Transcript Introductionx

Steve, HEEEELP!
Beethoven Piano Sonata,
Op. 2, no. 1 in f minor,
(1st movement)
1
2
6t
3
4
5
6
7
6t
I______________V_____________
_
I
VII6 or V4/3
I6
II6
V
How many harmonies in this passage?
Opening Progression (Schenkerian Explanation)
N
Tonic(I)
Tonic
P harm.
Nb harmony
Tonic
Dom(V)
II6
or Interm.
Prolongation of Tonic
I
tonic prolongation
II6i
V
interm. dominant
#1: Harmonic Prolongation: Progressions ≠ strings of
chords, but means of prolonging more basic harmonies.
#2: Chord vs. Harmony Distinction
(Beethoven passage therefore has 7 chords, but only 3 real harmonies)
(Structural harmonies I-II6-V vs. chords of prolongation V6/5, VII6, I6)
#3: Composing-Out (Auskomponieren):
Melodies linearize harmonies
(here via arpeggiation, PT, and NN, but often in much more subtle ways!)
#4: Diminution or Elaboration:
Schenker theory recognizes a distinction btw.
structural tones and ornamental tones or diminutions,
(chordal skip, NN, PT, etc.).
NN
Foreground
or
Surface
NN
Middleground
Background
#5. Structural Levels: great music has structural depth;
behind embellished surface lurks deep structure or
background
(structural levels=foreground, middleground, background).
What is the most important motive in mm. 1-8?
3rd-prg.
#6: Linear Progressions = stepwise patterns that prolong a
harmony or connect two harmonies via stepwise melodic
motion
Can you find a 6th-progression elsewhere on p. 1?
There’s something very interesting about that 6th-prg.
•Opening fills in span of a 6th, C-E@ = 5 - 7 in f minor
•Mm. 16-20 fill in 6th span, Eb – G = 5 = 7 in A! (relative Maj)
6-prg
6-prg.
6-prg
Any more 6th progressions on p. 1?
Remember ME? What do you notice about my melodic shape?
b inflects c as lower NN
Holy S&*^! another Linear Descent of a 6th: 5 – 7, C-E!
#7: Motivic Parallelisms: Great music is unified
by motives below the surface level
Great works are therefore like Variations on an
unannounced theme
#8. Melodic Fluency: Structural lines (middle/background)
are melodically fluent—they move mostly stepwise,
recover leaps
Recall the melodically fluent
Schenkerian line in the upper voice?
NN
Find the melodically fluent line
in the “jumpy”
bass
starting here:
(hint—the D
that follows
is an upper NN)
Combine the 2 fluent lines in the outer voices.
pt
What does this remind you of from MU181-182?
pt
#9: The Outer-Voice Contrapuntal Framework
In great music, the middle/background, esp. outer voices,
resemble strict species counterpoint:
•Elegantly fluent lines
•Dissonance subordinate to consonance
•Follows rules of strict voice leading
Corollary: Beneath irregular foreground with leaps,
Dissonance, etc:
is a regular background framework of strict counterpoint:
pt
V. A Radical Idea about Melody
Melodies compose-out harmonies
Tonic
Dom.
Tonic
Soprano
Alto
3rd 6th
5th
pt
3rd
6th
unfolded
unfolded
5th
unfolded
#10: Compound melody (polyphonic melody): Single-line
melodies w/ leaps almost always imply 2 or more voices.
Conventional View of Tonal Form
in minor key sonata form
Exposition
1. First theme in _________
2. Modulation to second theme__________
3. Closing theme also in _____________
Development
1. Tonally unstable, eventually retransition leads
via __________ back to ___________
Recapitulation
1. First theme in ___________
2. Second theme in_________
3. Closing theme in__________
Establish Tonic
Modulate to Relative Major
Modulate through a series of remote keys,
Eventually modulate via V back to tonic
End in Tonic
#11: Illusory Keys: Schenker is skeptical of the
idea of modulation. He calls modulation motion to
“illusory keys.”
(e.g., regards minor-key sonata form as one expansive
progression, I-III-V-I in the tonic key)
#12: The Fundamental Progression = I-V-I
The trek from I-V followed by return to I is music’s natural law.
Tonal composition = the prolongation or composing-out of
the I-V-I fundamental progression.
Let this triangle be sacred
to him!
#13. Bassbrechung (the breaking of the bass) = The fundamental progression I-V-I is itself a prolongation of the tonic.
=
The ascending 5th of the Bassbrechung creates I-V tonal space
that is often filled via dividers (II, III, IV or related harmonies)
Harmonic Shape of Entire Movement:
tonic
divider
dominant
Harmonic Shape of First Phrase:
tonic
divider dominant
III. Schenker’s Concept of Counterpoint
Why does Beethoven use the RH sf markings
in this passage?