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Mendelssohn's small ternary forms in Songs without words, Op. 19: a quantitative analysis
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Mendelssohn's small ternary forms in Songs without words, Op. 19: a quantitative analysis
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Kotler
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Jonathan
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Jonathan Kotler
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Aldridge
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Robert
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Robert Aldridge
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Scott
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Daniel
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Daniel Ott
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Rutgers University
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School of Graduate Studies
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theses
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2021
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2021-01
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2020
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English
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While descriptive analysis affords interpretive flexibility, a properly conceived quantitative framework can enhance understanding by enabling the precise measurement and comparison of musical phenomena, the statistical evaluation of numerous phenomenal instances and relationships, and data visualization for pattern detection and communication. This study presents such a framework and uses it to analyze Felix Mendelssohn’s small ternary forms in Songs Without Words, Op. 19.
This study builds upon and extends William Caplin’s theory of formal functions. It does so by adding three main analytical tools to Caplin’s framework: 1) a conception of a unit’s form-functional efficiency that enables its precise measurement, 2) a quantitative theory of a formal unit’s tonal stability as expressed by its harmonic progression, and 3) a quantitative theory of a formal unit’s symmetry of grouping structure.
This methodology reveals the dominant design tendencies of Mendelssohn’s small ternary organization in Op. 19. First, he favors a tighter, or more stable, exposition than contrasting middle 42.9% of the time. Next, 50% of the time, Mendelssohn crafts a tighter exposition than recapitulation. Finally, he designs a looser, or less stable, contrasting middle than recapitulation 42.9% of the time.
In this paper, I also examine Mendelssohn’s small ternary practice in relation to Caplin’s classical model of small ternary organization. The organization of Op. 19/2 and three factors—cadential design, thematic design, and grouping-structure symmetry—feature a relatively high frequency of conformity to Caplin’s model; the other pieces, the other factors, and the composite sectional relationships do not.
Beyond contributing to an understanding of Mendelssohn’s small ternary organization in Op. 19, one can use the quantitative framework I present in this paper to enhance an understanding of other musical phenomena, including the evaluation of other composers’ formal units and the larger forms that they constitute.
This study builds upon and extends William Caplin’s theory of formal functions. It does so by adding three main analytical tools to Caplin’s framework: 1) a conception of a unit’s form-functional efficiency that enables its precise measurement, 2) a quantitative theory of a formal unit’s tonal stability as expressed by its harmonic progression, and 3) a quantitative theory of a formal unit’s symmetry of grouping structure.
This methodology reveals the dominant design tendencies of Mendelssohn’s small ternary organization in Op. 19. First, he favors a tighter, or more stable, exposition than contrasting middle 42.9% of the time. Next, 50% of the time, Mendelssohn crafts a tighter exposition than recapitulation. Finally, he designs a looser, or less stable, contrasting middle than recapitulation 42.9% of the time.
In this paper, I also examine Mendelssohn’s small ternary practice in relation to Caplin’s classical model of small ternary organization. The organization of Op. 19/2 and three factors—cadential design, thematic design, and grouping-structure symmetry—feature a relatively high frequency of conformity to Caplin’s model; the other pieces, the other factors, and the composite sectional relationships do not.
Beyond contributing to an understanding of Mendelssohn’s small ternary organization in Op. 19, one can use the quantitative framework I present in this paper to enhance an understanding of other musical phenomena, including the evaluation of other composers’ formal units and the larger forms that they constitute.
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Form
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Music
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Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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1 online resource (vii, 157 pages) : illustrations
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Ph.D.
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Includes bibliographical references
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Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix, 1809-1847. -- Lieder ohne Worte, piano, op. 19b
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doi:10.7282/t3-9yj3-3489
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
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Kotler
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Jonathan
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2020-12-21 13:43:19
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Jonathan Kotler
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Rutgers University. School of Graduate Studies
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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Open
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2020-11-15T19:13:32
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