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

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

No. 9, " 3 1/2-7.

No. 27, " 5-12.

Schumann, op. 68, No. 3, measures 1-8; 9-16.

No. 5, measures 1-8; 9-16.

After analyzing these examples, the student may venture to define the periods in other compositions, classic or popular, especially such as he may chance to be learning.

The processes of extension and development are applied to the period in the same general manner as to the phrase. The results, however, are broader; partly because every operation is performed on a correspondingly larger scale, and partly because the resources of technical manipulation increase, naturally, with the growth of the thematic material.

Among the various methods adopted, there are three, each significant in its own peculiar way, that provide sufficiently exhaustive directions for the student of structural analysis.

The repetition of one of the two phrases is exhibited in the following :--

The Antecedent is a regular four-measure phrase, with semicadence ; the Consequent is a six-measure phrase, with perfect cadence, and is repeated, with partial change of register. The whole is a "period with repeated Consequent."

A somewhat elaborate example of extension by detail-repetition is seen in the following :

No. 1 is illustrated in Ex. 15; No. 2, in Ex. 42 and the first four measures of Ex. 43 ; No. 3 is seen in Ex. 44 --also in Ex. 47; No. 4 is seen in Ex. 48; No. 5 is rare, but an example will be discovered in Lesson 8; No. 6 is illustrated in the following :--

The double-period in music finds its poetic analogy in almost any stanza of four fairly long lines, that being a design in which we expect unity of meaning throughout, the progressive evolution of one continuous thought, uniformity of metric structure , the corroboration of rhyme, and, at the same time, some degree and kind of contrast,--as in the following stanza of Tennyson's:

Phrase 1. "The splendor falls on castle walls, Phrase 2. And snowy summits old in story; Phrase 3. The long light shakes across the lakes, Phrase 4. And the wild cataract leaps in glory."

The analogy is not complete; one is not likely to find, anywhere, absolute parallelism between music and poetry; but it is near enough to elucidate the musical purpose and character of the double-period. And it accounts for the very general choice of this form for the hymn-tune.

The following illustrates the double-period, in its most regular and convincing form :--

LESSON 8.--Analyze the following examples. They are not classified; therefore the student must himself determine to which of the above three species of enlargement each belongs:

Mendelssohn, Songs Without Words, No. 29, measures 1-21, .

No. 37, first 17 measures.

No. 30, first 15 measures .

No. 16, measures 4-9 .

No. 33, first 12 measures.

No. 27, first 20 measures .

No. 3, first 29 measures, to double-bar .

No. 36, first 27 measures .

No. 6, measures 8-17.

Mozart, pianoforte sonata. No. 13 , first 16 measures.

Sonata No. 2, first 16 measures .

Sonata No. 3, last movement, first 16 measures.

Sonata No. 10, second movement, first 16 measures.

Beethoven, pianoforte sonatas; op. 49, No. 2, first 12 measures.

Op. 10, No. 3, first 16 measures.

Op. 10, No. 2, first 12 measures.

Op. 26, first 16 measures.

Op. 31, No. 2, last movement, first 31 measures .

Schumann, op. 68, Nos. 16, 20, 33, first 16 measures of each; No. 13, first 10 measures; No. 15, first 16 measures.

THE SONG-FORM OR THE PART-FORM.--Almost every musical composition of average dimensions, if designed with the serious purpose of imparting a clear formal impression, will admit of division into either two or three fairly distinct sections, or Parts, of approximately equal length. The distinctness with which the points of separation are marked, and the degree of independence of each of these two or three larger sections, are determined almost entirely by the length of the whole. And whether there be two or three such divisions depends to some extent also upon the length of the piece, though chiefly upon the specific structural idea to be embodied.

A composition that contains two such sections is called a Two-Part form; and one that contains three, a Three-part form.

Such rare exceptions to these structural arrangements as may be encountered in musical literature, are limited to sentences that, on one hand, are so brief as to require no radical division; and, on the other, to compositions of very elaborate dimensions, extending beyond this structural distinction; and, furthermore, to fantastic pieces in which the intentional absence of classified formal disposition is characteristic and essential.

Generally, both these factors unite to define the end of one Part and the beginning of the next. Should either one be feeble, or absent, the other factor will be all the more pronounced. Thus, the cadence of Part One may be less decisive, if the change in melodic character at the beginning of Part Two is well marked; this is seen in No. 33, measure 12. The reverse--a strong cadence and but little melodic change,--in No. 13, measure 20.

THE FIRST PART.--Part One may be designed as period, double-period, or phrase-group; sometimes, though very rarely, as single phrase, repeated. It ends, usually, with a strong perfect cadence on the tonic chord of the original key, or of some related key . An introductory phrase, or independent prelude, may precede it.

THE SECOND PART.--Part Two, as intimated, is likely to begin with a more or less palpable change of melodic character,--by no means is this always the case. It may be designed, also, as period, double-period, or phrase-group, and is somewhat likely to be a little longer than Part One. A concluding section often follows, after a decided perfect cadence in the original key has definitely concluded the Part.

The following is one of the simplest examples of the Two-Part Song-form :--

A somewhat similar specimen may be found in the theme of Mendelssohn's Variations in D minor, op. 54, which see. Each Part is a regular period-form, with correct semicadence and perfect cadence. The problem of "agreement and independence" in the relation of Part II to Part I is admirably solved; it is a masterly model of well-matched Unity and Variety, throughout.

For a longer and more elaborate example, see No. 6 of the Songs Without Words, in which, by the way, the principle of enlargement by the addition of an independent prefix and affix is also illustrated:--

First number the forty-six measures with pencil.

Beethoven, pianoforte sonatas: op. 57, Andante, Theme.

Op. 111, last movement, Theme of Variations.

Op. 54, first 24 measures .

Schumann, op. 68, No. 7; No. 4; No. 35; No. 42; No. 23 repeated; last 16 1/2 measures, .

DISTINCTION BETWEEN BIPARTITE AND TRIPARTITE FORMS.--We learned, in the preceding chapter, that the Two-Part Song-form is a composition of rather brief extent, with so decisive a perfect cadence in its course as to divide it, in a marked manner, into two separate and fairly individual sections or "Parts."

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