Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 2-5-2021 2:45 PM Motivic Metamorphosis: Modelling Intervallic Transformations in Schoenberg’s Early Works Adam Roy, The University of Western Ontario Supervisor: Nolan, Catherine, The University of Western Ontario A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music © Adam Roy 2021 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Music Theory Commons Recommended Citation Roy, Adam, "Motivic Metamorphosis: Modelling Intervallic Transformations in Schoenberg’s Early Works" (2021). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7620. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7620 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Composers can manipulate a basic musical idea in theoretically infinite ways. This concept of manipulating musical material was a central compositional philosophy of Arnold Schoenberg (1874 – 1951). As Schoenberg states, “whatever happens in a piece of music is nothing but the endless reshaping of a basic shape” (Schoenberg, [1935] 1975). It is the variety of ways in which these basic ideas, commonly termed motives, are manipulated that contributes to a work’s unique identity. According to Schoenberg, these varied basic shapes work dialogically to unify a musical piece. But how are these basic shapes varied? Utilizing ordered intervals of pitch and duration, we may examine the structural properties of motivic segments which develop throughout a work. Exploring an analytical model tracking developmental transformations of melodic musical motives (shapes), this dissertation defines a robust group of intervallic transformations, equipping the analyst with a toolkit of transformational mechanisms. Applications of set-theory and other mathematically-based methodologies to Schoenberg’s post-1908 works often account for structural and motivic process. However, this is not the case for Schoenberg’s early works (1898 – 1908), where scholars typically examine form and harmony. But, as Carl Dahlhaus posits, Schoenberg thought motivically, and only detailed analyses of intervals demonstrate how motives relate to one another (Dahlhaus, 1987). Tracking such processes in Schoenberg’s early works, we come closer to understanding how new forms are created and their interrelations––how developed musical ideas emerge and are woven together to create coherence. Defining a suite of transformational devices, this dissertation examines the treatment of varied motivic forms within two instrumental early works by Schoenberg, Pelleas und Melisande ii op. 5 (1903) and String Quartet no. 2, op. 10 (1908). The analyses reveal developmental paths via networks which connect musical statements and quantify how one object moves into the next. The results demonstrate specific transformational moves which account for the manipulation of a motivic object, thereby creating subsequent forms. Such investigations permit larger connections and qualified observations to be made within the work of Schoenberg and all composers manipulating motivic forms. The resultant work engages Schoenberg’s technique of musical development and investigates his motivic metamorphoses. Keywords: Schoenberg, Motive, Transformation, Transformational Theory, Variation, Developing Variation, Interval, Music Analysis, Narrative, Music Networks iii Summary for Lay Audience A motive is an idea which recurs within a piece of music, often forming the primary identity of the work; for example, the melodic line you may hum, the rhythmic hook you tap. By varying and developing these properties, composers often re-define or re-work the ideas to create different forms. These differences create variety and interest. Tracking the relationships between similar—yet different—motivic objects (pitches, rhythms, etc.), we can begin to discern how composers develop the motivic ideas within a work. A composer of interest for tracking such processes is Arnold Schoenberg (1874 – 1951). Though motivic objects in his post-1908 compositions are well-examined thanks to the application of mathematical set-theory, we do not have a similar understanding of motivic relations within his early compositions (1898 – 1908). Examination of these compositions, however, is integral to understanding Schoenberg’s compositional evolution. This dissertation develops and applies a new model to track the transformation of motives from statement to statement, allowing convergences and divergences to be identified in a manner not previously encountered. By ascribing defined transformational mechanisms which develop an object A into and object AI, relationships between musical objects can be better revealed and modelled. In previous approaches, analysts often use pitches and rhythms to compare statements. This project takes the intervallic measures between such items as the objects of study. Inspecting intervals reveals more about the quantitative structure within space, moving pitches, and rhythms to a background level. This study utilizes two case studies, Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande op. 5 (1903) and String Quartet no. 2, op. 10 (1908). As a programmatic work (that is, having an intended iv narrative) Pelleas und Melisande allows one to track the motivic development as it relates to character development. Schoenberg’s transitional String Quartet no. 2, op. 10 on the other hand, permits the model to demonstrate how his compositional style evolved into more abstract relations. Exploring motivic objects, their similarities, divergences, and transformations lies at the heart of this project. This dissertation engages Schoenberg’s technique of musical development as related to his early compositional practice and investigates his motivic metamorphoses. v Dedication To my family, inherited and acquired. vi Acknowledgments The journey from my initial project idea to dissertation draft and from my first music theory seminar to my comprehensive exams is a path dotted with connections, both personal and professional. I am indebted to countless individuals and am indeed overwhelmingly grateful for the people who have supported this endeavour. First and foremost, I wish to acknowledge the support of my primary supervisor, Dr. Catherine Nolan. Her patience, guidance, and insight have enabled me to complete this project and this degree. My second reader, Dr. John Cuciurean also deserves the utmost thanks. Reading through my work with care and attention to detail, he has provided invaluable support along the way. Dr. Jonathan De Souza, Dr. Kevin Mooney, Dr. Peter Franck, and Dr. Edmund Goehring also deserve recognition for their continued support, feedback, and mentorship. Further thanks are also necessary to Audrey Yardley-Jones for administrative support and to the librarians at Western University, in particular Lisa Philpott, Brian McMillan, who through many projects have collaboratively assisted my research and patiently entertained my penchant for having an office full of books. Funding for this project was provided in part by the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS). Through this, and other financial assistance throughout my studies, my projects were able to be completed in a timely manner. To my colleagues both past and present, thank you for encouraging my progress and supporting me in innumerable ways. Special thanks are necessary for officemate extraordinaire, Mary Blake Rose who made the journey all the more enjoyable, seminar classmates that continually provided new perspectives, as well as cohort and coffee companions Dr. Chantal vii Lemire, Dr. Kristen Wallentinsen, Martin Ross, and Steven Janisse whose suggestions helped to shape this work. My sincerest thanks also go to the support of personal friends like Carson Murphy, Dr. Daniel Bednar, Dr. Matthew Cross, Dr. Zachary Morse, and Rebecca Wilks, who— each in their own vital way—made this research possible. This journey started with family music making. Tolerating the countless practice hours at the piano and the continual educational aspirations, my family—parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles, have always nurtured my dreams. I am eternally grateful. Finally, and importantly, I owe a great deal of thanks to my partner, Dr. Patrick Hill. Your patience, kindness, and encouragement have been vital in allowing me to pursue this lifelong goal and has been fundamental to this project’s success. It is with great pleasure that I now share the next chapter of my life with you. Land Acknowledgment I acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous peoples whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society. viii Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Summary for Lay Audience ........................................................................................................... iv Dedication .....................................................................................................................................