Unusual Sonata Structure and Form (An Analysis on The ... · Kata kunci: Bentuk, struktur, sonata,...

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Unusual Sonata Structure and Form (An Analysis on The First Movement of Schumann’s Sonata Piano Op. 22, Based on Schenker’s Theory) M. Hari Sasongko Abstrak Teori Schenker merupakan teori yang sangat relevan dan masih banyak digunakan hingga saat ini, terutama sebagai ‘pisau’ untuk membedah struktur musik yang terdapat di dalam rentang sejarah musik Barat. Teori ini dinilai sangat efektif karena menganalogikan bagunan karya musik seperti layaknya tubuh manusia yang memiliki elemen-elemen penting, yang tidak dapat dipisahkan satu dengan yang lain. Di dalam tulisan ini teori ini penulis gunakan sebagai pisau untuk membedah bentuk dan struktur yang terdapat di dalam karya komponis Schumann, terutama bentuk sonata untuk piano opus 22, pada bagian pertama. Dari analisis berdasarkan teori Schenker ini terlihat bahwa bentuk dan struktur karya ini bergerak menyesuaikan dinamika progresif akord. Gaya seperti ini pada dasarnya bukan merupakan gaya yang lazim yang terdapat pada saat Schumann hidup. Berdasarkan teori ini terlihat bahwa karya sonata piano opus 22 karya Schumann adalah karya yang melampaui zamannya dan berbeda dengan bentuk dan struktur yang ngetrend pada zaman itu.Hal itu terlihat dari pengembangan pada bagian eksposisi, development dan rekapitulasi. Kata kunci: Bentuk, struktur, sonata, eksposisi, developmen. I. Introduction The basic philosophy of Schenkerians approach to sonata form and structures are those Schenker’s theory of the sonata rests upon neither a procession of themes nor on a series of modulation. Schenker agree that there are first and second subject areas, closing material and development section and that are toniczation of subject areas in any piece. For Schenker, the sonata has its origins in background structure is a statement for coherence in any work. The fundamental line must descend from the primary note by step to 1 supported by the tonic at the end of the work. The interuption implies a fundamental two-part structure while the appellation ‘exposition’, ‘development’ and ‘recap’, indicate a three part-design.

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Unusual Sonata Structure and Form

(An Analysis on The First Movement of Schumann’s

Sonata Piano Op. 22, Based on Schenker’s Theory)

M. Hari Sasongko

Abstrak

Teori Schenker merupakan teori yang sangat relevan dan masih banyak digunakan hinggasaat ini, terutama sebagai ‘pisau’ untuk membedah struktur musik yang terdapat di dalamrentang sejarah musik Barat. Teori ini dinilai sangat efektif karena menganalogikanbagunan karya musik seperti layaknya tubuh manusia yang memiliki elemen-elemen penting,yang tidak dapat dipisahkan satu dengan yang lain. Di dalam tulisan ini teori ini penulisgunakan sebagai pisau untuk membedah bentuk dan struktur yang terdapat di dalam karyakomponis Schumann, terutama bentuk sonata untuk piano opus 22, pada bagian pertama.Dari analisis berdasarkan teori Schenker ini terlihat bahwa bentuk dan struktur karya inibergerak menyesuaikan dinamika progresif akord. Gaya seperti ini pada dasarnya bukanmerupakan gaya yang lazim yang terdapat pada saat Schumann hidup. Berdasarkan teori initerlihat bahwa karya sonata piano opus 22 karya Schumann adalah karya yang melampauizamannya dan berbeda dengan bentuk dan struktur yang ngetrend pada zaman itu.Hal ituterlihat dari pengembangan pada bagian eksposisi, development dan rekapitulasi.

Kata kunci: Bentuk, struktur, sonata, eksposisi, developmen.

I. Introduction

The basic philosophy of Schenkerians approach to sonata form and structures are those

Schenker’s theory of the sonata rests upon neither a procession of themes nor on a series of

modulation. Schenker agree that there are first and second subject areas, closing material

and development section and that are toniczation of subject areas in any piece. For Schenker,

the sonata has its origins in background structure is a statement for coherence in any work.

The fundamental line must descend from the primary note by step to 1 supported by the tonic

at the end of the work. The interuption implies a fundamental two-part structure while the

appellation ‘exposition’, ‘development’ and ‘recap’, indicate a three part-design.

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II. The Concise Life and Background of Schumann

Robert Schumann (8 June 1810-29 July 1856) was well-known German composer and

influential music critic. He was born in Zwickau, in the Kingdom of Saxony, the fifth and the

last child of Johanna Christiane and August Schumann. His talent was unbelievable.

Schumann began to compose before the age of seven, although his boyhood was spent in the

cultivation of literature as much as music (undoubtedly influenced by his father, a

bookseller, publisher, and novelist. Schumann began receiving general musical and piano

instruction at the age of seven from Johann Gottfried Kuntzsch, a teacher at the Zwickau high

school. The boy immediatelly developed a love of music and worked at creating musical

composition himself without the aid of Kuntzsch. Even though he often disregarded the

principle of musical composition, he created works regarded as admirable for his age.

In the Western histoy of music spread, especially in the Romantic Period, he is widely

regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic period. Schumann left the study of

law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured by his father

Friedrich Wieck that he could become the finest pianist in Europe, but a hand injury ended

this dream. Schumann then focused his musical energies on composing. His works were

colored and influented by the style of Romantic that focused on dynamic progression and

expression.

Schumann’s published compositions were written exclusively for the piano until 1840; he

later composed works for piano and orchestra; many lieder (song for voice/vocal and piano);

four symphonies; an opera; and other orchestral, choral and chamber works. Works such as

Carnaval, Symphonic Studies, Kinderzenen, Kreisleriana, and the Fantasie in C are among

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his most famous. His writings about music appeared mostly in the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik

(New Journal for Music), a Leipzig-based publication which he joinly founded.

In 1840, Schumann married Friedrich Wieck’s daughter, Clara, against the wishes of her

father, following a long and acrimonious legal battle, which found in favor of Clara and

Robert. His wife also composed music and had a considerable concert career as a pianist, the

earnings from which, before her marriage, formed a substantial part of her father’s fortune.

Schumann suffered from a mental disorder, first manifesting itself in 1833 as severe

melancholic depressive episode, which recurred several times alternating with phases of

‘exaltation’ and increasingly also delusional ideas of being poisoned or threatened with

metallic items. After a suicide attempt Schumann was admitted to a mental asylum, at his

own request, in Endenich near Bonn. Diagnosed with ‘psychotic melancholia’, Schumann

died two years later in 1856 without having recovered from his mental illness.

III. The Structure of Schumann’s Piano Sonata Op.22

His piano sonata Op.22 was published in 1839, and he wrote the first and third movement in

1883, the second in 1830 and the original finale in 1835 which was replaced in 1838. The

sonata is written on a formal large sonata form. Every section of this piece is lenghly. The

exposition has ninety-three measures, the development has one hundred and six measures

and the recapitulation, plus coda have one hundred and twenty-two measures.

Exposition aspect:

measures: 1-3 introduction

4-23 theme 1

24-58 trasition 1

59-70 theme 2

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71-82 transition 2

83-93 closing theme

Development aspect:

measures: 93-121 first part

122-148 second part

149-172 third part

173-196 fourth part :

Recapitulation aspect:

Measures: 197-216 theme 1

217-251 transition 1

252-263 theme 2

264-293 transition 2

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Coda:

Measure: 294-318.

In this work, a strong g minor block chord followed by two measures broken g minor chord

start this piece. Easily recognizable motive correspondence create a strong sense of unity

within this movement. This chief motive is distinctive step-wise melodic line that figures

prominantly in the first movement. Example 1 (a) and (b) show two occurences of this

motive in the first movement: at the very beginning of the piece and as the initial motive in

the secondary key.

On the other hand, the descending melody in g minor falls into two similar interlocking

tetrachord, g” to d” and d” to a”, in which the semitone are the bottom intervals. The

interlocking tetrachord f to b flat, and b flat to e flat which appear later (ex. 1 b) are exact

inversions of the original one with semitones on top. . The rash motion of the sixteenth notes

seen in both examples is consistent enough in this movement, the wide-spaced

accompaniment in the left hand, reaches above the melodic line, and produce splendidly

resonant sound. Beside the interlocking step-wide motive, there is arhythm motive which

consists of one quarter note plus two eight notes.

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IV. The Analysis of Exposition

The key arrangement of this piece is normal, except in theme 2 in the Recapitulation. Theme

1 includes a more controlled period of two antecedent phrases and a consequent, 6 + 6 + 8

measure. The G”, which is 8 of the fundamental structure occurs in the first phrase with the

tonic supporting. The G is stroked several times at a different register. On of the first 6

measure phrase, in the right hand, has only a simple step-wise melody and the left hand, has

rushing sixteen notes, which are I, IV, V broken chord. After measure 11, the left hand starts

to imitate the step-wise motive (ex.2), after the third time the descending phrase reaches the

G’ at bar 20, there is two measure ascending line by a g minor authentic cadence V-I.

Theme 1 ends with a strong cadence V-I, trasition 1 covers an enormous range. In the

beginning o transition 1 (bar 24) the key starts to modulate at bar 32. Between bar 35 and bar

39, the bass line and the inner voice line are the same chromatic motion, e-f-f”-g and C#-d-

d#-e, with asyncopation rhythm. At bar 40 the ebass line reach F and the top line reaches B

flat and begin to build up tp relative major—B flat major—but key still unstable. Between

bars 21-40, the fullness of texture is achieved by rhytmic enlivenment –the16th note

syncopations in the passage work. Beginning with bar 48 the figure changes to horizontal

and the II, IV, I, chords appears repeatedly. At bars 53, 54, 55, and 56 the are E natural

instead of E flat which convert a c minor chord to a C major chord. At bar 57, the top voice

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has a strong block V7/B flat which supports the descending V7 arpeggio and these V7 chords

establish theme 2 on B flat major.

Theme 2 has twelve measures (4 +4 +4) and completely change the charracter of music when

the sixteen notes disappear from eight measures (bar59-66). Structure 7(F), occurs at bar 62,

supported by G major chord which is VI in B flat major. Between bar 62 and measure 66 the

soprano part is a descending scale from F” to F’, and the bass line is a contrary motion which

is an ascending scale from B to A, when the soprano line reaches the F’ at bar 66, a hint of

structural 6 also appears at the same time (ex. 3) at the beginning of bar 67, the sixteenth

notes come back on the bass line and this bass line is a B flat major descending scale.

Structural 6, (E), is really established at measure 70 and also begins the section of transition

2. The E is played on octave, forte and a different register with c diminished V7. The feeling

in this section is tense because the right hand repeatedly plays broken chords with alternate

among diminised, aughmented, and minor triads, which do not get the result. The key of this

transition is unstable until the closing theme begins.

Ex. 3

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V. The Closing

The closing theme begin B flat major dominant note F at bass line supoorted by tonic triad of

B flat major on the right hand part. Also, the music line on the theme is the ascending motion

which is the intervedion of theme 1 and theme 2. Between bars 83-88 the key is very secure

in B flat major. At bar 89, when the bass notes are changed from the previous F to F#, which

is the leading tone of g minor, the key is going back to g minor, and F# also result to G at

measure 99, at the same time structure 5 (D), appears in the tenor part. During the first time,

the D was supported by the tonic of g minor, but it changes to D at the next measure. (Ex 4)

the D was emphasized on the next two measure either on tenor or bass line. The feature of

going back to g minor at the of exposition in unusual. In the minor sonata, the exposition

usually ends on the relative major key.

VI. The Development Analysis Section

The development opens at measure 93. Because of the different texture, this part is divided

into four sections. In the first section, there is much interlocking motion –up 4th, 5th and the

descending rhythmic ----------------- motive which is contrary to ascending motive of the

second section. On bars 101, 102, aqnd 103 and bars 109, 110, 111, there is imitation among

bass: soprano and tenor. Between bar 118 and 120, the left hand part is descending c minor

scale when right hand plays G major 7th chords. At bar 121 the second section of the

development is started and we can separate this section into (a) and (b) part. The a part is

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between bar 121 to 136 and (b) part begins at bar 137 until 148. Beside of the

ascending motive, (a) part also uses the element from the theme 2, syncopation. -

- In this part, the melody line and the bass line are in a different key

mode. For instance, at bar122, 134, the melody line is a minor chord arpeggio g minor and

at bar 130 there is a diminished chord but at the same time, the bass line of these three

neasure are all major third. In the (b) part, the melody is changed to the bass line. When the

left hand plays -motive, the right hand plays an ascending chromatic scale

combined with broken chord.

The third section is begun at bar 149, the key of the section is more stable than the second

section. The step-wise interlocking motive appears in both hands. In this section , there are

sequence phrases in the soprano and the tenor and the bass line imitates the soprano. At the

beginning of bar 157 the motion of both hands was contrary (Ex.5). In measure 165, the key

is d minor which G major dominant key. This section is ended on g minor V chord at

measure 172. At bar 173, it goes back to g minor tonic and also opens the fourth section of

the development. This section also has three section sequence step-down phrases. The first

four measure phrases is in the key of g minor followed by another four measure phrases in f

minor. On bar 181, the key goes back to g minor. After these three descending step-wise

sequence phrases, Schumann continously uses 6 measures of chromatic ascending interval

5th, which set up the tension. This section finally gets a result when theme 1 comes bact to

the racapitulation. At bar 191, both hands reach a and g second inversion minor chord and in

the next four measure the second inversion of I and the first inversion of IV g minor are

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repeated. At bar 195, a g minor Vchord is finally reached and then the left hand part use a

descending g minor scale leading bact to g minor tonic and also begins the recapitualtion.

VII. The Analysis of Recapitulation Aspect

The theme 1 of the recapitulation is exactly the same as the theme 1 on the exposition. At the

beginning of transition 1 of the recapitulation the texture and the key remain the same as that

on the exposition until measure 228. At measure 228, the bass reaches c# compared with bar

35 which is e natural. On these 4 measure, both hand play chromatic line with a syncopated

rhythm. At bar 233, it seems to stay in g minor when the bass achieves D, but there is a key

signature change at measure 238 with changes the key signature to G major, the pararel

major of g minor. This is unusual in the regular sonata form, because the recapitulation needs

to secure the tonic key in the sonata form, especially in the theme 2. At bar 250 there is a G

major V chord leading to theme 2 in G major. Theme 2 of the recapitulation has the same

composition technique as the theme 2 of the expositionexcept in a different key;.

Fundamental structure 5 was interrupted after the exposition and return at bar 225 of theme

2. At this time the 5 is supported by a G major chord. In bar 259, there is a hint of structure 4

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and really establishes at bar263 with a diminished chord. The new trasition section starts

when structure 4 appears.

This transition is divided into two parts. Part (a) begins at bar 264 and part (b) starts at bar

278 when the key signature is changed back to g minor. Comparing part (a) of this section

with trasition 2 of the exposition, there is the same texture in a different key but this time oth

hands play in unison. There is a new section of the transition instead of the closing theme. In

this new section, both hand still play in unison in a different register. Schumann even wrote

the speed change mark in this section. A structure 3 and 2 happens in this section and is very

weak. The structural 3 and 2 happens at measure 293 in thetop voice. Structure 1 happens at

measure 294 and also opens the coda section. According to Schenker, once the 1 has been

reached a coda section may followed and there may be a return to a portion of the primary in

the exposition. In this piece the tonic key g is not stable until the coda. In the coda, the

harmonic structure is repeated by V and I to reinforce the g minor tonic key.

VIII. Conclution

This sonata is tarted at structure 8 supported by the I of the tonic key in the theme 1 area and

reaches to 5 before the end of the exposition. The 5 is supported by g minor I and V on the

right hand part. The structure is interrupted in the development section. According to

Schenker, “A linear progression of an octave 8-1 make the 2 impossible. Instead of a

descending motion 8-2, one would hear a rising second but an ascending step would be

contrary to the progression of a fundamental line.” As a substitute folr the inteeruption of 2,

the division 8-5, 5-1 is formed. After the interruption , the 5 returns in the theme 2 of the

recapitulation, and 4 appears on the following transition when the 7 and 6 appear in the same

place in the exposition. 3 and 2 occur in one measure before the coda and 2 is sustained by V

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of g minor. We can say this is very regular sonata form from the texture point or from the

Schenker’s structure point.

Bibliografi

Adrian, Jack. “The Ternary Sonata Form,” Journal of Music Theory, 1988, 57-59.

Beach, David. “The Fundamental Line from Scale Degree 8: Criteria for Evaluation,” Journalof Music Theory, 1990, 271-293.

Dunsby, Jonathan and Arnold Whittall. Music Analysis in Theory and Practice. New Haven,Yale University Press, 1992.

Newman, William. The Sonata since Beethoven. 3rd ed. New York: WW Norton &Company, 1983.

Plantinga, Leon. Romantic Music. New York: WW Norton & Company, 1984.

Schenker, Heunrich. Free Composition. Ed., and Trans., by Ernst Oster, New York: TwoVols, 1999.

Mc.Hard, James L. “The Future of Modern Music 3rd Edition”, Iconic Press, Livonia

Michigan, 2008

Persichetti, Vincent. “Twentieth Century Harmony”, Faber And Faber Limited, London,

1961.

Piston, Warlter. 1969. “Orchestration”. Victor Golanz LTD. London

Stein, Leon. “Structure & Style, the Study & Anlysis of Musical Form”, Summy-Birchard

Music, USA, 1979.

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Enclosure Score

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