Analysis

on Bartoks
String Quartet No.2 (2nd movement)
Bhannavichaya V.
5737061

Bartok wrote String Quartet No.2 at Rakoskeresztur in
Hungary between 1915 and 1917. The work was dedicated to
Waldbauer-Kerpely Quartet, who gave the first performance on
3 March 1918 in Budapest. This work was first published in
1920 by Universal Edition.

Bela Bartok (25 March 1881-26 Sep 1945) was a Hungarian
composer and pianist. Through his collection and analytical
study of folk music, he was one of the founders of comparative
musicology, which later became ethnomusicology. At the early
of his life mostly spend time in Europe. However, at the late of
his life he moved to the United States due to the second-world
war and died of leukemia in New York.

This analysis on Bartoks String Quartet No.2 will focus on
the second movement (Allegro molto capriccioso) from the
large views into details.

Many theorists analyzed this movements form differently
due to the unclear of form and structure. In Milton Babbitts
written journal on Bartoks String Quartet, he mentioned
Bartoks String Quartet No.2 as unusual structured and form

(from http://www.jstor.org/stable/739623). However, in this

analysis, the author would analyze it as Rondo because of the
repeating of the main theme (A). Theme-A has the character of
using minor-third interval significantly. The example of theme-A
character could be seen as follows, which comes from measure
12-16.

The piece starts from an introduction by emphasized on
using tritones. The character of an introduction is as follows,
which comes from the first two measures.

An introduction ends in the D-tonic harmony.

Theme-A is in D-tonic. The motive, occurs on the first violin
part has focused on a minor third interval, which has repeated
several times.


From measure 49-68, theme-A is repeating in a different
tonic, E.

An introduction motive has repeated in different pitches,
and ends in D-tonic at measure 75.

Theme-B is also in D-tonic, considered from the bass line
at Cello part. The accents on strong beat at violin parts are the
main character of B. This theme lasts from measure 77 to 102,
as follows.

An introduction returns in measure 103 until 115. In
measure 103, the triton-interval occurs on viola and cello parts.

There is transition from measure 116 to 152. The tonic
notes in this section are not stable.


In A, the idea from A is used to identify the theme. The
character from A is the uses of minor third interval, with Dtonic. A is as A, also in D-tonic. A has a character as follows.

Measure 183 to 231, is another section of A (A) because
of the proceeding from A. However, A and A share some
different characters, so the author has strong reason enough to
separate these A into two sections.

Theme-C lasts from measure 232 to 389. However, there
are some characters that C was borrowed from A, such as
minor-third intervals relationship between measures 283-302.

A begins in G-tonic, at measure 390. Bartok adds to the
action by compounding themes from duple into triple time
(http://arts.ucdavis.edu/post/bartok-string-quartet-no-2-op17). The time signature has changed to 3/4. The character of
minor-third perform in staccato is still significant. The tonic

notes gradually changes from G to F, C-sharp, E-flat and D at

measure 480, which is another section of A
From measure 480 until the end of the piece, the time
signature has completely changed to 6/4. The idea from A and
A, which are relationship of minor third and half note have
shown on every parts. The theme has developed until the piece
ends by using character from A at the end of the piece. The last
three measures are as follows.

Finally, it could be considered that Bartoks String Quartet
No.2, although was analyzed as Rondo, has very free on
structure, which is different from classical Rondo. This piece is
unique in using almost free-structured effectively. There are
many parts which sometimes very difficult to identify exactly
what section where the theme is. However, this piece was

considered very effective by many later composers. Bartok's

concern for the total composition, and the resultant evolution
of the maximum structure from a minimum assumption makes
it irrelevant whether one initiates a consideration of his music
with the detail or the entirety
(http://www.jstor.org/stable/739623).

References:
http://arts.ucdavis.edu/post/bartok-string-quartet-no-2-op-17
http://www.jstor.org/stable/739623
The collect Essays of Milton Babbitt (Edited by Stephen Peles):
The String Quartets of Bartok