
simple contrasting, and later on ~yolic, initial element of an
instrumental piece (generally the first, 1n the Sonata, the
Symphony or Chamber Music), took the name of Introduction
(Entrada, Entree). The Introduction consists, therefore, of
the initial fragment inseparable trom ench symphonic piece,
orcheatre.l or not, certain motives o:r which it states, before
the true thematic exposition ot this same p1eoe; and it the
Prelude, the same as the true Introduction, serves aloo to
introduce, it differs tr~m the latter in that it can be played
 469

before, separately, while the IntrodUction is, by ita nature,

inseparable from the piece introduced.
Quite on the contrary, s1noe the middle of the 19th
century; the true Overture will be seen to disappear trom the
music of the theatre, 1n order to make room tor the dramatic
Prelude, joined without any solution ot possible continuity
to the aoenio aot to which it is linked. An integral part ot
the lyric Drama, this Prelude must, therefore, be studied at
the same t.ime as the Drama itseltt it will not be dj.soussed.,
consequently, in the present chapter.
Finally, the dramatic Prelude is not to be contused
with the P,roloei!e, another type ot "preliminary composition"
at the same time literar.r and musical, the dimensions of which,
both of the text and the mus1o, are extremely variable: this
is sometimes a single Scene, often an entire Act, exception-
ally a complete Drama, as the Rheinsolg, prologue to the
Trilosz ot the ~ibelunien, itself formed ot three D~s in
sueh a way that the ensemble of the four productions has taken
thft name of ~.etralosz. The application ot the wo:rd ProloS!!e
to musica1 works of this type 1s simply an extension given to
the true litemry sense of this same word. By a tranapos1t1on
ot the same type, but in an inverse sense, we shall see
Lamartine entitle "Preludes" some poems which cannot be oalled
~usioa.l" except by the most debatable metaphor. We still have
not round "Prefaces• or "Preambles• tor violin or double bass,
 4'70

but there is no need to discourage anrone. In addition,

would such •tantaet1o ware or words" be muoh more ridiculous
than that of certain known composers, who patientl7 work
indetatigabl7 for weeks or months over their more notorious
"Impromptus•?

2. Origin ot the Overture.

The more or less imperious ouatom ot preparing the

advent of some important thing b7 another lees important is
inherent in human nature 1 1t is round again and again in the
most different fields. Here, it is the door wh1oh gives
aooesa to the cathedral; there. 1t is the standard bearers
who go 1n front of the great leader in order to make a way tor
him through the orowd; in an entirely different field ot
ideas, 1t will be the simple title placed on the covering of
the book as a first advertisement to the eres of the reader,
quite similar in that to this other advertisement, Which is
addressed to the ear of the spectator by means of the three
t~dit1onal knocks, first sonorous manifestation, entirely
schemat1c, or the musical Overture. From the "noise" of the
three knOCkS to the II SOUrld 11 Of the feW thin Or arpegg1a ted
chords by the "preluding" virtuoso' distance is soon overcome;
and we shall not undertake here to find out wh1oh ot these two
wa)"a of attracting the attention ot the public was earlier
than the other in the original asoendenor ot the Overture
 form: the,y aro each still being used, however.l
The antique ~tourntllg, acoam~ing the entr~•••

and eXits of the singer, is the first ex.am:p~e o:f vai:tttid Ml&l
5erving truly as e.n Ofgrtug to the ~ it framed. When.t:.a
little later on, a eaenti was substituted tor this siap~e

•detaChed piece•, the little instrumental piece, played pre-

viously in the guise of an ovsrturq, remained as the
Ri tournelle, w1 thout B.nY' musical bond w1 t11 the work, the
performance of wJ::.dch it pr~oedtid. It was not even essential
for the same piec~ to alWEi.YS );lreoede the suacEuiSai ve pro-
duo tiona of a given theatrical work: 1 t definitely u'eema
that in such a case they generally played "what they hAd oD
hand". Mowevar; tbat aa.y be, aomethin~ was alwqa played, aa4
the use of any Qt!fture whatsoever beoame general about the
beginnin~ of the l?th century, while tne custom of borrowing
the themes deeigned for the 9!tl£:m£t from the musical elamecta
of the work represented did not appear until a century later
on. Since then, the Qy§rtur1 bas lived its own life: linke4
wi tb the theatrical. work by its principal tJ::lAJI:JLoa- it traa.ta
them s~phoDicall.y, by ado;pti,•s successi vol.y the principal

1
the old aua1c•lllliod I:'a.ri•iaxut who f'o:&.-mel"l.y fr•queat.ed t.he
.~arcourt Concert•"• rema'ber wit.hou:t d.oulri o.uta.in perfor-
...,neea of the ll2i!l ~ft• where the o:roheat..ral cond.ue-
t~r, considering the t~iiit:al chords aa a aigD&l to att~ot
the attention of the public, bad thaa attacked tor~l'ili
throughout the orchestra., then ,posed .his 'laaton and. patitllltl;Y
waited until the partiOUJ.a%' coav•r•tioaa mG. ended; atter
which he would b$&in the first movement of the 2ymllhony •••
on the third mea~•&
 472

instrumental forms in use: Su1te1 Sonata, Sl!PhOPl• with

certain specific mod1tioat1ons that will be examined later
on. Thus, up to the moment where the Overture ceased to
exist separately in order to become an integral part of the
Drama, it always rem&1ned subjected to the principles of a
symphonic order. l
The two extreme points, between which is developed
what oould be called the 11 independent lite" of the OVerture,
are therefore marked, on one side by a total indifference to
ita music relative to the composition of the subsequent
scenic work, and, on the other, by a ver.y intimate tusion of
its thematic elements with those ot the lyric Drama, from
which it became inseparable.
Thus one would not be surprised to note that before
the disappearing by the most oppoa1t• route that can be oon-
oe1 ved to the one from whioh 1 t had. come, the Ove:rtu:re had
been subjected to various, as well as unforeseen,

lThe celebrated or1t1o Geoffroy, who was an authority on the

Journal des Debate during the first years or the 19th century,
gives to~1e su5jeot an appreciation which deserves to be
mentioned here, in regard to what w. de Lenz tells ua con-
cerning the Judgments on the work or Beethoven: "The Overture,..
writes Geoffroy on November 23, 1S05, "is a beautifUl
Symphony; it 1s too bad that it does not say anything1 this is
a rather common fault among Symphonies ••• But why sew a
Symphony to an Opera where there is always too much music?"
This oracle, reproduced by its author in Volume V of his Cours
;
de ~ftteratm-! dramat1fue (..C,ourae in ;,1 te:ra!:fi ff•~ 1s
inown By Ul Sy !be quo allan WKioh-.reder1o~e ou made ot
it 1n his Eaeai de 0l"1t1iu,p!!, ~.11!- Cri'\i~u!i Mua1oal,e{Cr1t1oal
Essay on tne Dus!Oal Or! !o1, p. 79. {~oanin, e~., Paris,
1906.) -
 4'73

transformations.
Three principal stages enable one to catalog· rather
exaotly the somewhat undulating existence of this musical
tom.

3. Characteristic Forms of the Overture:

in Italy, France and Germany.

\Vhat can be called the ~rimitive Overture consists

ot a rudimentary musical manifestation, placed side by side
with the first attempts at scenic representation, it it is
not absolutely certain that the most ancient attempts in this
species were brought to light in Italy, it is there, however,
that we shall find the most certain traces, when we study, in
the Third Book of this Work, the origin of dramatic art and
particularly the birth of the Opera. Almost everything in
music which, during this period, was not truly Italian, is
barely known to us except through Italy or near her. Whether
it bas to do with the symphonic branch or the dramatic branch,
the progressive development of the art seems definitely to
follow the same route, which passed through Italy and France,
then from there to Germany. Although the principal suooe~­

s1ve forms of the SZffiPhonio Overture cannot be positively

l~oalized in the three countries which had by turns a
striking musical flourishing, certain special t;ypes may be
distinguished rather clearly here whioh, by their oharaoter-
istios, if not by the nationality or their composers, are
 474

repres~ntative of the time and pl&.ces nhere they were borrt.

1

Prim1 t1 ve .2£ .-I...ta,..._l.-1s....,n..,. forms. -- As early as the end

of the 16th century, at the moment when Q.rame.tic art,
represented until then by a certain class of iliadrte'l:,s,
began, with the first Operas, to exist separately, what took
the place of the Overture consisted of a very short piece,
generally called Sinfonia, and performed either ·oy a small
group of instrumentalists, or, on the olaveo1n, or even the
organ, by a single interpreter.
The mus1o ot this S1ntonia, also called Intrada,
Toooata, eto., assumed two different aspects:
1. the most oharaoteristio consists of several
measures of 11~red bass, the realization of which was made
by the reader when he utilized the olaveo1n, or, alasJ by the
copyist when the performance was confided to several instru-
mentalists; and we know what foolish surprises could result
from this then very frequent custom;
2. another type of Sintonia was the simple utiliza-
tion ot a vocal Mad:rig$.1 transcribed tor t'ive instruments
(string quartet, lutes, oboe, etc.), because the polyphonic
!(adrisal writing is always for five voices, as we have
already mentioned several times.
Nevertheless, whether the question is of a ti~red

~ or a transcription or a Madrigal, the music of these

embryonic Overtures does not otter the least·resemblanoe to
 475

that of the PRera which followed. Whether or not one believes

that more than a century was necessary before the idea ot a
fusion between the themes of the Overture and those ot the
02era begin to appear with Gluck, the belief that these little
pieces, preliminary to the production, were sacrificed in
advance by the composers, and were performed in the hubbub of
the crowd, without anyone paying the least attention to them,
cannot be defended.

French forms. -- It was in the time of Lully, whose

personality represents rather exactly the Italian-French
transition, that the Overture began to assume definite forms.
Although these forms were borrowed from contemporary symphonic
compositions, a distinction between an Overture and another
piece of the known type which served him as a model oan
already be established: without there being any liaison yet
with the subsequent 02era music, its character of 0 prologue
to something else" appeared more and more clearly, and will
continue elsewhere, through all of its successive avatars,
to differentiate it from the other forms.
Three musicians imprinted their special oharaoter-
1st1os on the Overtures of this period&
1. Lulll, from Italy, adopted an invariable form for
all his Qperas, written and played in Franoe: his typical
Overture consisted of a movement !!:!, guiok tempo framed & !!2,
!!2! movements 1n which the music 1s generally different.
 4'76

The polyphonic arrangement, coming undeniably trom that of

the MadM.ga..l,, was always for.£!.!.! ,!!:!!! parts. By a curious
contradiction, certain Italian composers oontemporar7 with
Lully practiced tor some time, 1n their Overtures, an exact·
inversion of the order of the movements: _.........,......,........,..,;,.,o;o
a slow movement ...............
framed ~l!2 su1ok movements. But this form never went
beyond the Alps: the Italians alone continued to use it
during a part of the 1gth century, while Lully 1 s French form
was generally used everywhere else, and still remained 1n use
even at the time of Rossini and hie imitators, although the
classic form installed in Germany by Beethoven was already
adopted by all the other Frenchmen.
2. Rameau, authentic Frenchman, settled the form of
the Overture for more than a half-century: Lully 1 s initial
.!!.2.! movement remained extant; it was almost always in duEle
meter, with a cadence on the dominant and a repetition; the
su1ck movement {in duple or triple meter) succeeds this
repetition and assumes a very agogic aspect: it concluded on
the tonic with a repetition also, and the old ending slow
movement disappeared completely. The analogy of this con-
struction with that or the Suite torm can easily be discerned:
ita excellent balance caused 1t to be adopted soon in Germany
and England; Bach and Handel did not use any other, but gave
to the quick movement forming the second part the immovable
aspect of a fuaato, which was followed to the end, while the
 477

same process, in Rameau 1 s works, was simply a fugal sk~tch,

soon abandoned to return to the tree style. The French

Overture, such as Rameau lett us, already had a musical
quality very superior to Lully's simple rough drattsa it con-
stitutes a form of clearly organized, and living in its own
right, composition. One still finds during this period,
pieces tor the olaveoin, not designed tor the theatre, which
are constructed in this form.
3. Gluck1 coming from Vienna in order to have most of
his musical career in France, produced no changes in the con-
struction or the French Overture& the quick movement wh1oh
ended it no longer has anything of the fMSato, and was rel~~~d

more to the Suite form, while approaching more and more the
Sonata form. Nevertheless, without modifying the frame, he
gave 1t a new character& the fusion between the Overture and
the Drama that it precedes, and to whloh it was linked even
without interruption more and more frequently. Without
arriving yet at this thematic penetration which we have called
Cl,Olio 1n the symphonic forms, and wh1oh will appear clearly
1n the Beethovian Overtu~~! the Gluck Overture 1s already
oonso1ously adapted, by its expression and its orchestra, to
the subJect of the geera for which it was made. Also it is
with reason that Gluck has been considered, in regard to this,
at least. as the authentic forerunner of Richard Wagner: in
their works, it is no longer as formerly a "pieoe of music"
 479

purely musical architecture. Without doubt, the Overture

will always remain a Hpieoe of music• existing by itself: its
linking with the scene, tried and forecast by Gluck, will
even disappear, not to appear again until very much later.
But this 11 p1ece of music" is the Drama itself, treated as a
Poem which expresses everything essential musically, as it
the subsequent representation had only to furnish a •11v1ug
oommentar1"• It 11 tor this reason that one can say of the
Beethov1an Overture that it is at the same time separable a1d

1•uieparable from the musical Drama, that is to say that it

realizes fully the essential conditions or the Sf!!tEhon1o
Overture.
This antagonism between the themes, many examples of
which are offered by the Sonatas, the Symphonies, the String
Quartets. is going to become here a dramatic means for ex-
pressing the conflict between the characters or the senti-
ments whioh animate them: 1n the Cor1olan Overture, for
example, this will be the pride vanquished, then revolted;
1n the ~S!ont, the ep1r1t of domination, then of triumphant
rebellion, ete. Thus, this contrast between the t1rst idea
and the second, whioh is the foundation of the Sonata form,
w1ll be found again in the Overture, but modeled on the
subJeot ot the Drama, wh1le remaining subjected to the laws
of symphonic oonstruot1on, even when the latter seems to be
the farthest away from the trad:t. t1onal order.
eaa be ..UI4 •au.\oaoaoua •.
a. ~r• ta a\111 anotller tom, Which we '$ho\ll.4
Mll the tlltAiiil 11 Ws epltb•t • • not ln 1taelf ooa-
bad.:Le-.ol'7 to the 14• of , , . . t.bat lhoul4 •uta.lDlY -..•
••._.,.,_ out 11Ja'Wl••• it oal7 'be-.... of i ia J.Da••••
populariv -..1aa lhe lith •••...,. af. • • lata-• .l)&t'ti.•
·~11' 1a •-'• or liP' aua1MJ. wo.,Jc•• Dlia 1a ta J'M.ll't.Y
the ••• t •popula»• foa tf • • SlUINI• ~ Olllr 10CiM1
i'Uaa t.bat O&D Jwat.lt.J 1ta Matioa WhiWl •• ~• •• ).bi.a 'is••
ia tlat, sa ''• »rQ&a'Uoa • ·~·oau.•• •• ..,.aot oa.l1 Wa
a"'••••n•tt•• • 1t pooaG4a •1 th tile .PV»••• _.
a4ao
t.a-.ata.a oi'U...a.as tlae ib.eae• ot 'UIII l>n11&11 (oz-, aore ottea•
of \he c. .ctr) t 1t oou1••• of a tia»l• J••»••1 ti.Oih
ft tho\t t. 81Q' 4et'lai... OJ:4Ut .flt tlul ldiiYHt tlalf •&11'1 6 .P•
'Ute ••o••· -.!Ill. Ulce a ••,,. of • oai·~·· OJ" a uaa••·
t• utlUae a •••• Q.._.t ..,.. tll&a ~ •n• ozUDU"1l,y u.eed.a
a •Pot•poul'l'i•.l ~ ooll..lloaa of op.-a air• • whloa aot
1011C aco foJ'IIe4 ihe lfula of tu a-eperiN7 ot our llll.1ta17
auaitt llllfler the YUi • • - . .. . •t bflali.ll, IA•aM-..
ll11111h At »dslllfl It et.e. • t..U.oaa to tile . . . . ••t.lMU.e, aa4 tJlwQ'
_ , . . . l>e ••tu•M. ...,..... W1 ttl \he 2ftlWJ t.o i!Ul 2Rtlt fll•
1f'hioh tJaeT were extraetAd.t ~·-• J.t ba»»•• .aat tAt·
o:rohe1tn. o0114u.otor 'Who a4e ~ S.• aCJ~"e oa.»a-1• ot haa4lilai
 484

not read, however, 1n the biographies of Mozart that the

Overture 'o the ¥,ag~Q Flute was written in two days and
finished on the night before the first performance: does not
the reading of the simplest Prefaoe.pre-suppoae that the book
is t1n1ahed or nearly so! Does not the orator know his entire
discourse when he announces its epigraph' In a word, it must
never be forgotten that the listener or the spectator receives

-
the 1t1prese1ons ot the f1n1ohed work in inverse order to the
'

one which the author followed tor its elaboration, by pre-

-
occupying himself at tirst with the principal thing, which
cannot in any case be stated in the first place.

HISTORICAL
4. Primitive Italian Overtures (l6oO to l6go).

One need not wait long to find names of composers

here& as there were not many musical works designed for the
theatre which were not preceded by an Overture, such a cata-
logue would contain in reality all the names, belonging to all
the known schools, from the first composers of dramatic
Madrigals in the 16th century up to our contemporaries, that
is to say the HISTORY OF ~IDSICAL D~ which will be the prin-

-
cipal object ot the Third Book ot this Work. Our purpose is
only to illustrate, by a few of the most representative
specimens, eaoh of the types, the technical peculiarities of
wh1oh have just been described, by keeping the same olass1f1-
 485

cation of them, in spite or all that 1t has or the approx-

imative.
So tar as the Er1mitive torms that we have localized
principally in Italy are ooncemed, the s1tnple instrumental
• tranaar1ptions of vocal Uafi:r1e;als will not teaoh us anythinfl,
because they were not even specialized in their destination:
they simply served as Overtures, as they might have served tor
something else.
On the contrary, 1t 1s well to form an idea ot what
this little Toooata (Sinton1a, Intrada, eto.> of a few measures
indicated by f1i2red bass could alreadY contain, when this
bass and its harmonization were actually the work ot musicians.

Claudio MONTEVERDI (1567-1643), whom we Shall discuss

in the Third Book, as well as all those who will be discussed
later on, preceded his immortal Orteo, produced in 16o7, with
a Toccata. containing one period of sixteen measures in quick
tempo, then another of eight measures 1n slow tempo, with
1
repetitions and very exact instrumental 1ndioations. This
1s already something more than any music whatsoever •to hush
the audience", of which there had been so many examples in
this period and even afterward. Without one being able to
discover with certainty an intentional liaison with the scene

1
This Toccata with 1ts harmonization is in the edition ot
Ort~o by Bonleverdi, brought to light again by our etforts,
wHion was published in 1705 at the Sohola Cantorum.
V. I.
 487

different from the first, entirely written for !1!2 l£B!

Earts, as the Madrigals. Nevertheless, the composer did
not always take the trouble to finish the harmonization in
this way: in another of his works, one does not find any-
thing but the bass and the upper part, the rest being left
to the good intentions of the copyist.
A~ ~ssandro SCARLATTI (1659-1725) is the best
qualified representative of the form systematicallY the
opposite to Lully'e Overture, on which it was strictly
modeled: all the Overtures of his Operas contain an Allegro
'·ri th a repetition (in place of Lully' s Grave,, , a second
part also with repetition and formed of a Grave (instead
of Lully•s Allegro) followed by a Presto different from the
initial Allegro (the same as the final Grave differs from
the first in Lully•s works). It is, therefore, in reality
almost the same form, with the exception of the order of
the movements, but the music is weaker in it.

Rameau Period (173D-1772)

We consider this period as finished with the ap-

pearance of the Overture to Iohisenie !n Aulide by Gluck,
the first of his works which characterizes what we shall
call his third manner, his genuine French style.
J. P • RAMEAU ( 1683-1765 [l76f}) adopted the form
in ~ movements instead of three: a Lento and an Allegro;
 489

for Aloeste, have the peculiarity of being linked to the

Drama, a fact whioh constitutes an important innovation in
the history of the Overture. The form of the Overture to
Aloeete approaches very near to that of the Sonata: after a
Lento serving as an Introduction, the Allegro, is stated
with an inflection toward the dominant, 'tlrhere the Lento is
restated (as certain Introductions at the beginning of the
development); then the Allegrg is repeated with a sort of
second iqea on the tonic, connecting without interruption
with the first soene. One should note that Gluck, the same
as most of his contemporaries, made no mention of the
ohangings in tempo: it is the music alone which guides the
reader. It must be the same very probably for a number of
compositions, of which certain "musicologists" examine the
manuscripts "stealthilyq in order to decree then that ~suoh

a nuance was not wished by the composer•.

[Nicol~ PIOOINI (1728-1800) whose famous quarrel
was due to •triends" much more than to interested outsiders,
as Gluck's adversary had to, tor this reason, remain ob-
stinately Mital1an 8 • His Overture to Iphigen1e, with a
muon more elaborate orchestration than that of his rival,
it must be recognized, did not offer, on the contrary, any
musical interest: a first Allegro section going to the
dominant, a type ot flute solo Andante, 1n binary con-
struction as a piece from a SUite, tarn a textual restat~-
 490

~ or the Allegro with the obligatory transposition to

the ton1o: the whole thing finally, ltithout any relation
whatsoever with the music of the Opera whioh follows.
These two last specimens will show with enough
exactitude the state in whioh the Overture form wa~ found,
at the moment when the Beethovenian genius would introduce
into it the innovations wh1oh established it almost def1n-
itivP-ly, until its disappearance.

6. German Cla.ss1o and Romantic Overtures (1805-1850)

BEETHOVEN (l??Q-1927) could almost summarize by

himself alone this entire period; because indenendently from
the renovation to whioh hie name remains attached, he did
not disdain to try to write also in the French tor;m, as
1t was l~ft to him b.Y hie forerunners. But, in this same
frame, it is already anoth~r musical oonoeption which has
taken plaoe.
The Overture to Coriolan, op. 62, composed in 1807,
was simply a first movement for a Sonata; but the themes
unconsciously represented here the feelings of the person,
whose death is clearlY symbolized by the languishing end of
the musical idea whioh progressively fades away.
The Egmont Overturg, op. 84, composed in 1810 1 con-
tinues to oonform to the French model; but in three
different repetitions, a dramatic intention is felt 1n this:
 491

from the slow Introduction, it is the inexorable authority

of the Duke of Alba, with all his Spanish arrogance, which
opuoees these heavy pauses on the ,low notes of the plain-
tive theme by the wood-wind instruments, suggesting the
impotent mildness of Claire's character; to these two
musical allegories that of the underhand revolt whioh depicts
to us the first theme of the Allegro is going to be Joined;
the seoond them! on the contrar.y will reproduce under
another form the contrast sketched in the Introduction.
The traditional construction follows: the very brief~­

veloamen~, then the restatement of the first theme; but, by

a derogation related to the dramatic idea, the second theme

is transposed into D0 , in order to reserve the principal
key ! for the ending development, which is totally foreign
to the Sonata form striotlr followed up to this point: this
is the mysterious and more and more agogio orescend2 striking
triumphally at the moment of the f1nal capture of Egmont.
This impressive picture quite correctly closes the work by
the affirmation of the ton1o, but its thematic design
different from all the preceding would be inexplicable in
this place, if it did not have a reason of an expressivelY
dramatic order, which surpasses all the symphonic rules
'l.'lhioh Beethoven never discarded either in his Sonatas, his
Symphonies, or his Chamber Music.
The three Leonore Overtures, op. 72, all three
written in 1805 and 1806, although the opus number of 138
 493

geoond Leonore Overture, Divided into Four Sections:

I. Slow Introduot&on, in which the theme borrowed from

'Xorestania air is already clearly stated:
II. E:xoosi tign of the All!!f£9• ouch more exa.ot, t;r1th two
ideas reoresen t:lti ve o the two characters of the
drama: Leongr! by the first 1dea, in Q; Florestan, b,1
the second, 1n ~ this expos110n is linked without
interru?tion to a purely symphonic ~eveloiment, where
one discerns three elementg: the first ta en fr~ the
Florestan•s tneme, (second idea), the second from
Leonore's (first idea) modulating progressively to the
].. of s,, and the last treating the same theme in .Q., in

III. ,trz
order to bring about the episode:

t
.2! the t£!=!!!1?!!5 (tar away) in order to announce
e dellverance: beginning or the d£M§t1p szn&sodl, in
E • A combination of the two themes oymbolizing the
joy of the reunion euooeede this trurnpet call, then a
rather long ,\d~1q period, in the pr1no1nal key, and
a recalling o~~e theme of Floreetnn (seoona Idea);
IV. Resta.ttmint ot the first idea only, in P:tep,tQ movement,
,,i tli an mmediate oonolua1on.

Third Leonore OVerture, Divided into .!:'l.!!l ~actions:

I. Slgw aDAtQd!jot1QQ, on the Flore!'Jtan theme, ae in the

seoon verture, but with somewhat different develop-
ments;
II. ~osition of the All~g£o, with the same themes e~ually
and the same tonalities. But the dftVftlo;nrnent p~trtioi­
natee more 1n the drama: one sees a new tneme annear
in !.t, attributed to the tyrant Pi&arre, Hhioh enters
in conflict w1 th the Flore stan theme and gradually
•reduces• it, 1n some way. The three stages o:f' this
development are 1n R, in ~ and 1n s;
III. ~ of the cornet in nb, subst1 tuted for the trul'll'Oet
rn-tne-eecond overture, and alrea~ more •realistic•:
it 1s announced a second time ln ~. and the Leonore
theme sings the deliverance. This entire seot1on leads
to a long pause on the Q.;
 IV. Complete and nonaal C8.Jltula.t1on of tbe two tmm.eat
v. Dietinot .IQU94Lud a, made ot a ooui-.tion of the w.
aotiYe• attributed to th$ oharaeter#.l

Thus tho atterqt to limit the BumbeJ;> ot the sectiol\1

to .t.au: rema.1ned w1 thout a sttquel., and ·the di villi on into
.t1.r.J ch&ractari•od from then on the ialliDAYii.Yl Qnr\&P:8' the
one the :proporti one of 'Which he had. ;planned a.nd revised to:r:
a long time. 1't<..c return to the ano4. •nt torii'Ja tor Qora..alMI
(180'7) and for IGPU (1810) S.e in the aame oa;tegory a.a tb&•
which we ha'le etated with re(l;fU'4 to the £1s;h\l:l ~Yfi.PhOrv"t

llbi ch canaot be oi ted e:l ther as reprc;.;aentati ve of the true

atyle of its composer •
.B•a1dea, his ocntelllporaries and his auoeealltox·a we:.re
not at &ll deceived., and our clever lioma.ntici&ts
I
tl~elves,

altbOQgh very attracted to in4epandence. tollawed more or

lese tai thfully the route. opened by i.fliQRla:.l•
lf'l~ (17SO.l826) left, ~ Ovutw:ea wr..ich
still occupy e. very tav~ablo ;pla.oe in our concerts; one
Will see' by the condensed pl.a.n which we give below the.t they·
'Wee not very far away !rOill the llaethovia.n modsla.

aoctionaa
I. J1Jm ;l:a:iX:Aiilll:ii\QD a11bdi Tided into two frapf;,}.nta;
a
a) A sort of "auai,cal. la.ndsoa.pe", w.h.eJ.'t.J ~ peu.ce!u~­
ness ot tne 1'y:rolian woods is evok~d b;y tl;.o fluid
sonorities of the horn,
b) Allusion to the sata.•~i~ona:racter, by the tonal.
pr.ogx-esaion !rom a to ~ {l~eapoli tan sixtb.J which
will rewain. attached to him tnx·oub}l the t;r.~tire
worlq
•
II. gpqsi~SW of the tJ.•i~ ~billa only of the 41J.ii~Q of'
the d type, interrupted. e.t tba p~ce or t.i::.r.e :bti$1Qfh
III. ~WQAtig JG\i.aQda, deaoribi.ng the hesitation of the
char&otaT of ~at the outsld.rte ot hell;
IV. iti9D4 ilHal {in -the tlk:ltiu lli;iJ art fab) oontinu.ed by
tbe Te~ picturesque development• espeoially when
this aame Joyous "tb.Q~Ufi returns ill g, e. Pa.J.'ticuJArly
well chosen tonal i tys l.lle ttea, tanic • modu.la ti on to
ihe balf step hi~ I'G~peaJ:.·s at the :moment of the
reantryJ
v.' usar.uiwla:t.i~a ot t11e' ;r& fiiWIAIJ t.uen an abrid~tUJ-t
of the episode formiag tb.o l2J;i4~&1t &ud too final
e.x;plosi on o:r the aos;QIA tlisDMb ax.ul tine; wi t:t1 Joy,
in g.

sao tiona•
~. I.J;iQI1'Aifll of' 'tJl$. -61~ l&l:lt Wi thou.t any Introductiott
other thaD a. brief preparation ot the ti.i'll« ~~ by
ita own r11ytl:aJ ~ as=caP', ibarll, on tr..e :v. it suoc•ua
1 t &n4 is eRO.ed with a. sort of QIMlenzat in th~t style
of a OonoerioJ
 496

II. Dfamat1g 221eode interrupting the course of the

A~esrp b7 a siow and mysterious period 1n the d1atant
~ey OT !!, related to the memory of the dead Emma, on
,;,rhich the entire drama rests; this nar1ocl 1n developed
in a. sort of ~t2 in the tonality' of~ (~) partie•
ularl7 well c oeen:
III. P.!velogmsnt ot the Allegrg, proceeding bf suooesaive
entries of the two themes, always in a st~te of nro-
fregs\on from a tonal point of view, and linked W!thout
nterruption to the normal £•91P• or the two themes.

OVERTURE to OBJ~F!.ON (1826), divided into ~ seot1onst

I. ~ titx:gdupt\£!n 1 or dramatic or1g1n, 'Wh1oh contains

notab a ver.y special use ot the sonority of the mute
on the low string of the violins:
II. EJPQS~t~QD ot the !&rat #bJme of the ~ll!S£21

III. Drmp,t\o fR\IRi&h rather short, uh1oh 1s oonrplated by

t e expoa tion of the !IQ9DQ themg.

IV. Rt9ifi1tyl§t\on of the 11£11 ~. then ot fragments

of e 9PliO!l!1 aml t1rial1:j O?tlie tlf102D.(\ t£U!DU!J in
oonolus1on.

These various experiments w1th the transposit1nn ot

the episode or of condensation of the seot1ons did not found
a sohool, and one can saf that, as many true oxgrJurszg as
there have been, 1t has been the t1ve sections ~h1oh ha~

prevailed.
[Robert] SCHUMANN (161Q-l866) showed still more
reserve in the field of oonetruot1on, beofWse h1a Ye'rf beau-
tiful l·tant'rgg, Overture tollo1.<1S scrupulously the Sonata tom:
expos1 t1on, development and reoaT>1 tulat1on; and t4FJIDF.:LSOOHN
(1809-1847) does not go any farthflr away trom 1t.
 1t the na4a f"l• 'that. be· ue48 apeoiMaa of. tM
aDI ditf.-at •taa•• ot the gzsbl:l. 1D the 'iiM ot a•.ao•-.
he ab.OU14 read .. an. the lui Ulalaplea ot the huon foa &114
the t1'»1oal .__._ 116 tlle »..~ ,_ • -~- ~MDi:&UYe
~loa ot W.J appoafJdl.Y •tantuti.c ton•, S.~HYG'tm.U)r

et.llfld ttpot-pourri" in the tQ:4iJJtU."¥ v"ca'bulal'.r• flU. a ea-

oureioA"l i'nto a tiel4 when •eoapoaltl•" ·:baa l"eal.l.,J aot.~

'Go 4o with 1'\ hM ilt•od. to u ua•aa.n'tia.l• 1t1 ta.ltia& at

l"and.<a &IV' ot •a. Ocaio Qpan • ._.•• (u4. soo ott.ea a:uo,
a.l.UI thoae •~ ihe . _. . •••• au ahon}, 'lb.iob. -.;p_poued ia
J*naoe b~tw~Mt~l 1816 and 1840 &.P.PJ"O~tely, oae i.e alm.oet
aun to proOUJ"• a •sooct a0de1 o! tl'Jia \yp0 1' • Let ua opeu
. . _ by i&l'lni (l.a~) • we f1n4 hee not l•• tA&1l Mila£
Uffenat Uilblt ft t.\od. 1a Oh at'Ml" t:bo o~ wit.hout. ~

1M8t I'....GD • .ul-.lt at l•aa\t Let v.a Qpea iiiiHM b.Y

~ (~aeo) t ihe inoo. ·-.nee 1e as • $(18,ploto, ,.. t ~
quality
.,..
of the 11otlvea is ~n. iat•rior. L•t u •••n opfQl
a oertala J:IDAdt (1848) a u 1trtoi"Ml. au.oo•nion ot Y&li ou
alra, wi\Aollt U'3 1tralc, aenea 11 u ovo.rt.uea howe'f"e&"t tld.o
aw:p:r1aiaa •:l"bapaoqu ia JUtYtr »W•4. &Di o~i tail• a41Nl.a
..,. tell ua t.bat S.t • • not 'llftlte l'q Mll"fifliilt •• ahoul4
like to be •r• o!" this, bee&uH tld.'l muaioian l1ta4 n..-vu~

loss co:-taia app::eo1able •conic oif'sh ~ in ooll0lu.a1on,

l•t u• I)J;tel'l 110th1»a elae of $1.11.8 tia\ZOA1nt~ .r.apOJ'Mo'•
 498

7. Modern Overtures

fo speak truthfully, the classic type of overture, as

it was established by Beethoven, with its division into Jli!
seot1onf, has never been subjected to modifications, as the
SJtnphonio construction: it was only as a result of the pene-
tration of the dramatic pr1no1ples that this form tended,
about the middle of the l9tn oenturr, to be broken up rather
than to be transformed, by bringing about a complete fusion
with the H~r*g DlJ!I. The theatrical works belonging to
this period, Whioh will be analyzed 1n the !hird Book of this
COURBK, will show the effects of this tueion.
If the last specimens of the Szmphon!g gv§rturl that
we are going to examine briefly have appeared to us to need
to form the subject of a separate paragraph, it is not,
therefore, because of any innovation whatsoever in their arch-
itecture: quite on the contrary, they will show, we believe,
the surviY&l of the BeethoY1an form, even later than this en-
richment of the harmonic and modulating style, whioh person-
ified respectively the two glorious names of Franck for the
Symphon7 and of Wagner tor the Drama.
WAGNER (l8l3-lS83) represents precisely 'his survival
of the Overture form, in deliberated reaction against the
deoadenoe of wh1oh we have just spoken: 1' was 1n reality at
the same moment as the greatest success ot Herold, Adam and
so many others on the same level, that we see the young
 501

precede eaoh ot the three dramas b.Y Schiller, the ensemble

ot which constitutes the Wallenstein Trilosz; their thematic
elements ~ere attributed, 1n the thought or the author, to
certain scenes, certain sentiments or to oerta1n characters
belonging to the Dramas, as 1f these Dramas had actually
been treated 1n mus1o; but the use of these themes continues
to conform to the ~r1nc1nles of the symphonic construction,
ot which the ~!QD9Pt 0Ve£turet gave the t1rst models. This
1s made obv1oua bJ the plan of each of these three pieces:

FIRST OVERTURE: WALLENSTEIN•s CAMP: tOU£ sections:

I. ~-.!!Rf1'&:foa, without slot-r Introduotion: the

.Il£!1 lJll4 n . , veey agog1o, establishes the war-
liie frame of the Drama; the melodio ~r\~! leads
wl thout modulation to the second idea ~ t~ s is an
•overture bridge" and not a "~mphonr bridge"); this
1•o~d &d!l• in a rhythm ot a ~. in .!• Pelative
to t e pr1nc1pal ke7, depicts ~a1etJ of the
soldiers coming from throu~cut the countr,v. It 1s in
a ..I2.DI. pel'1od toN <.a, Jl, ,a) and is connected with the
t1~aeot1on ot the dfaflOPfS!fri, oonei.ruated on the
f1rst theme and the br ge, n!. then 1n ,!!!.
II. Dr~J&c •ili!Afr
modulating from l to ~. then to Q,
X, and final B.(Ob), where the theme assumed by
the-character of w&~enete1n appears, preceded b,J
four fugal entrlea ln tne bassoons;
III·. Reoa,1t~l&J1QB, noraal, ot the warrior theme (f1rst
idea , o? ~~·~transposed into Bb, and
dance theme (
the
de ) transposed on-~he 4egree of
of
the D., but w ou o , 1n order to not characterize
the key of D: this 1a a sort ot 7th Gregorian mode;
IV. End:!'
-·
~~~fl2¥f•B! by the bridge rhythm, leading to a
f!n~oom~ na~on 1n !!ret!& form, where one hears the
warrior theme, the d.anees and finally the Wallenstein
theme, entering 1n the principal ker g. ·
 504

III. Dramatic en1sode in Eb, a very distant tonal1t7 and

oi"io'een for a purely dramatic effect, put justified
symphonically as the sub-dom1nWet of the pr1no1pal b
kef B wh1oh will be that of t e end, the same as !_
(]t)~eard earlier in the develonment has already
represented the maJor ~ediant or iSis same key. This
episode is built on the !nematic souvenir ot Theola,
w~le the horn recalls fragments of the Max theme, 1n
.!.,., (Rtf): '
IV. Repapitilat&PD of the geoo!d ~ only (Wallenstein
Theme), prepared qy a modu atrng-pasaage (oresgendf
ot the entire oroheatra) formed of false entries o
this eame theme, whloh bursts f1nall7 with all its
power, in J;
V. Conclusion or sort of very large "pe~orat1on•, in the
principal k;eJ 1!. designed to form a balance w1 th the
Introduction: one finds in 11 tne •astral" or 'stellar"
harmonies, as well as the •fatal" theme, wb1oh is
blended with the •warr1or 11 rb7tba of the bridge: 1t is
all arranged 1n two tonalities, as 1n the beginning,
with the same relationship between them; and the
Wallenstein theme returns one last .time1 in b, to dis-
appear and die aw&7 with the last b~ea~n ot the
heroes.

It has not seemed at all superfluous to give this

analysis here, 1n order to definitely show that the desor1p-
t1ve and dramatic intentions which animate each work remain
everywhere subordinated to the rules ot the Beethovian con-
struction ot the Overture. The euppleness 1 tselt of this
d1v1s1on in tour or five seot1ona, ruled by 'the Sonata type,
is eas1lJ adapted to the extramus1oal poetic requirements,
various applications ot wh1oh the B,ymphon1o Poem is going to
show us; but the principles ot expos1t1on, ot development
and reoapitulat1oh, are autt1o1ent to keep the oompos1t1on
in a sol14 and exact frame, a fact whioh seems to us in-
dispensable to rein 1n the dangers ot this thematic disorder
 506

what has been oalled "pu~ music", without yet being that
of "mustc applied", to the words, at least, because it is
definitely with the llmus1o applied to something"; and it is
exactly the indefiniteness of this 1 thing 1 to whioh the
music of the SympPon~g ~ is applied which has as 1te
result a correlative indefiniteness in its torm.
As we said in the beginning (p.5) we have reached
here the •indefinite and remote confines wh10h separate the
SzmphoDY from the Dr!!!'· The conflict between the laws
which are respectively required by these two types, repre-
sentative of the two great branches which d1Yide musical
art, manifests itself in the SY!QhQD'I fRI•' a Poem, in
reality, 1a explained •ery well w1thou' music, the same ae
a Symphony without a PoemJ but 1 1t the Poem and the music
have no •need• st~1otl1 speaking of each other, they may as
well complete each other, -.s lt happens, for example in the
Lyric Drama or in the simple Poem which is sung. The
SxmphoniO. RS!! endeavors to realize this tusion, on which
all dramatic musical art 1s founded, symphonically, without
the words being sung.
Such 1e def1n1te1J, 1n reality, the true •naradox•
on wh1oh this special s~eo1ea rests, which is supposed to
remain •symphonio• while pretending to be also a 1 poem•.
Without 'doubt, we have found many times, 1n the Sonatas,
Symphonies o~ in Chamber Mus1o, deecr1pt1ve intentions or
poetic allusions whioh did not take away from, here and
 50'1

there, the value of the works= such exchanges between the

arts are normal, but upon the condition neverthelese that
suoh a work, influenced more or lese profoundly by the
poetry, remains none the lees *'musioal 1 , that is to say,
regulated by the formal principles of tonal and themat1o
order.
The Overture itself, the most directly aubJeoted to
the influences ot this nature, doea not borrow its themes
from the lfr1o scenes of the Drama except b7 incorporating
them 1nto its symphonic structure, whioh alone governs
their place and tonality: it is always, in some way, the com-
position which rules over the poetr,v. With the Szm2hon19
Potm,on the oontrart, 1t 1s the poetry whiCh will aspire to
rule the composition. rrom thls time on, the symphonic
balance will be broken in favor of the poetic program, more
or lese clearly expressed or known, that is to say generally
to the detriment ot the true composition.
In the same war that the spectator cannot completelr
understand the lyr1c Drama without ~ee1ng 1ts production,
that is to say the action on which the music is commenting.
so the hearer o:t a !l!!Rh2R&9 !2& oanno1 understand the
sense in it if he does not know. trom somewhere else, some-
thing other than its music. But the spectator sees this
•other thing', hears it: they are the characters, the soene,
words, gestures. !be auditor, on the contrary, sees nothing,
hears nothing other than the music ot the Sl!Phon1o Poem:
 508

now, this music is not explained except by a Poem, or at

least by the general meaning of this Poem, summarized on a
"program" in a few lines, if it 1s not even in a ~ew words,
a formula, even a simple title.
A poem, a program, a title, suoh will be from now on
the "extra-mus1oal• elements which will exert a predomin-
ating 1n.fluenoe on the form o~ the work. .It the dramat1o
reasons, aooent, word, scene, still do not rule the composi-
tion, neither do these symphonic principles which formerly
were at the base of' all the forms examined up until now,
without exception, from the·Fugue to the Overture. Also, it
has been said, wtth reason we believe, that the ~YmRQon1o

l2!! is a "hT•rtd• type. It was not possible to assign 1ts

study to any plaoe other than thist after the other purely
symphonic forms, and before the purely dramatic forms, wh1oh
will be d1sousaed in the Third Book ot this COURSE.
We have alrea¢1 had many ocoaslona to mention the
inexact, 1t not the radical impropriety of several terms
being used to designate the known symphonic oompos1t1ona;
still these 1nacourac1ea in our vooabula~ were rather easily
reot1t1ed as long as the spec1~1o aharaoter1et1oe of the form
in question could. be clearly reoognise.d. Suoh is no longer
the oase, as we have Just aeen, tor the §XmPbon19 Pgem, 1n
which these anaraoter1st1os became more and more negative.
Up to now we had tound above all set forms poorl.J named;
 509

what will tnis be now other th&n the indefiniteness in the

form its"=·lf?
Tne title Symphonic ~ still expres;~~e.::> rather
clearly what the work it designates contains; thus we have
ke-pt it for many compositicms conceived accordir>g to thE~ s~me

orinciples, although their names may have often been ~Jite

different: Legend, BG.llad, Tale, etc. This variety shcvld

not be svrprising when the title attempts to exoress also the
subject chosen. Is this not very often, in rec..li ty, all that
exists of the ttpoemn or the "progr1;;cm" followed by the music?
Nevertheless, at the side of these "representetive" titles
or pretended such, one finds others by which th.e composers
have wanted to qualify the works of which the S;ymohonic ~

is alwpys--c·:msciously or not--the prototype ina~smuC'h as it

navoids the normal laws of compositionn.
This true "evasion of the rules" adapts itself very
well to the word that means the same things: Fantasy. It is
not without mature reflection that we shall make a particular
place in this chapter for this true "variation of the
Symphonic Poem" called the Fantas;l, at the time when this
word has not yet recovered from tt1ese "~irs sewed togetnsrn
which would justify better for this very reason thE: title
Rhapsody, unless the quality of these "airs"--so poorly
"sewn" with crude thread--had not forced them to be thrown
a.ga.1n to the rank of simnle P.o!s-oourris, which polite
 510

euphemisms also called §tl!a!J.QDG or !guqut!!h a.e we have

remarked 1n regard to the overjures or this tyoe (p.482).
The term fiD!IIl• that w111 be found here for the
last time, was or1g1nally applied, one remembers, to certain
PretU4!1 before [ysull• e1gn1ty1ng then "a pleoe tr0ed trom
the strict obligations ot fugal writing•. We have found it
later on to be synonymous with B&ntonie, at the moment when
this word did not designate 1n any wq OW!' !;tmnhonz, but
only the P~·Hdl or the oxprturt preceding the !212 singer or
the ao.ene l)la.yed. Toward the middle of the lA'th oenturr, it
will be taken up again by Ph1ltp Emanuel Bach, in order to
designate the p1eoes somewhat similar to the ancient PX!lU4es,
because or their great liberty in torm and wr1t1ng, but which
were not followed bJ any othor compoe1t1on, Wh1oh explains
thelr oomooaer' a preterenae tor the name ot FanJH&•l·
Later, Beethoven, Mozart and several others will
utilize the same word to designate different works entirely,
which correspond, for the most part, to a progrM or to a
deaor1pt1'\f'e intention, unless they kept a clearly recogniz-
able symphonic torm, not having therefore anything lett ot
the FAQJI•Z• except their t1 tle.
Be that as 1t m&J, these rather 1noongruous w~rks, the
thematic and tonal order of wh1oh oannot be justified by
anyth1ng, 1t not b1 an extramus1oal idea, expressed or not,
make use, tor this motive 1taelt, of the @Zm,lhon&52 ~2!! type
to the extent where a composition as 1ndef1n1te oan be
 511

called a ~type•. It one finds perhaps, among these

Fantas1gs of various ner1ods classified 1n the nresent
.
chapter, several examples whioh are not too strictly similar
to the species ot the Symnhon1q Pqem, 1t remains uncontest-
able, nevertheless, that they could not validly be arranged
in any other category.

2. Origin and Principal Aspects ot the Symphonic Poem

The subordination ot the music to the requirements of

a reason wh1oh is ex'ter1or to it; auoh is det1nitelf 1n our
opinion the epeoitio oharaoter1st1c ot the Sz!Rhon&o l2!m•
Now, it is in the very nature ot music to translate or to
represent the sentiments or impressions ot another order.
AccordinglY the origin ot the speoiea which did not anpear
to receive this designation until toward the middle of the
19th century must be searched tor ver'f much earlier: once
more we mention here that a ta&ns exists tor a long time
before the word which is utilized to name 1t. The "inven-
tion• ot the Symphonic Poem is ord1nar117 attributed to
Berlioz and to Liszt: 1t 1e not ve~ oerta1n that they
originated the word 1tselt, because it did not assume the
•rtghts ot a o1t1Een• 1n musical terminology until a rather
long time attar them; 1 1n regard to the th&DI• it 1e as old
1one 1s rather surprised to note that, it the substantive
l[mQB09J (s&ntEnla) goes back to the earliest times, the
adjective ~m¥ onio is a true neologism. whioh Littr6 did
not even a 1 in the 1873-77 edition ot b1a diot1onary.
 512

as musical art, and it we do not go farther back than the

16th century 1n the rapid summary which is go1ng to follow,
1t 1s only beoauee 1t 1s scarcely possible to hunt farther
back in the past tor the traces of ol~arly differentiated
musical species.
!b.! DJ.C~!U!!IW !!d1evl~ Ohyagg.• One remembera
that, among the most ancient secular polJphonies, well
before the organization of the instrumental music, certain
vocal oo~poa1t1one, notably those by Clement Janequin,l
already responded to an •extra mus1oal" preoccupation of a
descriptive order, or to what would be called today a "pro-
gram•a in these the words that were sung were reduced, most
ot the time, to simple imitative onomatopoea, treated 1n-
etrumen,ally1 although they were proffered by the voices,
and designed to represent the soene 1nd1oated by the title:
.!l!. Ba ta1lle g Marisny, &f OP!DJ dps 03.ttfttU! b'lhe Battle 2!.
MAfJ.Bnan, 'fb.e !stns 9.! the BJ.ra!), etc. It was the sudden
changes ot fortune ot the 'program• summarized in th1s title
wh1oh governed the d1Y1aions or mua1oal composition, where
the words were nothing more than a pretax,. Nevertheless,
as this oompoa1t1on was still rudimentary and without modu-
lations <monotonojs, 1n the exact sense ot the word), ita
balance did not sutter from it. !heae true vgo11 B1!Phon19

1
see Book I of th1a Course, 'f:i. ·307.
 liMit til'at DOft uaitee1aU• ot •pil"opam auai0 11 t ....

k.,t wi thla tu 'bouada \o 1aa•rt la aa ox-cU.u.Jr.Y f'on&, 'ilaat

ot the 'tida6t tM .»lot.uJ"e ot aoae ca.-uo. ••t. or of

._. d•ftaite huaortaa ••••• -..t Wa - wa~ aoM \he
. lea•• •• 1t. • • to ut•t ta the MlfliM~ -.nfl, a tlaa•u
las U.e after ~ la.tt.Ut ia - . 9MD to WhS..h 1 i wu to
liTe b:trtha ~" *Piat •• lb&ll tiact tb.e p:riaG..Pl• ot tM
,_.,,. • 1 - t a04e1M. ill a ft.aecl ~· fo:ra, wi'ih ~

»nu. aultor.U-.t4t4 to \he Jtuaio. .Aa eu-1¥ u 1he tolloWiaa

••atQ71 oa ihe •oatran- 1 a
• • ' ' •• ' ~ •. >
••'~
•
ot "illY_....
•• ••
t14••~ WS.U 'be
;: •

eeU.\l~abM, 1a t&Yer: of Whioh tJ2e ~alo toa Will M

! '' •

•o4ei.t4 oil ~ d.n.ati• el•••• the auaie w1U lte aalt-

o~aat.4 to tl'Je ~.

· AIIMS'''I liUII ·:a A*1 &BlrNiil• •t

~Uaa
~~ l?C.
., •••%7'~ laaV..tal ••l• ._.,... to l.1Ye ita
o-. 11f•.~ a.s. tl:le a1'Qhalc lts-aaeh ot ••11&1 an .......
· lttpN"ate tl'• 'tM 4Dulatlo lDl'aa•A~ ti'Oa \he llllt ._ lMit
. ftl lHU'RJ fl'• the U.GUt lJM.O•a • Mt\l&l.J¥ lea• aa4 leaa
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1D tan the Is&•• aa4 t.he Ioria· ~-·
.1aet two t1U••• ap:pUe4 n~r tn41tteZ'eD\ll' to •11rAu",
11111 'be foud &leo to 4ea1pa te wolk1J wns. Oh. ue ia so..:t..1 v
Uither . . .
!lie el4 4eaQ'1pUTe 1a.n1ao'• ••MiDI al_,.a to
v.t11lle aat.o to ct.Qt.et; •••tl!lSq elae ••• •lf 1••• po•t.i••
waa ~o 'be C1 fiD a. fHe •••1• .:.U.•• &Rd •• abali tM , . .
pl•••• tor aoloiat,a (ol&YeoiaS.a'i ,.._.:tal.17• aoaetiaea T1olia-
ll~a or ethea-t} appt&Ncl llhleb.• 1a orcla to 'be U4•ratoocl,
aHd.d a tne •J•oana• w1~ ooaeDtar1••• oJ: •• 1-.'b,
with •••oa•l••• auecod.Ml; ol" e~ol.le&l Utl.••• ._..

plaoe11.7 ••••• 'b7 tiM ea;p••~"•• •o ••• «• Fou.d.

of til•• Qae WUl •••• b.r .· tb.e ~lea d,Yea, what uu ta'bl.•
•-•epttoaa of the poetn, \he d.eaalpU.oa, U" the d.ftm&• ;pl:'t-

ai4e4 oYer th• M$ebt.ac of 'Shea• t:v.e AU-tlM·IrJiaMI•I

Pt••• leaa Naote than. it wCMJ.cl •••• ft'oa ttut1r Jr.anUe
Md. ~1'01laatal ••••aol'a 1 of the 19\b. oea-..,.. · :&oe~~Uee l t
• • alWI\Ya \he ;,J.'M.omht••• of tr.he U tehi'J' pl'oP•• of
\he .na-ua1oal .UMat, U.t, I'Ule4 here aore aD4 aoa-e
aVioU7, to '*he atriMat ff th• pas-817 •1f1Plloldo eoa-
avuotioat tb.• ur-...-t ot the tll.aea, ao11ala,iona, a4
....el.._..,••
.lat. a&IMUtl & ill: &Mdl ~Mid• • Kge a 801't of

\J'Ue or 111441• _. •• pl. .ed. la '\he DAall1.fe of tiM

-.uaatt II•• · f.b.•· ...oa4 balt ot b 18th •••'ut ••

_,ea3:' 8114 4ia&JJ..U lor a lib.- • U.. aao'ihel' Tarie\7 ;t
thea• worlla ••a41aa the aozoa.1 l.awa ot ooa;poai t.1oa "• t oa-
*loh the old-.. IMIIdal·• zo•aertte4 forawl¥ ~u Ml'taill
l'J:eld•••· • • r•.uo1av.••• ES•tJ.P' tOJ: two ozo ihl"a• ooa-
poatr•• thea• »i•••••
u•4•m•t.11 1afl\laaoe4 'by unupia1Qable
~aloal ooaa14er•U•••• ht4 acuoely' ...,._h1JJi I.D ·cOtiii.OJ&
1fi'Ul ~ . .__. ao•pt theu t1'i1•• the 'b·tai- toUowod - .
maaae1'1 ia • • ia G.\&aaioal ••S.•• .apoti.Uou, 4eYelopaeau,
Jladrig&.ls, the style o! wtdOh ia oltarly 1m1 tativo, and even

hwaorouaa U. gp.j.rolMJJ1:¥1 !IIlia ~DDt A1 IISHtli2 fk. .

ms»»:kl J
.1! ~ wsasm JU. lal b&*a and lA QB!allh [ Iai
~J.
.. -
.
JN!Nm jigg~, one ot the !1 rat ueraa.n compos era
whose name is :foUD4 in auaical history, along with hia •uOh
aoJ."e celebrated O(IDtemporar.r Sobuta, was born ia ThUrillii&
and was t.he student ot orlando de l.Aaeu.s, be:Co.re beoomiJli
establ1ehe4 at Koni&aberc, cere he spent moat of bie life,·
as master ot the Chapel for the D&.llte o:f' .Pruss!&. One o:r
his Tocal pieces, published in lo69 and entitled~ •laUlil
U Ja. Rlttt lliai•llm•[Df.....lJ.l.li,Q~ WI'• .I?~,
Aj 'A&I1i
&lao corresponds to the character of the bUWI .i5Za•
Qi9YIIIIi QIWQI, born at Chioagia, like Zarlino ot
Wham he wa.a the student, beca:me later on the master of the
chapel at Saint :Mark• s Church; in Venice. We did not l1et h1a
among the oompoaera of ¥oteta, beeauae bis oaapositiona in
~. fora haYe no personality; on the other ha.l'ld.t he wrote
very curioua aD4 clearly descriptive ~~1aala, notablY•
~ Itilr!ialli IIY.Ii•lt [.at AW.IlBl ~SHJtllLJ•htJ.ro one ae~e~ tJle
'burlesque allegory o! the "or41D&r.f Doctor• and .his 11
pranka•;

ita Cb!Piol J.U llta.att [llll. .tt2..Di, Jilt 1Qa ..fl1114Etlth

i! QoplfiEI 41. Oii!N!:t U:l£1 .b. jzogg1goj; J.1 U Qii\99\b .uta
u..£ 1! P•£i2illl:& [D! RtiiiVI! btl•IID S li1iht1UJ~• !Bi
.Ql C21129t JWl&IS\ .- ii!. P&il2i), imt .t!!JAA •••• wi tJl
 519

obarnoters, already approaching the first attempts at Opera:

its date is 1595.
Adriano BANCHIERil must also be ~entioned, for his
Festino nella ~ ~ Gioveddi grosso [restival of Gray
Thursday} and for the various cries of animals, which he
called Contrapunto beet1alf alle mente ~usioal Banguet]:
...
this burlesoue eoene was written in 1608.
Beinrioh SOHUTZ,2 in his sacred Sintonta and par~

tioularly in the Dialogues of wbich we have given the

analysis, marks the lnat stage of the vocal Szm~honig ~.

in this sense that the characters here are not yet individ-
ualized; but 1 t ie the irnpE:lreonal chorus vvhioh obese e.~.n

extra-rnusioal idea, in that ita collectivity is supposed to

represent an individual. It is on the contrary the substi-
tution of the .!!.212. for the chorus which will rr·ark the trane-
1 tion between these last spec b . ens of ''vocal rrusic with a
prograT"'•' antl tlle first atte!"pts at scenic re:presents.tion,
charaote:rizing the advent of true "dral'!'o.tic f""USic". 'l'heee
two stages in f\"Uaia. eo near to eHoh other, proceeded fl'Otl1

the tendency, OOM'!'~On <'luring this period in all the r··usioal

European aou.ntriee. to drar.-at1ze the form, but without
.

lsee Book I, P· 3"'0

• ..,-..:; ··a~k
Ql~ • ·~ II , Par t l , p. 101 •
 520

modifying it, while adding a literary intention to it.

4. Descriptive Instrumental Pieces {17th and 18th

Centuries)
*John Munda7 • • • • • • • 15 •• - 1630
Johann Jacob Froberger • • • • 16(;€} - 1667
Dietrich Buxtehude • • • • • 1637 - 1707
**irarin Maret • • • • • • • 1656 - 1728
Jopa.nn Kuhnan • • • • • • 1660 - 1722
Francois Couperin • • • • • 1668 - 1733
Johann Sebastian Bach • • • • 1685 - 1750
Johann Christi~n Bach • • . '
• • 1 '135 - 1782

John ~mNDAY eeelf'IS to· have been one of tlle first to

.
formu.J.B.te the descriptive intentionof certain
. of his works:
he was organist at Windsor until the end of hie life. In
Queen Elizabeth' a Virginal ~. published in London. a
piece is found entitled Sonata !Q!:. !frgina1, 1 '"'hioh contains,
according to the composer, ~a description of the rain ana
beautiful weather, on this instrument".

l
One rem$Dbere th,~t this was the nan:e of a type of olaveoin
or spinet used in England. . {See above p. 30.
~Also spelled JAm~.

**Not listed in the Eitner Quellen Lexicon or Baker's

Dictiona.rz.
' . 521

Johann Jaoob FROBERGER,l one of the first oo~poeere

of Fugues, oo~posed some Battles for Olaveoin, preceded with
a notice, where he flattered himself, he says, by"aesoribing
not only the sentiments but the ideas and even the events
perfeotly1' . From then on, the way was open to expletive
titles, and we are going to see what use will be rrsde of
them.
Dietrich BUXTE~2 saorif1oed to the mode of the
daf by publishing a series of Seyen Suites !2£ OlaveQin,
designed, their title tells us, to ndeacribe the different
oharaoters on the seven Planets".
''Rr1n !'.~.\RET, French musiaian, 1110re celebrated as a
violinist than as a oompoeer, wue i.JlSo the con:poser of
descriptive Rltites; bn.t the subjects of these descriptions
are at le ,.let unexpected: we have of his, in reality, a
eerie s of Viola Books entitled ~fedica. One of the Suites
which is contained here would justify still better the name
11
ohirurgica" tsurgeonJ, because it ba.s. tor i te title
Tableau !!. 1 'Operation !\!, l!l Taillt ('iioture ~ lh!. Qperation
-
~ the b9dl:l· and the aisht pieoes of Whioh it is oompoeed
deserve to be pseeed on to posterity. if not for their ~usia,

at least for the epe o1al npoetrJ" of their program:

lsee Book II, Part 1. p. ilo.

2 ~ee Book II • Part 1, p. 110 . ·
 524

2. .2f. .1iavid 'e be.r;e: one cannot say thnt

:\efr.2~h;ine ~ong
the ~nslo of thi~ song iH very "refreshing": it ie
wore borinr;i perho.pa in order to pu.t Saul to sleep?
3. Tha tran,ui an•: oont.,nt soul of Saul: a rather thin
anT childish little tune,----------
It seet"e definite that these E!£+.19~1: Histories were
in the f!'!ind of the o~poser, ctesipmed for chile: ren for fun.

s.rd n. 11ttlf: Jong: the conflict b<:'twt>en the descrirtive re-

IJNJ.rch an,' the Musiot·d at.rnctnre nlrE~a.dy appears h0re Vt.'ry
clearly; 1 t wiJl ei'f"'llY be !TI[tde worso in that \l•hioh follows.
Fr~Jncoie Q(VTP'f-'!Ul(l in his fm! te-e which he ccoJ.lC' d

"-':(ires rt , r.1o
,, A- ' ' • ., •
r~o
1. !nil to oonfor~ to the ~ode of the

ship with th~ ~ueio; but one excvption ehouJ( be cited here.
in 'l!hich tho descriptive intention of the l"'USio is nnde-
ninb1e: we wiab to sper:~k of the srrir'S f'ntitled (The F'renol!_

ZQ.fli~ or ~ DOT"ino!!) • \i''hioh cent' ina twE>1VC' pir>oee

1. Virginity (n.nder 11n 1rrv1sil)lEJ 60Y"11n.o);

2~ '"o(1Pety fnm~ ~'>r a. rose dr:trrino);
3. Ardour {under a flesh oolou:x·ed ctO!f'ino):
4. Hope !um' er a praen dO!"ino);
5. Fidelity (un<~er a blue <1otr1no};
6. Perseverance (under f-'1. pre;r linen do~-ino};
7. Apathr (under a viol0t (lomino);
a. Coquetry (under difforent dominos): 2
lsee Book II, Part 1, p. 219.
2 Th1e pieoe is particularly inteJreating through the rrixing
of different t!'\etere nnd. rhythms v,•hioh describe coquetry very
in~eniottsly.
 526

DeEartur·e .2! ~he Friends; a very short movement, modu-

la tng from !_ to A, contrary to the usual custom of
the ~·0rnposer;
trut?ost!J.lon sounds lli ~ornet: one hears two succes-
~ calls imitating the Posi CornetJ
6. r£1.~.: undoubtedly a play on the words of the "flight"
e) of the p~rting, or rather of the post, because
it was the call of the Garnet that served as the
subj~ for this Fugue, coopletely f!•.ntc:.stic: also, in
s~i~e of some rather interestin~ strekti.

This brief analysis is enough to show that between the

two extreme pieces (the Allemande a.nd the Fugue) Ytith rather
regular form, we have complete fantasr, complete 9aprice~ as the

author has advised us.

Johann Christis.n ~1 Vias, in .his turn, to a.s.::ume
the authority of the peternsl example by giving u.s a Battle .2f
Rosb~ch, where one hears, we are told, the true progr&m of
the work--"the fire of the cannons, the deton~:tL:ns of the

musketry, an atta.ck of th€ cavalry, and the lamentations of

the wounded". This piece is played ~ithout interruption,
and adds nothing to the glory of the family of the Cantor from
Leipzig •
. But, while the instrumental battles raged, as is
natural for battles~ replacing without any progression the
vocal battles by Janequin an his consorts, while in the
following century names as unlike a.s DUSSEK c:nd
BEETHOVEN appeared side by side ln this type of Fantc:sy

{or Symphonic ~), we E1-re to see how differently

1
See Book II, Part 1, p. 332.
 11'1

another son of the old Cantor. O&rl Philipp Emanuel, would

und.arstand a.nd realize t:r.~.is music ~w:ruch evades tho no~ lawa
of oomposi ti on• ..

• • • 1714-l'186
Wolfgang Amadeus :Uozart * • • . • 1?56-l'19l

• • •

The naxnea of these tlu"ee illustrious com.;poaera ue

'
brought together here ae reprEUUstlt&tiva ot a. little ala.aa ot
works as indefinite in the ayaphor11o fora aa tn the po_,
the ex.pla.uati on of' their ~.])parent 41eor4e ia tu.nl1a.he4 to
u.s only by their eole ti tltn 'l'lll1ia8 U• One eoUlcilt th4r.-
fore, Just. a.s Well call. that IYJmhmtiSI 12.1 B\At»i JO'U•
The word ltDWl ba.e been applied to so l'llall7 41aeWlar
ooapoaitioa8 that it • • not eurpr1e1ll6l to find suiowa
musid.ane ueins it, exceptionallY. 'l.bis .xoeJtion waa not to
last very lon;Jt howel'er 1 'becauao 1mlllodiately after hat&tlJ.vY'en '•
atteQts, the _poor •l"'antas,y• wa.G to r$ce1 ve t.lle talas.st
app11oati on; wllile Beethoven himself•• vt1 th his ifit~j;]J; at
!igt2tt&•• returned to tho e~llcitlY deacri~tive oh&r&Qter
of the true l:almi.iaai; i.SUII•
Kill iAiliRl'l lm&llll ~Afii•• 4ef1nite;cy the man who

liked to o:g;pariment: we owe to him in the first place the

 528

complete avoido.nce: of the st rict.ness of tha corltrapunta.l

style, to which n6 preferred the ngalant ~tyle", then the
crea.tion of the ..;ono.ta, t:.nd finally three works for c.l&.vecin,
divided invariably into three sections 1 the first &na tne st
of which ha.ve no bar lines, through a true insurrection

ag&inst the customs of his tL:ne, c. fact wnich caused him

vdthout doubt to choose as an excuse the title Fc.t.ntasy.
FIRST FANT~S~, in~ (1776):
I. A long C§denz~, without ~lin~~~ follo~ea by
a very express1ve section, completely in the
style of beethoven, containing extremely auda-
cious harmonic experiments for the era;
II. Ad&gio, v.:ith barlines, in the key of A. m&,1or,
which realize.s the maximum remoteness possible
in the order of t~e fifths, and has no affinity
with the key of E_; it should be noted how the
style of the composer is advanced over thet of
most of his contemporary Mozart;
III. Section ~ptrical to the first and in the prin-
cipal key, but of more agogic character, and ~lso
written yYithout barlines.
t:E.COND FANTASY, in!. (a little later than the other):
I. A long free paf?sagt 1 without .!2!U: lines, rather
Beethovian in ~soect;
II. Andante, measured, on a persistent. .r:pythm in
regular groups of !!Y£ sixteenth gote~;
III. Section symmetrical with the first, with £.&.denzas
and arneggios of the same style.

THIRD FANTASY, inC (1780):

I. Exceptior:;ally, SE!Veral J2§.£. ~ines a!"e inserted
in thti:. 12assa.ges without bar linel:!: certain
changes in the temni~ with modulk;tions quite un-
usual for this ~er1oC1p ha.ve the style which Liszt
will take up ag&in later on in nis f!unga.ria~
fipapsogies; a 5ort of large recit~tive, written
with bar rtnes, tn a more ana more Beethovi.s.n
style, completes thts first section;
 530

I. Adagio: exposition of the pr~ncipal theme, .in

suspensive form, from ~ to Q_;
II. Slow Theme, ~ith repetitions, in n;
III. Allegro formed from an agogic transition in ~~
in order to lead to a new the~e in A; ·
IV. Andantino, ;.:.1nother theme in !L is developed
without co::;clusion;
v. Piu Allegro, in g, formir;g a modulatin!. tr.c.msi-
tion and slowing up toward the end for the re-
entry;
VI. Beginning .Adagi,q, slowi!lg up, but in eo~·1clusi ve
form on the ton!c.
No more than for Ph. Em. bach, do we kno'<v the "extra
musical" reasons that motivated such unexpected juxtEoosition
of tonalities which were less charactt~ristic of M.oz~..:.rt than
of anyone else. To soeak truthfully, there is sc&rcely any-
th·:ng but the "fantastic" in this composition.
BEErHOVEN 1 was to brlng us back agcin in a more

positive ma.nner into the field of the Sympnonic ~~ by

three of his works (op. 77, 8:0, and 91), composed between
1808 and 1813.
FANTASY ins for piano, op. 77 (1810) 1 divided into
!~ sections:
I. A descending chromatic passage, iVhJch evidently
corresponds to a ooetic idea, leads to different
themes~ which are' stated successively in £. 1 ~~
!i!:,
~ {the one in Db is th€· 0nly ODE; that will
reapcJear Later); after these statements, the
chromatic tract ret urns, then a "bsi t" ~~ .~ an-
other theme, which will not res.p ear a.ny more
than the preced~ng.
II. Slow theme in !_, which will becom(-: the :>r:in;i-
pal theme of the Fantasy; then a Presto in b
(or rather cb), ~here most of the 0iano formula~
w.hich will become so dear to Mendelssohn will be

1
See Book II, Part I, p. ~21.
 531

fcuno; the retvrn of the rrincipsl slow }eriod,

to 1ead to the ?in.rde:
III. The!"e and Variations, the rotive of which is
trade fror the first notes of the slow ther-e of
the rrededing J"""OVE'J"""f' nt, and weven V~•:riatione
of thP "deoorc:l\1VP 1' tyre, without ,peculiarity;
the first six re rB the r Sil'l'ilar to those of
Sonata op. 111; the seventh is interrupted by
the return of the desoen01ng ehrorr-a tic t1·act
(that w. de Lenz corrparee to ''
a bat"): the
theme 1 tee lf rearifiE' are, in .Q., and a. la et recall-
in~ of the 6hrornat1o passage serves as s con-
clusion.
Yith this Fantaez the pieces for ;eiano alone ole-
appear, in the next work, oor-:poeed exactly oonterporBry if
not earlinr, we see the orchestra SI!Jear, V"Jhich will becorre
eeeen tial to the ro!"'antio ~:rr·rhortio Foe""; but the }:llano is
still represented here, although it will disappear in its

turn in op. 91 (1813).

'PA.l·_~,TA~Y
- l• __ ,., -,rA•"
-::~o•,, __·,vn' ,-,.L.~u\. llN'', vt:
,,....., ,"'){'ltr,Cir---,
:' .•.!\ .!:; .0 L .;:\ c n f i n F • OJ:.
"'"(·-~rT{'t , u"0
(1808) divided into two large sections exactly
oorrel,:tive with eaoii"OtnE>r ~md not differi!g
at ~11 except by the aoaition of the chorus ;
First Section: a} slow introruotion for piano tilone,
with tracts of tho type of thoee by t. }. E.
Bach;
b) Sncoeesi ve tmtries of the !nstru!"'ents in the
orohestr~::., on a ve.ried <!16 de vel o:re d d eeip-n,
which v·iJl beoo!""e the thE'!J"'le of the "~'arch;

1 As we hPve rwnti one<\ above ( pp .236 and 250 ) , in epi te of

1 ts title, thif?. work ie eir 1 ly a first. ek<>toh of the Finnle
of the !Hnth SyrJ"phonJ!: ita interest ie thrrefcre ruther ooc-
U!T'enta.ry. The celebrateo th<:T!"e (in 12 in the l1nth and here
in F) exir::ted ,':;.lready in a sonp called ~ge:r.lic-be~ alwe.ye
destined to the ear-e poetie ic:ea of "rntuPJ Jove". It OOf"'eB
as a consol·:;;tion aftE>:r a ,....,ournfnl anc' sad rioo; in the
Ninth, this will be "the Joy in charity Sf"'ODf ~11 ~en"; here,
it is "harmony t:Jrt>Onf'' htlrr'nn be1:n s", all ti,inp-s,which, ac-
cording to the nPe in the S;r:r:Jhonio ~' are outside of the
fir> lt~ of T"UB io.
 532

then the exposition by the piano of the

ther!'e designod to syJ'Ylbolize the ''harrony
ar"Ong the r-en": this t;heme is stated a second.
tiT"E' · E.z. d iFinu ti on;
c) ~d.atl'io in !.• l'Verloaded with tr1Jla ano orna-
T"'ents without gre&t interest, with a ca.der}ce
on 1ts cl or-inant;
d) EXJ.)OElition of 'he J"''aJestio '"arch, the therre
of wh ioh was foreorJ:!t in the begi nninf<", a
11 ttle develorrent and reo ·pi tul .. ti on of the
va.roh, ea a conclusion.
Sec on(, ::Jeotion: a cor""plt te repetition of the first,
with the addition of the choruses, ~'oiirlf aa ''an
inoreast> in orchestral eonorit,y'1 rr.1tnex· than as
a. Clral!'a.tic inc'ividtH'iJ. lie finc1 again here the
Bafl'€' har!"'onio al1uflion t0 the "firl""S.Jrent above
the f"tnrs'', to 11 love an{ power unit eo as one
enBef"'!bl e", b,y a. chor· d sud.d.enly ill !J.!.; neverthe-
less, the effect reJ tively in F (two fifths
lower) iR l'!"uch less strikin~ then in the Uinth
( S.fl'!1phony), wlwre 1 t is J:rod.u.ced in re1 e.ti on to
~ (~fifths lower or seven fifths hipher: f,#).

Finally, in this rerioc which }'!"arks Beethoven' e

hesitattone, we see hi!" approach excertionslly the true
OrchAstrrl ~l'f"'J2honic ~' by sacrifioinp hi~""eelf to the in-
fFltn.qtion of th t tiT"'e for thf' "f"'UPiCF·l battles". T"ne Victoz·y

.Q.f. ''fe].lineton ~ the Battle of .Y.!otorial;: OJ'· 91, wae uedi-

C''ted to the :Regent Prince of Enplane, in 1813; it is per-
haps the rnoflt ":fgnt~lstic" ().!" these thrE>e \\Orke. The cela-

br: tee theme ~'~lboroug!J. ! 'en .Y!:!:.-.1-!£ guerre is heart in it ••

at first in the ba.ss in .Q., t:ru-'n 1~' ter on ir1 £, w1 thout doubt
beoallf~e of the "defeat"; at tl>e enc, it is the tune Goo ~

The Z:inr" which hurste on t triun·hally to 1mncunce the victory

after a tonal suaC<'SHion the rr.oet contrs.ry to the custofl"s of
th~ CO!"'poeer.
 533

It waul( be boresorreto cite other •tbattleelf, in the

t~.·:-;te of thot of IYTRSEr, of. wi-;ioh the tit alone is truly

"a peer''; "Ne:;,val Cor"bat for J?iano .Q.£ ..!hf. total defeat of ~

great Hollandaise fleet :Qz. Ad!"iral Duncan, .!!'!ill!", Battles

and "':·ntasif,S are goinR to hRve the sa.rr fate: SOTI'e ten years
later on, one could h"rdly ~ay more. There are scarcely eo
l""UC.h as rare a ttef'l"'pts to r eetore to this sreoie e and partic-
ularly te this very deprecl·•teo ti tlP • a lit t1e of their·.
orip.inal nreSfflOt~lbility" T"'Unifeated. hf're anf! there, in the
rniddle of ''· true avalar;ohe of P ntasiea .Q.!l CJ?era Airs,
ri v·" ling in ouan ti ty and flUB.11 ty the Varia ti one by Abbe
B
Gelinek •
Franz LIRZT • one of the creators of the or che etral
R;:t!""Phonic ~ leee later on, p. 541 ) also wrote rrore than
twenty, r-ore or lf!SB Hungarian Hhapsodiee, several ?t~ntaei es,
the bPet knoftll of which ie ded.ioated to IJ J""S.rtine and bears,
as a te~po T"'&rk; "with a deep feeling of boredor". The work
which hP a~lled Sonata is also a Fantasy in the droratic
epeoir.e, ~s we h 0 ve eaid3 •
fV:wn~ANN4 was the oorpo€'er of a Fantasy in .Q., for
piano, in three parte, dediaa ted. to J,iszt, and full of e:x-
ouisite the!"les, the tonnl tlisorcler of whioh often diJYinishee

1
See 'B6ok II, Part I, p. 631.
,,
.:::See Book II, Part I, p. 747.
3
SP e 1Jook II, Pn.rt I, note on p. 680.
4
~ee Book II, Part I, p. 662.
 534

the interest, by ttnf:rtun.;.te reretitione.

1
CHOPIN left one Fantasy in f, hioh bears the trace

of his 1'1anietio genius, but the ~aPt rr~~nificient interpre-

tPrs of which have not been able to overco!"'e its useless
length.
At the r·rosent ti!"'P even, the Ff_,ntasz ..Q!! IOJ2ulur

Basr'Ue Tunes by Charles RORDES, coulr e:till be cited, and

~nether atte!"'pt the BU'I'll'!"nrized. plr.;n of which we give below,

but r thor with the idea of sbowing why we oo not reoo~!"'end

this species of t"'llBio to young oaTl":pOsere.

Vincent A'INDYG, Fantasia~~~ Orchestra
( op. 31), a sort of Rhapsody on four the!T'es, all'!"as t all hav-

inF a popul~r aspect:

I. Slow introduction by the elerr.ente of thf' first
"f'.Flel"e, thPn expoP1t1on of the the!"'e itself by the
oboe, follo1111ed by a very T"Od.l.lloting second period
anr1 by a C0f"l},ler-ent deeipned to beooT"'e the cont~1u­
e1on of the work;
II. Popular th e'f'J"'e in £., very S.£"Og1c, er:oed by a frag-
~ent of the first the'l'le;
III. Third therre, on the "fantasticn order, cfferinp a
combiDtion with the first, by the oboe;
rv. Flourth and lnet thewe. very str-rle end p:>pulo.r in
its as }X' ot; lit t1e <'1 evelO]:Jrne nt and reentry o .f the
oboe on a Vari:::< ti on of the fi rFt tb EWe; tranei ti on
pa.BSI'!f"e ~•n:; third there, in d, ir1 thE· be.ss, oO'rr'-
bined VJi th the first in the ur11er pnrt; }oat appear-
ance of the fonrth thel"'e, cor·bint:d w1 th the first
and bringine: f'bout thf! Intro6uction ;erioc, dee-
tined to beoo!"'e the oono1u.eion of ·the entire
F·,ntaey.

1 SP e Book I I, .Part I , r. 655 .

'See Book li, Prrt I, p. 690.
 535

6. The Orchestral Symphonic Poem (19th Century).

As we have just seen, the orinciple of the subordin-

ation of music to a foreign idea (pictorial, poetic, literary)
is as old as music itself. It is true, therefore, that the
species that was to be given the name of Symphonic Poem
later on had always existed. Nevertheless, if there was one
era particularly propitious to the flowering of these works
"eVading the normal laws of composition", it was definitely
during the period of Romanticism: the same trend ot thought
which, about 1830, saw in every personal impression a pretext
for literature, would naturally lead one to see also in
literature a pretext for music. The recent enrichment of
the sonorities of the orchestra reached the highest degree
to be placed at the service of this nverbalismn of ttie
writers themselves, more preoccupied with sonorities, images,
effects, or rhetorical flowers, than with clear and logical
thoughts; here and there, even an inclination toward the
final limitations of which was to be in our days this true
"empty instrumentation", too many examples of which may be
found around us.
It was natural for the Symphonic Poem to be at the
same time !:_~~t!Q and Q£_ches!_r_~!:_; and for th€o great artist who
personified this musical type to be endowed, at the same time,
with the most admirable mastery of the orchestra and the most
complete lack of disciplir;e i!'J composition.
not certain t.hP t this was hie OJlinion, re.rtic'l,lar,ly as he
~rew older. We think on the contrary tbathe felt cruelly
this gap in his early eduoat ion, s.nd. thr t he was forced to
let hi~self be ~tided by a "progra~", because he did not
poseeee the technical r"EtB.l'lS whioh would have per!"'i tted hif"!
to do without it. When we h~1ve seen Beethoven prudently
try to write an exact irritation of the ,eyrrphonic forJI"S left
by hie forefathe-rs. before re~plirinf! frofT' his always logical
p.eniue any atteiT'pt at innovation :founded on ex:r.erienoe, we
shall eee on the contrary Berlioz aoor·pt ',•:1 thou.t ori tlcierr
(or ra.th~r the laok of oritioleT"') of~en extrav~l.pent sugges-

tions of his inventive f<:·culti~s; an6 hie work is rot alwe..JS

served we11, far frof'f' it, by this lf.' ok ot d 1soE>rnrent cue
above all to hie ir·norance. Thus, while edrriring the ra.gn1-
:f'ic1e nt elane that are found htc· re, we cannot ooneid er the!!"
as rrodels tc be il""itatftd;beoanee there ie always SO!"'e pre-
euJr~pt1on in 1Ma.goin1ng thRt one ))Oeeeaees qualities having
suf~ioient genius to ~ake-up !or deficiencies in knowledge.
Thie lllueion is l'!"&nifested, !!"Ore or lese consciously, by
meet of Berlioz's iritatore.
Her1ioz in reality has "formed_ a school'' • and here
ie precisely the reason Why there ie reo!!" to ask if this
"rebirth of the ~Yf!'phonic PC!er-", which is Clue to hitr :for
the l""OSt pArt, W• 1 S or was not of benefit to the cestinies
of rnneioR.l art? In spite of all the contradictory opinions
which have been fOr!"'nl!t ted • it ehoulr be reoogni zed today
 538

that ~erl1os'~ influence on SJ1rphon1o •·uaio has been .,-uob

~ore rapt<' and r"Ore profo\Uld than that of W{\ene.r ·on Drarat1o
~·us1(). One oannot r~frr~in fror.- bel1.evi~ that \he la.w of
the 1flAaet eftol't" az,pl1ed in f"!!attera of eo.,post t1 on, and
1n epi ice of hlr"RE~lf J;f'l'h&pe 1 by t 1".,.e au:t.hor of the F<='nt&at!g
§lr:Pb2Ul• had very Tl"'ttoh to d.o with the· tboughtleae rr•fer-
enoe whiob an entire eenerat1on of oo~~oeere of S¥~rhon1o

Po~~• ev1noed !or h1r.

This ia not the l~lDr)e to t'!JlU!"'erata tb$ OOr'!p<:-aere who
belon~ to the "'~rl1oz 1 qohool*': we VJill met::11on the nar-ea
of those •ho see,.. to us to be th.- !':"~et rerreaentst1ve and
t·heir work a the b~a t known.
fit thout there beint, to apeak truthfllll;, a d1et1not
"Rue sian and Ger~An School", we 8h!~t 11 poin,t out the J.1" 1no1-
pal o~})Oa~tra in these ocutrtrSee sernratelr, who, in their
we::r, hilVe Jl!!Ore or lf!ee fc;J.!t'>wed ~rlioa.

11'1na117, we ShAll r~tlnite in a third oaterory those

v.hd'. f:rO'I"' .,rs.nok • e ''School" ocul d one sa,y, or at lG t.~et
followinfl' in his exA~r~ple,. have triect tc aot by ea.feguard1l'lg,
a~a1nat the fantae1eA of tbt poem or prog&t""; oert~in eaaen-
tial pr1noipl(~e of ey~phenic oonetruotion.
~gtor B~RLICI (1803•1869), wbo oooupita Juatly
the first place t~,?."Oflt the 00mpQere of thia p~.r1oe , tmd ot
·tthcr. we will eptHtlt rrore at length in tb!t !rhirc Book of this
CCn'R~Jr in regard ttl h1e drafl'!ntio I"'UPio, left onl.; thrtt
s~phonio .PoPT""Sl
 539

f.ttilttl th!- bn;\as~1s §noaogY, eQJ,§ode !!l

artis') (1829) a obviously _this is already a "prograa title•
Ya .JJJ:! ,2! a

and the work be calls a symphony is no alonger a Symphony in

the Beethov1an sense, which is now the only legitimate one
ror this tera;
2. L.! B..f!tour !. Jr.! !!!.,' [ Lel!o 2£ tht Bttum
t.elio .21:
12 L1f~~(l823), a sort of continuatio~·ot the preceding
work, but in which the •progr&a title• is no longer preceded
by the inaccurate term •Symphony•J
J. Roaeg !t J'ull•:\!i• \)lo112 and ,j'Jill&], (1839) a
sort or adaptation--sometimes exclusively instrumental,
sometimes with songs--of the Shakespearean dra.a. Three ot
the zaost iaportant excerpts belong clearlr to the §zmphoq&c
Powa
a) $· £!lu~QIRQll'bl fe§tiY!J. 19, 1WI, h0Uf8 it.
ga&u*"1'
.. b) §C!Pe !I'AAQUr [L2!! §£tnij;
c) 12!:1 u 82•12 [Qtl!ih !1!:, Bomu).
!he c.tep~ate4 §et;trag .U a ReiDt 1!.1 [ 2Y!!B ,Ill?' I
§991£12~ which belongs to the same work, is a true §9D!~I2
1n pure syaphoaic style} the l1ntl! 1 witb songs, is a pure-
ly dramatic movement with text. .From which it follows that
the ensemble lacks balance and unitr; it is nevertheless
somewba.t interesting to exoine the rather defective con-
struction ot the torte !l1Pb2D!S IJCIPRtta
 540

a) Fest1Vfil!!!. the h'uee of Capulet: seen(! \~ivided into

thrE>e sections:
I. A t.vpe o .. ins trur:,t'ntal reoi tP ti ve where one fino e
again the !"'Ot i VG Of the> fee ti V~ll- StH ted S!Firli er;
t~en R descriptive rrotive (in£), attributed with-
out doubt to the landscape, an0 in ,,h ioh the la ok
of the O<"!"lpoeer'e nbility ie dis:pleyed; a new
theY"'e (in !Q}, the !"'eaning of which is not very
clear, intervenes m: brings about the ther-e in l_,
to which a sketch of the r~rinciJa.l r-otive of the
Scene d 'AFOtU' hne jttst b(•en netded; the noises of
the fF~ati VAl grP:C'Un lly decrease • as if the./ Wt:'re
the oOt"'!""entary on the "J:,lry oz1 the stage".
II. RoT"'eo'e ther:e, inc, ratht'r indifferent, followed
by an agogio transition, taken fror thE> festival
the!"' ea.
III .. Allegro in E. forr-ed of new therres, without a
defini tfl fo~: fLeet a J'r'Ot i ve in a very Italian
style fhar.,..oni zed better than the I'reced ing);
then a ballet air, in which the oroheetr;. ie
ohar~ing, an{i one rer,etition of th£-1 nrtalian''
theT"'e, all without modulation; finally a rather
''recalcitrant'' aup£>rposition of the two r-otivee,
unalterably in F. Onf' SP.PS h€:>re at every instant
the awkw:'rdneea o:f the cor:poeer in the field of
!""Odul!:· tiona: the velleity of the fu~~·l entries,
soon abandoned, the "heavy base" effects, the
reason for which e ec e s PS. n.nc' , to o onclude,
Ho!""'eo's theJ"'e is connected wl.th a Coda very
Itnlian in style also, but not >he'""'b'eet. All true
gradation of interest is abet•nt, and one feels the
inability of the efforts of the col""'poser to supply
it.
b) ~scene divided into three sections nleo;
I. A sort of ''orcheatrt:tl landscape" in f!, to prepr;re
the entry of RoJ"'eo's thel""'e, ooFing frorr the first
section;
II. A short dialogue between the flute ~md the oboe,
}.lreludinp the appe.>>rance of Julif't, reJreeerJted
by a p:raceful clarinet rotive. A true dialogue
takne place: an interruption b; Ro!""'eO (violon-
cello), response by Juliet (clarinet); then a new
theMe, without a plausible explanation anf a orn-
bination of the two precedin~ thel'!"es, r·"'thE'r
sn.ccessful1y, realized: the entire ense!""'ble unques-
t:i onahly in !· Ho·e a sort o:f interlude ie in-
be raeei vad when l'1e heard Lt.J.~il• in 1632, and tl10 com»letell'
•romantic• aea.JUng he telt il.l.t og\lld derive tr• i.t. Al'.iaaK
at this detailed application of music.-. to u. literary program,
he aa.:fi ·thi $ c.ts an E$nrichment and fratn then on considered the
eu,Ppression of all logical continuity in the oo:natruction of
his works as a.n itt.Jllenae progress. ApproVing Berlioz' idea&
on "f'ree" art with all th'"' pa.e:aion of which he waif~ capa.blet
and freed from all re&!ltrai:nt, he looked tor the aeoret ot
true composition in improv1aat1on 1 without perceiVing ~t ~i

is eJtac t1y the opposl to. We GTf!ID remember tba t, during ()De of
cur soJ ouru:a near himt at Weimar, in 18'11, h$ made the a trans•
declaration that he aspired to •eul)prealil the tofta.litY"• We
l'efrain trom 'tblnldng \'fhat Z'ea.ction this aubverai ve re-.rk
prOToked 1n the m.ind o-r the 7ouns student of •:rather J;'~ranck•

who heard 1t I *''l<Jtlal structure i a tbe most fundam~ntaJ. 1

Yital principle of anr ausie&l work•, our sool .aster had

told us many timesa according~, in s~i~e of the 1mwaaae
prasti,;e of cur ill.uatriou.s int~rloautor from weimar, wa
immedia. tely thought thlit "he we:at a. bit too far", a.l::.d tt:w.'t
~he old t6B.oher on Sa.int•lliohel boUl:i!Ya.rd was rigb.t nono-t.ha-
:! ·~ • \.,~~ •

lesa.
now much more we are eonYinoed of tllia today, a.ftel"
more than a 'lalf•oentury during the course of which the appli•
cation of thia anti•musical theais l~s been atte-.pted ao
many times, and. al.,-s with the .same illl'BUtdiata auooeaa,
 544

III. Repetition of the Jx-1rnento !.ind the .Adagio: the

thet!'e, in the bHss olsrinet, ie built of a first
phrase with repetition(~), of a secane fhrase (&)
and of a repetition of the~ phrase, for~ing a
normal son~ JH~ri od :
IV. Developren of this 1~eriod, in the truwpete, in
tho toy of !b difficult to jn.sUfy here;
V. !.e Taese a la. Cour de Ferrara (t.rhe cui at the
Ferrnre Cour ~resented by a ''inue · Iii f// t the
!""Otives of '~''h oh ere rather poor, Hne which a oorr-
hination of the two l""Otives does not enrich very
ruoh;
VI. Repetition of the developrent, which t""Odulates
perpPttF·l17 ~md lead.s to thEJ Allegro (II} with
1 te tlirninished seventh harl""onies: the Ol'chestra
is particularly intt'r€1s tinp.;
VII. Repetition of the La~ento (I and III), with a
tr nei tion passage connected 1.1•ith the conclusion;
VIII. The TriUT!"Ph, a TP!th' r ora.inary the'!"e in o, which
is repeated four tiM€: s oonseouti vely.
3. ~ Preludes, after the J.~a!"'artine J-Oe try;

4. Orf!hee, one of the be>st of B 11 Liszt 's Po er-e;

5. Prot"ethee;
6. "'~aZSRf?St aftrr Viator Hugo;
7. '~M'tklany.,_e (~st1.!!.:1. noisee1;
., _¥-~
8 • Her 01 o.e f' ,... cure
' L; 1.)f;,. r c.:~
,-:, ,. 11 ..:.!£.L_
.,., ,.. ....,istle~ in
·oic ,;;;..~..'.._K~;:..;:;.:;.r

l"'P~O~ of the Hungarian warriors;

9. :Jngaria., on :rorul£· r HungPr ian th el""eB;
10. Ha:r..,lf~ t, nft, r Sliakespe:'re;
11. HnnnenschL:oht (!Lttle of the Htms];
12. J2ll Iaenle ~hr- .!_<'lea.lJ.
Ji'ina.ry a thirtt'enth work, very ""uc~ later than the
prooeding, which wus pc'rfor!"'ed at Bayreuth, in 1883; &nd

inspired, it ifl sa.i{ , lJy H iirnwing by Prine e W1 tcki: r.u

Beroeau !:ill. ToT"' beau /J.ro-r th0 orr•.c le 19.. the RraveJ.
 547

e) Reoall of the eeoond !t!l of the beginning. in the

tonality of !h, then of th~ first !!tl, with a new
!"'Od1t1oation of the "gallop of the horses" rhythm
forecasting the "c~taetrophe":
f) Phaeton's downfall: return_ to the principal key£
by the aeofSS .Yll!m!. at first, then by the third;
violent ou ~rat of the entire orchestra! ob a
a
eimpl~ ~inversion of a tri&da this e the
collaps~ se~o5 t~-beoorr.ee weaker, eyr:rbol-
izing Phaeton's ea h, w le the "splendor of the
eun"-. third the!1'1e • 'blazes out ont=> last tir-e.
It oan be s~en by thie r~-1.pi<J ':".nalyeia that there is

a true ''oonetruotion'' here. as solid and. logical as those

o:e Berlioz anc ,.is zt: the strong f'rarr'ework of the Sonata
type l"'!&inta1ns the ooheRi on of the the~e tio e letrente and
Tr&kee up for their often rt~ther ord~na.ry r:rneical quality.
~u~tavt CRARPEN~fE~ (1860), in his Imrreeeiona !•
Ital1e (Impr•!~ione of~, makes use ot this ~•
Sohool, the oare for orchestral sonorities always taking
precedence over thematic oonetruotion~rt.

Ole,ud$ DEB!TSRY (1868-1918) whose interesting C;uar•

tet we mentioned (p. 462), while always following the sarre
exelueively descriptive tendency, hae notably enhenoed, on
,,

the contrary, the epe c ie s of the SY'l'J'phoni o PoefY\, through

the superior quality of hie ·~fn!lee Ancl the trnsio ae a. whole.

The Prtlude .! !'apree-midi !'S!!

!anne [Afternoon of e. faunJ'·
(1894)•, the three .Rogjurnee (1999) anr other later woru 1
1 A!?'OI1R the le.tter, the twent~to¥r Preludes for p1Mo should
be "'ent1oned eApeoially• whi ,ollow1ng the ex:a~plt>e of
l'Jlany others do not "preluc"e'' anything at all, but which are
genuine 11 ttl~ Descriptive· p,1o tures: et?veral of t,bem are ab-
solutely ohar~ing Elnd oari be cited ne 'fi7-P~• of thie epeciee.
• Published in 1902.
 548

bear the F:-!,rk of the true "genius'' of the c C>r"poser, a.l though,
to speak truthfully, there is nothing to be gained from
studying the~, fro~ the point of view of the ao~position.

It shonh1 br no ted that this errinently ro!"antic or i en-

tation toward the :::tyrrhonio PoeT", due to the valour of the
inoontfletable P'renchT"'a.n Berliozt wee propagated chiefly in
foreign countries, and principally in H.useia, then in
GPrnany. It is thPrefore in these two nations tr19t t11e prin-
cipal representatives of this sort of Berlioz-Liszt filia-
!!.,Qn, of which we have just spoken, shoul0 be T'"entionfd
before cJ o sing this chapter ~vi th the narre s of those who were

olea.rly separstPd fror it in 0ttr cotmtry.

The Russi~ne were the first: iFbued with the idea
that the popular ~ !!Q!!B. is the founcla t ior;, of 1;:US ical art,
they borrowed what they called their ''theFes" fro'!"' it; but
th~ latter were re~uced for the rost part to an initial ro-
tive of R few notes, which they treated ~oreover very
capably. Already, we h~ve seen Liszt becoT"'e involved in
this course: the Hussians in rar-tiouh:r ootllll therefore be
attaohe(1 to this "IIV'eirrar School'', which was derived none
the leas in a fireot line fro!"' Berlioz. This briefness of
the themes has always see!"'ed to llS to be a weakness; it is
unfortunate that !"'&ny cOT!'posers have consicered it as a
step forward. Since the last ye::are rf the 19th century,
espeoi.,lly, the false belief in the 11
beautiful piecert
built on a •very -.all m.ot1 'f'e• b&s procluoed any worlta, la
Whioh, ln our opbtion., the ohtef ~o:rtoma1ag lies in thia
VEJl'Y thiq.

IU.il A+IHitiiiU JMiuftt\iiiD (183? - 1910) wa.a the

oldest of this ple1a4 of 1\uaaian OC1tJU;>Oaert: his Symph;mie
Po•• Ttaml'• l'.laa a vcy aldllful o.roheat•tion and elea.rl-7
refers to l.ialt a.a a mod~.
\

IJ.tQ).N RIVW-~It"Oi (••• a.b,oV'e, l'- 334.) eom.poae4

three Symphonic J.>o•aa SAdiSh 'Which • • oroheatra.ted t.wio•,

orilinall.y tn 1873 aacl aa&in in 18'16, then transtoraed into u
Opera in lS97 and 1n 1900& 6&&11• oreu••tratod twiQ$, in 187?
a.nd th•n 1n 1881J :tin&J.ly1 J.cQ.thtmMdl·• enclanting tale on
Russian poetr'!J. It is oh1efl7 th1. a eom;poa&r who ea:n be
reproached tor the 'br«i ty of his motives, Which beoou
boring when we listen to his woJ'ka, al thoUSh their :l.tUJtrwuen-
tation may be completelY sucoeaatul in o~ reapects.
AlRMW G.I,AiQYIQi { ••• above, p. 269) al.s,) compos eel

three~ymphoaic Po..aa iillll illil'• op. l3J ~ lattli•

op. l9J la·l.lib op. 28.
i&1 miQI (1861 ·[19~11• eut&1nl.y not ltusaimu
he waa born in :Bn.xelles, wheze he J>ea14ed ala.olt au of hie ur••
Xi.a iymphoaic Po-., l4 Ill [.la.t IA.l (1892), boloaaa •• elea.J"l.7
wi'th. the preedtns, however; that he lU\Y b• aenUoned here.
:U:oreover llfi th him, aud his eontemporu,y Glaaounow1 1 t • • -
that th• •Rueaian•braneh • teased to deT.-10)), until tlvlse laat
t • years at leaat.
 550

[!Sor] STnA~VUlSKY (1882}, 'Y'.rh ose naf"'e cannot be

o~itted, rarka a n~w tendency, Where the Poe~ and the Pan-
tOTY'ime are blencl ed r'Ore :!Ulc' !"'Ore stri o_tly, anti v1her e the
orchestral '''?Jindfalls'r are plentiful, without the Russian
use of excessive brevity in the thef"'atic motives disappear-
ing • unf or tuna te ly.
The Gerl"'ans, who entered upon the course of the
Sz:;phonio Poet'!: a little later, now hold a prepond.erant
plaoe on it; their T"Od.el is undoubtedly Berlioz, the one of
our French T"UBiciane that they appreciate the rrost anc that
they prefer, perhaps be01':USe he is the only one that they

have rel'tlly studied, since the r:"aMorable revival, in Hungrry,

of Troyene ~Carthage LTbe Trojans £1 CarthageJ, unoer the
direction of Felix ••ottl. We Sh~'11 T'!'ention here only the
two I"'OSt fal"'ous nPf'\es ~"''~""Ong the contel'!'lporaries, each to be
reooT"'l!!ended for e. genuine mastery of instrur'entation.
rFelixj ~l'fEINQ!i.HTNER ( 1863) {i942); erinent oonduc tor,
has written a Srrrphoni£ ~ ~hich he says was inspired by a
picture by :Bocklin, It! SeJour ill Bienheureux £:The 4we11 ing
of~ bl~e§edJ. It is SOT"'ewhnt difficult tc understand
this type of transposition of the iT"'~obile ~of space,
which le painting, into the robile art of ll.r:.!., which is
music. Ra that as it may, the work includes SO!"'e boautiful
pages.
 551

Richard STRA~TSS (1864), COJI"poaer of dra.t"atio rrusic

which will be disonesed in ite plaae. also oorr.posed oieht

Syr-phonio .PoeJr>e: one shoul(1 nota that the first four at
least are sufficiently well organized and oont:~trncted SY'f"-

phonioally that they T"6Y be heard indepen,:;ent ly of the •rpro-

grafl'l!' upon which they OO!!W'Emt, n fact which shows very well
a desire to react against the 01 a order of I1iezt and Berlioz:
1. ~ Italien taut 2f It~'>li} op. 16, rather sitdlar to
the I~preesions ~'Italie by Gustave Charpentier, of the

piotur eeoue order;

2. Don Juan ( 1889) ;

3. uaobeth (1891);
4. Tod !!!!. Verkl~rung fpeuth and TrnnsfigurationJ (1890),
one of the beet;
5. Till EUlenepiegels luetigue Streiche [Till Eulenepie-
gel's Pranki} (1895);
6. ~ eprach ZarRthustra £:.'1lnts_ spnke Zoroaster] (1897);
7. 12.2!1 r;uixote (1898)
8. Sinfonia d~eetioa tpo~estio Syrrho~ (1904).
As with all the other species of ~usia practiced by
oonterrpora.ry OO!"'poe ere, we can '!""e nti on here only exarrplee or
epecil"'ene, among those which eear- tC' us to be the ,...oet useful
to know, withcut any pretention at a cor-,plete enurreration,
which wonlr not enter into the fra!""e nor into the plan of this
 553

a. spcoiren of the type:

~ };olides: SY7"phcnio Poem 1.livided into six sections:
I. Introduction sottnoing the h~onic the~e which will
becowe the second idea (B), presented in the two
antagonistic tonalities which wi11 oppose each
other throu,-rhout the work, acoordi ng to the prin-
ciple dear to the co~poser: at first in A frrinoi-
pal key), then in its~~ .ntipode:'.!!..!. fifths away
II. -·
Eb·
!~position: followin~ tl!e Sonata principle; the
first idea is subdivided into three distinct ele-
Ments 1'8:':" a' ' a' • ' 1· -

~if E71 •@ ~ -~·@.I~~

2 .-;:.:;:::::: =- ff'
I ¥; 5[if- #f2s
p -~- - -----·-
I 1-
A rather--short brrage eep>rales this first ides.
froM the second (b):

If~i~t Jj l~i.=--I .j lij

PZ? ..........--=: -=::::::
I
:::::--
III. EB:position of the third idea fO), which seer··s nt
first to be rrerely a co~ple~ent of the second (B)
in the saf"!El tonality C!JJ,
but which will be es-
tabliehed_la1;~r a~L~ tte...P_~'l-I'~l.t.§ tb..Q!"'eJ .

l'~~ r@Tifr 1 r i4
mf ·-'- ~

IV. RecPPitulation of the A idea, at first in oanon in

the rr incip~l key, A, then in C• where IT is e oon
followed by the B idea; develop!T'ent of the three
fraf.":"ents of the A idea, le·,ding to a COFplete ex-
pos! tion of the third ~ c, in the ''opposed key 1
'

of Eb;
V. A sort of struggle b<•t . pen the two ton.s~ities: the
A it'l ea. r1!>nppears integrally-ril A; the B idea enters
in ID!, and this key dies away to rrake roorr for the
third idea c, in A. with the T"Odulating variants
which return to Eb:
VI. Ending develuprnent of the A ani' B iC' eas, then of
the bridge rhythr; finally, a sort of YT'USioal
allegory of the last verse ".!..!! repos et 1 'arour,
la grao) l l 1 'harr-onie (rest !!1£. love~ grf.aE ~
harrroll,l by !"'ea.ne of a oornliina tion of the t ..ree
 554

themes: the B chords acco~panying in turn the first

idea A anr the third C:
- Sections IV, V, and VI forrr a. type of large
second section, opposing the first three fl, II and
III).
In spite of "tonal digressions" which Franck would
have nevPr perrritted in a symphonic work othPr than a 11
poem 1' ,
the ooT"'pOsi t ion of this pi eo a is very well oorbined and has
a pEtrfeot unity: nothing is left to ohsnae in it, as we have
too often eeer1 in the works of Berlioz anrl Liszt.
Henri DUPA:-tc, [}.848 - J,
193~ ,clhos e ad!""irable Lieder

we ,will t: tudy in our Third Book, published, in 1875, a little

bef~re Saint-Saens' Danae ttaoabre, a beautiful S;Jnlphonio Poerr,
I
v~,:i:y f'ir,.,ly conetruoted, anti tl ed Lenore.
Ernest CHAURSON (see above, p. 300 ) has oorrpoeed two
~r,phonio PoemsJ i'iviane (1883) and Soirs de M!. (Festival
evenipg~ (1897) in which the e.daptat ion to the 1'pr ograT!""
-
baa a.s a result that the end is not in the initial tonality.
~ DUYuts1 (leo5 - l93fJ hv s oorrposed a genuine
S~phonio Poel"!', J. 'A;pprlclr.ti. Soroier {The sorcerer's a;rpren-
j;ieil (1897), which he oa.lls Scherzo because it is actually

in this for~, although it very ingeniously follows tne

catastrophes of Goethe's Ballad on this subject; a new ver-
1fioat ion of the oonst.ruc:d;i ve and logical tt:;ndenoy of ell
this oont&"'porary ~ohoo~, to react against Berlioz, Liszt
and their euooessore.

l
See Book II, P~l,rt l t P• 694.
 555

Vincent D' 1NDY1 who in Wallenstein utilized the

Overture form, 8 a Dukae the Scherzo :fori!'! for his Arprenti
Sorci er, aoooeted the pure SyP'phonio Poem species also in
severA.l works:
1. ~ :F'oret enohantee {lhe enchanted. forestJ Ballad
Syr.phony, op. s. (1878);
2. Saugefleurie, Legend for orcl:ie stra, on a poeT" by
Robert de Bonnieres, op. 21 (1884);
3. l2.!!!:. .[ 'Ete !. !! '~ .. ontagne, 1Jlut"1Fer ~ .Q!!. the
'"'ounta.1nJ SY'f!'phonio Triptyque, after poerre in }•rose by
Roger de PaT"pelonne, op. 61 (1905}:
4, SOt1g;iVenirs, PoeJT' for oroheetra 2 , op. 62 (1906);

5. Poe me Q.!!t Ri vagee fioet:> .Q! 1£!. Banke .Ef 1!!!!. Strea!"J.,
Symphonic Suite in four sections, op. 77 (1919- 1921);
6. D1ptygue J!'!editerraneen Drediterranean diptyo~ for
orchestra, op. 87 (1925- 1926).
As a specil"'en of two rather differer.tt conceptions of
this sarre species, we give below, in ending, the analysis of
the eecont1 of the ee six peers • St ugefleurie, an(! that of the

1
See Book II, Part 1, P•428.
2
~or a pP rsona.l rea.F~ on, this work calls t.o rrind tQ.e princi ...
pal thel"'e fro,.. a.nothf>r work Le Poer des ''ontapne~L'·ount~"in
Poem1 op. 15 (1882), which is actually a true SyFphonio Poem
~iano. The descriptive pieces onlled ~bleaux de Volase
[!'ioturee Qi £. VoyaseJ, op. 33 (1889), aorre of whicllwere
orchestrated later, op. 36 (189l} should be classified in
this s~re oate~ory.
 556

third, written thirty years Inter,~ d.'lli_!. la "'!'onta.gp.e.

f'IArrGEFLJiirTR..!]!: SY!l"phonio Poem, divided into six sections:

I. Introduotion represer,ting, after the poe.,...., a land-

scape with a lake; one h~ars chords evoking
''fatality" which condeJT~ns the Fairy Saugefleurie
to a tragic fate, following her love for a hu~an
being, a certain Prince whose hunting calls are
heard in the distance, :hile the theJ"'e assuJY~ed by
the Fairy herself is sketched; its principal key
!ll; - this In traduction is repeated in l, with
the sa!"'e e1el'!"ents orchestrated differently (the
thel"'e of the Fairy in the f1utes) ancl returns to
the D~. of Ab; the ~~rT"Onies of the landscape
reap'j'i'eir in tni s tonality, while the huntiiJ.il fan-
fares draw nearer;
II. E;position in Q: the A theT"e is that of the Runt,
the B theJ"'e that of the Prince; but both, contrary
to the rules for the Sonata, h;~ve the sarr-e tonal-
ity; - the A ther-e is stated again in Eb followed
by the B therr.e i,n Ob (lll:.); - a little ili!.Valoprent
of the two theJ"'eB ends this section;
III. The trtetipg of the Prince anf. the Fairy: a complete
expos iion or-tne-tElrd Idea, Sietchei in the In-
troduction, ancl forrring a large song :r:eriOd,
followed by the fataliti chords;
IV. Love ~ of ~ two characters: develop~ent of
the two theJ"'ee A an0 B, in the tonalities of Ab
and Cb (B) which is attached to the two keys of
the preceding developFent; - a very short transi-
tion Raeeage. (replacing an actual SfT"phonio devel-
oprent which, a pearing to be r'UOh too long at
this place. was for this reason suppreesed by the
CO!"pOBer);
v. Recapitulation, correlative of Section II; thaT""e
A in Q. {The Hunt, which gradually dies away); -
frs~ente of the C theme (the Fairy) having beoo~e
J"'Ourn:f'ul, in B: - la at eohoe of the A there in the
dietanoe; -
VI. Complete restatewent of the 0 theme, correlative
with Sect! on III: the three phrases of the ~heg
12eriod are cnt by the :fatali1z chords: the tr~e
has becoMe cold Rnd as if indifferent: The Fairy
has eone cra.zy anf. has chvnged into a flower.
Tb.ifl type of T"USical allegory with thera. tic ind i vi d-

uals fe3ls the effl:(cte BOJT~ewhat of the euetO!""S of the tiT"e

when it was composed: between 1884 ano 1906, !""any thinps

 558

Trumpet

a sort of endi~ develo~nt make a this theme

stru~le vleto~oualy a~nat a last return or
cloud" theme, while the songs or the birds
the
are doubled.
II .DAY (Afternoon under the Jl£&) 1 Slow movement in
:1 (S.•Dom. ol' tfie !un""l.iy mi!a!e o!' ilitHcfi is
l'ormed-sj a true Scherzo, in Q, initial key changed
in mode: -
a) ~ ~riod (,!, E• .!) i:u the v1ol1na, expressing
t~a m ln the heat ot the dar:

Viol. v.:oL
-
~··~ f' ~M Ir ~m tlg: f! f I
Th11 period gradually fade a away, and one heara in
the distance tbe rhythm of the popular dance which
will beeo• the Scherzo, while tbe birds of night,
disturbed trom tEiir !aily sleep, sound their lugu-
brious cry (tlutea) interrupted by fragmentary calla
of the 1n1 ti al theme;
b) Scherzo in 0: on the dance rhythm already prepared,
one Eiars a Chanson scanned b7 the trumpets and the
trombo l'l8 a:
Trump. alld Tromb.
Trpt. oii~d. Tromb

4ra_,.,.,m 1 r
2.

ii£€Jj.
c) Scberao trio, on another chanson, 1n Db, w1 th a
Mw rHy£hii'rthen :reoaj1tulat1on, very ibridged, ot
the Oban•on rrom tEe . clierzo on a third rhytl:m
(tambourines);
d) Recaf1 tulation of tbe .!.2!!£ ~eriod. or the slow move-
ment n I, wi~b reoallings o the Scherzo, as a
conclusion. _
III.E'UIIIO; Finale on the two tonalities of the first
piece, but in an inverse o roer. The general form
ot a cles1c Rondo:
a) Refrain ln B: joyous song or the peasants who get
togetSer in the evening, stated by the quartet:
 560

the let Vespers for the Festival of the Aseu~ption 1 ,

which is sung the day before in the evening at the
close of day, this is why we h:lve used 1 t at this
plnoe in our "triptyquert;
e) Refrain stated a last ti~e, as in the distance;
f) Ending develOJ2ren t; brusoue retnrn in .Q., by the
arnbiqui ty of the third; reo,: ll of the elEHl'I(Jnts of
the beginning abridged: the riRt, the niFht (with
desoendin~ arpeggios}, finally thp lu~1br~oue call
of the owl which the flute repEH\tS one Jaet time:
Flute Flute.
if~.· !Iii"!
p ====-
·B.f forcine Ol~Self to keep this oo~position within
the eyrnph{lnic frar-e, 111e oo not bel i('ve we he< ve spoi+ed the
co,.,..prehf'neion of its ''deecrirtive rrogra"'": we have consid-
ered it rather aa an advantage to save the listener trxough
this !"'eans a certain feeling of uneasiness that we always
experience, in that which concerns us. when listening to
works whPre thP care fnr the rrextra-l'l'uaioal idea" has been
pused up to the total surpression of these .,landrarks" • that
we p~rsiet in juGgin~ indie~neable in no ~atter what co~po­

aition, if it pretends to justi:t'y this title in the least.

l The Gregor iB.n toxt which we h~• ve tlS ad 1 s the rme fraT!' the
Anti~honaire Benediotin (1897), the only one ~wn at the
pflriod whan this work was ool"'.fJOSed. The text of the Vatican
Rdition, puhlished since, contains several variants.
V, I.
 561
7. CONCLUSION.

If the reader has no objections to referring, in

concluding, to the general table that was given in the
Introduction of the First Part of this Second Book (p. 12),
he will verify that the •cycle of Forms arising from the

RHYTHJI OF THE GESTURE" is now finished: it has even

exceeded its limits in that which concerns the Qverture and
the SJmphonic Poem, which already belong to the dramatic
fiold; the reasons for this infringement have been given.
After the study of the Forms sprung from the RHYTHM OF THE
WORD, which will be the object of the Third and last Book of
this COURSE IN COMPOSITION (Dramatic Madrigal, Q_Rera, L¥ric
~rama, C!ntata, and Qratorio 1 fit1l, Song .. etc.) a last excur-
sion into the symphonic field will again be necessary,
becau:,e the Ballet, the fantomime and Theatrt lluttc are
actually SfmpQODic sue9ies belonging ~ the Drama, in the
same way that the Qverture and the smnh2nic ~ are drama-
tic sgecies relat§d 1£ !hi Szmph9,nz.
Nevertheless, it is eas7 to see that the musical
species still remaining to be studied are rather small in
number and occupy, on our "circular table•, a rela.tively
small place in the almost complete "CycleR we have covered
in the symphonic field.
 Considering only the t,egQaic!Q teaoh1ng of .QSM-
POSITI~, everything $ssential baa been etated in thia
Second ~ook Which we end today. »ecause the ~rinciples of
this teaChing are the aam.e for dra.watic musical art: the
applications alone are different. Aoeordtngly it will be
the History of these applications that will form almost
'a.ll the material of the T!lird :Book, Just as t.he History of
primitive musical to~s, before the orgaaization ot aur
ooDtompo:rary art, fu:l"ni shed the basia tor our First Jioo~.
:But, if the tssme!:a;L field carl henceforth be oo•-
sidered as completely explored, the almost exclueively
tll,s;igrl,,&m;l. field o:f' declama.ti Ollt rscenio representation, 1n
a word the Xhea.tre, still remains ~o 'be lOll& oYer as a. whole,
and wa can say that 1 t seems rather poorly mown up to now,
particularlY in its primitive period, earlier perhaps than
the oldest instrumental. 1 orms o.f: Whioh we have spoken.
Thus, from a historioal point 01 vienv, 1 t would be
possible to contend that one ahould oesin with Dramatic
:llusio: but we have recopized many tim.ee tha. t .,logical"
order does m t alwa.;rs coincide with "chronologioa.l .. order;
and when we undertook, about 1892, this plaoins in order of

1 'rhe teohnica.l chaptq,rs conounirt; ~thta, ltelocSy lia.l'mou.y

1 1
tonality. eto. in the F~at Joot, are in reality, prelimiD•
a.ry to the study of Oompoai tion: this is why, they
·~rue
formed the obJeet, aome twenty years later Olh of our COU.b.D
Ill MUSICAL G~. A.i.
 564
of Sonata, op. 7, by Beethoven, particula.rly suitable for
this process):
2. The same work made from the piano reduction of a
known symphonic work; then, comparison of the student's
orchestration with that of the composer, after the audition
of the work, if it is possibleJ this comparison will nearly
always give S6veral instructive surprises.
To analyze, compare, reflect, try, call upon after
all a patiently acquired personal experience., this is the
only route by which the composer, in possession of all the
technical means capable of forming the object of a precept,
may hope to attain this "new way of expressing old thingsn,
which constitutes genuine originalitz.
Let us recall always the excellent formula quoted
at the beginning of this Book: 1£ compose 1! 12 ~ unegual
elem9nt~ !£ order.
We know henceforth of what these elements consist,
for the musician: of definite thematic individuals, acting
according to their character in the perspective of modula-
tions.
Musical COMPOSITION is nothing else: but it must be
ALL OF THIS.
E.~D OF THE SECOND BOOK.
 566

-
D
Debussy, p. 462, 547. (See Part I
.9.
Gabriel! (Oiovanni)r p. 174,
also). (See Part I also}.
Dukaa, (Paul), p. 300, 554. (See Gilaon, P• 549.
Part I also) • Glazounow, p. 269, 334, 549.
Duparc (H.), P• 272, 654. Gluck, p. 44, ~ 475, 477,
Dussek, p. 626, 533. (See Part I 478, 488.
also). *Gombertp p. 517. (See Book I
-
Dvorak, p. 163, 333, 437. alaoJ.
Gossec, p. 195, 321, 367, 385.
Gretry, P• 195, 321, 385.
- E Grieg, p. 438 ff. (See Part I
also) •
Eckhardt, P• 518.
-
-F
Faure (G.), p. 3511. (See Part I
- 11
HflJ.ndelf P• 476. (See Part I
a1aoJ.
e.lao). Ba1evy, p. 483 •
Fesca, p. 330, 385. Haydn, p. 44, 59, 148, 175,
Field, p. 156. (See Part I also}. 178, 183, 186, 196 rr.,
Franck (c.~, p. 270 rr., 325 rr., 316, 321, 367, 383, 385,
. 441 ff •. 1 498, 652, 553 • (See 394.• (See Part I also).
Part I also) • Herold, ~· 483, 497, 498.
Froberger, P• 521. (See Part I Berz (H.), p. 159.
also}. Hummel, P• 156. (See Part I
also).

lrhe musical examples taken from Gabriel Faurlts Quintet in D

(pp. 351 and 352) were publi&hed with the permission or r.-
Schirmer, editors, in Bew York.
2
The mu.si cal examples taken from cesar Jt'ranckt a S!'Jiahon
(pp. 272, 275 and 280), Trip !2 f# (pp. 337, 338 a
Quintet (p. 341), ~artet (pp. 4~, 444, 445, 448 and 449),
33 ) 0
were published wi~tbe "permission of Hamelle, Paris editors.
3.... # ,..
--rhe musical examples taken from Cesar :f'ranck'sEolidea as
(p. 553} were published w1th the permission of Knoch nrid Co.,
Paris editors.
 567

-I
Indy (Vincent dl), P• 289 rr., Mozart, p. 65, 149, 183,
353, 456 rt. , 5oo rr., 534, 205 rt., 322, 351,
555. (See Part I also). 384, 385, 4'78, 484, 510,
529. (See Part I also).
Munday, p. 520.
-
J
* Janequ1n,
\

p. 512, 516, 526,

(See Book I and Book II,
.2
Part I also) • Onslow, p. 329, 385.
Jarnovio, p. 146.

-
K -
p

Philidor, p. 488.
Kalkbrenner, p. 15'7. (See Part I P1ccin1, p. 480, 489.
also).
KUhnau, p. 522~ (See Part I also).
!l
-L
Lachner, p. 252. (See Part I also).
Rafr, p. 162, 264, 332,
436. (See Part I also).
Rameau, p. 15, 19, 44,
La.lo (Ed.), p. 282 1 348, 453, 500. · 342, 476, 487, 488.
.tekeu, p. 462. (See Book I and Book II,
L1sat, p. 162, 268, 511, 533, Ml rr., Part I also) •
551, 552. (Se• Part I alao):-- Rtea, p. 152, 156. (See
Lully, P• 13, 36, 242, 4'75, 486 1 Part I also)·.
488. Rimsky-Koraakow, p. 269,
334, 549.
Ropartz (J. Guy), p. 300,
-
:M
Magnard (Alb.), P• 301.
462.
Rossini, p. 480, 492.
---
Rossi, (Luigi), P• 486.
Mahler, P• 269. (See Part I also).
Malder (van), p. 320, 36'7, 383. Rubinstein, p. 26'7, 268.
Mare.t, p. 521. (See Part I also).
Mendelssohn, P• 136, 158, 159, Rust, p. 394. (See Par-t I
253, 268, 268, 330, 436, 496. also).
(See Paet I also).
Meatrino, p. 146.
s
Meyerbear, P• 483 1 49'7.
Monteverdi, P• 68, 485.
Moscheles, p. 15'7. (See Part I
-
Saochini, p. 4'78.
also).

~he musical examples taken from Vincent d'Indy•s Trio with

clarinet (pp. 353 to 358) were published wi~ the permission
of. Ramella, Paris editors.
 sea

Saint-Saens, p. 56, 164, 283 ff., Tcha1kowsky, p. 268.

M81 453, 545, 546, 54'1. Torelli (Giuseppe), p. 139.
(See Part I also). (See Part I also).
Sammartini, p. 194, 320, 36'1,
382.
Scarlatti (A1lessandro), p. 319,
343, 487.
Scarlatti (Domenico); p. 319.
-
v
* Verdelot, p. 51'1. (See
(See Part I also). Book I also) •
Schubert, p. 252, 330 1 436. Viadana, p. 12'1, 137, 318,
(See Part I also). 382. -
Schumann, P• 160, 253, 267, 331, Vieuxtempa, p. 159.
436, 496, 533. (See Part I V1ott1, p. 14'1. (See Part I
also). also). -
* Schutz, p. 65, 1'14, 519. (See
Book I and Book II, Part I
also).
-
Vivaldi, p. 129, 141.

Servais (A. F.), p. 158. w

Sgambati, P• 334.
Smetana, p. 332, 43'1.
Spohr, p. 15~250.
Stamitz (Johann), P• 145.
Stamitz (Karl), p. 195.
Steffan!, P• 319.
Steibelt, p. 156. (See Part I
also).
Strauss (R.), p. 551.
Strawinsky, P• 550.
Striggio, P• 51'1.
Svendsen, p. 268, 333.
Wagner, p. 48, 60, 69, 183,
266, 2'10, 469, 4'17, 481,
498, 499. (See Part I
also).
Weber, p. 60, 495.
Weingartner, P• 550.
* W111aert, p. 408. (See
Book I also) •

-
T
Tart1ni, ,p. 141. (See Book I
and Book II, Part I also) •

Before ending the present volume of the Course in

Composition, its authors and editors wish to thank the Editors:
RAMELLE, of Paris, ENOCH and CO., of Paris, G. SCHIRMER, Inc.,
of New York, for the courtesy with which they have been willing
to give the permissions mentioned in the present list.
 5?0

2. Origin of the Symphony; Madrigals transcribed

for instruments; elimination of the ac-
companying instruments in the Concerto;
addition or ~e wind instruments •••••••••••••• 1~5

3. Dist1-•inctive characteristics of the Symphony

in relation to the Sonata••••••••••••••••••••• 1~9

4. The Beethovian Symphony••••••••••••••••••••••••••

HISTORICAL:
5. The Symphony before Beethoven •••••••••••••••••••• 194
6. Beethoven's nine Symphonies •••••••••••••••••••••• 207
?. The Romantics •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 250
8. The mod,,rn German and Russian.................... 264

9. Modern French•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 271

ACCOMPANIED CHAMBiR MUSIC

TECHNICAL:
1. Definitions•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 303
2. Origin of Chamber Music; Madrigals transcribed
-
for instruments; Trio writing; the Clavacin,
solo inatrument.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 30~

3. Adaptation of the f'our trad.i t 1onal types

(S.L.M.R.} to Chrunber Music ••••••••••••••••••• 314

HISTORICAL:
4. The Creators ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 318
5. The Classic and the Romantic ••••••••••••••••••••• 322
6. Modern Ger~an and Russian •••••••••••••••••••••••• 331
~. Modern French. ••••••• •••••••••• ••••••• •• ••.••••• •• 335
 5'11

OBAIT:SR IV

~ ....
sT ........I_...N_G QUARTET
........R

TECHNICAL:
1. Definitions•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 361
2. Origin of Us String ~ot.uartet; the Motet; the
Fugue; the Chamber Trio..................... 363
3. Ch8racteristics of the classic Quartet ••••••••• 366
4. Unity of the classic Quartet; affinity of the
themes; tonal relationships; rank and form
of the various movements •••••••••••••••••••• 373

HISTORICAL:
5. The Quartet before Beethoven ••••••••••••••••••• 382
6. Beethoven's sixteen Quartets ••••••••••••••••••• 386
7. The Quartet since Beethoven; Romantic Oerrnan
arrl other foreigners; Modern French......... 434

OHAP'l'ER V

~ -.SY:; ; .M.,.P_H_O;. ; .I;,; ; I. .;.O OVERTURE

TECH.NI CAL:

l. Derinitions•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 464
2. Origin of the Overture ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 470
3. Characteristic forms of the Overture; in Italy,
in F'rance and in Germany.................... 473

RISTORI CAL;
4. ~arly Italian Overtures (1600-1680) •••••••••••• 484
5. French Overtures (1680-1805) ••••••••••••••••••• 486
 5'72

6. German classic and romantic overtures (1805·1850) •• 490

1. Modern Overtures••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 498

THE SYMPHONIC ...............

POEM _ AMD
CHAPTER VI
-
THE .;;...;;.........,;........,;.;..;;.
FANTASY
............ _ . ...,.__.

TECHNICAL;
1. Definitions••••••••••••••••••••••••·••••••••••••••• 505
2. Origin and. chief aspects of the Symphonic Poem ••••• 511

HIST ORI £AAL;

3. The vocal Symphonic Poem (16th century) •••••••••••• 516
4. Descriptive instrumental pieces (17th and 18th
cent~ries)•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 520
5. The Fantasy at the end of the 18th century •••••••• 52'7
6. The orchestral Symphonic Poem (19th century) •••••••
'7, Conclusion••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ·561

LIST 01<' 'l'H.E COMPOSERS OF' SYMPHONIC MUSIC belonging to

the Third Era of Musical His tory and nent ioned in the
Present Volume ••••••••••••••••••••• ~···•••••••••••••••• 565