Webern

Question 1

Texture

4

Answer 1

1. Extremely thin as there are never more than three parts playing at the same time due to rests
2. Often almost monophonic as only occasionally in the introduction are two parts heard together
3. Fundamentally polyphonic
4. Use of canons and mirror canons e.g. bar 1-2

Question 2

What is the structure and explain what happens

Answer 2

Sonata Form but very difficult to determine
Bars 1-5: Introduction
Bars 6-15: Exposition.
It is then repeated, exactly like in a classical piece
Bars 16-23: Development.
It is a palindrome (read backwards or upside down, its the same)
Bars 24-27: Link
Bars 28-39: Recapitulation.
The row appears in Klangfarbenmelodie (splitting a melodic line between instruments)
Bars 39-43: Coda
Basically the introduction in a complex reverse version

Question 3

Tonality

Answer 3

1. Atonal
2. Serial
3. Rows are inverted and retrograded so there are four versions of each row. Each of the four versions of the series could be transposed up or down by up to 11 semitones. This gives 48 possible versions of the row.

Question 4

Harmony

Answer 4

1. Notes occur individually so there is no harmony

2. Dissonant when notes are played together

Question 5

Melody

Answer 5

1. Wide, angular intervals
2. Interval of the tritone occurs between the 10th and 11th notes of the series
3. Fragmentary (with rests)
4. Klangfarbenmelodie
5. Notes for each instrument are usually in couplets

Question 6

Rhythm and Metre

Answer 6

1. Mainly in triple time but hard to distinguish
2. Time signature changes; 3/8, 5/8a and 4/8 throughout
3. Frequent rests
4. Precisely noted rhythms enhanced by use of tenuto and staccato markings
5. Pause used just before the recapitulation
6. ‘Sehr massig’ means very moderate
7. Frequent changes of tempo e.g ritardando and calando

Question 7

Instrumentation

Answer 7

1. Wide range of timbre from a small number of players
2. Violin plays with mute up to bar 17
3. Quick changes between pizzicato and arco
4. Piano has arrows showing the direction of spread chords
5. Large pitch range e.g. violin has a top C at bar 22
6. Performance directions; tenuto, staccato and slurs
7. Wide range of dynamics and accents are used