back to "Books that changed my life" -->
Agawu begins with a discussion of the various approaches to analysis that others have offered. He first discusses Richard Park's atonal approach to the music of Bartok. He then presents the words of Bartok himself who says, "Our peasant music, naturally, is invariably tonal, although not always in the sense that the inflexible major and minor system is tonal." Agawu says that Bartok advocated using a tonal approach as a starting point for analysis. Agawu goes on to mention Milton Babbitt's advocation of approaching the works of Bartok from both tonal and atonal standpoints (though he mentions that Babbitt did not go into specifics on how to do this). He finally mentions the work of Elliot Antokoletz, who put Babbitt's premise to work and emphasized, "...the parallels between the principles of folk music and the harmonic and contrapuntal procedures of art music."
The purpose of this paper was to suggest approaching Bartok's music using various methods. He then analyzes the Improvisations for Piano, Op. 20 using the analytical systems of Heinrich Schenker, Allen Forte, and Erno Lendvai (though he criticizes various aspects of Lendvai's system).
(Chris Dearth)
Bernard discusses elements of symmetry in Bartok's music, and how these elements relate to spatial organization. He defines several kinds of symmetry: mirror symmetry, in which pitches are organized about an axis; parallel symmetry, in which the interval s which make up a chord read the same from the top down and from the bottom up; replication and inversion which are similar to the first two types but which take the temporal element into consideration; and multivalent symmetry, which takes many criteria into account besides pitch, such as timbre, rhythm, dynamics, texture, etc. Following this introduction are two brief analyses - one of the First Piano Concerto (1926), I, followed by the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (1927), 1. These analyses demonstrate the principles of multivalent symmetry.
Bernard concludes by saying that, while certainly not applicable to all of Bartok's music, multivalent symmetry is certainly a force to be reckoned with in some of it. He suggests that it is most appropriate to piano works and to pieces with slow tempos.
According to Bernard, the multivalent symmetry may give greater depth of structural understanding to Bartok's music, and should be further investigated.
(Karen Walker)
Bernard begins the article by discussing the what he sees as the major shortcoming of set-theory; that it doesn't deal with pitches in real space (actual placement on the staves) and that by approaching his music this way, one overlooks the spatial symmetries that are on the page (vertical and horizontal). Bernard mentions that many of Bartok's symmetrical forms were based upon Œabsolute dimensions'. Bartok even mentioned that particular registrations were crucial for the desired effect. Bernard goes on to show various examples of this in Bartok's euvre, using the first movement of the Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta as the centerpiece.
Analyses of the First Piano Concerto (movement 1) and Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (Movement 1) follow. The purpose of these two separate analyses was to show how symmetrical structures acted differently in larger contexts. In the Piano Concerto, he deals with Bartok's juxtaposition of spatial symmetries, especially of intervals of 24 semitones. In the Sonata, he shows how points of symmetry can be horizontal as well as vertical.
(Chris Dearth)
This book deals with the chamber music of Bartok (background and analysis), compositional influences, and various techniques used in his music. Karpati's decision to examine the chamber works of Bartok was due to his belief that they, "...do not so much refine the new as compress within themselves every element of its message and form."
The first section of this book show how the chamber works fit within his complete body of work. Karpati goes on to discuss Bartok's influences, especially the influence of Beethoven's music upon Bartok's chamber music and that of Wagner upon his early approaches to harmony and melody (especially in the opening of the First String Quartet). Karpati then discusses other external influences and how the folk song affected his chamber works.
Karpati brings up the idea that most of Bartok's composite musical constructions are based upon a monothematic structure and that he relied (in some ways like Schoenberg continuous variation) upon variation and transformation of themes.
A discussion of Bartok's harmonic language, especially the combination of modes and their relation to folk music, follows. Karpati then goes on to analyze the following works: some of the earlier chamber works, the Six String Quartets, the Two Sonatas for Violin and Piano, the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, and the Contrasts for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano. His analyses are straightforward, clear, and shed some light on these works.
(Chris Dearth)
Cohn discusses the interval properties of the octatonic collection and the ways in which Bartok utilizes these properties in his music. In particular, Cohn talks about the fertility and potency of chords. Fertile chords contain at least one transpositional partition. The potency or chords is measured by the number of dyadic transpositional partitions it contains. There are three helpful tables which demonstrate fertile tetrachords, fertile octachords, and transpositional partitions of an octatonic collections. it is Cohn's assertion that Bartok makes significant use of the transpositional partitions of a pitch collection in his compositional process.
Cohn uses three pieces to illustrate his point: From the Island of Bali, "Minor Seconds, Major Sevenths" from Book IV of Mikrokosmos, and the first movement of the Sonata for Two Pianos . He demonstrated the many ways in which subsets of pitch collections interact, thereby giving unity to the music.
(Karen Walker)
The main idea of this article is that the inversional symmetry model that has been widely applied to Bartok's music is not nearly as applicable as once thought. He goes on to propose that many claims of the IS model are areas actually based upon transpositional combination.
In the first part of the article he compares the IS model and the TC (transpositional combination). He goes on to develop a system for discussing sets with the TC model and goes on to analyze sections of the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion and the Third and Fourth String Quartets to show how this approach can be used meaningfully.
(Chris Dearth)
"Night Music" consists of those works or passages which convey to the listener the sounds of nature at night. There are many instances of such music in Bartok's work, and Danchenka seeks to identify traits which these passages have in common. He begins by defining night music, the origins of Bartok's interest in it, and then identifies some of its general characteristics. Next, he delves into pitch class content, defining terms such as: diatonic set, chromatic set, contiguous, noncontiguous, and simultaneity. Finally, he looks at the representative musical works and passages, which cover a wide variety of genres.
Danchenka finds that the main sets of night music tend to be sounded in prime form, and tend to emphasize diatonic qualities. A couple of sets (3-11 and 7-35) appear rather consistently across the board. There seems to be a tendency towards tetrachords , and further, a tendency toward symmetrical sets.
While his study is by no means conclusive, Danchenka hopes that it will lead the way for more in-depth investigations into the night music.
(Karen Walker)
Parks' analysis of Fourths attempts to use atonal set theory to make sense of the brief so-called tonal work. He first determines its form: nine sections defined by changes in thematic material. Then, he breaks the harmonic material down into tetrachord s and performs pitch class analysis, revealing Bartok's 'economic' use of tetrachords. Only five different sets are used throughout: (4-26), (4-8), (4-9), (4-23), and (4-20). These five sets share certain characteristics. Not surprisingly, each contain s at least two perfect fourths. In addition, each replicates itself in inversion. However, the sets also contrast enough in terms of interval class content to provide harmonic interest.
Parks then investigates the overall tonal plan. He sees the piece as utilizing two key centers a third apart - E flat and G. He also notes the ways in which the five sets are distributed over the nine sections.
Parks concludes by briefly relating Bartok's method in Fourths to some of his other pieces, such as the Bagatelles Op. 6 (1908). He asserts that atonal theory is a suitable method for analyzing and understanding Bartok's music.
(Karen Walker)
The main purpose of this work was to examine the role of the third and how it affected cyclical structures that are in the string quartet literature of Bartok. In his analysis of the Six Quartets, he approaches the role of the third from various angles. His first angle is to show how the third serves as a structural interval. He shows various examples of how the third is the compositional determinant of melodic and harmonic frameworks and how it can be used as part of a developmental procedure. He also puts forth the concept of Urmotive, where a motive presented early in the piece contains most if not all of the material to follow.
Ross also discusses how thirds appear in symmetrical relationships and its importance in the cyclical structures of the quartets. He states that the basic motives often contain a third as the framing interval and relates that Halsey Stevens concluded that Bartok's study of folk music might have steered Bartok to use the minor third in such a way.
(Chris Dearth)
Before analyzing several of the orchestral works of Bartok, Stahura initially lays the groundwork by discussing how these works fit temporally within his body of work. In the analyses, he avoids the approaches of Forte and Lendvai, probably due to the newness of their systems. He attempts to deal with how the themes fit within the structure of the work. When analyzing the thematic material, Stahura uses the following characteristics to describe them: dimensions (vertical and horizontal), scale bases, rhythmic and metric characteristics, ornamentation and other effects, and form. He breaks scale bases into three categories: diatonic (major, minor, modal), variable scales (diatonic and synthetic), and chromatic. The octotonic scale falls under synthetic but is not labeled such.
Stahura made several conclusions about Bartok's orchestral music through his analyses. In regards to form, he surmised that Bartok's movement forms are overwhelmingly based on repetition but that in his later works there was a greater tendency to adhere to classical forms. Stahura concludes that Bartok's development of themes was more evolutionary than revolutionary and that development was either internal (intervals, rhythms and meter) or external (where theme or part of was treated as a unit). Finally he mentions that motives undergo so many numerous transformations that a set-form is almost disallowed.
Stahura analyzes the following works: Suite No. 2, Deux Portraits, Deux Images, Dance Suite, Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, Divertimento, and the Concerto for Orchestra.
(Chris Dearth)
The purpose of this article was to figure out the exact means that Bartok uses to leave the overwhelming impression of tonality. Roy approaches this work from a Schenkerian point of view and does extensive Schenkerian analysis (much of the article is the charts).
Overall, the graph sheds some light but might take too tonal an approach. For instance, when an F# appears above a C, it is labeled a #4 (he labels the first tonic chord I#4). If Lendvai's system were applied, the F# would be labeled as a counterpole and the note would be considered a prolongation of tonic. Travis also shows, especially in his extensive graph, that everything is derived from three chords. His analysis supports the crux of Lendvai's method that Bartok's music was based on a tonic, subdominant, or dominant pitch axis without actual saying so (the three chords happen to be I#4, IV, V7).
(Chris Dearth)
Wilson attempts to present a clear picture of Bartok's music using appropriate theoretical tools and concepts. He begins by briefly presenting various theoretical perspectives on the music, including that of Lendvai, Antokoletz, Straus, Salzer, and Travis. Wilson examines these theories and from there develops a theory of his own.
In the first chapter, Wilson describes several fundamental concepts, beginning with pitch set types. The primary set types are the twelve-tone aggregate, the octatonic, diatonic, pentatonic and whole tone scales, and the heptatonia seconda. Other concepts addressed are symmetry, harmonic language and function, and privileged pattern. The second chapter integrates these concepts into a discussion of hierarchical organization in Bartok's music.
To illustrate his points, Wilson then analyzes several of Bartok's instrumental works: The Sonata for Piano (1926), the Third String Quartet, the Fifth String Quartet, II and V, the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, I and II, and the Concerto for Orchestra , I.
(Karen Walker)
Although Bartok is generally regarded as a composer separate from the second Viennese school, is is important to note that he was aware of the school and its music. In fact, he himself adopted some form of atonal compositional strategies in his 'middle period' (1917-1922).
Wilson investigates ways in which Bartok's atonal configurations can give hierarchical structure to his music. He also looks at the interaction of Bartok's atonality with his pitch centricity and tonality. He then gives analyses of Eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Op. 20, the Three Etudes for Piano, Op. 18, and the Second Sonata for Violin and Piano (1922). The main focus of the analyses is the way in which Bartok creates music which has characteristics of both the tonal and atonal universes and can function equally well in each.
(Karen Walker)
Woodward looks to explain Bartok's complicated early piano work Bagatelle Op. 6/9 (1908) through application of pitch class set theory. Examination of the opening four measures yields all of the pitch class sets which recur throughout the work: (4-16), ( 4-26), (4-19), and (4-20). Numerous musical examples illustrate these sets and their manipulation in the piece. Woodward also addresses the placement and pitch levels of the various sets, and again illustrates his points with numerous examples and chart s. In conclusion, he asserts that, far from an "immature" or "experimental" work, this Bagatelle is a carefully conceived and well constructed atonal composition.
(Karen Walker)
NOTE by Kins Collins: The original of the bibliography above is found at this University of Indiana site.
|
|
back to "Bela Bartok" -->
back to "Books that changed my life" --> |