Lessons in Music Form Part 12

MODIFIED REPEt.i.tIONS.--The quality and extent of the changes that may be made, in order to enrich the composition without altering its structural design, depend, as has been intimated, upon the judgment and fancy of the composer. The student will find no part of his a.n.a.lytical efforts more profitable and instructive than the careful comparison of these modified repet.i.tions with the original Parts; nothing can be more fascinating and inspiring to the earnest musical inquirer, than thus to trace the operation of the composer's mind and imagination; to witness his employment of the technical resources in re-stating the same idea and developing new beauties out of it,--especially when the variations are somewhat elaborate.

It must be remembered that mere repet.i.tion (even when modified,--as long as it can be proven to be nothing more than repet.i.tion) does not alter the form. A phrase, repeated, remains a phrase; _nothing less than a decided alteration of the cadence itself_ will transform it into a double-phrase (or period). Similarly, a period, repeated, remains a period, and does not become a double-period; and a Part, repeated, remains the same Part. Therefore, the student will find it necessary to concentrate his attention upon these larger forms, and exercise both vigilance and discrimination in determining which sections of his design come under the head of "modified repet.i.tion."

For an ill.u.s.tration of the _repeated First Part_, see the 9th Song Without Words; Part I is a four-measure period (of two small phrases) closing in the seventh measure; the following four measures are its modified repet.i.tion. For an example of the _repeated Second and Third Parts_, see No. 48. In No. 29, both repet.i.tions occur, with interesting changes; the repet.i.tion of Part I begins in measure 13; that of Parts II and III in measure 35; the last 10 1/2 measures are a coda.

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THE FIVE-PART FORM. The repet.i.tion of the Second and Third Parts together is sometimes subjected to changes that are almost radical in their nature, and therefore appear to modify the form itself. These important changes chiefly _affect the Second Part, when it reappears as "Fourth" Part_. When the alteration of the Second Part (that is, the difference between Part IV and Part II) is sufficiently radical to suggest the presence of a virtually new Part, the design is called the Five-part Song-form. The possible repet.i.tion of the First Part, it will be inferred, does not affect this distinction in the least; it hinges solely upon the treatment of the reproduction of _Part Two_.

For ill.u.s.tration:

[Ill.u.s.tration: Diagram of Parts.]

The Five-Part form is ill.u.s.trated in the 14th Song Without Words;--(first, number the measures; observe that the two endings of Part I are to be counted as the _same measure_, and not separately; they are both measure 8):--Part I extends to the double-bar, and is repeated literally, only excepting the _rhythmic_ modification of the final measure; Part II extends from measure 9 to 23; Part III, measures 24-35; Part IV, measures 36-47; Part V, measures 48-60; coda to the end. The comparison of Part IV with Part II discloses both agreement and diversity; they are, obviously, _practically the same Part_, but differ in key, in form, and in extent. The comparison of Parts I, III, and V reveals a similar condition, though the agreement here is much closer, and each confirms the leading statement.

A more characteristic example will be found in the familiar F major _Nachtstuck_ of Schumann, op. 23, No. 4, which see:--Part I extends from measure 2 to 9 (after 1 1/2 measures of recitative introduction); Part II, measures 10-13; Part III, measures 14-21; Part IV, measures 22-32; Part V, measures 33-40; codetta to end. The Fourth Part bears very little resemblance to the Second, and a.s.sumes rather the character of a wholly independent Part.

GROUP OF PARTS.--In some, comparatively rare, instances, the arrangement of perfect cadences is such that,--coupled with independence of melodic formation and character,--the composition seems to separate into _four or more individual sections_ or Parts, with or without a recurrence of the First one; or into three _different_ Parts, lacking the evidence of the return to the beginning. When such irregularities are encountered, or when any conditions appear which elude or baffle natural cla.s.sification among the Three-Part Song-forms (simple or enlarged), the piece may be called a group of Parts. The use of this term is entirely legitimate, and is commended to the student on account of its convenience, for all examples of the Song-form which, _upon thoroughly conscientious a.n.a.lysis_, present confusing features, at variance with our adopted cla.s.sification. Of one thing only he must a.s.sure himself,--that the design is a _Song-form_ (_i.e._ an a.s.sociation of _Parts_), and not one of the larger forms to be explained in later chapters. The definition is given in Chapter IX (on page 84).

A fair ill.u.s.tration of the utility of the term "Group of Parts" is seen in Schumann, op. 68, No. 18. Others will be cited in the following Lesson.

LESSON 11.--a.n.a.lyze the following examples of the enlarged Three-Part Song-form. As before, the form of each Part should be defined, and introductions and codas (if present) properly marked. All of the given examples belong to this chapter, but are not cla.s.sified; it is purposely left to the student to determine where repet.i.tions occur, and whether they are exact, or variated,--in a word, to decide which of the above diagrams the composition represents.

Mendelssohn, Songs Without Words, No. 3, No. 4, No. 8, No. 10, No. 11, No. 12, No. 16, No. 17, No. 19, No. 21, No. 23, No. 24, No. 27, No. 31, No. 34, No. 39, No. 43, No. 44, No. 46.

Schumann, op. 68, No. 5; No. 6; No. 10; No. 13; No. 15; No. 19; No. 22; No. 30; No. 36; No. 43.

Mendelssohn, op. 72, No. 5.

Chopin, _Prelude_, op. 28, No. 17.

Mozart, pianoforte sonata No. 8, _Andante_ (entire).

Mozart, No. 18, _Andantino_ (of the "Fantasia").

Chopin, _Mazurkas_, No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 5, No. 8, No. 15, No. 16, No. 18, No. 37, No. 44, No. 48.

GROUPS OF PARTS:

Chopin, _Mazurkas_, No. 3 (apparently five Parts, not counting repet.i.tions; Part V corroborates Part I, but the intervening sections are too independent to be regarded as one long Second Part,--as would be the case if this corroboration were Part III). Also No. 7 (same design); No. 14 (four Parts, the last like the first); No. 19 (four Parts, the fourth like the second); No. 20: No. 21; No. 27 (Part V like I, Part IV like II); No. 34; No. 39; No. 41.

Schubert, _Momens musicals_, op. 94, No. 3.

CHAPTER XII. THE SONG-FORM WITH TRIO.

Another method of enlargement consists in a.s.sociating two different--though somewhat related--Song-Forms. The practice was so common in certain of the older dances, particularly in the minuet, that this design is also known as the _Minuet Form_.

THE PRINc.i.p.aL SONG.--The first division, called the princ.i.p.al song, is either a Two-Part or a Three-Part Song-form,--most commonly the latter.

It is generally entirely complete in itself; the fact that another division is to be added, does not affect its character, form, or conception.

THE "TRIO," OR SUBORDINATE SONG.--The division which follows, as second song-form, was formerly called the "Trio," and it has retained the name in the majority of examples of this form, although the old custom that gave rise to the term has long since been discontinued. A more accurate designation, and one that we shall here adopt, is "Subordinate Song." (Other names, which the student will encounter, are "maggiore,"

"minore," "intermezzo," "alternative," etc.).

Like the princ.i.p.al song, its fellow (the subordinate song) may be either a Two-Part or a Three-Part design. It is very likely to resemble its princ.i.p.al song in species of measure, tempo, and general style; and its key may be the same as that of the princ.i.p.al division, or, at least, related to it. But similarity of style is by no means obligatory, the element of contrast having become more important than Unity, in a design of such extent. It is also usually complete in itself, though its connection with its princ.i.p.al song may involve a few measures of transitional material.

THE "DA CAPO."--This a.s.sociation of song-forms is subject to the principle which governs all tripart.i.te forms, namely, the return to the beginning, and confirmation of the first (or princ.i.p.al) statement; not only because of the general desirability of such a return, but because _the necessity for it increases with the growth of the form_. In a design that comprises a number of entire song-forms, it may be regarded as indispensable.

Therefore, the subordinate song is followed by a recurrence of the princ.i.p.al song,--called the _da capo_ (or "from the beginning"), because of those Italian words of direction given to the player upon reaching the end of the "Trio," or subordinate song. The reproduction of the princ.i.p.al division is likely to be literal, so that the simple directions "_da capo_" suffice, instead of re-writing the entire division. But, here again, changes may be made,--generally unimportant variations which do not obscure the form; or an abbreviation, or even slight extension. And a codetta or coda is sometimes added to the whole.

The Song with Trio is thus seen to correspond to the Three-Part Song-form, upon a larger scale. The several _Parts_ of the latter become complete _Song-forms_. An important distinction, to which especial attention must be directed, is the _completeness_ of the contents of each song-form, and their fairly distinct _separation_ from each other, in the Song with Trio. The significance of these traits will become apparent to the a.n.a.lytic student, as he progresses along the line of form-evolution into the still larger designs.

LESSON 12.--The following examples all belong to the Song with Trio.

They should be a.n.a.lyzed as usual, each Song separately, defining the Parts, their form, and other details, as minutely as possible. Careful a.n.a.lysis is the first condition of intelligent interpretation; and the more complete the a.n.a.lysis, the fuller and more authoritative the interpretation:--

Beethoven, pianoforte sonatas: op. 2, No. 1, third movement; the divisions are called _Menuetto_ and _Trio_, therefore this is an authentic type of the present design; each is a complete Three-Part Song-form; the key is the same, though a change from minor into major takes place; after the _Trio_, the _Menuetto_ does not re-appear (on the printed page), but its reproduction is demanded by the words _Menuetto da capo_, at the end of the Trio.

Op. 2, No. 2, _Scherzo_ and _Trio_.

Op. 2, No. 3, _Scherzo_ and _Trio_.

Op. 7, third movement, _Allegro_ and _Minore_.

Op. 10, No. 2, second movement, _Allegretto_ (the subordinate song is not marked, but is easily distinguished; there are no _da capo_ directions, because the princ.i.p.al song is re-written, with alterations).

Op. 10, No. 3, _Menuetto_ and _Trio_.

Op. 14, No. 1, second movement. _Allegretto_ and _Maggiore_; a coda is added.

Op. 22, _Menuetto_ and _Minore_.

Op. 26, _Scherzo_ and _Trio_.

Op. 27, No. 1, second movement, _Allegro molto_; the Trio is not marked; the "_da capo_" is variated, and a coda follows.

Op. 27, No. 2, _Allegretto_ and _Trio_.