The Minor Second in Béla Bartók’s Second String Quartet, Mvt. II

The Minor Second in Béla Bartók’s Second String Quartet, Mvt. II

One of the most interesting devices Bartók uses in his second string quartet is the minor second interval. Bartók’s uses the minor second like a cadential gesture in this movement; the appearance denotes the ending of an idea and introduces the following phrase. Take, for example, the very opening of the movement. Bartók immediately sets up a small motive that is used in the movement in altered and fragmented versions. This motive begins with a minor second motion from F to E, and again up to F.

Example 1. First appearance of motive and minor second motion, m. 2.

This first appearance sets up the importance of the interval; here it implies the importance of F, and is supported by entrance of the violin parts on F in m.1 , as well as the repetition of the motive an octave higher – still beginning on F – in m. 4.

As the piece continues to develop, the minor second begins to signal the end of passages and the beginning of the following sound events. In m. 7 both violin parts play the minor second of E flat to D.

Example 2. Minor second motive setting up following passage, mm. 7-8.

The half-step motion downwards from E flat to D accentuates D, and in m. 8 the movement’s next passage begins on a D. This highlights the minor second’s function as an arrival, stressing a particular pitch and emphasizing the starting note of the music to come. This same minor second interval – E flat to D – reappears later in the movement; in each instance, it signals the arrival of the next musical idea often similar to the one described above.

At rehearsal 4, this E flat to D returns, and the following musical material is quite similar to the material at m. 8, with the variation of the first violin playing an E natural against the second violin’s D, as well as fragments of the motive (Example 1) throughout the viola and cello lines. Two bars before rehearsal 7 the Eflat to D is played again in the first violin, and the following material presents a second variation of the opening material; this time, the reused characteristics of the opening material are the repeated staccato eighths in both violin parts, and repeated pizzicato quarter note fifths in the viola.

In the third bar after rehearsal 9 the E flat reappears in the first violin, but this time it moves down to a C instead of a D. At this juncture the alteration of the minor second motive is appropriate, seeing as the following section becomes the contrasting middle section of the movement.

Example 3. Alteration of signaling motive in first violin, three after rehearsal 9.

Following this alteration the material of the movement is drastically different, including harmonics, glissandos, and short-lasting tempo changes. In this way the motive signals both returning musical ideas as well as their alterations.

Rough Bibliography on Film Theory/Philosophy Sources

Buhler, James, Caryl Flinn, and David Neumeyer, editors. Music and Cinema. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 2000.

Colón Perales, Carlos, Fernando Infante Del Rosal, and Manuel Lombardo Ortega. Historia y teoria de la musica en el cine: Presencias afectivas. Sevilla, Spain: Alfar, 1997.

Dickinson, Kay, editor. Movie Music: The Film Reader. New York, NY: Routledge, 2003.

Donnelly, K.J., editor. Film music: Critical Approaches. New York, NY: Continuum, 2001.

Flinn, Carol. “The Most Romantic Art of All: Music in the Classical Hollywood Cinema.” Cinema Journal 29, no. 4 (1990): 35-50. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Gallez, Douglas W. “Theories of Film Music.” Cinema Journal 9, no. 2 (1970): 40-47. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Huntley, John and Roger Manvell, editors. Techniques in Film Music. New York, NY: Focal Press, 1975.

Kivy, Peter. “Music in the Movies: A Philosophical Enquiry,” In Film Theory and Philosophy, edited by Richard Allen and Murray Smith, 308-328. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Leinberger, Charles. Ennio Morricone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Film Score Guide. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2004.

Marks, Martin. “Film Music: The Material, Literature, and Present State of Research.” Notes 36, no. 2 (1979): 282-325. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Mathieson, Muir. “Aspects of Film Music.” Tempo 9 (1944): 7-9. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Miceli, Sergio. “Analizzare la musica per film, una riproposta della teoria dei livelli.” Rivista italiana di musicologia 29, no. 2 (1994): 517-544. Via RILM, http://www.rilm.org/

Nelson, Robert U. “Film Music: Color or Line?” Hollywood Quarterly 2, no. 1 (1946): 57-65. Via JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org

Neumeyer, David. “Film Music Analysis and Pedagogy.” Indiana Theory Review 11 (1990): 1-28.

Paulin, Scott D. “Richard Wagner and the fantasy of cinematic unity: The idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk in the history and theory of film music.”

Prendergast, Roy M. Film Music: A Neglected Art: A Critical Study of Music in Films. New York, NY: Norton, 1992.

Rabenalt, Robert. “Über die Bedeutung kompositorischer Techniken in der Filmmusik: Segmenttechnik bei Ennio Morricone” In Musiktheorie 20, no. 3 (2005): 267-278. Via RILM, http://www.rilm.org

Smith, Jeff. The Sounds of Commerce: Marketing Popular Film Music. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 1998.

Revised Abstract

Abstract for

PERFORMANCE PRACTICE ISSUES FOR THE
SYMPHONIC CHOIR IN BÉLA BARTÓK’S
CANTATA PROFANA (1930)

by
Emily Kausalik

In 1996 Robert Shaw led the Atlanta Symphonic Orchestra and Choir in a performance of Béla Bartók's Cantata Profana. Leading up to the performance Shaw reflected in a letter to the choir members that of the works scheduled for the program, Cantata Profana had proven to be the most challenging to learn and rehearse. Within this letter from October 24th, 1996, Shaw wrote about three main factors that directly affected the rehearsal and performance-readiness of the work. Two of these issues involved the genetics of the modern symphonic choir: how the typical modern symphonic choir is made up of amateur/volunteer members, and the nature of the learning process with a vocal group of this nature. The third, however, involved issues of a more analytical nature – the harmonic, metric, and melodic languages, and how these characteristics make the piece difficult to learn and rehearse.

Shaw's comments on this third point are limited; he highlights the need for vocal athleticism and superior musicianship but does not delve deeper into these analytical issues. Using his statements as a springboard for further study, one can find a few interesting problems that arise for a performance by a symphonic choir. A few of these critical performance practice issues in Cantata Profana will be discussed in this article.

Swinden's Unconformed Tonnetz, Chromatic Theory

Check this out.




This picture is a graph created by Kevin J. Swinden for his article in volume 27/2 of Music Theory Spectrum. Let me break it down for you:
- An upward pointing triangle is a major triad
- A downward pointing triangle is a minor triad
- Mix structures are denoted by the diagonals (Ab-C-E, A-C-Eb, Eb-G-B, E-G-Bb, etc.)
- Motions toward the Left/West denote moves towards the Subdominant (Tonic to Subdominant, Dominant to Tonic)
- Motions toward the Right/East denote moves towards the Dominant (Subdominant to Tonic, Tonic to Dominant)
- The main East-West Axis (in the center) contains the three primary functions (Dominant, Subdominant, and Tonic); Offset rows to the North and South denote "functional agents" (tendency tones)

I find that this is a fantastic way to visualize the relationships of triads, tendency tones (Harrison calls these "functional agents"), and how third relationships can move a piece towards or away from different tonal areas.

Here is the abstract to his article:

Daniel Harrison's 1994 study, Harmonic Function in Chromatic Music, questions the traditional mapping of chords onto function, and instead suggests that scale steps embody the source of harmonic function. His reformulation creates a new one-to-one mapping of scale steps onto harmonic function, which may be, at times, problematic. This article examines aspects of Harrison's theory and advances a different mechanism for the evaluation of harmonic function based on the Tonnetz. It examines a particular set of chromatic harmonies that display plural function, which may be organized according to a genus and species mode of classification.

For a more in-depth discussion of Swinden's analytical approach to chromatic music of the late 19th-Century refer to the articles listed below.

- Swinden, Kevin J, "When Functions Collide: Aspects of Plural Function in Chromatic Music," Music Theory Spectrum 27/2 (Fall 2005): 249-82.

- Harrison, Daniel, Harmonic Function in Chromatic Music: A Renewed Dualist Theory and an Account of its Precedents, Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
- Smith, Charles J, "The Functional Extravagance of Chromatic Chords," Music Theory Spectrum 8: 94-139.

MuCT 514 Paper Abstract

Abstract for

PERFORMANCE PRACTICE ISSUES FOR THE
SYMPHONIC CHOIR IN BÉLA BARTÓK’S
CANTATA PROFANA (1930)

by
Emily Kausalik

Since its inception in 1930, Béla Bartók’s Cantata Profana has been considered one of the most difficult choral works of the Twentieth Century. An overview of the harmonic language, switching of tonalities and harmonic language, and density of part-writing in the chorus exposes compositional writing of an incredibly demanding nature.

In this paper I will discuss the analytical issues listed above, and examine the impact Bartók’s compositional devices has had on the performance of Cantata Profana. Considering that the majority of symphonic choruses (in America) are 90-95% volunteer, the character of a piece such as this makes it a relatively undesirable work for performance. In addition, the variations of divisi in the choir, along with extended vocal ranges, high demand of vocal musicianship and flexibility, and issues of balance that arise for all play into the fact that this wondrous piece is rarely performed or recorded. Combining this examination with an overview of the modern symphonic choir – regarding musicianship, size, and rehearsal technique – will shed light on the performance issues of the work.