Read Ebook: Lessons in Music Form A Manual of Analysis of All the Structural Factors and Designs Employed in Musical Composition by Goetschius Percy

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 239 lines and 23658 words, and 5 pages

th of the tonic chord as uppermost tone). At any other point in the piece this default of the keynote would, as we shall presently see, almost certainly reduce the weight of the cadence from "perfect" to "semicadence"; at the very end, however, it cannot mislead, because it does not affect the condition of actual finality.

SEMICADENCE.--Any deviation from the formula of the perfect cadence--either in the choice of some other than the tonic chord, or in the omission of the keynote in either of the outer parts--weakens the force of the interruption, and transforms the cadence into a lighter, more transient, point of repose, for which the term semicadence is used. The semicadence indicates plainly enough the end of its phrase, but does not completely sever it from that which follows.

It is these lighter, transient forms of cadence to which a number of different names are given; for the student of analysis the one general term "semicadence," or half-cadence, is sufficient, and we shall use no other.

See also Ex. 18; the key, and therefore the chord, at the semicadence is the same as that of the above example .

Also Ex. 23, No. 4; the semicadence chord is the dominant harmony of E-flat major; it is skillfully disguised. Ex. 25, dominant harmony of A major. Ex. 26, last four measures; the semicadence is made upon the dominant of C minor.

In the following:

But though the dominant is thus generally employed at the semicadence, it is by no means the only available chord. It must be remembered that every cadence which does not fulfil the definite conditions of the perfect cadence, is a semicadence. Examine each of the following, and determine why the point of repose is each time a semicadence:--Ex. 1; Ex. 9, No. 3; Ex. 14, No. 2, fourth measure; Ex. 14, No. 3, fourth measure; Ex. 19; Ex. 22, Nos. 3 and 4; Ex. 23, No. 2, fourth measure.

For example:

LOCATING THE CADENCES.--Next to the recognition and comparison of the different melodic sections of a composition , the most significant task in music analysis is the locating and classifying of the cadences. They are the angles of the design, so to speak; and have the same bearing upon the sense of the music as punctuation marks have in rhetoric. Intelligent and effective phrasing, adequate interpretation of the composer's purpose, is impossible without a distinct exposition of the cadences,--if not of the inferior points of interruption between motives, also.

Also Mendelssohn, Songs Without Words, No. 34 ; No. 40; No. 18.

Also Beethoven's pianoforte sonata, op. 22, third movement ; op. 28, second movement .

Again the student is reminded that it is not only permissible, but wise and commendable, to pass by all confusing cases; without being careless or downright superficial, to observe a certain degree of prudent indifference at confusing points, trusting to that superior intelligence which he shall surely gain through wider experience.

CAUSES.--The possibility of deviating from the fundamental standard of phrase-dimension has been repeatedly intimated, and is treated with some detail in the text preceding Example 17, which should be reviewed. It is now necessary to examine some of the conditions that lead to this result.

The causes of irregular phrase-dimension are two-fold; it may result

from simply inserting an additional cadence, or from omitting one. Or

it may be the consequence of some specific manipulation of the phrase-melody with a view to its extension or expansion, its development into a broader and more exhaustive exposition of its contents.

There is no reasonable doubt of the semicadence in the second measure, because enough pulses have been heard, up to that point, to represent the sum of an ordinary phrase. If this were written in 6-8 measure , it would contain four measures. See, also, Song No. 22 of Mendelssohn,--9-8 measure, adagio tempo; the phrases are "Small"; note particularly the last two measures. The same is true in No. 17. About Schumann, op. 68, No. 43 , there may be some doubt; but the measures, though of common denomination, contain so many tones, in moderate tempo, that the effect of a cadence is fairly complete in the second measure.

Setting aside all critical discussion with reference to the question, "What is good music?" and simply accepting those types of classic composition universally acknowledged to be the best, as a defensible standard , we find that such a page of music exhibits the pursuit of some leading thought , with precisely the same coherence and consistency, the same evidence of determined aim, as is displayed in the creation of a forcible essay, a masterly poem, an imposing architectural plan, or any other work of art that betrays intelligence and a definite, fixed, purpose. This is no more nor less than might be expected from the dominion of the law of Unity.

In a classic page of music we perceive that each successive unit grows, more or less directly, out of those which go before; not so directly, or with such narrow insistence as to produce the impression of sameness and monotony, but with such consistency of design as to impart a unified physiognomy to the whole. Hence, it will often be found that every melodic figure, during a certain section of a composition, may be traced to one or another of the figures which characterized the first phrase, or the first two or three phrases, of the piece. This was emphasized by our reference, near the end of the first chapter, to the 8th Song Without Words of Mendelssohn. If the student, in analyzing the melody of that composition, will endeavor to penetrate some of the clever disguises employed by the composer , he will find the whole piece reducible to a very few melodic figures, announced at or near the beginning. See also No. 45 , No. 36, No. 26. Also Schumann, op. 68, No. 7, No. 8, No. 18, No. 23. Also Beethoven, pianoforte sonata, op. 10, No. 2, last movement; op. 26, last movement.

In musical composition this process is known as thematic development, and it generally extends over the whole, or a greater part, of the piece.

These six measures result from a repetition of the third and fourth measures of the original--regular--four-measure phrase. A cadence is due in the fourth measure, but it is not permitted to assert itself; and if it did, its cadential force would be neutralized by the entirely obvious return to the motive just heard. Further:--

Measures 1, 2, 3 and 8 constitute the original regular four-measure phrase.

The following regular phrase :--

is immediately followed by this lengthy and elaborate extension:--

LESSON 6. Analyze the following examples, locating the cadences and defining their value ; and determining the nature of each irregular phrase :

Beethoven, pianoforte sonata, op. 22, second movement , first 30 measures.

Mendelssohn, Songs Without Words: No. 4, first 5 measures.

No. 46, last 9 1/2 measures.

No. 42, last 15 measures.

No. 45, last 11 measures.

No. 12, last 12 measures.

No. 14, last 11 measures.

No. 36, last 22 measures.

No. 37, last 11 measures.

Beethoven, pianoforte sonata, op. 27, No. 2, last movement; measures 7 to 23 from the second double-bar.

Beethoven, pianoforte sonata, op. 28, first movement; from the double-bar measures 21 to 94 ; in this extraordinary specimen of phrase-development, the original four-measure phrase yields seventy-four successive measures, with very few cadences to divide it even into sections. Same sonata, last movement, last eighteen measures.

The phrase is, after all, only a unit; and the requirements of Variety cannot be wholly satisfied by the mere development and extension of a single phrase, except it be for a certain limited section of the piece, or for a brief composition in small form .

Each additional phrase should be, and as a rule will be, sufficiently "new" in some respect or other to impart renewed energy to the movement; but--so long as it is to impress the hearer as being the same movement--there will still remain such points of contact with the foregoing phrase or phrases as to demonstrate its derivation from them, its having "grown out" of them.

This process of addition is exhibited first, and most naturally, in the so-called Period-form.

For illustration :--

Further :--

In this example also, the Consequent phrase is a complete affirmation of its Antecedent, agreeing in its melodic form with the latter until the cadence is nearly due, when an extra measure is inserted , and the usual digression into the necessary perfect cadence is made. The condition of Unity predominates, but a noticeable infusion of Variety takes place.

Further :--

Further :--

LESSON 7. Analyze the following examples. Locate the cadences; compare the phrases and define the degrees of Unity and of Variety exhibited in the melody, or elsewhere; and mark such irregularities of forms as may be found:--

Mendelssohn, Songs Without Words, No. 35, measures 5 1/2-13.

No. 45, first 8 measures.

No. 29, measures 4 1/2-12.

No. 14, " 1-8.

No. 34, " 1-10.

No. 18, " 1-9; 10-17.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet