Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Haydn String Quartet in E flat, Op.33 No. 2, 'The Joke': movement IV
- Texture
- Largely four-part
- Usually each instrument is independent - doubling at unison and octave is not a feature
- However, violins have some parallel 3rds, 6ths and 10ths (as in the 'refrain' from bar 9)
- There are three parts in the second phrase of the refrain, first heard in bars 3-4
- Homophonic
- Very occasional chordal or homorhythmic movement in the two pause chords in bars 139-140
- Usually Violin I melody dominates, other parts accompanying with the same rhythm (e.g. at the beginning) - this is melody dominated homophony
- 112-116 other parts take up the melody heard in Violin I. This is not strict imitation because successive entries do not overlap
- Double-stopping creates a denser texture - five parts in Bar 151 and six parts in Bar 149
- Structure
- Rondo form: ABACA
- Bars 0-36/A/Refrain (with repeats)
- 36-70/B/Episode
- 71-107/A/Refrain
- 107-140/C/Episode
- 140-172/A/Refrain (substantially altered)
- Includes an incongruous Adagio
- Each episode ends with an inconclusive Dominant 7th Chord creating both a lack of finality and a completeness of the Refrains, adding to the dramatic impact of the fragmented, final Refrain
- Melody
- Typical classical style
- Periodic phrasing - first 8 bars have a perfect (2+2+4) Classical phrase structure
- 17-21: Much use of scale and arpeggio patterns
- 9-12: Some chromaticism with mainly diatonic melody
- Harmony
- Functional harmony
- Tonic and dominant chords used very frequently. The opening phrase is straightforward I-V-I
- Frequent perfect cadences
- Pedals
- 59-61: Harmonic sequences
- Bb suspension in Bar 14
- Bar 28: Unusual/humorous dominant 7th chord left hanging before the return of main theme.
- Tonality
- Functional Tonality
- Tonic Key of E flat major
- Modulations to related keys
- Bars 37-47/A flat major/subdominant
- 48-53/F minor/supertonic minor
- 64-68/B flat Major/dominant
- Avoids 'obvious' move to C minor, the sombre relative minor
- Focuses most attention on numerous references to the bright dominant key, Bb major, underpinning the joyful mood
- Metre and Rhythm
- Although a Rondo, the piece includes a chance of metre:
- Bar 148: the prevailing compound double metre is interrupted at the Adagio in Bar 148 and a slow duple emerges for four bars before the resumption of the previous metre
- Rhythm simple and dominated by (often dotted) crotchets and quavers
- (Hadyn's humour) - Bar 40 almost sounds like the end of a two bar unit, but it also becomes becomes clear that it is equally the start of a new phrase and section. ELISION
- Bizarre four bar pause after Bar 166