Webern - Quartet Op. 22: Mvt 1

Webern - Quartet Op. 22: Mvt 1

1. Instruments and forces

   • • Webern uses unusual group of instruments to aid in creation of klangfarbenmelodie
   • • Various technical markings for violin part, e.g. use of Dämpfer – bar 1, and often rapid changes beteen pizz and arco – bar 23
   • • Dynamics change often, but are mostly very quiet e.g. pp at bar 2
   • • Wide leaps in the clarinet – e.g. bar 16
   • • Violin has a 3.5 octave range – lowest note at bar 16 – highest at bar 22
   • • Piano plays in 2 part texture throughout the piece
   • • Changes of clef e.g. bars 28-29

2. Structure

   • • Piece is in sonata form with no second subject
   • • There is a 5 bar introduction and a coda to end, beginning at bar 39
   • • Traditional tonal aspect to the structure has been replaced by serial technique
   • • Piece made up of tone rows with octave displacement
   • • Prime row doesn’t start until bar 6
   • • Beginning of each section is highlighted by rit… a tempo markings e.g. bar 6

3. Melody

   • • Melody created from tone row, with use of octave displacement e.g. bars 22-23 in violin part
   • • Disjunct melody melody with wide leaps with are often angular
   • • Use of klangfarbenmelodie to add colour to melody
   • • Palindrome (same but backwards) of beginning a bars 24-26 and 39-42
   • • Large range, especially in violin part – 3.5 octave range lowest note at bar 16 – highest at bar 22
   • • Wide leaps in clarinet part e.g. bar 16

4. Rhythm

   • • 4 rhythmic patterns for entire piece all of which are found within the first 3 bars
     • Idea taken from Bach
   • • Rapid changes of metre bars 16-24
   • • Metre is masked by syncopation – e.g. bar 22
   • • Coda – momentum slowed by pauses
   • • Beginning of each section is highlighted by rit… a tempo markings e.g. bar 6
   • • Augmentation of original rhythmic patterns e.g. bar 35

5. Harmony

   • • Range of different types of tone rows: prime, transposed, inversions and retrogrades
   • • Entirely chromatic harmony throughout the piece
   • • Verticalisation – bar 14
   • • Enharmonic equivalents of notes e.g. bar 23
   • • Octave displacement e.g. bars 22-23
   • • Palindrome (same but backwards) of beginning a bars 24-26 and 39-42

6. Tonality

   • • Atonal
   • • Serialist
   • • Chromatic
   • • Based on tone rows - prime, transposed, inversions and retrogrades

7. Texture

   • • Monophonic introduction
   • • Use of contrapuntal textures at bar 6
   • • 3 part counterpoint during exposition
   • • Use of Cantus Firmus at bars 6 – 14
   • • Mirror cannon (intervals reversed) at bar 28
   • • Stretto (entries become closer together) in development – e.g. 22-23
   • • Texture thickened by overlapping rows