Le Sacre du Printemps - 2

This week I have chosen to analyze the fith scene of the first part, "The Game of the Rival Tribes."

 The scene begins with the drums playing in the background creating, or perhaps rather emphasizing, the primitive atmosphere of the section.  The first theme is then introduced very quickly (less than 10 seconds into the piece), with the woodwinds playing the main melody and the brass, percussion, and string instruments accompanying. In fact, this theme was first heard earlier in part 1 in the "Ritual of Abduction," and in keeping with so much of this entire ballet it is most definitely dissonant and thus not really all that pleasant to listen to if I am entirely honest. Furthermore, the meter is irregular, which adds to the confusion of the theme, and the texture of the music is polyphonic - almost as though the different melody lines are competing to be heard (like the two rival tribes)- creating an air of tension.  This first theme is built up from a number of segments of descending chromatic scales played by various different instruments, and the instruments change very frequently and quickly which gives the music a very broken feeling, in that it cannot build up momentum. I am not entirely sure what this frequent change in music is supposed to achieve, but there is no doubt that the music has a very broken feeling as a result. The short instrumental interjections almost come as short jabs, perhaps a reference to the two rivaling tribes battling each other. Nonetheless, the music still has this primitive feeling due to the percussion interjections, for example at 0:31, as it begins to build in tension.

At 0:36, there is a change in the tone of the music, before the introduction of the second theme. Here we hear that the music changes in tone, perhaps this is due to a key change - I was unsure. However, the music is definitely played in a more light hearted way, in part due to the higher pitch of the notes. This part is played by the woodwind and high strings. Then, we have the introduction of the second "Hollywood like" theme, which you can for example hear at 0:54. This 'happier' theme, contrasts with the first theme greatly due to its lighter tone. The music has also lost its dissonance. However, this second theme is short lived as we hear the trombones at 1:02, which introduces another change in mood in the music. It becomes much more regular in rhythm and louder with a number of instruments crescendoing. At this point what was most noticeable was that the brass and woodwinds would hold long notes, while the strings continue to play as normal making them stand out, as at 1:40.

Le Sacre du Printemps - 1

Last week, when Louis asked us who didn't like "Le Sacre Du Printemps," I have to admit that I most definitely raised my hand! At the same time, I have to admit that at first I have not liked  most of the pieces that we have listened to in this course, however, as my comprehension and knowledge of them has grown, so too has my enjoyment. Nonetheless, my take on this piece has not really changed as of yet, even though I really am trying to keep an open mind about it. When I think about what specifically I haven't liked about this piece, I would have to say that it is the fact that there are so many inharmonic notes and that the music often seems to lack any structure or form (it sounds messy), which results in the music lacking beauty. 

So I figured that the best place to start would be by analyzing the first section, "The fertility of the Earth's" introduction. This piece starts with a bassoon solo, however, it is the accompaniment that I really didn't like; there is absolutely no harmony amongst these notes - this can really be heard at 0:28 and 0:55. While, I will say that the bassoon part is not ugly, and it is apparently derived from a Lithuanian folk tune, it may actually have been unattractive to its original audience because they wouldn't have been accustomed to hearing the bassoon play in such a high register. Then at 1:00,we have the entry of the deceptively named English Horn, which becomes chromatic. The texture thickens and becomes polyphonic, almost as though the different tunes are competing against each other: you can hear the oboe, bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet all repeating their own distinctive material independently of each other. This is particularly apparent at around 1:28 where the music is best described as messy. At approximately 1:57, when then hear, or at least get the sense of,  a momentary pulse introduced by the pizzicato strings, which proceeds to alternate with a couple of other woodwind sections. The music begins to build in intensity, reaching a chaotic climax at 3:02. The key word here really is, in my opinion, chaotic - the music doesn't really seem to be following any discernible pattern or form that I could hear. Then, once again we hear the bassoon playing from the opening section, but this time a semitone lower. Finally, the ostinato that will figure so greatly in the next section arrives before the section ends.    

 

Berlioz 5th movement.

Today I am going to be writing on the "Songe d'une nuit de sabbat," the 5th movement of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. My initial impressions of this movement were that it was slightly strange; while this may not be the most musically savvy description I begun to realize that this was in a large part due to
Berlioz's choice of instruments. The piece starts with an E-flat clarinet which strives to evoke the "strange noises, crackling, distant cries" to set the scene for the witches sabbath. The E-flat clarinet, accompanied by the other woodwinds, most definitely does have an unusual sound; it is almost squeaky and does seem to invoke the image of a cartoon witch. We hear the "idee fixe" here played by the clarinet, yet this is not necessarily apparent initially as it seems to be a far cry from the way it was first played at the beginning of the symphony. In a way, it seems much bolder and we learn from the program that this is because the protagonist, due to his failure to win the heart of this woman, has transformed her in his mind into a witch.

At around 3 minutes into the piece, we then hear the chimes, which are supposed to represent a funeral knell. At first, these chimes seem completely out of place in a symphony, yet they give an ominous feel to the music, which is then accompanied by a low brass instrument, which is interrupted by the woodwinds and high strings playing the wordless parody of the gregorian chant "Dies Ir." To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure what to make of the music at this point, apart from the feelings of darkness which were then alleviated by the more energetic interjections of the high strings and woodwinds. In fact, the music eventually moves away completely from this ominous chiming to the fugal exposition of the "Witches Round Dance." We can hear the bass playing chromatically in the background, until the round dance is combined with "Des ir." At this point the music has become very energetic, polyphonic and confusing! Although, the effect of this is a building of energy, as if building towards a climax. Then comes the strange effect of the bows of the string instruments tapping (col legno), almost as though there are a bunch of skeletons dancing around, until we come to the end with a dramatic building of tension with the building in volume of the brass instruments and some of the woodwinds (I think flutes) playing at a very high pitch.

Berlioz and his unusual orchestration.

Below is a link to my recording discussing Berlioz and his unusual use of orchestration:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/8257498598063687/

Berlioz and his "idee fixe"

I found the whole notion of Berlioz's love for Harriet Smithson being represented as a melody, most intriguing. The fact that this crush, or "idee fixe" (fixed idea), is played back at numerous different points in the symphony in order to represent his obsession with this woman is a very interesting method of expression. Furthermore, the fact that it can be repeated and manipulated into various different forms and styles, in order to portray the fact that this woman keeps intruding into and interrupting his thoughts throughout the symphony. In order to understand this symphony it is necessary to understand and be able to recognize the "idee fixe," no matter how disguised it is.

The first time it is played is in the first movement at 4:40, you can hear the lovesick theme oozing from the melody in its first phrase. The melody has lovesick yearning, with a rising shape at the beginning. Then it rises further, and further until it hopelessly collapses which creates something near a perfect image of this lovesick yearning for Smithson. It is this gradual rising in pitch of the high strings, that seems to indicate the building excitement of love or a crush, reaching and stretching further and further, until it collapses into despair each time. It is this repetition of this melody that is ever so indicative of Berlioz's obsession, crush or love (at least in the initial stages of the symphony) for Smithson. In fact, the middle of the idee fixe repeats the rhythm, while the melodic line builds higher and higher, creating this build of tension and anxiety. At the same time, the texture becomes thicker until at 5:35 the music reaches a crescendo and quietens down. It is this variation of texture and volume that creates an highly accurate representation of Berlioz's extreme passions.

I think that this first hearing of the idee fixe is made all the more notable by the fact that the melody is played much more quietly than the preceding section. It is the strings that have the melody, and as a result the texture of the music is much sparser which creates a stark contrast with the preceding mania of the orchestra, which have a greater variety of different instruments (for example percussion and woodwind, as well as the strings ).

Ryan and Rich's Podcast: Beethoven's 9th Symphony

Ryan and Rich Podcast by user7702933

Beethoven 9th Symphony closing movement.

This week I wanted to write on the climactic final movement of Beethoven's Symphony no. 9, movement IV. For me, this piece has been somewhat difficult to follow without clear vocal parts throughout. In this movement Beethoven decided to set Schiller's Ode to Joy to music, as a finale to the preceding three movements. However, it is the first part of this finale movement that I am going to focus on.

Initially there is what seems to be a struggle between the different themes, which are separated by the lower strings playing in a "recitative" like manner, with Beethoven hesitating before settling on his final choice of theme for the movement. The movement opens with a dissonant chord, followed by all of the winds suddenly playing together, which is described as a "wake-up call" in the walkthrough. Then, it is the lower strings that interject and play in this aforementioned "recitative" like manner. Once again, we hear the wake up call, followed by a short lower string"recitative" interjection and then interestingly we have a quote from the very beginning of the movement - with the repetition of the nebulous beginning (the part where it sounds as though the orchestra is tuning). In fact, at this point it almost seems as though Beethoven is going to start the whole symphony again.

However, at this point the memory of the first movement is interrupted by the lower strings, as it seems that Beethoven does not want to develop or continue this initial theme. Then, we have another reminiscence, this time the galloping theme from Movement II. Beethoven allows this theme to start, however, it is quickly cut off by the lower strings. Then comes the memory of the theme from the beginning of theme III, which is unsurprisingly interrupted by the lower strings. Only then is it that we have the woodwind instruments introduce a new idea for the theme, and for the first time we hear this "Joy" theme. When the lower strings interrupt this time it is only to reinforce and reaffirm this "Joy" theme.

Therefore, what makes this opening of the final movement so interesting is the searching for a theme. Beethoven throws us back to the opening themes of the first three movements, only to cut them off short with the interjection of the lower string parts until we are finally introduced to the final theme, which is found acceptable and developed into the priciple theme of this final movement.