Paul Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber for Orchestra: A Historical and Analytical Perspective
| 31 dic 2020
INFORMAZIONI SU QUESTO ARTICOLO
Pubblicato online: 31 dic 2020
Pagine: 60 - 71
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/muso-2020-0005
Parole chiave
© 2020 Daniel A. Jones, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Music Example 1
Music Example 2
Music Example 3
Music Example 4
Bars of Movement 4
| 26 (4-bar intro) | 14/18 | 10 | 6/9 | Da capo to first March | - | - | 83 | |
| 26 (5-bar intro) | 7/17 | 9/8 | 6/8 | 29 (6-bar intro) | 8/6/4 | 16 | 144 | |
Movement Three Forms
| 8: | :8: | :4: | :4: | 8 | 9 | |
| 9: | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Bar numbers in each section of Movement 1
| 24 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 28 | 41 | 12 | 27 | 162 | |
| 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 41 | 16 | 29 | 168 |
Thematic Transformation of Movement Four
| The introductory fanfare is played by trumpets and trombones. The A theme is played by woodwinds and trumpets support the theme at 14. | Accompaniment to the A theme is the rhythmic march played by strings and drum. | Trumpets, trombones, and timpani play a fanfare before the repeat. Triangle and suspended cymbal are added with muted horn chords. | ||
| Upper woodwinds play a modified theme from B with timpani. Before A1, the fanfare comes back with trumpets and trombones. Strings play the A theme at A1. | In Weber's duet, each part plays motifs from the B section and timpani and lower woodwinds provide the rhythmic framework, much like the Secondo piano part. During A1, woodwinds play the rhythmic Secondo part. | Horns play triplet figures starting at 32, well before the trio. Triplets dominate as the movement progresses starting with section C. Weber uses a bombastic transition to the ‘trio’ where Hindemith's transition is subdued and signals a modulation from minor to major. | ||
| Woodwinds play triplet figures with ascending and descending lines used as countermelodies. When section C repeats, lower bassoon parts are added. | For the first playing of C, horns have a harmonized melody. 3rd trombone has a countermelody starting with pickup notes into bar 56 and the second time into 64. Weber uses quarter notes to signify tonality on downbeats and Hindemith changes these to dotted rhythms in the repetition of C for trumpets, 2nd trombone, and tuba. | Pizzicato notes start in bar 60 in the lower strings to outline tonality. Triangle and timpani play on beats two and four, respectively. | ||
| High woodwinds play a harmonized version of Primo. Low woodwinds have a descending line into C2, reminiscent of Weber's transition to C2. Brass play linear triplets. Upper woodwinds have descending triplets. Brass finish the melody four before the repeat, strings have triplets in an ascending countermelody. | In C1 strings play triplet figures from the Secondo piano part. At C2 violins, violas, and cellos have the Secondo theme, similar material to the Primo theme from C1. Brass have the C theme, four bars before the repeat, playing unison rhythms. | Low woodwinds have dotted rhythms from C motifs, in the position where pickup notes have earlier occurred, starting after bar 74. This is juxtaposed against the C melody in the strings, but in the middle of the bar unlike before. Hindemith adds a crescendo drum roll to ascending brass and string lines, four bars before the repeat. | ||
| The original four-bar introduction is now six bars after the repeat, played by woodwinds. Trombones play the A theme, now in A minor, in octaves at first. The trombone theme is augmented and altered in a transition, starting in bar 103, to the second ‘trio’. | Material used in Weber's Secondo part is omitted in this transition into the ‘March’ (A section). During the return of A, strings play march rhythms from the Secondo part. | Timpani has dotted rhythms on 3/2 bars. Low strings play a descending, hemiola line into the ‘March’ (A section). Slurred triplets are added in the clarinets, not present in either Weber part along with repetitive drum rhythms. Triplet woodwind parts transition into the second ‘trio’. A dramatic rest occurs before the ‘trio’. | ||
| Triplet woodwind figures at C are linear and chordal. Ascending and descending triplets are played by upper strings outlining I, IV, V harmony. In C1 trumpets and trombones combine to provide melody. C2 is like C from this trio, in that woodwinds and strings also again have triplets. | Brass play the theme from section C now in E-flat major with timpani and low strings reinforcing dotted rhythms. In C1 upper strings and drum provide triplets from the Secondo part. They are fragmented and alternate between 1st violin and viola, with 2nd violins echoing drum rhythms. Horns play the C2 theme with the same rhythm as the triangle. | Crash cymbal starts trio. In C1, 1st and 3rd horns play an almost chromatic ascending line and 2nd and 4th have a dotted rhythm precluding the same rhythm seen in trumpet and trombone parts. In C2 the bass and contrabassoon hold a pedal B-flat indicating the arrival of that key for closing moments. Trumpets and trombones provide a countermelody with dotted rhythms. | ||
| At bar 128, melody is halted for a transition into the march fanfare, which is alternated from horns to trumpets for four bars (132–5). Only the first two bars of the fanfare, a descending motif, are utilized and the original march theme gives way to a climatic closing. Trombones play a version of the fanfare without the dotted rhythm. | Dotted rhythms from the Secondo part are not included in this coda. | Horns play the fanfare. Woodwinds have triplets, each alternating between half steps. Strings play ascending scales outlining A major, during which contrabassoons, tuba, and basses play D whole notes. Percussion plays sustained rolls and trumpets have melody. For the first time in the movement, repetitive syncopation bars (136–9) are in the horns, trumpets, and strings. |
Thematic Transformation of Movement 1
| 1st violins play melody. In bar 7, the melodic line ascends with oboe, trumpets, and 2nd violins. Before the phrase ends, upper woodwinds join violins to play 16th notes. 1st violins continue the second phrase at 15 and give the melody to woodwinds. The motif in 15 is passed around four bars until clarinets and piccolo take over the right-hand ascending line. Bassoons end the phrase starting in 23 and flutes play leaps in 25–6. | Violas and cellos play left-hand notes except in opposite order of Weber's part. Clarinets have after-beats from the right hand and horns play a motif from the 1st Violin melody. At bar 19, violins play syncopated parts from the right hand while cello and basses establish the rhythmic foundation from the left hand. | Grace notes in the Primo part are removed. Trills are inserted and articulations altered. Motifs from the melody and countermelody are distributed throughout the section, as seen by the horns starting in bar 1. At the first and second endings, descending glissandos are inserted in the violin, viola, and cello parts. Near the end of A, 16th-note scalar passages, based on the countermelody, are added at 19 by clarinets, piccolo, and 1st flute, then by 1st oboe at 23 signaling a transition to B. | |
| Both hands share melody, and a similar accompaniment, for the first two bars at B. The melody is played by violins and the left-hand accompaniment is played by clarinets, horns, bassoons, timpani, and cellos. At 29, violins and violas play the descending line and trill into C. | After two bars of melody, bassoons play a similar version with cellos and basses. The half note held in bar 31 (seen in both piano parts) is played by bassoons, 2nd and 4th horns, and upper strings. | Trills in the flute, piccolo, and oboe parts outline tonality (A minor) and are new to Weber's duet. Descending thirds in horn parts at bar 27 are new, as well as 16th-note ascending scales in the upper woodwinds. | |
| Flutes, oboes, English horn, 2nd clarinet, and bass clarinet play a harmonized version of the melody. At 39, the end of the phrase becomes an ascending, syncopated transition into D. In bars 41–2 winds play unison rhythms. | 16th-note scalar passages are played by violas and cellos with basses being added four bars before D. The shape of the phrase is dissimilar to Weber's starting five bars after C at 37. | Piccolo and 1st clarinet trill for the first four bars and horns have chord tones. The horns play a similar melodic line to the Primo part at 39, but their line descends. | |
| Roles reverse at D and the Primo part has16th-note scalar passages played by upper woodwinds. The overall shape of the line is like Weber's, but Hindemith alters harmonic progression through varied intervals. Tutti orchestra plays the phrase-ending rhythm before E. | High strings provide the right-hand melody. Weber has ascending quarter notes marked marcato; Hindemith provides a syncopated line from section C. | Downbeats are emphasized by low woodwinds, horns, and strings playing offbeat pickups into bars 45 and 47. Horns hold chord tones throughout. The left-hand Secondo part, seen in D, is not added. | |
| The four-bar melody is played by horns and trumpets. Strings play bars 57–78 and are joined by woodwinds and horns. Weber's descending lines are inverted until bar 61. At 63, strings play material similar to Weber's. Upper woodwinds answer 16th notes played by strings while providing pickups into downbeats. At 68, horns and trumpets trade Weber's figures. Upper strings frame 16th notes and brass have 8th notes. In bars 72–3, strings and horns play melodic lines. After 74 the orchestra trades motifs from the Primo part. | The first four bars (53–6) strings play 16th-note rhythms and brass play Secondo parts. In bar 59 Hindemith alters 8th note rhythms into dotted rhythms for brass. Horns have intervallic piano parts, but with 16th rests after each pair. Weber's 8th notes are altered starting in bar 65 by having high woodwinds play syncopated rhythms to be answered by brass and percussion on the last after-beat of the bar. Both piano parts have a trilled half note played by oboe, English horn, bass clarinet, trumpets, timpani, violins, and violas. Tutti orchestra plays the pattern at 74, the rest of the movement features motifs from the Primo part. | 1st violins have |
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| The F melody begins with oboe after a transition signaled by triangle. Triplets and counter motifs are added to upper woodwind parts. At bar 96, clarinets take 16th note triplets and transition into a restatement of the F theme played by glockenspiel with flutes and clarinets. Left-hand melody is played by the oboe at 107, then passed to piccolo and English horn. The last two motifs in the Primo part before A1 are played by upper winds. | Violas play pedal tones starting in bar 83. 8th-note chords from the right hand have been broken up and given to violins. At 91 cellos enter and basses play on downbeats. All strings and timpani play 8th notes until the end of the section, with added bassoon. Contrabassoons play left-hand half notes. Before A1, the left hand has the melody in the bass, which is given to bassoons and contrabassoons. | Melodic lines are embellished, but do not venture from the form. Glissandos are added to upper woodwinds and the use of trills and grace notes is altered. This is the only section with a meter change; bar 123 is in 6/8 time–which is in the last bar before A1. | |
| The introduction is shortened, compared to the first A section, to half a bar before flutes, clarinets, and violas enter with the melody. The melody is repeated by the upper woodwinds, which Weber omits from the Primo part. | 2nd and 4th horns, trombones, tuba, and bass drum play a combination of 8th notes on and off the beat until 132, when percussion has sustained 8th notes. The bar before B1 reflects Weber's music in that low brass and woodwinds play repeated chords. | In bar 132, upper woodwinds have melody and 2nd trombone, 3rd trombone, tuba, and percussion have the Secondo part. Trumpets and 1st trombone alternate an E section motif with the first three horn parts. 4th horn joins percussion in playing 8th notes in disjunctive intervals. | |
| Violins play an altered melody. Violas play a descending line (a variation on the A theme). With pickups into 145, upper woodwinds share parts of the theme. High woodwinds play the whole theme leading to the final nine bars of the movement. | After-beats from the first A section are now in B1 with cello and viola parts starting at 140. In bar 147 brass and timpani play notes like the left-hand Secondo part. They crescendo into chords until all brass and percussion play 8th notes, peppered with 16th notes. | 16th-note groupings are present. Hindemith adds an ascending swell of 16th notes into the strings starting with 1st violins at bar 147, as in the previous C and D sections. New here are the sustained chord tones starting in 147 held by 2nd clarinet, 2nd oboe, English horn, and a drum roll. Sustained notes are given to low woodwinds and strings as pedal tones over which both Primo and Secondo parts are played. |
Weber's Turandot
| 1 | A B B1 | 18 (four-bar intro; bar 18 is empty) | 1–18 |
| 2 | A B B1 | 13 | 19–31 |
| 3 | A B B1 | 13 | 32–44 |
| 4 | Free | 11 (unrelated material) | 45–55 |
| 5 | A B B1 | 18 (five-bar extension of the melody) | 56–73 |
| 6 | A B B1 | 13 | 74–86 |
| 7 | A A B B B1 | 22 (there is a half-bar reduction of the melody between the first and second B sections) | 87–108 |
| 8 | A B B1 | 28 (four-bar drum break, 13-bar theme plus six-bar extension and five-bar ending) | 109–136 |
Hindemith's Turandot
| 17-bar theme (based on the ancient Chinese air) is stated, interrupted by four bars with fermatas played by chimes and strings, including harmonics. Hindemith augments the first four notes in the air with chimes during the four pauses that frame the melody. | 21 | 1–21 | |
| After a six-bar percussion break, the theme is stated seven times in theme-and-variation style with each restatement building in intensity, and orchestration. Triplet figures are played by strings. | 125 | 22–146 | |
| Starting in bar 160, a transition occurs containing a syncopated, jazz-like subject (cf. |
87 | 147–233 | |
| 17-bar theme from the introduction is fragmented by percussion serving as a transition to bar 246 when a four-bar version of the air is introduced and utilized in seven variations. | 40 | 234–273 | |
| The melody is fragmented, and augmented by brass, in a transition until the coda at bar 280, where percussion is featured until the end of the movement. The timpani play a version of the ancient Chinese air. | 31 | 274–304 |
Movement Three Thematic Transformation
| 1st clarinet plays right-hand solo in the first four bars. Accompaniment in bars 5–8 is played by 1st clarinet, violas, 2nd violins, and a combination of instruments in the final bar before the repeat. | Accompaniment in the first four bars is played by strings. The solo in bars 5–8 is taken over by 1st bassoon. | Pickup notes are added to 1st clarinet on the repeat, where Weber had two empty 8th rests. In the second ending, pickup notes are played by 1st horn. 16th-note chromatic figures are added to 2nd flute and clarinet. | |
| The motif seen in the first two bars is played by violins. The right-hand solo is played by the clarinet, and the melody is passed to 1st horn. The second half is covered by strings and 1st horn at bar 16, during which the texture thickens until B. | The horn begins the two-bar solo, except the grace note is turned into a pickup. The melody starting at 12 is played by 1st violins and flutes. Motifs in the last four bars are played by woodwinds, horns, and 2nd violins. The phrase acts as a transition into B. Left-hand chords are played by woodwinds, trombones, timpani, and string bass. | Hindemith embellishes on rhythms and broadens accompaniment. Rests are added except for a cello pickup note. Again, where Weber has rests, Hindemith gives bass clarinet and flutes pickup notes. | |
| 16th notes played in the left hand are given to violas and later 2nd violins and cellos. Hindemith's treatments are linear and do not outline harmonies compared to Weber's ‘Alberti bass’ writing. | The melody is played by clarinets, bass clarinet, and cello. When this material is played again at bar 22, 1st violins take over with violas and oboes. | Notes played on the beat in the left hand Secondo part are removed. Tones are sustained by flutes, horns, bassoons, contrabassoons, tuba, and string bass. At the ends of each phrase the melody is embellished, removing Weber's melodic fragments and chords. | |
| Woodwinds, except for bassoons and contrabassoons, play16th notes in a linear fashion. The 16th notes are passed to upper strings at bar 29. | Dotted right-hand rhythms are altered, except for traces in the strings. The return of the B theme is found in the 2nd flute, English horn, 1st clarinet, horns, and cellos. Octaves played in the left hand are mirrored by trombones. | Hindemith alters material from B to begin the first three bars. He also has nearly the same embellishments at the end of this section as in B. New here are sustained notes played by low woodwinds, tuba, bass drum, and string bass. | |
| These sections are nearly identical to the beginning A and A1. | 1st flute solos over the melody until the end of the movement. English horn has 16th-note counter-motifs played by flutes in the first A section. | ||
| The sections are orchestrated more densely, and Hindemith adds an extra bar, like Weber. | |||
Forms of Movement 4
| : A: | : BA1: | : C: | : C1 C2: | ABA1 | - | - | |
| : A: | BA1 | CC | : C1 C2: | A | CC1 C2 | A (coda) | |