sc Research Forum 9, Vol 4p. 25-52 ramatic Structure in shoenberg's Opus 11, Number 1 Candace Brower ‘The Thre Pano Pieces, Opus 11 represent Schocaber’s fiat Wook tn ently in an tna som. Consequeay, the pich ste of his has bean vena et el fen, paral fom ast benec ov of view, Ops 11, Number 1 has eee be ot exzsie eNE, iervaic ste having fst ben analyze by Gcrg Pes, wo (ina eho approach) Tod 014} 0 be te primary inva cll ponte for ie movie oy of te ie." Seabee analyses by on Fore? Gary Witch? an David Lai hae exynded ae oraz es metods, nding ae ning set src sch as exch and tons “ecg Put, Sra Composition and Atay: At Introduction 10 the sic of Sehorberg. Berg. ond Webrm, co Lon Al erty of Cafe ies, 192) pp 1013, Zales Foe, “The Magi Kaedoscoe: Schoebes Fat Atal vor, pes 0, Nae "Journal ofthe Are Schonberg ratte GORI 12768. “Tir ale leo loess ourve of previously Pte le f Opts nel bins ort an el sFrOac Stary Witch “nieval Set Sauce in Schoeberg® Op 11, 80.47 species of hw Muse 13 (9908 453. “David Lewin “Some Notes on Schoenbars Op 1" a Theory Ont 37Schoenbere’s Ogus 11 27 _ravisation exerted by the s00 i sll operative in these pieces In view of the fact that, for example, the laws of Bach of Beethoven's srtural procedures o of Wagner’ amony have rot yet Deon essed in tly sienie manner, x ok Surprising dat no such attempt has been made with respect 12 ‘tonality? The weakness of both sethortc and tonal analyses a they tend to wat non-pitch elements of musical structures Secondary, cneemeating on pile eainshis in an effort to demonstrat as clearly as possible the value ong one Othe abe anac ttod. Once span, on ind indications in Schoener own words that an understanding ofthe mic of his Period ‘epends on he consideration of meas oer than harmon. Coherence in classic compositions is based—brosdly speaking—on the ang qualities of sich srctrl facts 36 ys, oil, pass, andthe constant refereo®o ll mele fd harmonic fates tothe contre Of gravitation the tne Fenounceret of th uiying power fe ton ees the other fac in operation. "That Schoenberg considered rhytn to playa important role in etn rica sbactris evident yon Cxamination ofthe ey trcare of ie atonal sic, Changes in Schoenberg's harmonic vocabulsry were sccompnied by equally profound charge in he weatmeat of hyn resulting In yume structures of tremendous complesity and varity wlke tose of either the earlier tonal works ofthe Inter I2-one works. One Bas only 10 compare Opus I, Namber 1 with the fst movement ofthe Suing Quartet, (Opus 1010 recognise that very diferent inl of thymic consti are work. Inthe fist movement of Opus 10 (Ex. 1), quaner-nae pulse is maintained thoughout, and the 3/4 meer i clearly expressed through ‘monic rhythm and mxvi ptt, In the opening of Opus 11, Number 1.0m We ober hand we find tat he 374 meter is nly Wealy established in the frst tee bars, due w the absence of he fist beat of measure 1 andthe lack of congruence between righ and left hands in measures 7 and 3 (see En. Wye and ea, p 86 Spe and dep. #7,Schoesbers’s Opus 1 29 that Schoenberg was no longer obliged to as yim in onl way ‘ios ing ws why e fl the nes ese 1 extemes of ymic Conpleiy. The fet that be ened a simpler and more mewcaly toveredsytinie syn Bs 12400 muse, in wich be parionag of the row ain clarified by mie uring! sagen ts Schoenberg fein stati commiment oh evans execs fis nev eytimie langage Instead, ses ely tha Sehoenberg allowed rythm © playa snore ora ole m eulating masa aati der compste forte ek of wa oration ‘Actes aspect of Schoener’ musi language which as unchanged ty we oven of sonal is its expressive en. Ta edonberg placa sFet alton ably his tonal wor 1 cxpess he same moos and rotons is sealer mise indene by he owing amen Usually when changes of syle occur inthe ana eadeney canbe observed overomphasie the dillersce beeen he new fd the old. Trae, new ways of building phrases ad other Stctural elements had been discovered, and their mutual “elauonship,comecuon, and combination could be balanced by hitherto unkoown means. New characters had emerge, ew moods ind more eid changes of expression ha ban eat nd ‘now types of bepining,comiauing, contrasting eepealing, and nding ad come into use. Forty Yeas have since proved that the Dychologiel Basis ofall tee changes was Couect, Music ‘thot a constant reference w tonic was comprehensible, could odoce characters an mate, could roves emotions, and was ot devoid of ait o umout we are w understand this mas in the way that Schoenberg obviously intended, we must discover how the various clement of msical structure ‘work ogee 0 teat distinct moods and emodons, and to determine the Iogie which explains the progression om one mad OF emion to acter ‘The music of Opus 11, Number 1, with is sudden outbursts and aap changes of character, has he quality drama. I( ere i a logic tothe Way the piee evolves over time, iis ike o be determine in prt aconting 10 rama niles. ‘2poewaacestion oft reluonshipbaween metic paring nt te perining ofthe fsr ins siglcant sey ue Marthe Hye wile, ‘A Theory of Tove Tone Mtr 9 Marie Thery Spectrum 6 (198) 183, T3Spte and Idea, rp. 88Schoenberg's Opus 113 Wile no single interpretation can hope ta extract al of the expressive otenal of «given pice, the we of damatic metaphor asa Babs for xpressiveimerpretation allows us to determine the oie value of ifferent ‘auepeaions on the bass oF dramatic coherence. Thus, one ca test the validity of a parcular meaphor by asking bow well it explains musical deals within a ingle, coeret pot sci ‘Drama orinrily const ofa last our elamests—charscters, event, suns, an me expression of thoughts OF emotions. In musi itis not always possible to distinguish among dese ements, since single musical dea may expess charac and an motonal stat, a hacer and an action, ofall te at once, ‘Thetefore, wll not alvays make a clear dsiection among these ements, ad will sometimes ueat hese elements 25 different ‘components ofa single musial dea, Whenever posi, wail sugpae my idoas by eating them to specific musical elements ox process. I do not ‘aim that my inerpecution of the expresion or character of 4 particular passage is the only ane posible, merely tha such an interpretation is Plausbie and supports the overall dramatic aerpreadion ube pce. In aher words, the large-scale dramatic suture serves at a coment for the inerpectation of individ musical evens, ANALYSIS OF OPUS 11, NUMBER I (Opus 11, Number 4 exhibis ahh degree of thematic unity, and shows an esonaical eaten! of musical materials, The musical element from which he dramatic stctre ofthe piece evcves (Es. 3b and ) are the ‘opening theme A, which rpreseas the protagonist; modves a and , which represent actions of the protagonist and together make up B, and the contrat material C. whic sth sue ofthe deat cone. Ex ‘ 1, Mafige 72 a PaSchoenberg's Opus 1133 Exposition 1 “ out 111 A (opening theme) # (motives and) 4” (asia of theme) 12:14 C contasting mai) Mats 28 wa e Development 24.27 canonic weaunent of A 728.30 D (Geived from A,B, 04 C) 431-33 shonned version af A 47 Geived roa C, Negmning and endig with staiements ofA) 48.52 uaniuon etum of D, olowed by Cand A) Recapitlation S55 4 56-58 materi devs from Cand B 9-61 A ‘To irre the pieein dramatic terms, it wll ten be necessary 0 ler to the affective qualities ofa panicalar heme or mouive—qualitis which sped.on one's subjective responses n such element as melodic and ytimic ‘comur, intrvalic saute lave consonance oF dissonant, and overall, love of activity 1 wll somesimes identity the affective comet of harmonic ‘of melodic mateal on the basis oftheir waditions! connotations in ona ‘sic. For instance, I onsder harmonies Constructed of hiro sound more “stable than harmonies bl fo oer neva because of thei higher degroe of consonance, and I consider the nofe which forms the "oot" of sich harmonies hve # great sss of stability by Vue of te Postion within ‘he harmony, Talo lvoe the tain asoition of aloe neva with opin and minor ones with sadness. However, I wart 10 ses that in suggesting such affective connotation 1 oot mea to mpl habe psc is inany way structed according to the Pipl of fenedol tonality, SchSchoenbery's Opus 11 35 ava ofthe Eon the thie beat of measure 3s Heard asthe Fesolton of he appoggiaura F—causing us to hear E asthe most significant wcrc The inerpreton ofthe final gesture ofthe phrase as an appoggiatra and its resolution ¢ sapped by Schoenber’s we of the decal Bete inthe Fs ‘movement of Opus 10 (EX. 5, the wna context of which eves no doubt as ‘oitsimerprertion. However, my interpretation of asa reference point also has to do with the lei lays throughout the pieee—a role which will ‘radualy emerge trough he dscusson a the rama act ofthe pee Es Zeitmal ‘The reappearance ofthe theme in various suis throughout the piece sllows usw inezpre its ateratons as representing changes in he menial tate ‘ofthe prongs response to ations and eves which oour in th place. ‘The firs insunce of such a change canbe on in measures 9-11 (EX. 6), ‘where a more optimistic version of A (Ais expressed by the repaczment of the minor imtervas ate begining ofA (ino 3-minor 2d) with major oes, the stronger melodic mtin fom C w Gt in measur 10, nthe rising tep motion from A to Bat n measure 1 6Schoenberg's Opus 1137 attempts atthe same modon, cach sounding less foreflthan he lest ue ‘he loss of momentam cause by the thythmic expansion ofthe motives. “The explanation forthe increased optimism of A’ compared to A can be found in changes hat occur ding he sucessive satemenss of motives a and Din messes 48, The ich C, which ist appear in moive aise only Pitch of motive a which id not play a partin the opening theme, dus has 0 association with he orginal gloomy sate ofthe ptagonist. Therefore, when this pich becomes increasingly prominent in eases 5-7—parclaly in measwe 7, where the C becomes the goal of he motion from D-la—we bein to realize that ti pitch represents a way ou ofthe ntl plom “The more setive quality of 4” compared i leads ws 10 imerpet A” as expressive f motion or action a well 8 mood and character. The pitches ‘which form Ae 6-21) ae aed falar to us tough the juxtaposition of the C of measure 7 and modive b in meas 8 (see FX. 8), creating an overlapping of sts 621 and 6-239 (moive b). Tis staposiion also creates an ascending line from C through D to F#. Theme A” begins by reversing this motion hus demonstang the role of Cin providing a new avenue fr escape, the motion of Aladin us eventually 10 the hopeal—if ‘enaive—B-f in measure 1, Ext Soe ie be owsver, this new atlempt at excae ings with it catszophe, a6 the hopeful ood of 4 interapted by the cataclysmic event of measures 12-14 (Ex.9), Here seurying 32nd nots defy mic boundaries with wll, angular leaps from one royselexteme to ie ober. Although the chaos at fst sppear andom, Eat evenvalyem2es a the focal pitch ofthis 2 and fareboing event, its significance hammered home wow bythe sfozanto ‘rival on DA in measure 14, The use of E-at as focal pitch fr the ‘conzating mater Cis parcubty significa since i ithe only ich hat ‘sno peared in he Bist 1 basSchoenberg's Opus 1139 Ee. 10 wage ‘The eur of motives a and in ler form in B"(Ex. 11) represents he ‘roagonats renewed effort escape she gloom ofthe opening deme. The ‘motion fom B-flat oC in motive a’ proves to be as ineffectual a6 the motion ‘tom Eto G in moive a, but now it eA” which rpeesent the ison within ‘which the modon of these pitches is confined, The emctional polarity of ange and despair Which characuried motives € and d now caries veri the “etions of mative and Motive a fsadaker, moe forceful version of ‘motive a, the dynamics and articulation recalling the anget sé wotive €, sccompanie by strong syncopated chords refering back o measures 2 and 3. Motive bon te other hand, pea ina higher register duced oa single ne marked piano recalling he despair of mote Be .Schoenber'sOpurtt AL bee Sas a sane concne mj be ine a nage a OF oe ree ee ee Cento engin rapes Me an a nd Seer ee reer nema pe ioe prepara epee Scope! thn oie # pees ne wees oot G16 1), nite eet angcing on hgh Chom abo ml wo ane Tn teeny omni in ears wie td Oy epee pee penny epeghi oan jeepers Hearn BBSchoenbers's Opus 1143 passages Which express the struggles of she protagonist escape fom the ‘domination of C. The pemetin ofthe were With c teil wl e seen 0 ave the eft of robbing it ofits affective quale, making it sound cold and ‘mechanical, The canes weaiment of A bas siniar effet, imposing an «extemal consain onthe thame which euaizes is expressive quaies. ‘The following passage inrodvces theme D, in which sexs 616 and 312 sppea prominently, reveling the domination of C material (E15. Ents ‘At the same ime, te st-note motives e and fof measure 28 recall motive b ‘Brough similar of rhythmic and melodie comour, Baca this passage ‘metialty ambiguous, rAythmic grouping emerges a5 significant iscingushing characwerstic, causing us 1 relate he 6-n0te grouping of motives ¢ and 0 the 5-note growing of moive b, Mauve e reaches up 1 a high E before fling bck Uvough E-lat © D, ashe roagonst were now stevggling o escape the dominance of C by atempting w eum to the ‘Saily of se pitch E, This rising-fling contour is repeated as Sond motives an hin measure 29, modveg expeesing the wll rise despite the downward pressure of the descending major 3rd, GUE, which ukimatly causes motive g 10 continue its chromatic descent 10 C, forming the fugmenied Wiad C-EGH, The failure ofthe protagonist 4 overcome the ominaion of Cis expressed by the fling sequence of motives and hinSehoenberg's Opus) 8 ‘Measure 38 ince motive Ex 18), an expanded version of motive w ia ‘hich the rise and fall of «has become a e904 contour, suggesting Aisitgratin, Movie ts repeated & minor Wied higher, recalling the rin, Sed of motive, oly to be supplamed by the scurrying chaos of C (mouves x and ) in measere 38, followed by fragment of motive vn meas 4. Bue ‘This powerful easeion of C—the fist ict efernce wo C mai since it appeal ia measure 12—ie answered with similar eres of despair in measare 441 (Ex. 19), alteratng tetweenpianssimo and sforando. The confit ‘between E and Ela, which up now has ely ben mild is ow made explicit hough the appearance of E-at tthe op of the fret sforanda chord, Followed by EE fat (ecaling te syncopated yh of uve A) a he top cof 2 second En * mG j \Schoenberg's Opus 147 Ex21 ‘The recapitulation of Dis immedi followed by a etm ofthe events ‘of mcasue 12, moive # appearing with i orginal piches and accompanied by he same noe sts, 33,36 and 3-2 (Ex 22). 2 In measures 49-50 the csesceno, the acelerand, and te ssing metion of mote lead to the most powerful satement of te Baw soe he begining ofthe piece. Although de theme ismre recognizable bere than it has ben at any te since the exposion, sill unable wo ids ofthe infloeaces of C,which persis in te form of ising 32nd-note figures derived frre motive and ine parle jor thirds of modive u. Tas theme i accompanied by motive i, «variant of mosive sin which Ye ing minor tied filled ia sith stpise maton, suggesting continued eet to oppose eres C ‘The rap diinuendo and te descending sequence of measures 5-52 let usSchoenbers's Opus 11 49) highlights the confict between these two pitches, the outcome of wich made pinflly clear by the move from Ew E-fiat measur 58. Hee E-fat appear asthe rot of minor-major seventh cho, giving the Ela 2 = ‘bility. The sudden sf of dynamics emphasizes this point, the understated sppearnc of the fina chor suggesting tha fre strug is poids | this altered form, the chromatic desent of the theme energes 2 is most senifcanteloment, creating an unbroken line from B-naral down 1 Fin measure ©. Wen the thome eens ona low GW in measure 60, this line continues is chromatic descent an ocsve wer to Eat. The D which we ‘expect o fll asthe last note ofthe theme never appear, e-enphainng the predominance of the E-flat. The closing gesture ofthe piece descends rom to Eat with the same shythmiccomour a he F-E ofthe opening theme. showing E-flat 19 have replaced E a the final “toni.” The E-fat is accompanied by %,Dvand Gt the same pitches which followed the low Ea in measure 12 as part of the original statement of C (ae Ex. 9), thus making ‘lear thatthe rimph of E-lt over E als signifies the final domination of CSelucahere's Opus! SI ‘madness and distorted mental imagery are fecuring themes. It seems feasonable to asume that such influences may have played a role ia deermining the exqresive comet many instrumental work swell his analysis, have use variety of sialytical too, ome base on ‘rational onal concepts, such a He establishment ofa erential pitch and the ably of the rot of a id, and eters based onthe Piciples ofS ‘Heory, Sich a8 K€ ipectance of St 6-16 a8 a motive clement of C. However, many oll elements were considered which dor all wader the ribees of any particular theoreucal system. We have seen tht Schoenberg, sed yt in a variety of ways—to create contrast of mood, 1 diferente actions Tom snes 0 Xpress changes in an agoing process, and co identy ‘matves though thee eythmie character, tn Opus 1, amber 1, mete 8 ko used in a vaity of ways, ad is wate with exsaoriaary Nexibly~ ‘fom its toa abandonment in measures 48 he rigid maar stucure of Ue caricatures versin the theme ia measures 3437. Thave lb considered the motive structure ofthe pice in Some deal ating apen pacts of pitch invariance, tonal stetre ythmie and melodic contour a8 well 3s ira content deermine the sub ad complex motive reladonsips which give the pice mucho iseaherence. "The advaniage of approaching a piece of msic euch as Opus I, [Number I from the standpoint of dramatic stcture is that there is 80 tempuaton oft he pice int a prexistng theoretical mold. While Opus 11, Naber 1 eis some aspects of tran Sonata Form, 8 not the tral outnes of he form which have been peseved texte its dramatic essence. Sine the dramatic mesaphor evolves fom an examination of the Piece self and is mite ony by the imagination of the analyst oe can Be ssn hat the analysis willin some Sense be meaingfl, Thee so danger ‘hat decredical labels wil be applied mecharically, soz she analyst ned ‘make no commitment to a single teeta! sytem. He fee to draw om ‘hose labels when hy sem appropriate and distard them when ey do no ‘is mathod of analysis may no necessarily be appropriate or al Schocber' atonal woek, nol f which ately a hae he sme degree of dramatic coherence as Opus 1, Number 1. However, much of Schooaber's sonal music ha a hihly-chargod dramatic quay, eraying he ‘expressions coment of these works, and it Seems kel that the musical strvture of many of tose works cout be Brought t light cough the pplication of he pitcipes of dramatic inerelation, In any case, would be foolish o ignore the lus lt for usin Sehoenbes's own Writings cuesAbout the Authors Candace Brower isa Ph. . cana in music 1hcory tthe Univrsty CCncinati College-Conservatory of Music. Her particular ara of inst is, ‘he theory of rhythm and meer and she is prsealy writing a dssenaion on Airected motion ia mai, Glenn Burdette isa Ph.D. candidate in mascalogy a the University of Cincinnati Colege-Conservatey of Masic and ssstant organist at Csi, Church, Cincinnati. He is presently writing 8 dissertation, “The Vioia Sonaias of Giovanni Batista Somis” Kay Norton is 3, D. candidate in music athe Unveiy of Colorado at Bogle and is presently wring a dissension on Normand Lockwood. Her rescarch interests clu mnezenh- and twented century America use snd seshetis,