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Neoclassicism in Edvard Grieg'
Neoclassicism in Edvard Grieg'
Neoclassicism in Edvard Grieg'
By
Jamie Mills
A Thesis
Submitted in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Master of Music.
School of Music
in the Graduate School
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
August, 2009
UMI Number: 1469336
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THESIS APPROVAL
By
Jamie Mills
Master of Music
Approved by:
Graduate School
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
July, 2009 "
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF
JAMIE MILLS, for the Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance, presented in
July, 2009 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
TITLE: NEOCLASSICISM IN EDVARD GRIEG'S SIX SONGS, OPUS 48
"Style is the characteristic way elements are treated to form a unique whole"
(Meyer, 1996). The major stylistic movements in music are Baroque, Classicism,
Romantic movement, however this ignores the full breadth of his compositional
qualities. Scholars studying his final stage have found, in his Songs, Op. 66 and
Haugtussa, Op. 67 of the 1890's compositional period, techniques that point forward
to Neoclassicism (Horton, 2007). In his Six Songs, Op. 48 of 1884-1889 there are
According to D. Stevens, "Grieg admired Mozart's use of form and harmony, and
often used segments as models for his own compositions" (Stevens, 1960). For this
reason, a comparison of Op. 48 will be made to Mozart's leider J4« Chloe and
harmonic structure, and a textural analysis of the poetry including rhyme scheme and
meter.
DEDICATION
I would like to dedicate this work to Drs. Wagner, Dillard, and Transue,
without whose guidance and support I would never have been able to accomplish this
CHAPTER PAGE
ABSTRACT i
DEDICATION ii
LIST OF FIGURES iv
CHAPTERS
CHAPTER 1-Introduction 1
CHAPTER 2 - Method 5
CHAPTER 3 - Discussion 37
CHAPTER 4 - Conclusion 49
REFERENCES 50
VITA 54
iii
FIGURE PAGE
Figure 2.1 6
Figure 2.2 7
Figure 2.3 7
Figure 2.4 8
Figure 2.5 8
Figure 2.6 9
Figure 2.7 10
Figure 2.8 12
Figure 2.9 13
Figure 2.10 13
Figure 2.11 14
Figure 2.12 14
Figure 2.13 15
Figure 2.14 16
Figure 2.15 16
Figure 2.16 18
Figure 2.17 19
Figure 2.18 19
Figure 2.19 20
Figure 2.20 21
Figure 2.21 21
iv
FIGURE PAGE
Figure 2.22 22
Figure 2.23 22
Figure 2.24 23
Figure 2.25 24
Figure 2.26 24
Figure 2.27 25
Figure 2.28 27
Figure 2.29 27
Figure 2.30 28
Figure 2.31 29
Figure 2.32 30
Figure 2.33 31
Figure 2.34 31
Figure 2.35 32
Figure 2.36 32
Figure 2.37 33
Figure 2.38 34
Figure 2.39 35
Figure 2.40 35
Figure 2.41 36
Figure 3.1 38
Figure 3.2 38
iv
FIGURE PAGE
Figure 3.3 40
Figure 3.4 41
Figure 3.5a 42
Figure 3.5b 42
Figure 3.6 46
Figure 3.7 47
Figure 3.8 47
iv
1
CHAPTER 1
whole" (Meyer, 1996). The major stylistic movements in music are Baroque,
associated with the Romantic movement, however this ignores the full breadth of
his compositional qualities. Scholars studying his final stage of composition have
found in his Songs, Op. 66 and Haugtussa, Op. 67 of the 1890s compositional
techniques that point forward to Neoclassicism (Horton, 2007). In his Six Songs,
use of form and harmony and often used segments as models for his own
harmonic analysis of the form, melody, harmonic structure, and a textual analysis
considered to be the epitome of the Classical art song (Stevens, Meyers, 1960).
For this reason a traditional harmonic analysis of these particular lieder will be
used for the comparison to Grieg's Six Songs, Op. 48. These two pieces will help
The Classical era is a period in music that spans from around 1750-1820.
It includes masters such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. In fact, these three
composers are the ones that most represent the Classical period. Haydn, the
father of the Classical period, broke free of the Baroque to create an "individual
created a new language within the musical realm. They both developed the idea
of using dynamics and orchestral color in a thematic way, the use of harmonic
rhythm to express larger scale forms, and the use of modulations to create longer
clarity, and restraint. Composers were concerned with making music accessible.
They did not want music that was too complex but at the same time not too
Composers sought to write music that would be as Stolba says, ".. .refined
Important features of Classical music are form, texture, the use of folk like
regular phrases and periods (Stolba, 1998). The texture of Classical music is
generally homophonic with contrapuntal music used only sparingly, usually in the
developments of works and folk melodies were often incorporated into the music
(Stolba, 1998).
role as melody (Stolba, 1998). "...harmonies were treated differently and were
used functionally in a wider sense, with concern for chordal relationships between
3
keys as well as within a key harmonic clarity was important. When moving
from one key to another, the tonality was established clearly at the beginning and
The Romantic era in music spans from about 1820-1900. One of the
Beethoven begins to drift away from the Classical ideas in his last period and
Romantic period ushers in the ideology that individuality is more important than
individuality" (Stein, 1996), including focus on the individual, their emotions, and
for example, the legends of medieval chivalry. Even more important is the focus
music that would fashion its own forms more freely than in ages past according to
the emotional demands placed on it" (Sadie, 1994). This leads to an extension in
the harmonic language used within compositions. While the music remains tonal,
the harmonies push tonality to its limits (Sadie, 1994). There is the use of remote
periods while using the harmonic techniques of the 20th century. Neoclassicism,
according to Whittall is, "a revival of balanced forms and clearly perceptible
thematic processes of earlier styles to replace what were, to them, the increasingly
While Neoclassicism makes use of forms from the Baroque and Classical eras it's
composers make use of expanded tonality, modality, and even atonality (Whittal,
1994). Edvard Grieg is a Romantic composer who, in several of his songs, it can
looks ahead to the Neoclassical movement. Looking at Grieg's Six Songs, this
thesis will determine whether these songs look ahead to Neoclassicism or remain
emboldened by Romanticism.
5
CHAPTER 2
METHOD
The first of Grieg's songs is Gruss or Greeting. The poetry was written by
the great German Romantic poet Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) poem is relatively
simple, the song is not. The poem is a greeting to a loved one in the form of a
rose and is nothing like the melancholy poetry for which Heine is remembered
(Jarrett, 2003). The text is descriptive and makes use of nature as much Romantic
of Romantic poetry (Stein, 1996). The poem is set in two stanzas with four lines
each, commonly called a quatrain (Stein, 1996). Another feature of the poem that
uses an abab pattern. This rhyme scheme, according to Stein, aids in the creation
In addition to the tempo of the poetry, the poetic meter of the piece must
be considered. The poetic meter, or word stress, helps create a rhythm to a piece
(Stein, 1996). The poetic meter of this poem is duple trochaic. The duple
syllable. This particular meter accentuates the text rather well. The stress
followed by the release of the weaker syllable creates an illusion of the spring
song floating away on the breeze. Grieg reinforces the poetic meter with his
choice of musical meter. He uses duple meter, which serves to accentuate the
For the form of Grass, Grieg chose through-composition, with new music
for each new part of the poetry. This particular form helps to move the drama of
the poetry along, and it adds depth to the text that may not be there otherwise.
fifths and octaves in fairly predictable patterns. This is not to say that the piece is
not dramatic. On the contrary, there is substantial drama, which occurs mainly
through the dynamic expressions written, the phrasing, and the accompaniment.
While the dynamics of this piece are not as extreme as other Romantic
pieces they are still more complex than those found in most earlier periods
(Kamien, 2008). The marking at the beginning of this piece is piano with a long
crescendo to forte.
This pattern continues for the next phrase, and then there is another
gradual crescendo to forte followed by a sforzando to end the vocalists line. The
ending.
Grieg's phrasing beautifully aligns with the poetry. To ensure that the phrase is
8
indeed the eight bars, he composes, two tied half-notes at the end of four bars
iW^-lT^
W zivhtdurchinein Ge - miith_
ro - rer dii, mis Sa»g%
mA
w
?m=^
w*
mm
WW
3¥
fe
In the next stanza he uses the tied half-note again coupled with the
syncopated chords in the accompaniment to push the vocalist through to the next
bar.
majority of Romantic music, the pianist and the vocalist are treated as equals.
9
Figure 2.6 shows the rhythmic and harmonic pattern that is the basis of
the accompaniment. This figure repeats through out the first stanza adding
momentum to the piece. The bell-like chords of the interlude serve as a nice
transition to the syncopated chords that urge the vocalist on in the second stanza.
The arpeggio figure returns at the end of the second stanza to end the piece as if,
accompaniment is still vital to the creation of the drama of the piece. It could be
counterpoint to the vocalists line- a spring song played parallel to the vocalist.
The final element of the first song is harmony, made up of four basic
borrowed chords, and harmonic progressions. These are the elements that
10
for the second stanza, and returns to E major at the end. Large portions feature
merely the tonic and dominant chords. While there are other sections that could
altered chords. For example, at the end of the first phrase Grieg uses an
augmented median chord. Grieg also uses a modulation to the parallel minor.
A
mw
Via - - te,
Siren- -ge,
mm ISP
as ^ssi
'vresc
P^ ^
f
nT
Figure 2.7 Augmented III chord
mind). Once again the poetry of the piece reflects popular poetic Romantic
introspection and self-absorption (Stein, 1996). The text, "One day O my mind,
you will be at peace. Love's ardor will not leave you alone, in the cool earth you
will sleep well without suffering, without pain" (Jarrett, 2003) is a perfect
There are several features, both poetic and musical, that reinforce the atmosphere
of that introspection.
Beginning with the rhyme scheme, this poem makes use of the end rhyme
format AABB. This creates long phrases with a definitive ending that serve to
reinforce the text's illustrations of the finality of death. The poetic meter of the
text also creates the allusion of trodding through life. The use of the duple
plodding along. This serves to help illustrate in the text the release that will come
with death.
The musical meter switches between duple and quadruple. The steady
The text refers to death as sleeping and being at rest-implying that life is anything
but. The musical meter helps to illustrate life while the text describes with
The form of the piece also adds to the poetic image of a downtrodden life.
The use of strophic form creates a repetition that describes the idea of going
The intervals are small as is the range, it remains in the middle register with a
diminished sixth as the largest intervallic leap. The small range and intervals
illustrates the text maintaining a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. Given the text's
cresced agitato
$&
Pi) I J J^Ji
wirst ru . big sein.
%
Lusst
533
*
I,ie-bes-glutb
^m
*dich still niih; wer-den
du skal fa Frvd! Vil Eh-koes glod dig Ro cj uu . dr,
The phrasing of this piece is somewhat irregular. The first verse can be
broken into three smaller phrases, of four bars, three bars, and six bars. The
irregularity of the phrasing helps to create a flow that otherwise would be lost,
££
?
BE
^r
2.
^m
I'M
VP
^Sf
w«?a « / agitato
fei m
f» s S^
wirst ru - big sein. Lisst I.ic-bes-gluth du-h still nicht wer-den,
yil Eh-koes glod dig Ro rj un . dr,
Figure 2.9 Phrasing
One of the main interests in the melody is the dynamics and their
with several expression markings written throughout. There are several gentle
The expressive markings of agitato and molto ten. are found in correlation
with the text discussions of what was lacking in life. These markings help to
14
reinforce the agitation and frustration found in life, and thereby the peace that
comes in death.
m La - ben
Li - ret
»
nicht bast
til - drig
s
ge -
har
±:
- fun -den,
f/tii - del,
fimol/o
wenn es
fen
nur tit'/
/Xdhn\
J i J Lent/ - srhwun-
er
'• den,
srurt - dvt,
well off of the piano by building tension and then releasing it almost as quickly.
The extremely soft dynamic indication above the word pain reflects a soft mewl
of pain described within the text. Grieg uses the dynamics and expressive
H&^
y*fj|
V
3 / 3M
Pein wirst
b'rygt du
chord every two beats, usually changing before the vocalist. This creates a
dlfe P=^ ^
mnlto fen, (iim.
^
in ktifa - ler Er - den da schliifst du
dn srn/l skill bliin - dn i Jcrr - dens
gJ5*
¥ m dim,
^m^6
y~^ molto (en.
m
w=v_
oc dt a
&0 d
fr
minor, moves to d-sharp minor, and finally moves to D-sharp major. There are no
clear cut tonal centers, the piece simply flows from one area to another without
specific, clearly defined beginning and ending points. Figure 2.14 shows the
crw.ed (urttato
tr/r,
7?
5^3^
in kiih - )er Er - den da schlufst du gut, dort 6b . ne
du sralt skid Hun - du i Jor - dens Skjdd, hvor u - den
somewhat questionable. The way the chords move leaves the impression of
this piece adds to the atmosphere Grieg is creating. The poet speaks of death as a
peaceful sleep, and Grieg creates that illusion with his harmonic structure.
orrsc ed agitato
*l
gin
w wirst ru . big scin.
Lusst
**
§2
I.ic-bes-gluth
—^~+*
dich still nicbt
du skal fa Fred!
fil Ets-koes gldd dig Rn cj
ffrO-l
P* c* i* <f C
Figure 2.15 Harmonic structure
17
every two beats. There are non-chord tones such as passing tones that appear
periodically; however, the primary chord changes still occur every two beats.
This helps create the lulling ambience of slumber that Grieg works so hard to
impart. Chord changes generally occur during a rest for the vocalist so that the
two are not happening simultaneously. This helps to create a flow and prevents
The third song in the cycle, Laufder Welt, is a coquettish little poem
whose translation is The Way of the World (Jarrett, 2003). The poem is rather
great deal of Romantic poetry revolves around tragic love affairs, lost love, or as
in the previous song, death, this poem maintains a carefree attitude towards life.
The poet is worldly without being cynical (Jarrett, 2003), and the rhyme scheme
trimeter-from two unstressed, to one stressed syllable. This meter reflects the
image created by the text by creating the image of the lover skipping along the
pathway to his love. The unstressed syllables relate to skipping up while the
stressed syllable relates to the landing. Jarrett points out that Grieg "retains the
The form of the piece is ABA with a B section that varies only slightly
18
from A. The B section begins, like the A, only in the relative minor. It is the
second phrase of the B section that veers off from the A section, coming when the
poet discusses the "joy of lips resting on lips" (Jarrett, 2003). The A sections
The melody of this piece, like the two before it, is not virtuostic. It moves
mostly in thirds and in all diatonic steps. It is based primarily on a tonic arpeggio.
From the standpoint of range it does sit higher than the second song of the cycle,
Allegretto leggiero. pp
i j - i * m i J>JS M i j>> M
An
iViir
je-dem A-bend
Jcrrldrn kommer,
iJ'j^^
gen k-h aas, hin - auf den Wie-sen -
ranker jvtr >id - n-rrr Mirk ng
The phrasing of this piece is straight forward, with each phrase being four
measures long, and consisting of two lines of poetry (Jarrett, 2003). The last line
of the first and last stanzas are repeated with the music augmented by four
due to a slight change in this pattern. It begins as in A but is made irregular with
the insertion of two measures of rest between each phrase (Jarrett, 2003). This
gives the piece interest while still maintaining its simplicity. This reinforces the
19
ideas of the text, in that the couple takes life and love for what it is with no
m mm
Figure 2.17 Accompaniment of Laufder Welt
There are very few dynamic markings in this piece at all. It begins
they happen. The greatest crescendo happens in the second phrase of the second
pianissimo.
^M
Figure 2.18 Dynamic shift between pianissimo and forte
20
sections are in D major while the B section is in the relative minor. There are no
deviations from this pattern and no unusual chords. The piece centers around the
I and V chords with sporadic use of the iii and vi chords throughout. The
harmonic rhythm varies from one chord per measure to one chord per beat and, at
times even one chord per half-beat. In the first and second phrases, the rhythm is
Allegretto leggiero. pp
rjr
± P J^ b J^^ g&
An je-dem A.bend g t h i d ; aas, hin -
iY<tr krrldt'ii kommer, ruiikd' jet? i(d -
w
PP
^
rmrmim
ispi con Ped.
5 pp
4~
In the third and fourth phrases it changes to one chord per measure over an
m ^
m mk *
*):{f,, I I I "1
w
Figure 2.20 Harmonic rhythm in phrase three
The chord progressions in this piece follow the circle of fifths almost
of the song. He uses the I-V-I progression in the first phrases of both the first and
third stanzas.
(c. 1170-1230), a German poet and Meistersinger from the Middle Ages
(Stolba, 1998). This is one of his best loved poems about a courtier and his illicit
love affair with a common lady (Jarrett, 2003). The text is set in a combination of
22
trochaic duple and dactylic meters. The form of this piece is a simple strophic
form with the exact same melody and accompaniment for each of the three verses
(Jarrett, 2003).
The musical meter fits well with the poetic meter. The dactylic meter with
its one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables accentuates the
triple musical meter. Grieg begins the piece with 4/4 time changing to 3/4 time
when the voice enters as shown in Figure 2.22. This is unusual for Grieg, but it
fits the poetic meter and imparts a medieval feel (Jarrett, 2003).
descending five-note phrases with the second note having a "folk like ornament"
The third and forth lines of the piece are written as one long musical
phrase, as this makes the piece more challenging than it appears. The difficulty m
this piece is breathing, for the phrasing Grieg writes leaves little room for breaths,
thereby adding to the challenge of the piece (Jarrett, 2003), shown below
in
Figure 2.24.
The dynamics of this piece add interest to what could easily become a dull
throughout the song that add to the drama of the text. Grieg's marking at the
beginning of sempre con mezza voce and the dolce in the piano adds to the
illusion of secrecy and whispering (Jarrett, 2003), shown below in Figure 2.25.
24
AU«grotto^sempi
fe
±4r
^ ,« > f X f f P ^
elongates rhythmically. One such place is "dass ich noch immer selig bin" (fills
me with bliss), referring to being received by her love. Another moment is on the
the voice most of the time. There is little independence between the vocal line
and the piano, and the piano supports the vocal line. The song, therefore, sounds
simple. The text is the most important feature in this piece. By keeping the piano
accompaniment simple and supportive to the voice, using the strophic form, and
25
avoiding difficult intervals and melismas, Grieg keeps the focus on the
poetry.
The harmony of this piece is relatively simple. The key is C major, and it
remains in C major throughout. The chord qualities are basic and do not deviate
from the tonality of the piece. There are however a few special moments when
Grieg uses a unique chord for his time. The piano introduction and the piano
chords under the text of the nightingale's song are thirteenth chords which sound
pp
\)k\ \i J M ^
3#
Tun-da-ra-dei! das wirdttohlver-sthwie-gen se n
i -
Ttiii-da-ra-dei! Mil - tor - git - leu, tier eel.
M.
iJS
m m
Y
gfE
The basic harmonic rhythm of the piece is one chord per beat, and the
chord quality changes on each beat throughout most of the song. The exceptions
to this are the nightingale's song, where the harmonic rhythm is once per
measure.
The fifth song of the cycle, Zur Rosenzeit {At the time of Roses), was
written by one of the leading German Romantic poets, Johann Goethe (1749-
1832). The poetic meter of the piece is trochaic tetrameter, and this uncluttered
meter is reinforced by the simple end rhyme ABAB (Jarrett, 2003). This meter
26
despair with its stressed syllable relaxing into an unstressed syllable. Goethe
limits his metaphors to gathering flowers from his garden (Jarrett, 2003), and the
text refers to the roses that cannot bear bis love. This reference to both nature and
The musical form Grieg chooses for this piece is ABCA, and it appears to
be through-composed until the very end when the A section reappears, bringing
The musical meter Grieg chooses is 3/4, and his choice creates the illusion
of the text extremely well. Grieg deliberately writes the vocal entrance on the
second (weaker) beat, thus creating a feeling of gasping through the pain of a lost
love. The picture created is one of excruciating pain, the performer is gasping for
air and fighting to control their heart-rate as the pain is so unbearable. The 3/4
meter and the syncopations help to create this jagged loss of control.
The melody of this piece is far more intricate than the melodies of the
previous songs, featuring rather angular lines with intervallic leaps of sixths,
sevenths, and augmented fourths. Despite this, the melody is extremely lyrical
(Jarrett, 2003). The first phrase is broken in half by quarter-rests shown in Figure
2.28. Otherwise the phrasing is basic four-bar phrases, with each phrase
separated by rests.
27
opens with syncopated chords for two measures before the voice enters on the
second beat of the third measure, and, according to Jarrett, this creates a rhythmic
and harmonic tension reflective of the emotional turmoil of the poem (Jarrett,
2003).
This syncopation continues through the right hand while the left hand
begins to play heartfelt melody (Jarrett, 2003) in measure three (see above Figure
2.28). The accompaniment works in tandem with the vocal line to evoke the deep
The harmonic rhythm of this piece is quite regular, with changes once per
measure. While this is slower than other songs in the set, it fits this piece
"® Ihrver -
Mi- ne
Grieg writes this song in b-flat minor, it moves to the relative major for
the joyous memories, and then returns to b-flat minor for the return of the A
section. As Jarrett points out, there is a certain blurring of tonality in this song
with its use of chromaticism. The harmonic rhythm of the piece is one chord per
measure.
Grieg does not follow the circle of fifths for this composition except in a
rather vague way. He sometimes substitutes the minor five chord for the major
five chord, and in the B and C sections he shifts tonalities through chromaticism.
The listener is not sure where the tonality is heading-they only know that the
intensity is building.
29
ffifrt—m *f r IT
l.iu - ernil, frilh zu mei -
r I'O' r I'r
- aem Gar - - ten gingj
=
Mor - gait, da den Jor - - sle K'liop blcv din.
The chord progressions of the A section appear fairly standard. Grieg uses
basic progressions like ii-V-I and vi-vii-I. There is nothing unusual about these
progressions, they fit into any musical period, and would be considered standard;
however, his substitution with altered chords make the basic progressions more
complex. It is only in the B section that the harmonies become more obscure.
The final song of the cycle, Ein Traum (A Dream), features a poem by
erotic dream that ends by becoming reality (Jarrett, 2003). The poetic meter
syllables. This aids in the illustration of a dreamlike lullaby. The text is complete
The form Grieg chooses for this piece is through-composition, with the piece
divided into three sections, each with a decidedly different sound. The first
section is quiet and dream-like, the second section builds in anticipation of the
joyous dream, and the piece ends in joyous declamation as the dream is realized.
30
The melody of this piece is somewhat angular with its upward sixth
Andante.
ife
^ hJ)J)J)J) &gr 1
^ ^
Mir traumte einxtein icho-nerTraOm: m'ich Uebte ei-iie
Jog sS en-gang i Urommesyn en dijligMosh
The opening melodic material of the eighth-notes ending with the leap of the sixth
gives this song forward motion, and, the eighth-note rests that begin each phrase
create an illusion of breathless anticipation (Jarrett, 2003). Grieg also makes use
of the Romantic trait of duples against triples that Brahms standardized. See
Figure 2.33.
The basic musical phrases are two bars long, however there is a feel of four-bar
phrasing.
31
Andante. i—
&m v i i }i J) J) J > f i ^
Mir trDumte ein«t ein xoho-nerTroUm:
wrn^
mien Iiebte ei-ne
Jog sa en-gang i Urommosyn vu dij'tigMosS
piece begins piano with crescendos building out of the last phrases of the first
section.
The second section begins dolce with a crescendo/decrescendo ending the first
phrase.
32
ifjfX
The song returns to piano until the third phrase of the second section
% ^
frp'^ US J K^Tr- &
der Wald - bach sthwoll, die Knos - pe sprung,
#£• AV - tun surane, Off h'nnp - pen trust,
The piece continues to build through the end of the song with a. fortissimo
In this song, more than in any of the other songs, the pianist and vocalist
are complete equals. The accompaniment consists of triplets against the vocalists
duples (as shown previously in Figure 2.33). The accompaniment propels the
voice forward, and there is an interplay between the pianists line and the vocal
^M
n vj/j p ^ pJp="ip p ' i V ^ J ' 1
nun Wal-des - rauin, ea w;ir zur warmen Friih - lingszcit:
. gwts ly - sc M/y/i t/ir H'l-dir k'ti-rens /if . ti: Tug.
l^'V'tE^
w EEe
r
^s*rrW p,F>±JT jr.fr == gj-jr jrr
^
^ , p pocci a poco xiringmuio n rir.sv. ^
*TH T
jrP
der Wald - bach schwull, die KnuH . pe sprang,
* ^
U« - lliiil' er-siholl voni
Og El - ten sprang, <y Knnp . pea brunt, c/Jf «// mrjj'ernt.kun
dominant A-flat major before it returns to the tonic D-flat. There are, however,
The harmonic rhythm is one chord per measure, until the chromatic
section where the rhythm increases to twice a measure. It returns to once per
section, Grieg begins a chromatic descent in the bass with chords following. The
jfTFff
fc-n "b b!
Figure 2.40 Chromatic harmonies
the standard formats of chord progressions laid out centuries before; however, in
places he adds altered chords. For example in Figure 2.41 Grieg moves from the
m dolce ilieKnospesprun&ile
OgfuiOf/pun bmut og
m i
&
m, ^
±L ^ il
VT+
3T ITT.
Figure 2.41 Augmented V chord
CHAPTER 3
DISCUSSION
prominent in the Romantic era most likely in part due to the setting of more
complex poetry. The use of this form for the first of Grieg's songs is just one of
Examining the first song, Gruss, we find a melody that, while tuneful, is
not as compact and thematic as most Classical melodies. This melody is far more
simplistic than others even within this set, yet it is constructed with intervals and
chromaticism that are more complex than any found in Mozart's songs.
The dynamics of Gruss are not as simplistic as the dynamics written for
songs of the Classical era. Romantic music encompasses the ideal of expression,
to express their texts more fully. In Mozart, the dynamics are consistent
throughout the piece, and there are neither numerous dynamic changes nor the use
These ensure a more Romantic sound for Gruss. Figure 3.1 shows the simplistic
5
^ ^
n u ir-
Wean die Lieb &us dei-nen
^E
blau - en,
# *£
^rTf?
Romantic nature of the song, for as in the majority of Romantic music, the pianist
and the vocalist are treated as equals. This varies drastically from the Mozart
songs, in which the accompanying line is merely there to support the vocalist and
is not independent. In neither of the two Mozart songs used as comparison in this
the vocal line. While the piano is not completely independent in Gruss, it is not
a much broader use of chords with a modulation through multiple keys before
returning to the tonic (Jarrett, 2003). He also uses the major seventh chord (VII)
and major three chord (III) in a major tonality to color his song. While this is not
composer such as Mozart. Mozart uses primarily the circle of fifths in his two
songs, and if he modulates at all it is only to the dominant before retoning to the
tonic. When considering all of these aspects it can only be determined that Gruss
Moving to Grieg's second song of the cycle, one finds the traditional
strophic form,-a form that dates back centuries to the ancient Greeks (Stolba,
1998). Commonly found in the Classical era, possibly due to the previously
stated opinion of song composers of the day (Radcliffe, 1960), it is one of the
most basic forms in song and was used often. This form continues into the
Romantic era as well, and Grieg makes use of it here as a foundation on which to
build his harmonies. The harmonic make up of this piece is by far its greatest
point of interest. Strophic form is used in an effort to avoid distracting the listener
from the harmonic structure of the piece. The drawn out chords of the piano
under the moving lines of the voice accentuate the text, as the slow movement of
aspects of this song are molded to illustrate the text, in keeping with Romantic
ideals. The melody is simple, not unlike a Classical melody; however, the
40
Mozart kept the dynamics of his pieces simple, there were no gradual changes or
even shifting between dynamics, there was only one dynamic per section of each
supportive of the vocal line; however, unlike Mozart, it aids in creating the
The true interest of Dereinst, Gedanke mein lies in the harmony. Grieg's
disregard for clearly defined tonal areas is characteristic of the Romantic era, as
In addition to the ambiguous tonal regions Grieg also uses unusual chord
measures 5-9, of example 3.5a, while not necessarily unusual for the Romantic
era, would be considered highly unusual for the Classical era. As mentioned
earlier the two Mozart pieces primary chord progressions are I-V-I.
42
M i J 3Tjii J^Pf
H-irst ru . hig scin. Lasst
du ska! fa Fn-d! Fit
m
off - nenAu-gen sieht, undfiir Lust,]
1M Jf£ x
Figure 3.5b Mozart tonic-dominant chord progressions
The third of Grieg's songs, Laufder Welt, stands apart from the others, as
this is the only song which can be considered more Classical than the rest. The
form is ABA, a form found in both the Classical and Romantic eras; however, it
lends itself to the simplistic settings often found in the Classical era.
The melody of this piece is simple, more in keeping with a Classical song.
With its diatonic melody and small consonant intervals, it is actually very similar
The dynamics of this piece are more Classical as well-in fact there are few
43
accompaniment is reminiscent of Mozart. With its ostinato bass and the doubling
of the vocal line, this particular song bears a greater resemblance to Classical
simple. The chord qualities in Grieg's third song are similar to that of Mozart, for
he does not use any altered or borrowed chords, and he makes no use of
chromaticisim. All the chords in Laufder Welt are diatonic and fit within the
tonal structure. The only dissonance in this song is due to the chords lying above
a pedal bass.
fits best within the realm of Classicism. In form, harmony, dynamics, and melody
The fourth song of the set, Die verschwiegene Nachtigall, is again set in
strophic form. Grieg seems to favor the more simple forms-possibly to not hinder
the texts of his works. The strophic form is simple and allows the listener to
focus on the text of the piece. The texts were as important to Romantic
The melody reflects the text well. Like a true Romantic composition,
every marking and every note is deliberately placed to enhance and reflect the
text. The descending melodic phrase reflects the "conspiratorial whisper" (Jarrett,
2003) of the vocalist, while the ornaments reflect the flutter of her heart as she
44
composers were not so concerned about such things. Their songs are simple,
reiterating their opinion that songs were a pass time (Radcliffe, 1960). Grieg's
fourth piece is quite a shift from the previous piece, it returns to the same spirit of
The dynamics of this song are also in keeping with the Romantic ideals.
variety of dynamic expression. This serves only to aid in the Romantic nature of
this piece.
accompaniments. The homophonic texture and the doubling of the voice, while
not as intricate as some Romantic pieces, serve to keep the listener's attention
focused on the text. This focus on the text reiterates the Romantic nature of the
song.
travels through most of the chords of the scale-unlike Classical composers who
uses harmonies consistent with the Romantic era. His use of the thirteenth chord
under the Nightingale's song is distinctive for even the Romantic era, as its use
does not begin to flourish until the late Romantic era ( Warrack, 1980).
The fifth song in Grieg's opus 48, Zur Rosenhiet, is written is an ABCA
45
form. Again, Grieg plans every aspect of the music, from the notes to the
enhance the text. The Romanticist in Grieg once again comes to the foreground
The melody of this piece fits beautifully into Romanticism. The lyrical
melody is made more complex with its angular leaps (Jarrett, 2003). The use of
accidentals and chromaticism in the B section add to the Romantic nature of the
piece as well. All of this is enhanced by the use of rests and expressive markings.
The rest is used to break the first three phrases creating an almost sobbing effect
The dynamic markings add to the intensity of the melody. Grieg wrote
the word ach, accentuates the expression and the desperation of the text in a truly
Romantic gesture. The wide range of dynamics used also points towards
Romanticism. The marking piu ritardando e diminuendo at the last phrase of the
C section helps to enhance the descending vocal line as the poet begins to
remember his despair with the words Ihr verbliihet, siisse Rosen.
It is an entity unto itself, yet it compliments the vocal line while at the same time
adding to the atmosphere of the piece. The syncopated chords in the right hand
aid in pushing the voice forward in desperation. The left hand enters mimicking
the voice, reinforcing the intervals that so elegantly depict sobbing as shown in
46
Figure 3.6. The accompaniment works in tandem with the vocal line to evoke the
deep emotional response to the text in keeping with the Romantic ideals of music.
demder
emder Grain die See - le brie lit!
[/& en en - som, no - gen lij-
y i - M H i W ###if
*
Siyn *
*
f
fij-
however, this expanded use of harmonies is common place in the Romantic era.
The drawn out harmonic rhythm seen in Figure 2.30 and shown below in
Figure 3.7 reflects the mood of the text. This rhythm is comparable to Mozart's
Allegretto serioso.
m
s £
* I g
I h r v e r - blii
Hi-ne Bo -
- het,
scr
While the chord progressions of this song appear fairly straight forward
tonalities quickly that truly reflects the Romantic ideals. Chromaticism blurs the
tonality and adds to the atmosphere of the piece, and these harmonic techniques
come together to enhance the text and make this piece one of Grieg's most
The final song of this set, Ein Traum, is through-composed. This is a form
that really found its footing in the Romantic era, and it is perfect for the text of
this final song. The introduction of new musical elements with each new stanza
48
range of dynamics, intervals, and a range expanded beyond the octave. Once
again, as in the two previous songs in the set, every musical element is
specifically planned to enhance the text. The melody is more complex and less
changes and expressive markings throughout ensure that this piece fits perfectly
the accompaniment is an equal partner. This is very true of Grieg's final song, for
measure until the chromatic section; however, this changing of the harmonic
rhythm serves to reinforce the Romantic nature of this song with its gradual
Romantic nature as well. While its progressions in certain sections are fairly
standard this song makes use of chromaticism and altered chords, a common trait
CHAPTER 4
CONCLUSION
While there may be elements in his Haugtussa cycle that point forward to
Despite the Classical nature of the third song of the set, Grieg's opus 48 can only
expected considering the high regard in which Grieg held him (Stevens, 1960).
Grieg embraced the Romantic sentiment to its fullest. He relied heavily on altered
and borrowed chords, chromaticism, and expressive markings to enhance the text
of his songs. Every musical element was planned with deliberate care to enhance
the texts which he, most assuredly, had picked with great care. The Six Songs for
Voice and Piano, Opus 48 were written in the traditional Romantic style, and they
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VITA
Graduate School
Southern Illinois University
jmTnills99@hotmail.com
Thesis Title:
Neoelassicism in Edvard Grieg's Six_Songsr Opus 48