Score Reading: Clefs and Key Signatures

These questions pertain to the 10-measure instrumental excerpt shown above:

• What are the clefs and key signature?
• What is the rhythmic grouping?
• What is the significance of each of the chromaticisms?
• Where do the following nonharmonic tones occur and what types of dissonance result: accented neighboring tone (on 2 metrical levels)? articulated suspension?
• What is the harmonic organization of the piece, specifically, the chords and cadences?
• What tempo is appropriate for this Adagio?

Rhythmic Grouping: Asymmetry

The excerpt quoted above is the third and final verse of Schubert’s song, ‘Heidenröslein’ (The Wild Rosebud), 2/4 meter. The 3 verses of 16 measures each are identical, except, of course, for the text. In the autograph, Schubert wrote the music out only once, with the first verse of the poetry under the vocal line, while the text for verses 2 and 3 appears below the music in block form.

By far, the most typical rhythmic grouping for a 16-measure musical unit is (8 + 8), with each 8-measure phrase subdividing into (4 + 4). Perfect balance, proportion and symmetry operate within these parameters. [See the previous post - ‘Rhythmic Grouping: Symmetry’ - April 4, 2008].

The rhythmic grouping of ‘Heidenröslein’ is asymmetrical: [4 + 6 + 6], subdivided as [(2 + 2)] + [(2 + 2) + 2] + [(2 + 2) + 2]. The asymmetry exists on 2 levels: there are 3, not 2 (or 4) phrases, and the second and third phrases are expanded by way of a 2-measure extension. Clearly, the structure of the text has everything to do with the asymmetry of the music.

Other structural features of the song are worth noting: 1] a modulation to the dominant key takes place from measure 5 to 12; 2] there is a beautiful array of nonharmonic tones in the vocal line, including appoggiatura, passing tone, accented passing tone [on 2 different metrical levels], escaped tone, and accented neighboring tone; 3] strong dissonances occur in measure 9 between the vocal part and the top note of the piano part; 4] the highest note, G5, occurs in the vocal line of the following measures: 4 - root of the tonic, 10 - 7th of the dominant 7th of D major, 12 - root of the tonic, and 13 - 5th of the IV chord.

Harmonic Techniques: Voice Leading

The study of 4-part harmony is introduced in Lesson 7 of ‘Studies in Music Theory’ by James Harrison, Louis Martin and Myron Fink. A set of basic tools is established - conjunct voice leading using the tonic and dominant triads in root position, and the complete and incomplete forms of the root position dominant 7th chord. Rhythmic extensions of the tonic are also part of the initial vocabulary. With these resources and no more, it becomes apparent that it is possible to create a short harmonic piece that has a convincing musical shape. Lesson 8 then goes a few steps further by adding disjunct and composite voice leadings as well as rhythmic extensions of the dominant.

Two realizations of the same figured bass appear in the example above. The authors compare the two pieces, revealing that with an imaginative treatment of the available resources, a great deal can be accomplished. The first setting lacks any sense of direction or meaningful shape but is technically correct, while the second exhibits a beautiful pitch contour in the soprano voice, as well as more elegant shaping in the alto and tenor. The various rhythmic extensions make a world of difference at this or at any stage in the study of harmony. Also note that the bass line itself [identical in both versions] has an attractive contour, despite its restriction to only the tonic and dominant notes.

The examples are quoted by permission of the authors.

Staff Notation: Clefs and Key Signatures

Some questions for your consideration: 1] What are the clefs and key signature of this short excerpt for piano? 2] How are the various chromatic elements explained? 3] What is striking about the upper melody with regard to intervallic inversion and motivic organization? 4] In which 'layer' of the upper melody does the primary structural line appear? 5] Who is the composer?

Harmony and Meter

Two key aspects of musical organization, harmony and meter, may be viewed as interdependent elements in styles ranging from Medieval to Impressionism and beyond. Simply by listening to music, we sense that the right chords always fall in the right places. Think of ‘And the Glory of the Lord’ from Händel’s ‘Messiah’ for a familiar and powerful example.

In a discussion on this topic in their book, ‘Studies in Music Theory’, ACP, 1991, James Harrison, Louis Martin and Myron Fink state that ‘changes in harmony may produce the accentuation and differentiation needed to create metrical patterns.’ The harmonic scheme in G minor above is given as an illustration of how harmonic motion coincides with meter. H, M & F propose that ‘only one of the three metrical interpretations synchronizes with the harmony. In triple meter [Ex. b], chord changes always occur between the upbeat and downbeat: the sense of motion from V to I therefore reinforces the metrical accent. This type of organization, where harmonic changes have metrical prominence, is common in all styles.’ Included are two additional harmonic schemes, one in E major, the other in G minor, for which the proper meter is to be determined.

Harmony and meter are like color and time, respectively. Every masterpiece has its own balance of the two. For further investigation: can the interaction of harmony and meter be a basis for determining a composer’s style?

Example reproduced with permission of the authors.