Product Description
Oscillation began as an experiment in coordination of a melody
and harmony which are based on different means of organization. To this end,
the clarinet is treated separately from the string quartet. The clarinet melody
is constructed by means of limited interval usage. In mm.13 it can be observed
that the melodic intervals are strictly limited to the use of a major 2nd/minor
7th or a major 6th/minor 3rd. By contrast, the
string quartet has no limitation on its intervallic usage but always strives
towards triadic harmonies in its accompanimental capacity and tends to converge
on harmonies diatonic to the key. In addition, despite the proliferation of
non-chord tones and transitionary passages in the string quartets music, the stable
harmonies are written to have fairly parsimonious motion between them (if one
were to reduce out the NCTs etc.)
The coordination of these two separate logics is done by the
selection of anchor-pitches for the melodic phrases. For example, the melodic phrase
in mm.47 oscillates around the pitch of G natural (transposed in the score),
which it shares with the F major/minor 7th chord that is heard as
the harmonic goal of the strings in m.7.
The teleology of the work can largely be traced in its
melodic construction. Its opening phrase of mm.13 is anchored on G natural and
ends on a C sharp, a tritone above the anchor, to simulate a half-cadence
effect. The second phrase of mm.47 is still written on G natural but it ends
on G as well, forming the authentic cadence and establishing a basic period as
well as the works first theme.
This is followed by second period which represents a dominant
relationship to the first. The phrase at mm.1013.2 is a rather extended utterance
in comparison to the first two and is anchored on D natural. This is followed
by 4-stage call and response across the ensemble (excluding the second violin)
that leads the first section to a close at m.16 on a C diminished triad.
Melodically, the first section is characterised by its limited used of a major
2nd/minor 7th or a major 6th/minor 3rd
interval.
At m.17, the second section follows much the same process as
the first, using anchor pitches as a means of coordination and formal
definition, and alternating soloistic clarinet playing with activated harmonies
in the strings. The primary difference is in the character of the second
sections theme with regards to its rhythmic profile as well as its intervallic
content. Namely, these are limited to the use of a minor 3rd or
minor 2nd and their inversions. The second section draws to a close
at m.32, returning to the tonic harmony of the key. With the first and second
sections complete, the work now proceeds into a developmental section.
Mm.3384 largely consists of development of the two themes by
manipulation of intervallic content as well as adjusting the placement of the
thematic material withing the accompanimental context. This does include
juxtaposition of the two themes (though one typicall becomes integrated into to
accompaniment) as can be seen between the violin and viola at m.39. Variety is
heightened by the introduction of episodic material such as the secondary
melody performed by the clarinet at mm.4041. The "Lento" section starting at
m.53 introduces further rhythmic and metric adjustment of the thematic content.
A varied recapitulation occurs at mm.85113 and is followed
by a coda at mm.114131.
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