Analysis of New Music

Final assignment – Analytical essay

Three very short, very different pieces, encompassing most of the 20 th century music:

A. Webern: Fünf Sätze für Streichquartett Op.5/ mov. I (1909)

G. Ligeti: Éjszaka (1955)

A. Pärt: Für Alina (1976)

Anton Webern tries to escape tradition in this early Movement for String Quartet: a
new harmonic language but a somewhat “traditional” approach to form. You can see
m.1-13 as an “exposition”. The material is very concentrated indeed! Some relevant
aspects:

- The piece is [clearly?] atonal. Analyze melodic and harmonic use of intervals. Can
we speak of themes or motives? How does the material develop?

- Rhythm and meter play an important role in this piece, beautiful example of
suspended rhythm. How (and why) does Webern use this technique? Does it play
a structural function?

- Notice tempo, dynamics, articulations (including extended techniques), role of

each instrument and general texture. How does Webern “adapt “ de traditional
concept of form to his new language?

- With tonality gone, how does Webern manage to still create [a traditional] form?

Gyorgy Ligeti’s Éjszaka (Night) shows an early stage of the composer’s later style. It’s a
wonderful textural choral composition.

- The piece is a clear example of harmonic contrasts and composition in blocks.

Analyze the harmony in detail!

- Do we find melodies? How are they used?

- Rhythm and meter also play a crucial role in the piece. How?

- How do all elements (harmony, melody, rhythm, texture...) combine to create

form?

- Does the composer follow the structure/imagery of the poem?

Für Alina is a little miniature with great depth, and with it Arvo Pärt opens new ways in
contemporary music. This piano piece is marks the beginning of his “Tintinnabuli” style.
It feels “free” and improvised, but is very much procedurally constructed.

- Analyze the melodic and harmonic material. Can we speak of some kind of
layering?

- How does de initial motive develop? How does this affect the overall form of the
piece?

- How are the traditional concepts of tempo, meter and rhythm applied?

Keep written text to a strict minimum! (max. 500 words), use schemes and musical
examples to organize and clarify your findings and conclusions.

Hand in a physical copy, with annotated scores + schemas/overviews.

Due: January 8th 2018