An Examination of Stravinsky's Fugal Writing in the Second Movement of Symphony ofPsalms by Robert Taylor

Igor Stravinsky's "Symphony ofPsalms, "movement two

Concerning the origin of his 1930 Symphony a/Psalms, Igor tional definition of double fugue-a fugue involving two sub­ Stravinsky wrote: "My idea was that my symphony should be jects, usually set forth separately, then usually combined in the of great contrapuntal development."! A setting of verses from final section.4 Psalms 39, 40, and 150, Stravinsky's work is cast in three movements, each involving some degree of contrapuntal writ­ The "Double Fugue" ing. The most highly contrapuntal of the three movements is Stravinsky describes movement two as an upside-down pyra­ the second, normally referred to as the "Double Fugue." mid in three levels. 5 The first two of these levels are fugue There is some debate concerning the precise form of move­ expositions, complete with entries of the subject in four voices, ment two. While some scholars, such as Eric Walter White and episodic material, and, in the case of level two, the use of Stephen Walsh, view it as being fugal in at least a referential stretto. The third and final level is described by Stravinsky as a way, 2 one prominent Stravinsky scholar, Andre Boucourechliev, "combining" of the two fugues, 6 an effect used masterfully to believes this movement falls outside of any conventional form. bring the movement to a convincing conclusion. In his book Stravinsky, Boucourechliev makes the following The first section, or level, is an exposition of the first fugal statement: subject (Figure 1). The four subject entries are spaced evenly except for the third, which is delayed by two measures. The The development of [the opening four-note] cell ... second entry is a real answer on the dominant accompanied by introduces a pseudo-subject marked by a descending fourth, a countersubject (Figure 2). Both proceed together until m. 11, the whole passage being built up into one of those where Stravinsky inserts a two-measure extension based on the polyphonic constructions of Stravinsky's that falls into no final two measures of the subject (and containing a voice existing category .... The horizontal writing becomes so exchange between the flute and oboe in m. 11). rich, its layering so dense, that it virtually dynamites the The third entrance is accompanied by a slightly modified vertical control; so that the work ceases to belong to what version of the countersubject, as well as with a line of free was originally tal(en to be a formal category and creates its counterpoint in the oboe. In m. 17, due to changes in register, own stylistic "landscape"-a "no man's land."3 the intervals of the subject are altered for the first time, though the actual notes remain the same. After a detailed look at the compositional procedures used A six-bar episode serves to move the tonal center from C in the course of the movement, this article shows that it is a minor to pj, minor for the beginning of the second fugue subject, highly organized, three-section movement that fits the conven- which is announced by the chorus (Figure 3). Its first statement is accompanied by the first four measures of a tonally modified Robert Taylor is Assistant Director of Choral Activities atthe first subject in the lower strings. Subject one is given a promi­ University of Central Oldahoma, Edmond. nent role in this section in order to afford this material further development.? Fragments of subject one also can be seen at

OCTOBER 1995 PAGE 17 mm. 37-39 in the flutes and bassoon, mm. regular entries of the subject, again with the Two stretto sections ensue: the first in 39-40 in the oboe, m. 44 in the trombones, exception of the third entrance, which is the chorus based on subject two, and the and mm. 48-49 in the trumpets. The sec­ delayed by two measures. An episode follows second in the orchestra, based on the ond-subject exposition, like the first, features the end of the second exposition (m. 47). opening four-note cell of subject one. The choral stretto features entries one beat + + + : + + + apart, beginning in the soprano and pro­ gressing downward by section. The open­ ing pitches of these entries are based on a

mf descending circle of fifths, as the soprano enters on F, the alto on B~, the tenor on Figure 1. Stravinsky, Symphony ofPsalms, movement two, first fugue subject B, and the bass on .Ab. This device could possibly be intended to symbolize musi­ cally the text "et statuit super petram pedes meos" ("and He set my feet upon a rock"). Stravinsky stated that movement two of Symphony ofPsalms made "the most overt use of musical symbolism" in any of his Figure 2. Stravinsky, Symphony ofPsalms, movement two, first countersubject music before The Flood. 8 The ensuing in­ strumental stretto gives way to a three­ voice instrumental canon that is based on I12J mf trallquillo an altered fragment of subject two. I,&I'I,! f r' -I'p p P q) II,j _ n I,p This section winds its way to a close at a dynamic level of p at m. 69 on a G7 DO -MI - NUM __ Ex-pec- tans ex - pec - ta - - vi chord-strongly suggesting a V-I resolu­ Figure 3. Stravinsky, Symphony ofPsalms, movement two, second fugue subject tion to a C tonal center. This expectation, though, is denied. After one measure of rest increases the tension, Stravinsky SII SII launches into the final section, still in G I1II if SI CS I I I SI I I I i I I I ~ j I • bl" I"! q~ ~ • ~ minor. The text at this point is the impas­ IliP'I,ft a'~PD lifP PqJ11r pPIC V I L1&p Iq~pp a I~ sioned "Et immisit in es meum canticum novum" ("and He has put in my mouth a Et _ im-mi-sit in _ os me- urn can - ti-cum no - vum. car - men DE - a no - stro new song"). Stravinsky matches the in­ Figure 4. Stravinsky, Symphony ofPsalms, movement two, combination of three themes tensity of the textual sentiment with the movement's first.lfdynamic level, as well as with the thickest overall texture of the movement. The choral sopranos and ten­ ors sing a unison melody based on ele­ ments of all three primary themes in the Simply . .. the best! movement (Figure 4). At m. 75 the soprano voice is given a motive-based on subject two-that is promptly used as sequential material for the next several bars to move from a MASTER MUSIC MANAGER state of tonal unsteadiness to the con­ cluding tonal center of B major. Seren­ Easy-to-use computer resources for school and church musicians ity is achieved at the text "et sperabunt in Domino" ("and [many] will put their Madntosh® and Microsoft® WindowsTM versions include: trust in the Lord"). The dynamic level, which has been .If for the entire final MUsic Library Recordings Library Membership Files section, becomes subito p. The chorus Personal Directory Inventory Manager DataDesigner intones the text on a unison E~ over an Easily customize any module, or design your own! ostinato in the lower strings based on the four-note, subject-one cell. The Call MANAGER SOFTWARE for a FREE demo disk. fugues have been combined, a tremen­ (800) 282-9220 • Monday-Friday • 9-5 Eastern Time dous climax reached, and the movement quietly brought to a close. Also available for church musicians ... Hymnlndex™ Worship Planner

PAGE 18 CHORAL JOURNAL OJ Thematic Relationships 1IT 1#[ 1 1 Walsh notes a resemblance between the I'~I'I"~ r r r lijr t r ~[ Iqr l'flt r~r r lijrqJJr r r IT r opening subject of Stravinsky's second movement and the opening subject of]. S. Figure 5. J. S. Bach, Musicalisches Opfer, first subject Bach's Musikalisches Opfer (Figure 5). There is a degree of similarity in the contour of these two subjects-particularly in the opening minor-third ascent and the fall from .AI> to Bq. Stravinsky, however, never mentions the Bach subject in his discus­ sions of Symphony ofPsalms. Figure 6. Stravinsky, Three Pieces for String Quartet, movement two, fugue subject White, on the other hand, states that the opening subject of movement two sterns from another Stravinsky work-­ Three Pieces for String Quartet (I914)9 (Figure 6). Although the two subjects clearly bear a similarity, particularly in the opening four-note motive and the Figure 7. Stravinsky, Symphony o/Psalms, movement one, ostinato following ascent to Bq, the degree to which Stravinsky consciously used the earlier subject is uncertain. wJ Stravinsky himself describes the deri­ ~1 J cr &F J J #J vation of the fugue theme: "The subject 1 r ijj &F I:F was developed from the sequence of thirds t used as an ostinato in the first move­ Figure 8. Stravinsky, Symphony o/Psalms, movement two ment."10 A comparison of the ostinato with the fugue subject reveals that the first four intervals of each are identical, except that the third note of the fugue subject has been displaced an octave (Fig­ ure 7). This opening four-note motive is repeated four times (shown in Figure 1 acfea with dotted lines), the repetition continu­ Tour Consuttants ing until a D~ intrudes in m. 4. Performing Arts Tours Since 1955 Despite the repetition of this four-note Top-quality choirs are invited to audition for participation in the fragment, the effect is not the same as that of an ostinato in which recognition Birmingham Choral Festival of repetition is inherent in the procedure. 'Voices in the City' In fact, Stravinsky almost conceals the Great Britain, July 1-13, 1997 four-note repetition by cleverly manipu­ lating rhythmic value and register to call Performances will be under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle, with the the listener's attention to two principal City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Birmingham Symphony Hall. pitches, C and B. In Figure 1, plus signs The festival will feature: have been placed over those notes receiv­ ing stress due either to their metric or • 3 concerts with orchestra, including registral placements. The result is an em­ Sir William Walton's Belshazzar'S Feast phasis on B and C through the first three • Workshop session with The King's Singers measures, solidifYing C as tonal center. Choirs will not be expected to participate in the entire festival. Another interesting aspect of the first For more information, please contact: fugue subject is the manner in which it leads to the answer at the fifth. The Hugh Davies, General Manager subject's final measures can be viewed as 1508 Lincoln Ave., Suite A San Rafael, CA 94901 two separate lines: the upper line consist­ (800) 886-2055 (415) 453-6619 Fax (415) 453-6725 ing of pitches C, Aq, B~, G, N, F, and F#; Artistic Director: Simon Halsey the lower line, D, D~, C, Bq, B~, Aq, andN Sponsored by Birmingham City Council and the City of Birmingham (Figure 8). Both lines lead to the domi­ Symphony Orchestra, in conjunction with ACFEA Tour Consultants nant, G. The upper line, with its chain of

OCTOBER 1995 PAGE 19 thirds, is derived from movement one's scent. From the outset Stravinsky has con­ ostinato figure. The lower chromatic line structed his fugue subjects and first could be seen to strengthen Walsh's argu­ countersubject in a manner that facili­ MUSIC ment that Stravinsky's subject was derived tates their final combination. The open­ TOURS INC. from Bach's, as the latter's theme also fea­ ing subject generates, at least to a degree, tures a descending chromatic line. all the subsequent thematic material. Subject one also can be seen as the generator of portions of countersubject Technical Means Achieve QUALITY one and subject two. This is achieved by Expressive Ends INTERNATIONAL the chromatic material presented in the This movement has been shown to be final two measures of the subject. Con­ a highly structured and skillfully wrought CONCERT TOURS tained in the countersubject (Figure 2) double fugue. Its organization, as Walsh at and subject two (Figure 3) is a motive suggests, symbolizes "in the Bach tradi­ REASONABLE PRICES involving a three-note chromatic descent tion of esoteric word-play" the text (D, Db, C in the countersubject; Bb, A, AI> "direxit gressus meos" ("directed [my] in the second subject) followed by a whole­ steps")Y Moreover, this form allows step, half-step ascent. Further interrelation Stravinsky both to build the movement can be seen between the countersubject gradually toward an expressive climax Call or write today and subject two. The countersubject's and to achieve his initially stated goal of for our unique opening ascent of a fourrh is inverted in creating a symphony with "great contra­ the initial descending fourth ofsubject two. puntal development." personalized service! Finally, each line possesses a motive con­ sisting of an ascending leap (in the Musical examples from Igor Stravinsky, Symphony countersubject, a fourth; in subject two, a a/Psalms, © Copyright 1931 by Edition Russe de minor sixth) followed by a half-step de- Musique; Copyright Renewed. Copyright and Re­ newal assigned to Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. Revised MARK FOSTER Edition © Copyright 1975 by Boosey & Hawkes, MUSIC TOURS Inc. Reprinted by permission. Figure 6 from Igor Please contact the Stravinsky, Three Pieces for String Q!lartet © Copy­ 'U' (800) 869-1406 ACDA national office at: right 1922 by Edition Russe de Musique; Copyright P.O. Box 2760, Santa Clara P.O. Box 6310 Renewed. Copyright and Renewal assigned to Boosey California 95055-2760 Lawton, OK 73506 & Hawkes, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

NOTES I Igor Stravinsky, Chronicle o/My Lifo (London: WE COMPETE Gollancz, 1936), quoted in Eric Walter White, Stravinsky: The Composer and His Check us out for competition caliber designs at Works, 2d ed. (Berkeley: University of affordable prices. We have the freshest approach California Press, 1979),321. in the market with the largest selection of 2 Stephen Walsh, The Music 0/ Stravinsky innovative trendsetting styles each season. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993), 150- Call for a copy of our 76 pg. 51; and White, 324. catalog of dynamic looks for 3 Andre Boucourechliev, Stravinsky (New concert and show and find York: Holmes and Meier, 1987), 187. out why more and more 4 Don Michael Randel, The New Harvard performers are turning DictionalY o/Music (Cambridge, MA: Bellmap to Stage Accents for Press ofHarvard University Press), 328. their costume needs. 5 Igor Stravinsky and Robert Craft, Dialogues (London: Faber and Faber, 1982),44. 6 Ibid. 7 Stravinsky and Craft, 45. 8 Ibid. 9 White, 197. 10 Stravinsky and Craft, 45. II Walsh, 150-53. -CJ-

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