{"id":262,"date":"2014-04-22T13:19:49","date_gmt":"2014-04-22T13:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/?page_id=262"},"modified":"2015-03-05T17:00:20","modified_gmt":"2015-03-05T17:00:20","slug":"more-than-a-sales-pitch-textures-in-op-33-vs-op-20","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/more-than-a-sales-pitch-on-haydns-op-33-quartets\/more-than-a-sales-pitch-textures-in-op-33-vs-op-20\/","title":{"rendered":"More than a sales pitch: Evolving Textures in Op. 33 versus Symmetrical Textures in Op. 20"},"content":{"rendered":"

The four voices of a string quartet exist within complex relationships.\u00a0 Each instrument maintains a balance by fulfilling primary melodic, secondary melodic, and harmonically or rhythmically supportive roles.\u00a0 The voices of Op. 20 reside within two types of equally occurring textures.\u00a0 In the first texture-type, there is a constant melody supported by harmonic accompaniment whereas in the second, the four voices play equal parts in harmony and melody.\u00a0 In the former type, the violin is usually responsible for primary melodic material while the other three instruments play supportive roles.<\/p>\n

The minuet in E\u266d major exemplifies the first type of texture.\u00a0 The first violin is consistently involved in the primary melody, and the bottom three instruments are equally as involved in maintaining harmonic support. This texture is thick, and unchanged. Examples of the violin\u2019s primary role can be seen in Op. 20 no. 2. \/iii, 20.3\/iii, 20.4\/ii and iv, and 20.5\/i.<\/p>\n

In the second type of texture, the four voices are still of equal with balanced importance, but without the tradeoff among roles.\u00a0 In some instances, this texture-type appears monorhythmically, in which all four voices harmonically support each other, but are rhythmically in unison, while at other times, the instruments act as a fugue. Each quartet has one movement (Op. 20, No. 1, third mvt, Op. 20, No. 2, third mvt, Op. 20, No. 3, second mvt, Op. 20, No. 4, third mvt, Op. 20, No. 5.second mvt) in which all four instruments play the same rhythm and harmonically support one another, creating a chorale-like texture. In the three fugues, for which Opus 20 is best known, the voices are naturally and completely balanced; they establish and maintain a consistent, symmetrical texture and play the same material.<\/p>\n

The unvarying balanced textures provide little in terms of evolving personality to Op. 20\u2019s melodic material. Many themes in Op. 33, on the other hand, evolve in character throughout one movement. They develop as a narrative over time, and Haydn utilizes texture as his main tool of evolution. One clear example of this use is found in the C major quartet\u2019s first movement. Musicians and musicologists today recognize this piece by its nickname, \u201cThe Bird.\u201d Although Haydn himself did not coin this nickname, it is quite evident as to its origin.\u00a0 The moniker refers to the recurring use of grace notes, which create a chirp-like effect.\u00a0 The chirping is heard again and again, and the technique becomes the movement\u2019s main theme.\u00a0 Like a storyteller, Haydn establishes a character, one that is an active member of many habitats. This character\u2019s scenery changes and provides circumstances to which this chirping \u201cbird\u201d adapts.\u00a0 When the character is first introduced, its surrounding elements are thick, like a leafy tree atop which it chirps. The first violin chirps, and the surrounding texture results from the accompaniment of the three remaining instruments. This accompaniment is, at first, quiet and staccato, yet continuous and harmonically strong. The second violin and the viola introduce the \u201cbird\u2019s\u201d surroundings with a stream of unchanging, staccato sixteenth notes in the tonic key. Then, after the first two chirps are heard, the accompanying music crescendos and all three accompanying instruments play relatively slow-moving harmonies to support the melody. (Figure 3.a)<\/p>\n

\"fig.<\/a>Figure 3.a\u00a0 Op. 33, No. 3, first mvt, mm. 1-6<\/strong><\/p>\n\nhttps:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2014\/04\/Fig.-3a.wav<\/a><\/audio>\n

The second appearance of the theme (m. 8) is in D minor, but the texture remains the same as its first appearance. The first time we hear the theme in a new setting, in the dominant, and accompanied by only the second violin (Figure 3.b).<\/p>\n

\"fig.<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 3.b\u00a0 Op. 33, No. 3, first mvt, mm.43-45<\/strong><\/p>\nhttps:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2014\/04\/Fig.-3b.wav<\/a><\/audio>\n

Here the second violin plays a quickly moving accompanying line, providing the theme with more motion than has previously been heard. \u00a0Furthermore, the theme\u2019s melody is changed: it is quicker and more fragmented.\u00a0 Furthermore in measure 43 the first violin again controls the primary role, but the surrounding elements have changed dramatically since the beginning of the movement.\u00a0 The second violin plays a quickly moving accompaniment, which provides a very thin texture for the first violin\u2019s melody until measure 45.\u00a0 It is clear that Haydn\u2019s four voices do not play the roles in Op. 33 that they played in Op. 20.\u00a0 Instead of holding to a repetitive, consistent balanced structure, the four instruments are used primarily as tools for shaping and developing thematic material. This factor is new to Haydn\u2019s quartets, and will be seen throughout Op. 33.<\/p>\n

The cello plays an important role in the new textures of Op. 33.\u00a0 Previous scholars, notably Donald Tovey, have emphasized the cello\u2019s treatment in Haydn\u2019s quartets.\u00a0 In Op. 20, the cello functions primarily as harmonic support or one as one of four equal voices in a fugue.\u00a0 The relatively few passages in which the cello assumes a more active role in Op. 20 (for example, its prominent entry in the fourth measure of the first quartet of the set) have been identified by some critics as moments of notable stylistic innovations; however, it is only in Op. 33 that the cello becomes consistently active alongside its four counterparts in developing thematic material, and thus acting as much more than mere accompaniment.\u00a0 This can be seen in the first movement of Op. 33 no. 3.\u00a0\u00a0 When the cello first enters, in m. 4, it plays a fairly conventional accompaniment pattern.\u00a0 Throughout the first theme (mm. 1-26) its role is as a traditional bass.\u00a0 Later in the exposition, the cello does enter into thematic dialogue with the other instruments a couple of times (mm. 34-6, 47, 52, and 58).<\/p>\n

The cello\u2019s role changes even more prominently in the development section, beginning in measure 60 (Figure 3.c).<\/p>\n

\"fig.<\/a>Figure 3.c\u00a0 Op. 33, No. 3, first mvt, mm. 60-69<\/strong><\/p>\nhttps:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2014\/04\/Fig.-3c.wav<\/a><\/audio>\n

The section opens with a similar textural arrangement as is heard at the beginning of the piece, but now the cello sounds much earlier, introducing an important dissonance that creates a secondary 4\/2 chord.\u00a0 Six bars later, a motive originally introduced in m. 30 is reintroduced in slightly varied form in m. 66 in the cello\u2019s voice.\u00a0 Here, the cello may not play a prominent role in melodic terms, but it provides a secondary melody to the first violin\u2019s statement of a melodic line derived from the theme that first appeared in m. 43.\u00a0 Moreover, by adapting a motive from earlier in the movement and treating it as counter-melody, this passage displays a new aspect of Haydn\u2019s compositional manner, thus exemplifying what Sandberger famously defined as thematische Arbeit<\/i>, Haydn\u2019s brilliant new method of thematic evolution.\u00a0 This term loosely translates to \u201cthematic working-out\u201d or \u201cthematic development.\u201d\u00a0 Thematische Arbeit<\/i> is established in Op. 33 No. 3, and the moment in measure 66\u00a0 is a perfect example of the technique.\u00a0 The cello takes a theme played by the first violin in measure 30 (Figure 3.d), and uses it in a new setting.\u00a0 This theme is evolving and changing over time, and thus \u201cworking out\u201d and \u201cdeveloping\u201d successfully by means of existing within a new texture and taking on a new role.<\/p>\n

\"fig.<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 3.d\u00a0 Op. 33, No. 3, first mvt, mm. 30-31<\/strong><\/p>\nhttps:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2014\/04\/Fig.-3d.wav<\/a><\/audio>\n

Suddenly the cello has become something other than the bass as it was earlier in the piece.\u00a0 It is now active in creating a new texture for the theme, a role it did not possess in its first appearance.\u00a0 The cello certainly did not play this sort of role in Op. 20.\u00a0 There, as we have seen, the cello served as either the basis of harmonic foundation or as a community member in the fugal and choral texture-types, but did not enter into the sort of fluid thematic and textural give-and-take that characterizes Op. 33, and that\u00a0 comprises, we feel, a key element of its \u201cnew and entirely special\u201d manner.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead to measure 100, the first violin plays this secondary theme that the cello plays in measure 66.\u00a0 Later in the recapitulation, the second violin actually takes on the \u201cbird\u201d theme, as we\u2019ve seen before (Figure 3.e).<\/p>\n

\"fig.<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 3.e Op. 33, No. 3, first mvt, mm. 100-102<\/strong><\/p>\nhttps:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2014\/04\/Fig.-3e.wav<\/a><\/audio>\n

There is juxtaposition between the first and second violin.\u00a0 The second violin repeats the first part of the primary theme, which had been played by the first violin previously.\u00a0 The first violin takes the secondary theme, which we have heard the cello play previously. \u00a0Now, it is clear that the changing texture is active in creating a narrative, as the themes have evolved, giving our \u201cbird\u201d a new voice.<\/p>\n

Directly before its final appearance, the original theme is played (Figure 3.f) in the second violin.<\/p>\n

\"fig.<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 3.f\u00a0 Op. 33, No. 3, first mvt, mm. 161-167<\/strong><\/p>\nhttps:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2014\/04\/Fig.-3f.wav<\/a><\/audio>\n

The theme is quickly interrupted before the first violin grasps its title as \u201cprominent melodic leader\u201d and repeats the opening of the movement in its original texture.\u00a0 Since the chirping has been heard, at this point, in all four voices, and in numerous textural variations, it is difficult for us to hear this finale as a full return of the theme.\u00a0 The textures have forced a dramatic evolution of the original character to the point that it is impossible to argue, or to hear, this final theme as we did at the opening of the movement.\u00a0 The last five measures of the C major movement are the \u201cThe End\u201d of a narrative about a \u201cbird\u201d who has migrated to many lands, and has returned a changed, matured, \u201cbrand new bird.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haydn\u2019s captivating, evolving narrative and happy ending serve to entertain the audience in a clever and subtle way.\u00a0 The thematic development, as seen by Sandberger and other scholars, is a tool to include and interest its listener.\u00a0 This technique is distinct to Op. 33, and is quite witty and clever. In fact, Haydn\u2019s wit and cleverness are a major part of what makes Op. 33 new and special, and it is to these attributes that we now turn.<\/p>\n

next section<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The four voices of a string quartet exist within complex relationships.\u00a0 Each instrument maintains a balance by fulfilling primary melodic, secondary melodic, and harmonically or rhythmically supportive roles.\u00a0 The voices of Op. 20 reside within two types of equally occurring textures.\u00a0 In the first texture-type, there is a constant melody \u2026 Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":63,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-262","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/262\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.clarku.edu\/musicresearch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}