Transformations of a Special Non-Diatonic Mode in Twentieth-Century Music: Bartk, Stravinsky, Scriabin and Albrecht Author(s): Elliott Antokoletz Source:

Music Analysis, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Mar., 1993), pp. 25-45 Published by: Wiley Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/854074 . Accessed: 06/12/2013 04:28
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ELLIOTT ANTOKOLETZ

TRANSFORMATIONS OF A SPECIAL NONDIATONIC MODE IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY MUSIC: BARTOK, STRAVINSKY, SCRIABIN AND ALBRECHT
In the earlytwentieth century, manyEastern European composersturned towardstheirown national sources forthe development of a new musical and basic elements from their folk-music language, absorbing utilizing idioms. At the same time,otherEasternEuropean composersderivedtheir compositional materials from more abstract sources, often arrivingat melodic and harmonicconstructions thatwere identicalto those foundin the folk sources. The folksongsettingsof Bart6k and the early Russian ballets of Stravinsky while the post-Romantic belong to the first category, works of Scriabin belong to the second. The musical language of the Russian-bornGerman composer, Georg von Albrecht(1891-1976), was founded on both approaches, in which he derived special modalites fromEastern European folk music and a more abstract simultaneously sphereof sources. Accordingto Albrecht'sown indicationsin the titlesof some of his compositions,the abstractsources significantly included the Obertonreihen ('overtone series') and Untertonreihen ('undertone series'). Bart6khimself discussed the evolutionfromeitherEastern European folk music or more abstractsources towardsa common set of non-traditional in the music of earlytwentieth-century pitchconstructions composers: There are many... harmonicinspirations we owe to the latent harmonies inthepeasant contained of ours ... songs and by placing these [modal] chords in Through inversion, one abovetheother, different chords are obtained juxtaposition many and with them thefreest as wellas harmonic melodic ofthe treatment twelve tonesofourpresent-day harmonic system. Of course, other whodo notleanupon many (foreign) composers,

folkmusic,have met withsimilarresultsat about the same time- only

in an intuitive or speculative is a procedure way,which, evidently, The difference is that we created Nature.' justifiable. equally through

MUSIC ANALYSIS

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

MODAL VARIATIONBY ROTATION OR EXTENSION OF SPECIAL NON-DIATONIC FOLK MODES studiesof Hungarian, Rumanianand Slovakfolkmusic, In his earliest scaleswere was already awarethatthetraditional Bart6k majorand minor from theauthentic folk a absent melodies. he had found Instead, generally of the or church modes as well as some that Greek medieval prevalence unlike thechurch unknown in modalartmusic.2 The latter, wereentirely is One instance are non-diatonic. modes, (E-F#-G-A-B-C-D) givenin ofthemode (G-A-B-C-D and where certain Fig. 1, overlapping segments are isolated brackets. These segmentsare often -C) by E-F#-G-A-B in orderto generate in his own extended larger by Bart6k compositions are and 2a collections b). Amongthese,the mostsignificant (Fig. pitch BVto the basic mode If we rotate scales. and octatonic diatonic complete scale a six notes of whole-tone five of the C-D-E-Ft-G-A(Fig. 2c), of the basic All of theseextensions (B-C-D-E-F#)come intoadjacency. bothmelodically and whole-tone) are exploited mode (diatonic, octatonic tonal traditional from as pitchsetsdivorced and harmonically by Bart6k functions. in Hungarian folk modefound peasant byBart6k Fig. 1 Non-diatonic modalsegments with music, divergent overlapping diatonic segment E 2 F#1 G 2 A 1 B 2 C 2 D

whole-tone segment (B-C-D-E-F#)

I-------------_--------

octatonic segment

ofthenon-diatonic extensions andwhole-tone octatonic Fig. 2 Diatonic, modein Fig. 1 folk a) extensions twodiatonic modalextension) (G-Aeolian ---------------------1
GA Bb CD (EL F)

26

MUSIC

ANALYSIS

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

(G-Dorian modal extension)

I
b) octatonicextension
E 2 F# 1 G

GA

C D

I--------1
(E F)

2 A

1 B

2 C

1 Db 2 Eb (1)

(E)

completeoctatonicscale ofnon-diatonic mode and whole-tone extension c) rotation rotatednon-diatonic mode GAB 2 C 2 D 2 E 2 F# 2 G#

I --------

scale (ext.) completewhole-tone As Fig. 3 shows,thisnon-diatonic folkmode belongs to a largerfamily of modes related to each other by systematic rotation.These rotations non-diatonicmodal formsanalogous to the seven produce seven different rotationsof the 'white-key'diatonic scale. The mode shown in Fig. 1 appears as rotation3 in Fig. 3. Both ways of varyingthe non-diatonic modes that make up this family of modes - rotationand extension- are demonstratedbelow in the music of Bart6k, Stravinsky, Scriabin and Albrecht.
rotation systematic intervals: 2

ofnon-diatonic folkmodes, relatedto each otherby Fig. 3 Largerfamily

2 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 1

rotation1: C rotation 2: rotation 3:

rotation 4: rotation 5: rotation 6: 7: rotation

D D

E E E

F# G F# G F# G
F# G G

A A A
A A A

B% (C) B% C B~ C
B, B, BL BL C C C C

(D) D
D D D D

(E)
E (Fr) E F# (G) G (A) E FB E F) G A (Bb)

MUSIC

ANALYSIS

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

MODAL VARIATION BY ROTATION OF NON-DIATONIC MODES

FOLK

Bart6k's Cantata Profana (1930) opens with rotation 3 of Fig. 3, but transposedto the D tonic of the work(D-E-F-G-Ab-B-C-D; see Ex. la or ofthe nine sons into stags, transformation c). By analogywiththe symbolic the end of the workinto rotation1 of this modal formis transformed by D tonic also to the which appears transposed Fig. 3, (D-E-F?-G#-A-B-Cof the openingmodal format D) (Ex. 1d). The latteris a literalinversion the same pitch level (see Ex. l a). The modal inversion appears to reflect the symbolicmeaning of the words at the finalpoint of transformation: 'Now theirmouthsno longerdrinkfromcrystal glasses,onlyfromcooling mountain springs'. This inversion can be understood as a systematic to the tonic (Ex. 1b); thatis, ifwe ofthe openingmode transposed rotation at the sixth scale the degree (BB),we get the rotationBB-Cbegin original D-E-F-G-A$, which,when transposedto the tonic (D), gives us the final scale, D-E-F#-G#-A-B-C-D.3 (inverted) The Bb rotationis alreadyintroducednear the beginningof the work the D tonicto Bb (Ex. ic). (b.4), wherethe cellos and basses descend from The upper woodwindin the nextpassage (Ex. le) suggest, then,the tonic latter rotation of the transposition (BB-C-D-E-F-G-Ab) (D-E-F#-G#-A-B-C) as an early adumbrationof the final (inverted) modal form shown in Ex. 1d. The ascendingchromatic sequence (bs 5-9), whichbeginswiththe diatonicfigure initialthree-note (D-E-F) of the openingmode, contains,in microcosm, one of the basic procedures by which this modal form is into its inversion. Each of the three-notefiguresin the transformed in and A-B-C) contributes woodwind sequence (D-E-F, E-F#-G, E?-F#-Gg turnto the mutationof the lowermodal tetrachord, D-E-F-G, by 'forcing' one of its characteristic dyads (F-G) upwards to F?-GQ.This implies the presenceof the lower tetrachord (D-E-F?-G#)of the finalinversion(D-Eis which completed by the last figure (A-B-C) of the F#-G#-A-B-C), sequence.4 NON-DIATONIC MODES DERIVED FROM EITHER FOLK-MUSIC OR ART-MUSIC SOURCES IN THE MUSIC OF ALBRECHT AND SCRIABIN For Bart6k,one of the basic sources of thisfinalmodal rotation(again, see rotation1 of Fig. 3) was the Rumanian colindd(Christmassong),5which served as 'motto' materialforthe Cantata Profana.Like Bart6k,Albrecht of folkmusic,not onlyfrom in the absorption also revealedbroad interests EasternEurope but also fromCentralAsia, havingcollectedmelodiesfrom Lithuania, the Crimea, Caucasia and the Ural mountains.In Albrecht's in a number of short piano folk-musicsettings,which occur primarily 28
MUSIC ANALYSIS

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

of two intervallically Ex. 1 Bart6k,CantataProfana, equivalentvariants folkmode the non-diatonic 3 ofFig. 3) and its folkmode (equals rotation a) Basic non-diatonic 1 the main rotation of at inversion pitchlevel (D) ofthe Fig. 3) (equals Cantata
prime(opening scale)

inversion (closing scale)

folkmode (see rotation 3 ofFig. 3) and itsrotation b) Basic non-diatonic at the sixthdegree,Bb (see rotation1 ofFig. 3)
basic mode

rotationat the Bb of the rotationto the originalpitchlevel transposition of the basic mode: see a) above) (equal to the inversion

theB%rotation at b.4 c) bs 1-5, strings, harmonically suggesting

div. Molto Vin. = 116 moderato,)

1.

op
boom i 1. ..i

vi

Vln. 2.

A,

Via.

3*
w -Ott

Cb.

ki

renewed. Copyright and renewal assigned 1939 to Boosey & ? Copyright1934 by Universal Edition; copyright Hawkes, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

MUSIC ANALYSIS

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

stretto d) bs 72-87, tenorsolo and string equals (D-E-F#-G#-A-B-C-D; rotation1 ofFig. 3)

A Ten.solo T..I

72espr. V ,02.p-I
--

rubato

- --- -----rallentando

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - (al - ,

= 84)

it
for -

I->
-

.1!,tll.' -

....I-'t---

M -

Ii

Csak h6 - v6s

rs

Ancora pin lento, Vln.

= 92 sord
_ _ _ _ _

A.senza

P senza sord. Vln. 2.

Mai_ __

sla

vCb.

- ,.

and renewal assigned 1939 to Boosey & renewed. Copyright C Copyright1934 by Universal Edition; copyright Hawkes, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

foresequence of diatonicsegments e) bs 5-9, wind,ascendingchromatic of openingmode (D-E-F-G-A-BVC) intoits shadowingtransformation inversion (D-E-F#-G%-A-B-C)

g r ?$P(: ,. A ..
Flauto ,2. AM
IId

frF IJ ii r ri

iL -

1,2. Ob.

1 4w

T.

12FPa Clarinetto Clarinetto I P )

La

_
k. L A ] " L --"" TI "

1, 2. Fag.

'1-0

,_

and renewal assigned 1939 to Boosey & renewed. Copyright C Copyright1934 by Universal Edition; copyright Hawkes, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

30

MUSIC ANALYSIS

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

24 Priludes(in two volumes), the Op. 42 set (1934) based on the abstract the Op. 61 set (1959) on Unterund concepts of Ober-und Untertonreihen, Obertonreihen. key' indicationsin the titlesof the individualpieces of these cycles,but
hybrid-modal thinking,influenced by both his folk-music research and his

Russian,Lithuanian, (NorthernVotyakian pieces based on Ukrainian, his diatonicfolk Ural), Tatarianand Turkishsong and dance settings, tunesarepredominantly with inflection. His other modal,often pentatonic folktunes,also reveal works,whichmay not be based on authentic ofmodal, thematic andphrasal variation in folk music. principles prevalent Albrecht's studieswithTaneyev,Glazunovand earlycompositional otherscontributed to the formation of thosetechnical skills(including variational other and that him to canonic,fugal, procedures) permitted absorbdivergent folkand abstract musicalsourcesinto a personalartmusicidiom.'In many ofhiscompositions, Albrecht infused rondo sonata, and ternary outlines with bothRomantic and morecontemporary features. Whiletheintervallic construction ofAlbrecht's is primarily chords triadic, the music of Wagnerand the impressionists the composer motivated towards a newharmonic linear logicbasedon theindependent progression ofindividual voices. Scriabin's with overtone harmonies werealso important in experiments Albrecht towardsan entirely 'non-functional' modal-tonal motivating After focussed on theharmonic rather 1910,Scriabin system. increasingly than linearconstructions in his works,his harmonies generally being from derived his so-called chord'ofPrometheus. This chord, which 'mystic the eighthto fourteenth series approximates partialsof the overtone in fourths, In (rotation 1 ofFig. 3), can be constructed C-F#-B-E-A-D-[]. hislatesonatas, Scriabin addedtheseventh harmonic note,G (thetwelfth partial), expanding this chord to C-F#-B-E-A-D-G.The linear of the basic set of the Sonata No.7, arrangement (C-D-E-F#-G-A-Bb) 'WhiteMass', Op. 64 (1911), is closelyrelatedto thissegment of the overtone thelatter itself as one of series, manifesting (C-D-E-F#-G-A-Bb) several variants ofthebasic setin thecourseofthecomposition whenthe seconddegree is raised to D.7 The basic set of the Sonata (C-D -E-F#(Db) whichalters one noteof the 'mystic chord'(D to DL), forms a G-A-BL), seven-notesegmentof an octatonic scale (C-D- [EL]-E-F#-G-A-BL). Scriabin'semployment of the set as both chordand scale represents a adumbration of serialprocedures. Albrecht's to significant ability synthesize thesedivergent and technical sources is exemplified in his stylistic Albrecht's tonalorientation is evident in his 'major-' and 'minorstrong

certain mixedkeysignatures revealthe composer's more contemporary

interest in the more abstractpossibilities containedin the overtoneseries. of F) and Bb,whichproducesrotation1 of Op. 42 containsa keysignature Fig. 3 (C-D-E-F#-G-A-BVC).
MUSIC ANALYSIS

For instance (Ex. 2), the opening C major prelude ('Wolken im Licht') of

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

Ex. 2 Georgvon Albrecht, PreludeNo. 1 in C major ('Wolken im Licht'), in Ober-und Untertonreihen, from12 Prdludes Op. 42, forpiano
undschwebend Bewegt, leicht

~do

sfz

sfz p ~

mp -

t-

-1+

F-

ofPeterLang Verlag. Reproducedby kindpermission

--

this non-diatonic As Albrechtindicated in the subtitleof his Prdludes, scale can also be derivedfromthe eighthto the fourteenth partialsof the to do harmonies Albrecht Scriabin's overtone series. overtone challenged - for effects for colouristic not to use overtone harmonies new: something a and tone as a chord scale served the overtone Scriabin, simultaneously 'undertone' on 'overtone' and to build but twenty-four preludes colour8 scales, which mightlay claim to being 'natural' major and minor scales accordingto the theoryof harmonicdualism as expounded by Giuseppe the 'overtone' and 'undertone' formsby Tartini.9 Albrechtdistinguishes or for a given modal rotation of the basic Dur either Moll indicating rotations1, 2 and 7 (built on C, D and overtonescale, C-D-E-F#-G-A-Bb: BB), because of their third degree, are 'major', whereas the remaining G and A), because of theirthirddegree, rotations 3, 4, 5 and 6 (on E, F#, are 'minor'. These partials of the overtone series, which supposedly laid the foundationfor the new harmonic systemof Scriabin's late works, also served as the source, accordingto Ern6 Lendvai, of Bart6k's use of this scale."' In Bart6k's case, however, we must trace this scale to the Rumanian non-diatonic folk mode rather than to the more abstract acoustic (overtone)series,since thereis no mentionby Bart6kof the latter as a sourceforhis music in any ofhis writings." MODAL VARIATION BY ROTATION between the two transposedmodal rotations The inversional relationship in Bart6k's Cantata Profanais also basic to Albrecht'sPrelude No.9 in E major-Aminor('Spiegelungenim Wasser') (Ex. 3a). While the concept of Spiegelungen ('Reflections') obviously refers to the literal thematic each four-line betweenthe two pairs of phraseswhichconstitute inversions stanza of the large A and B sections,12 the literal inversionalrelations between modal rotationsadd another dimension to Albrecht's 'mirror'

32

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF

A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

Ex. 3 Georg von Albrecht, PreludeNo. 9 in E major-Aminor('Spiege12 im from in Ober-und Untertonreihen, Prnludes Wasser'), Op. 42 lungen of openingovertone E-mode (rotation a) SectionA, bs 1-8,transformation 1 of Fig. 3) to itsundertone inversion 3 ofFig. 3) (rotation
A phrasesa Allegrocantabile b

Sr,,erolr L-....
____ ____

o...c

( E-I#-G#--# -B-C# -D-L) / of orertol E -mode (E-F#-(;--B inersio,,

__ _ a-inversion ..

-c-D-E)

I tra rotationo nslposed

b-inversion

toA A -Bb-C-D-E-F# vertoneE-miode -(G)

ofPeter Reproduced bykind permission LangVerlag.

relateddiatonic b) Section B, bs 9-13, modulationto a pair ofinversionally the original non-diatonic mode by one modes, each altering corresponding note (shownby arrows)
Phrases c (bs 9-11, R.H.) and d (bs 11-13,R.H.) E-Lydian: overtone E-mode: E F G# A? B C D# E

E F# G# A# B C# D

Phrases c-invers. (bs 10-12,L.H.) and d-invers. (bs 12-14,L.H.) E-Locrian: E F G A Bb C D E inversion ofE-Lydian,above) (= literal T overtone E-mode: E F# G A B% C D E inversion of basic overtone (= literal E-mode, above) MUSIC ANALYSIS

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

ofliteral The exploitation in thisprelude on boththe inversion technique. structural and modal levelssuggests the serialprinciple, whichwas to inAlbrecht's music.In theinitial becomeincreasingly (a), prevalent phrase and metric-harmonic of bs 1 and 3) (downbeats emphases pitchcontent of rotation the priority scale transestablish 1 of Fig. 3: the C overtone Thematic and to contrapuntal 'E major' (E-F?-G#-A#-B-C#-D). posed at of thisphrase(a) in the corresponding inversion phrase(a-inversion), of of scale a modulation to rotation 3: the undertone 6 b.5, produces Fig. is a transposed rotation of this 'A minor'(A-B-C-D-E-F#-G). The latter initialovertone modal formon E. At the same time,the right-hand is a thematic inversion oftheopening statement thematic (bs 5-8), which of a rotation the 'A minor' melodic statement left-hand (bs 1-4), implies of thelatter to modalcontent (A-B-C-D-E-F#-G) E (E-F#-G-A-B-[]-[]), to the is completed which produce figuration by accompanying E-F#-G-A3 rotation this'E minor' Cantata (rotation Profana, B-C-D. As in Bart6k's inversion oftheopening ofFig. 3) is theliteral E'E major'overtone form, is modalrelation 1 ofFig. 3). This inversional (rotation F#-G#-A#-B-C#-D associations. thematic inversional Example supported bythecorresponding diatonic related a pairofinversionally between 3b showsthesamerelation two B (bs 9-13),eachofthese in Section and E-Locrian) modes(E-Lydian mode by non-diatonic theoriginal modesaltering diatonic corresponding one note(see arrows). MODAL VARIATION BY EXTENSION AND SYMMETRICAL TRANSFORMATION in Eastern 3 of Fig. 3, so prominent Rotation Europeanfolkmusic,was variation basis for modal as the also employed by extension by Stravinsky scales (see Fig. 2 above). In the into both octatonicand whole-tone the 'RussianDance' ofPetrushka assigns (at No.35: see Ex. 4), Stravinsky The ostinato.1 viola to the E-modal rotation, complete E-F#-G-A-B-C-D, individualinstrumental pitch-set layers outline derivative remaining has staff The lower folk mode. non-diatonic from this piano components which of derivation the five notesofa whole-tone partition (B-C-D-E-F#), At the same time, themode to B-C-D-E-F#-G-A. ifwe rotate is evident which is bassoon 1 outlinesan octatonicsegment(E-F#-G-A-B-[]), in the lowersix notesof the seven-note evident mode,whilethe upper in whichis evident the diatonic unfold woodwind segment D-E-F#-G-A, In mode: of the notesof a rotation thelowerfive [D]-E-F4-G-A-B-C-[].
other two early other passages of this work, as well as in Stravinsky's Russian ballets,these segmentsare extendedto the completewhole-tone, octatonicand diatonicscales. This E-mode (rotation3 of Fig. 3) is also employedby Bart6k as the basis for octatonic and whole-toneextensionsin the Cantata Profana,4
34
MUSIC
ANALYSIS

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF

A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

Ex. 4 Stravinsky, 'Russian Dance' ofPetrushka (at No. 35), simultaneous ofnon-diatonic folkmode (see rotation extensions 3 ofFig. 3, and Fig. 2b and c)

Op

Pim.fT W I. If.

_-.A
=*

rn or re-Aface

Porp

11. Tr. 1I. I. ArVx

W -T1 PII

P.?

POO PI46

'

-.

ctPw,
I
T

-;7
r

CI

"-i
&

Lu p~c;

___c
-4S

~76i

C) "T1

f?

0 leCC

j57,? -----KOp X t \?1 ~ -----r-111. Y--"__=-~~ t~=~rJ_,__ ri~: el~1r Celli liv
C

--

_.L-

_L-~:

Reroucd in erisio o Dve ubictins Ic y

CIA.~C

R b m o a

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

extensions ofnon-diatonic folkmode Ex. 5 Bart6k,CantataProfana, folk of openingnon-diatonic a) Ancorapiuilento,bs 178-9, extension mode (D-E-F-G-A-B-C) to completeoctatoniccollection(D-E-F-G-G#A?-B-C )
Ancora pii lento, = 84 r

wan delt, siever tief im Wal de sindzuHirsch-en

lhere in thc foret Allerechangedto stags shad .. All werechangedto

- desind Hirsch-en tief imWal - wan siever zu

stagsthere in th e fior est shad

delt,
OVs.

tief im Wal - de to All w~ere chaRnged

sind zu Hirsch-en sie ver stagsthere iln the for- est shadWSF cAMplete

wan

delt,

collection -A# -B-('# -t-t:-F-(;-c;t t S.

F F-Aeolian extension

renewed. Copyrightand renewal assigned 1939 to Boosey & ? Copyright1934 by Universal Edition; copyright Hawkes, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

transformations these symmetrical occurring preciselyat the point where into stags (Ex. 5). As Ex. 5a the nine sons are magicallytransformed to D-E3 of Fig. 3 transposed (bs 178-9) shows,the basic mode rotation is extended by spelling, D-E-F-G-G--A?-B#) F-G-AtB-C (in enharmonic the addition of two notes (B-C?) in the combined descending choral chord (A?-E-F-G?-B-D) to the segment(G-F-E-D-C#) and accompanying collection D-E-F-G-G_-A- [B-C?]. Then, as Ex. 5b (bs completeoctatonic sons rove the magicallytransformed where the at point 186-7) shows, -F-F a the -G -A-B-C#)of the forest, transposition (D aimlesslythrough The latterbrings basic mode is rotatedin violin 1 to F?-G?-A-B-CW/D_-F. fivenotes (A-B-C#-D?-F)of one of the whole-tonescales into proximity witheach other;thissegmentis thenextendedto the completewhole-tone almosttwo octaves. scale through on HungarianPeasant Tunes, In No.3 of Bart6k's EightImprovisations of the folktune in Strain 1 statement Op. 20, forpiano (1920), the first hand) is based on rotation2 of Fig. 3. This is the (Ex. 6a) (bs 3-15, right

36

MUSIC ANALYSIS

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

b) bs 186-7, rotation and extension of transposed opening non-diatonic folk mode (D?-F-F?-G -A-B-C ) to complete whole-tone scale (A-B-C?-D?F-G-A - - -)
186 187

S. 1. 2.
ben.

A. 1. 2.
Wald,
az er-

,
Se-

im

T.

vwholel sctak Wal - de.

tone

az dort

erim

con sord. whole tone scale

of basic mode permutation transposedto D#-F-F#-G#-A-B-C#

renewed. Copyright and renewal assigned 1939 to Boosey & ? Copyright1934 by Universal Edition; copyright Hawkes, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

symmetrical form of the non-diatonic folk mode. A basic symmetrical of this rotation (Ex. 6b) emerges as a property (augmented triad, D-F#-A#) prominent foreground event in the second episode (quintuplet upbeat to b.26 to b.30) (Ex. 6c). The quintuplet figureis initiated by this augmented triad, which is reiterated throughout the passage. The augmented triad, which is a segment of a whole-tone scale, is anticipated in the firstphrase of Strain 2 (bs 19-21) (Ex. 6d). The succession of major thirds exclusively outlines a five-note segment of a whole-tone scale (D-E-F?-G?-A#), which is symmetricallyconstructed around the basic augmented triad. This triad is formed here by the adjacency of its two major thirds, F#-A"and D-F#. Structural variation is thus produced not only by the transposition of the folk tune from D to F in Strain 2, but also by this whole-tone transformationof the symmetrical D mode in the accompaniment. At the
MUSIC ANALYSIS

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

Ex. 6 Bart6k, No. 3 of Eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Tunes,

folkmode D-Ea) Strain1 offolktune,bs 3-15, right hand, non-diatonic 2 of (rotation 3) Fig. F#-G-A-B%-C-D
rubato. Lento, ( = cca. 96)
ore PIP senza Co senza PP co'ore

Op. 20, for piano

Ll F-J 4
3p

1 11
P
l_

nmf quasi

parlando

L
sempre poc"3
.

l,

A-r.-.-

_I

.,-_--

_-

--

10 dolce~

larl

and renewalassignedto Boosey & Hawkes, 1922 by UniversalEdition; Copyright renewed.Copyright ? Copyright Inc. Reprinted by permission.

enharmonic structure spelling b) Symmetrical augmented-triadic (D-F#-A#, ofnon-diatonic folkmode D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D ofD-F#-Bb)

38

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ANALYSIS

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF

A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

chord (D-F#-A#) from mode offolk c) Episode 2, bs 25-30, symmetrical tune

moltoespr.
25 26? 27 ,2 r2

mf

mf

.
29

piu lento (J = 58) esFr..

I

-M

30

~
dim

. .

. . "

bs 18-21, whole-tone variant/extension d) Strain2 accompaniment, (D-Eof non-diatonic folk mode F#-G#-A#)
D E F#G#A#
18 19 ----------------------------------------------------------I 20 dolce1

mf quasi parlando transposedto Stune F GABb C Db Eb

whole-tone quintupletfigure(b.25) that initiates Episode 2, thisfive-note is explicitly into the basic augmented segment(D-E-F#-G?-A#) partitioned triad(D-F#-A#) and the symmetrically relatedmajorthird(E-G#). Cyclic-intervalextensions of this special non-diatonic folk mode as rotation 1 of Fig. 3, or overtonescale) are discussed by (specifically George Perle in connection with Scriabin's Piano Sonata No.7.15 Perle refersfirstto Scriabin's use of a seven-notesegmentderived fromthe octatonic scale, such a derivationhaving practical advantages over the octatonic. Since the octatonic scale remainsunchanged at its successive
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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

minor-third there are only three different octatonic (T3) transpositions, collections.A derivedseven-note to modulateto four segmentis permitted withina givenoctatonicscale, so thata singlepitchclass T3 transpositions in each seven-note in relation to each ofthe othergroups.For groupdiffers instance, segmentsA -B -C -D -E-F#-G,C#-D#-E-F#-G-A-B%, E-F#-G-Aof the octatonicscale B-C-Db and G-A-B-C-DB-EB--F, A#-B#-CQ-D?-E-F#G-A produce fourtransformations of slightly varied content. Perle states that 'Scriabin providesa source of contrast formof the a variant through derivedscale, the finaldegreeofwhichis occasionally raisedby a semitone' and thatthisproduces 'a striking of harmonic colour by converting change a five-note of the scale into a whole-tone This variant segment collection'.'6 1 form is the special non-diatonic mode of (overtone) (rotation Fig. 3). In Albrecht'sPrelude No.12 in B minor('Spiegelungen'), in whichthe fora more serialized composeremploysfugalproceduresas the framework modal extensionsinto complete wholeidiom," we also find significant tone and octatoniccollections.As an expressionof the title('Reflections', or 'Mirrors'),everypair of bars in Section A (Ex. 7a) is based on a strict of the motivicmaterial.As the basis forhis fugal inversional relationship subject (bs 1-8), the composer employstwo-barphraseswhich,according withineach phrase, formthe to the corresponding rhythmic figurations b (b-inversion), a' (a'-inversion), a (a-inversion), b' (b'-inversion). pattern diatonic modal settingof this prelude, in Despite the more traditional which makes rotation 5 of Fig. 3 B-Dorian (B-CG-D-E-F#-G#-A-B), to one of the overtone one element,modal extensions diatonicby altering and octatonic scales and the whole-tone modal rotations symmetrical bars The two inversionally-related the largersectionalstructure. articulate and a whole tone thatmake up each phraseare separatedexclusively (F# by of This between the whole-tone E). relationship transposition phrases is The modal whole-tone withineach B-Dorian motivicstatement. reflected a. initiates tetrachord phrase As Ex. 7b shows,the prominently D-E-F?-G# so thatthe originalwholeanswer(bs 13ff.)is transposedup a tone to G#, now occur transposed. tone relationships from B-Dorian of the The significanceof this modal transposition tetrachord of the answeris thatthe initialwhole-tone subjectto C#-Dorian of the basic an extension is suggesting replaced by E-F#-G#-A#, D-E-F#-G# This occurs as a local whole-tone scale to five notes, D-E-F#-G#-A#. adjacency wherethe end of the subject connectswiththe answer (bs 12whichthen formsthe exclusive 13) (see Ex. 7b). The originaltetrachord, of the is reiterated contentof the countersubject, against the E-F#-G#-A# answer. The addition of B at bs 18 and 20 of the answer completesthe which forms the total pitch whole-tone collection D-E-F#-G#-A#-B,, contentof the answer,except forone 'odd' note, the modal tonic C#.The of the diatonic of these variationslies in the transformation significance B-Dorian mode of the subject into the completewhole-tonecollectionof the answer.
40
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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF

A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

As Ex. 7c shows, the openingbars of Section B' (bs 66-72) transform into a B transposition the basic B-Dorian mode (B-C#-D-E-F#-G'-A-B) of rotation 5 of Fig. 3 by alteringone note, A, to A#.This gives us the overtone-scale or, because of the prominenceof the B-C#-D-E-F#-G#-A# note E, rotation 1 of Fig. 3 on E (E-F#-G#-A#-B-C#-D). The next bar classes with A and C to and replaces pitch produce an E A# C# of rotation 2 of 3 The overtone transposition Fig. (E-F#-G#-A-B-C-D). bass line unfoldsa completedescendingformof thisscale. The remainder of the piece alternates both of these overtone-scale the final transpositions, modal tonic (B) ofthepiece establishing theirB-modal rotations. A seven-note octatonicsegment, emergesas the A#-B-C#-D-E-[]-Fx-G#, exclusivescalar basis of the end of the answer(lefthand, bs 22-4) and the first note of Section B (b.25) (Ex. 7d). This scale suggestsan octatonic transformation (B-C#-D-E-[]-[Fx]-G#-[Ag]) of B-Dorian, and appearsto be an intermediate stage between the originalB-Dorian form(B-C#-D-E-F#and one of the finaltwo non-diatonic(overtone) transformations, G#-A) Thus, the overallmove fromdiatonicto non-diatonic B-C#-D-E-F#-GJ-A#. (overtone) modal formsin this prelude is implementedby means of a complex set of variational, almost serialized, interactionsof diatonic, whole-tone and octatonicsets. Ex. 7 Georg von Albrecht, PreludeNo. 12 in B minor('Spiegelungen'), from12 Prdludes in Ober-und Untertonreihen, Op. 42 inversional a) SectionA, bs 1-8, fugalsubjectbased on strict (serialized) ofmotivic of material;B-Dorian mode (diatonicscale form relationship rotation5 ofFig. 3)
phrasesa (a-inversion) Presto P-7 (F#) DE F#G# -legato
-3

b (b-inversion) 1-5(E) 3 P-7 3

-

a 1-5 P-7

B-Dorian (B-C#-D-F-F-G#-A) (a'-inversion) I-5 b' (b-inversion) p-7 I-5

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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

answer basedon complete whole-tone variant/extension b) bs 13ff., (D-E[C]) of diatonicmode of subject F#-G#-A#-B#DEF#G#A# B#

(at bs18 + 20)

IE F#"
16 A,4 00isL -

[D

E F# G#

of PeterLang Verlag. Reproducedby kindpermission

c) Section B', bs 66-72, transformationof basic B-Dorian mode into a transposition (on B) of rotation 5 of Fig. 3

B C# D E F# G# A# = rot.5

r.h.

or: E1 G# A# B C# D F"
,

rot

r.h.r

"

oE F# G# A B C D rot.rtI

ofPeterLang Verlag. Reproducedby kindpermission

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TRANTSFORMATIONS

OF

A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

d) end of answer,bs 22-5, octatonictransformation (A?-B-C#-D-E-[]-Fxofthe openingB-Dorian mode G1,or on B tonic= B-C#-D-E-[]-Fx-G -A#)

(B-C -D-E--F?-G#-A-B)

cresc.

SI.h.

of PeterLang Verlag. Reproducedby kindpermission

octatonic , or segment A#-B-CO-D-E-[]-Fx-G F--G--A-B-CO-D-E-[]

CONCLUSION The transformational approaches to modal structurerevealed by these early twentieth-century composers show the pervasive absorption of structural melodic characteristics of nativeEastern European folksources into more abstractcontemporary art-music idioms. Like his greatEastern and Bart6k, Albrechtwould draw European contemporaries Stravinsky from divergentmusical sources rangingfrom diatonicismto the more complex scalar constructionsthat make up the larger familyof nondiatonic Eastern European folkmodes. At the same time, like his more Scriabin, he would draw upon the modal cosmopolitan contemporary series. properties impliedin the overtone All of these composers, whether they were inclined towards the authenticfolkmusic of Eastern Europe or the more abstractpossibilities implied in the overtone series as the basis for their compositional withendless skillwithin resources,were to varythe modal constructions the largerformalframework. These compositionalprocedures,based on modal transformation by means of rotationor extensioninto the more abstractoctatonic and whole-tonespheres, have general relevance to a music. The foregoing modal procedures largerbody of twentieth-century to have in two directions: appear developed opposite composersof diverse moved either towards freer backgrounds (non-serialized) modal-tonal contextsor towardsserializedidioms in eithertwelve-note or non-twelvenote contexts. and Albrechteventuallymoved towards serialized twelveStravinsky note composition,in which theywere stillto maintaina sense of modaltonal underpinning.Scriabin likewise moved towards an increasingly but in an atonal idiom. systematichanding of pitch-setconstructions, Given Scriabin's proclivities,it is likely that if he had had a longer
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ELLIOTT

ANTOKOLETZ

compositional career he might well have entered the realm of twelve-note serialism. Bart6k, on the other hand, was never inclined towards strict serial principles, though he approached a species of twelve-note composition in the early 1920s when he developed an increasinglycomplex polymodal chromaticism as well as a more abstract set of symmetrical pitch relations which were largely removed from his native folk modes. Thus, despite their divergent origins, both the diatonic modes and the special non-diatonic modes represented areas of convergence for these individual compositional approaches to new kinds of pitch construction and progression. NOTES 1. 2. Bela Bart6k,'The Folk Songs of Hungary',Pro Musica (1928), pp.28-35. See also Bila Bart6kEssays,ed. Benjamin Suchoff(New York: St Martin's Press, 1976), pp. 334-5. See Bdla Bart6kEssays,p.363. The source is Bart6k'sHarvardLectures,given of the manuscripts of fourofthe lectures duringFebruary1943. Only extracts were published in JohnVinton, 'Bart6k on His Own Music', Journalof the Vol. 19, No.2 (Summer 1966), pp.232-43. American Musicological Society, and See Elliott Antokoletz,The Music of Bdla Bart6k:A Study of Tonality in Twentieth-Century Music (Berkeley: Universityof California Progression Press, 1984), pp.246-9. the openingof Bach's This sequence, whichleads to a musicalquotationfrom Saint Matthew Passion, is based on a chromatic'filling-in' techniquetypical of Bart6k's melodic lines. The opening themes of the Music for Strings, and Celestaand the SixthStringQuartetare onlytwo of manysuch Percussion instances of Bart6k's polymodal chromaticism based on chromatic complementation.Bart6k's use of this principle is confirmedby his own in the Harvard discussion of 'bi-modality'and 'polymodal chromaticism', Lectures;see Bela Bart6k Essays,pp.365-7. This non-diatonicfolkmode is Pattern15 of Table 2 of Bart6k'sRumanian trans.E.C. Teodorescu et al. (The Folk Music,Vol. 4, ed. Benjamin Suchoff, to the Patternsas 'scale Hague: MartinusNijhoff,1975), p.20. Bart6krefers ofthe less important alteration families' withchromatic degrees(p. 18). was providedin a letter about Albrecht'sstudies and influences Information to me (8 January1990) fromthe composer's son, Michael von Albrecht, at the University of Heidelberg. of Classical Philology Professor and Atonality(6th edn, Berkeley: See George Perle, Serial Composition of CaliforniaPress, 1991), p.41. See also Antokoletz,TwentiethUniversity PrenticeHall, 1992), p. 101. Music (Englewood Cliffs: Century trans.Nicolas Slonimsky Artist and Mystic, See Boris de Schloezer,Scriabin, of California Press, 1987), p.331. University (Berkeley: In his Trattato di musicasecondola vera scienza dell'armonio (Padua: 1754),
MUSIC ANALYSIS

3. 4.

5.

6. 7. 8. 9.

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TRANSFORMATIONS

OF

A NON-DIATONIC

MODE

10. 11. 12.

13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Tartini derivedthe major systemfromthe harmonicseries,the minorfrom fromotherdualistsby assumingthat the arithmetic sextuplum,but differed ofthe same basic law. are outgrowths majorand minorharmonies See Erno Lendvai, Bela Bart6k:An Analysis ofHis Music (London: Kahn and for of this scale as part of the Lendvai's discussion Averill, 1971), p.67, and his identification of it in Bart6k'smusic. diatonicor acousticsystem the intonationof several of the partialsin the overtoneseries Furthermore, differs from the intonation of thepitchesin the temperedsystem ofthe greatly music. The formof thepiece is as follows:SectionA (bs 1-8) - a (bs 1-2), b (bs 3-4), a-inversion (bs 5-6), b-inversion (bs 7-8); Section B (bs 9-13) - c (bs 9-11, hand), d (bs 11-13, righthand), c-inversion (bs 10-12), d-inversion (bs right 12-13); Section A' (bs 14-21) reordered- a (bs 14-15), a-inversion (bs 1617), b' (bs 18-19), b'-inversion (bs 20-1); Section B' (bs 22-7) reorderedc-inversion (bs 22-4, lefthand), c (bs 23-5, right hand), d-inversion (bs 24-6, left hand), d (bs 25-7, right hand); Section-A"abridgedto b'-inversion (bs 27cadentialextension(bs 31-3). 8), b' (bs 29-30), plus codetta-like See Antokoletz,'IntervalCycles in Stravinsky's Early Ballets', Journalof the American Vol. 39, No.3 (Fall 1986), pp.597-600. Musicological Society, See Antokoletz, TheMusic ofBela Bart6k, pp.241-6. Music Analysis,Vol. 3, No.2 (July George Perle, 'Scriabin's Self-Analyses', 1984), pp.103-4. See also Antokoletz, Music,p. 104. Twentieth-Century Perle, 'Scriabin's Self-Analyses', p.104. The overallformof PreludeNo. 12 is as follows:SectionA (bs 1-24) - subject (bs 1-8), freepart (bs 9-12), answerand countersubject (bs 13-20), freepart Section B Section with reversal of subject and (bs 21-4); A', (bs 25-37); answer (bs 38-65), answerand new countersubject fromB and then original countersubject (bs 38-53), subject (bs 54-61), freepart (bs 62-5); Section B' (bs 66-89), withcodetta(bs 86-9).

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