Shost - String Quartet No. 8

Question 0

What notes are the cipher on?

Answer 0

D-Eb-C-D spelling ‘DSCH’

Question 1

When composed?

Answer 1

1960

Question 2

Instrumentation

Answer 2

String Quartet

Question 3

Form

Answer 3

Arch Form:
A 0-27
B 28-50
C 50-86
B' 87-104
A' 104-126

Question 4

What does every section end in other than B’?

Answer 4

The name motif

Question 5

Does it use any particular string effects?

Answer 5

No. lol

Question 6

Melody includes quotations from:

Answer 6

First Symphony Violin 1 Bar 13

Fifth Symphony Violin 1 Bar 63

Question 7

What are melodic lines often based around?

Answer 7

The name cipher

Question 8

Tell me about how the motif is used

Answer 8

Augmented Bar 79
Used partially cello 104-5
Imitated opening bars
Re-ordered v2 bar 68, viola 95-98 Am

Question 9

Are melodic lines conjunct?

Answer 9

Yes, mostly stepwise movement

Question 10

What emphasises the gloomy mood?

Answer 10

The low tessitura of the instruments (eg at opening)

Question 11

Variety of textures including:

Answer 11

Imatative/Contrapuntal opening
Two part counterpoint 19-22
Pedal notes 28-45
Homophony 23-27
Homorhythm 79-81
Duet above pedal notes 52-87
Each instrument contributes to texture and has fairly equal weight (eg V2 52-67)

Question 12

How are the dynamics?

Answer 12

Quiet overall to reflect the gloomy mood

Question 13

What’s different about the dynamic of the motif

Answer 13

Louder (eg 23-24)

Question 14

What is the time sig

Answer 14

4/4 but feels like 2/2 because of long note values, slow tempo, metro mark

Question 15

Variety in note values?

Answer 15

No, mainly quavers crotches and semibreves with occasional dotted rhythms

Question 16

What is the key?

Answer 16

Cm

Question 17

What makes key ambiguous

Answer 17

Third sometimes left out (bar 26) but perfect cadences emphasise C tonal centre (120-124)

Question 18

What is sometimes used instead of minor chord

Answer 18

Unexpected major

Question 19

What is used to enforce the key?

Answer 19

Tonic and Dom Pedals

Question 20

What makes the tonality muddy in the beginning

Answer 20

Use of all chromatic notes within the first 7 bars and chromatic melodic lines

Question 21

What confuses the tonality?

Answer 21

Chords shifting around eg 13-16

Question 22

When does tonality become clearer

Answer 22

bar 26+

Question 23

WHat key is Bar 26 onwards

Answer 23

Mainly Cm other than brief Am bar 86

Question 24

Last two bars tonality

Answer 24

G sharp

Question 25

WHat triad appear and what are they counteracted by?

Answer 25

Root position triads counteracted by chromaticism