The Appreciation of Music - Vol. 1 (of 3)

Chapter IV, but we now have to consider the growth of a long section of

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a composition from certain germs contained in the original theme. And this brings up an important question: How do musical themes generate? In the Bach Gavotte a brief phrase of one measure duration blossoms out into a passage six measures long. This may be observed by reference to Figure XXXIV, in which (a) represents the original phrase and (b) the expansion of it.

[Music: score] (_a._)

[Music: score] (_b._)

FIGURE XXXIV.

This development, however, is hardly more than an extension of the original phrase. For the purposes of sonata-form something more radical and far reaching, something more like new creation is necessary. Without going into detail[24] we may be content with pointing out the essential principle of this more radical development. Analysis shows that it always depends on the selection of certain salient characteristics of the original themes and representation of them under new guises, or under new conditions.

Just as a novelist develops his characters by letting their fundamental peculiarities manifest themselves in all sorts of ways and among all kinds of circumstances, meanwhile paying but scant attention to their more accidental or superficial traits, so the composer of a sonata seizes upon whatever is individual in his themes--a strong rhythm, a peculiar turn of phrase, a striking bit of harmony--and repeats and insists upon it tirelessly, with whatever variation of minor details his ingenuity may suggest. An examination of this process of generation in the works of Haydn and Mozart will make these important points clear. In Figure XXXV (a), is shown a brief quotation from the beginning of the first movement of Haydn's Symphony in D-major. Although this theme has no pronounced rhythmic figures the four repeated notes in measure 3 are unusual in a simple melody of this type, and Haydn chooses them (with the first two notes in the next measure) as the first subject of his development section.

[Music: score] (_a_)

[Music: score] (_b_)

FIGURE XXXV.

At _b_ in the above quotation will be found a short passage from the beginning of the development section of the same movement. This passage illustrates the detachment of a characteristic motive in a melody, and here the use of it in various keys as a means of setting forth, as it were, its latent possibilities. Here a certain element in the theme is freed and takes on an existence of its own, and until the very end of the section we hear it over and over again in different parts of the orchestra.

[Music: score] (_a_)

[Music: score] (_b_)

[Music: score] (_c_)

FIGURE XXXVI.

The methods of germination employed by Haydn in the foregoing illustration were typical of his time. Mozart commonly relies, in his development sections, on the interest provided by presenting some salient motive in a variety of keys and with polyphonic treatment. Examples of this are to be found in Figure XXXVI, containing (a) the original motive from the first movement of his string quartet in C-major, dedicated to Haydn, and (b), (c), short excerpts from the development section of the same movement.

It will be observed that in (b), the viola imitates the first violin while the second violin and 'cello reiterate the four eighth-notes of the original motive, and that, in (c), the 'cello takes the motive, while each of the three upper parts sounds the eighth-notes, staccato; the contrasts of key should also be observed. This is a very concise and logical example of the methods of generation employed by Haydn and Mozart.

The first theme of the movement by Philip Emanuel Bach has two salient qualities: it progresses by leaps upward, and it has a peculiarly noticeable rhythm. These two properties are brought into play almost immediately. After a brief statement of the opening phrase of the theme (36-39) in the relative major key--as if to tell us what is to be the subject of this part of the movement--the composer proceeds to evolve a passage (40-44) with chords (in the right hand) in the rhythm of the theme, and against them (in the left hand) a passage containing the leaps upward. This is further varied by free changes in harmony.

The initial phrase of the first theme and a brief quotation from this passage in the development section are shown in Figure XXXVII.

This development is, however, all too short. After measure 44 the music becomes discursive, showing no longer any definite bearing on the original subject matter.

[Music: score] (_a_)

[Music: score] (_b_)

FIGURE XXXVII

This discursiveness is a natural characteristic of the formative period in the evolution of sonata-form, before composers had learned the necessity of a close logical development throughout.

The "restatement after contrast" in sonata-form is commonly known as the "recapitulation." In the early specimens of the form the recapitulation was, except in its harmonies, almost identical with the exposition. Here the first theme is reduced to one half its original length, which is rather an unusual abbreviation. Mr. Hadow, in his "Sonata Form," lays down the following rule for this portion of the movement: "The recapitulation should not contain any noticeably fresh material; it should follow the main thought of the exposition with no important parentheses or divergences, and, when it varies, should do so in a manner which does not obscure the subjects, but only sets them in a new light."

In Figure XXXVIII is shown the foregoing plan in the form of a diagram. This should be compared with the similar diagrams in Chapter IX.

FIGURE XXXVIII. TABULAR VIEW OF SONATA-FORM, OR FIRST-MOVEMENT FORM.

IV. HARMONY AS A PART OF DESIGN.

There remains to be considered the important factor of harmony, or arrangement of keys. This arrangement is shown in the diagram, Figure XXXVIII; but the principle involved is an important one, and the mere statement of Duality, Plurality and Unity hardly suffices to explain it. There seems to be no doubt that the subtle uses composers make of harmony are less intelligible to the average listener than are the uses of themes. A theme represents, as it were, a line, and since it is the tune that, for most listeners, constitutes the music the attention of the listeners is readily drawn to changes which materially affect it. Harmonic design, on the other hand--the setting of one key or series of keys against another--is often only dimly recognized, if at all, although it is of the greatest importance in all modern music. In sonata-form the harmonic plan (described above by the terms Duality, Plurality and Unity) adds an important element since it unifies the last section by stating both first and second theme in the same key. And in the middle, or development section, the freedom of harmonic progression--the multitude of keys--gives great variety and enables the composer freely to indulge his fancy.

In the present movement Bach chooses at times certain remote keys that impart to this section of the piece a charm of their own. The passage beginning on the second beat of measure 54 illustrates this: the four measures that follow are all in the remote key of F-flat major. (The reader should examine each of the modulations that occurs in the development section.) However unconscious of the charm of harmonic variety the average listener may be, he would surely be conscious of monotony were the piece all in one or even two keys. And since the tendency of the music of to-day is to exalt harmony at the expense of melody, it is desirable that the student should pay particular attention to these early phases of harmonic structure, so as to be able to appreciate this important element in modern music. In fact the whole progress of music since Haydn has been steadily onward towards a free use of the different keys, and as our ears have become accustomed to new combinations of chords, we have gradually come to feel the beauty that lies in glowing musical colors, and to accept them as a legitimate means of expression. In our chapters on Beethoven this phase of musical development will receive fuller attention.

V. SUMMARY.

In this movement of C. P. E. Bach, despite its many crudities, there is taken a long step toward the establishment of modern sonata-form. The main divisions of the form, exposition, development, and recapitulation, appear clearly; solid harmonic structure is attained by the sequence of duality, plurality, and unity; there are two contrasting themes, though the second is rudimentary; the general principle of development of themes through insistence on salient features is illustrated; and the whole movement is written in a style well suited to the piano, and emancipated from the influence of polyphony and of the short dance and song forms.

In the next chapter we shall see how Haydn and Mozart proceeded to build more elaborate structures on the foundation thus laid by C. P. E. Bach.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COLLATERAL READING.

_Dickinson: "The Study of the History of Music," Chapter XIV. Grove: "Dictionary of Music," articles on "Bach, Philip Emanuel," "Sonata," "Form." C. H. H. Parry: "Evolution of the Art of Music," Chapters VII and IX (Appleton). "Oxford History of Music," Volume IV._

FOOTNOTES:

[22] It will be noted that there are three names for this one type of structure: "Sonata-form," "First-movement form," and "Developed ternary form."

[23] No. 1 in the edition by Peters, Leipzig.

[24] See Hadow's "Sonata-Form" (Novello) Chapter VII, for a discussion of the various methods of theme-development.