CARLOS GUASTAVINO’S SONATA PARA TROMBÓN O TROMPA Y PIANO:
ANALYSIS OF ARGENTINE SONG AND FORMAL WESTERN MUSIC
TRADITION APPLIED TO TROMBONE REPERTOIRE
Lucas Rego Borges, B.M., M.M.
Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
August 2014
APPROVED:
Vern Kagarice, Major Professor Eugene Corporon, Co-Major Professor Tony Baker, Committee Member Bernardo Illari, Committee Member John Holt, Chair of the Division of Instrumental Studies Benjamin Brand, Director of Graduate Studies in the College of Music James C. Scott, Dean of the College of Music Mark Wardell, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Rego Borges, Lucas. Carlos Guastavino’s Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y
Piano: Analysis of Argentine Song and Formal Western Music Tradition Applied to
Trombone Repertoire. Doctor of Music Arts (Performance), August 2014, 42 pp., 3 tables, 10 examples, bibliography, 17 titles.
Very few Latin American pieces for trombone as a solo instrument have entered
the canon of trombone repertoire worldwide, despite the large number of compositions
in this medium. Therefore, when a major composer writes a full sonata for trombone
efforts need to be made to bring these compositions to light. The Argentine composer
Carlos Guastavino wrote a sonata for trombone and piano that is virtually unknown
outside of Argentina, despite the composer’s importance. He is known for his artistic
choice of cultivating a traditional romantic style of composition apart from the new
tendencies and influences of the artistic novelties of the twentieth century.
Guastavino’s artistic position is very clear in the sonata’s highly strict formal
organization and Guastavino’s unique treatment of tonality and modality. He was also
loyal to his own style as composer, which is ultimately an Argentine song style. He
utilized the lyrical qualities of the trombone to convey the type of melodic approach that
he used in his vocal works. This paper investigates the Argentine song and Western
sonata conventions featured on Carlos Guastavino’s Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y
Piano. The paper argues that these features represent his unique approach to musical
composition in the twentieth century, thus making this sonata an important addition to
the trombone repertoire.
Copyright 2014
by
Lucas Rego Borges
ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you Warner/Chappell Music Argentina for grating me permission to reproduce examples in this dissertation.
My eternal gratitude goes to my major professor at University of North Texas,
Vern Kagarice for his immense dedication, encouragement, wisdom, trust, and guidance. I would like to extend my gratitude to the trombone faculty Tony Baker and
Jan Kagarice for their guidance and support.
Thank you to the dissertation committee members: Dr. Bernardo Illari for his help and advice in the writing process, and Professor Eugene Corporon for his support in the doctoral program process and in my professional career.
Special thanks to my family in Brazil, my grandparents, parents, sisters, uncles,
aunts, and cousins for their love and support. Foremost to my grandmother Antonia
Delfino Borges for whom I owe everything.
Finally, I would like to thank my wife Maíra Urbano Neto for her unconditional
love, companionship, and support. Lastly, thank you to my son Daniel for giving my life
complete meaning.
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... iii
LIST OF TABLES ...... vi
LIST OF EXAMPLES ...... vii
Chapter
I. INTRODUCTION ...... 1
Purpose ...... 1
Significance and State of Research ...... 2
Method and Approach...... 4
II. CARLOS GUASTAVINO, SONGS AND THE SONATA PARA TROMBÓN O
TROMPA Y PIANO ...... 6
Biography ...... 6
Argentine Song ...... 9
Trombone Sonata ...... 10
III. FIRST MOVEMENT: ANDANTE COMODO AND ALLEGRO ...... 13
Modality ...... 13
Vocal Features ...... 15
Sonata Form ...... 16
Analysis ...... 19
IV. SECOND MOVEMENT: ANDANTE CANTABILE ...... 27
V. THIRD MOVEMENT: RONDÓ – ALLEGRO GIUSTO ...... 34
VI. CONCLUSION ...... 39
iv VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 41
v LIST OF TABLES
Page
1. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I (mm. 76-119) ...... 24
2. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. II (mm. 1-144) ...... 29
3. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. III (mm. 1-245) ...... 35
vi LIST OF EXAMPLES
All music examples are reproduced with permission from the copywriter holder
Warner/Chappell Music Argentina.
PAGE
1. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 50 -67 ...... 16
2. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 24-53 ...... 19
3. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 50-53 ...... 19
4. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 95-96 ...... 22
5. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 99-100 ...... 23
6. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 83-86 ...... 24
7. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 30-42 ...... 31
8. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 128-131 ...... 32
9. Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 59-76 ...... 37
10: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 150-159 ...... 37
vii CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Purpose
Major cities in Latin America host a large number of diverse cultural influences that composers utilize at will. This process can create distinctive new styles while still rooted in other traditions. Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino’s (1912-2000) music is a unique case of the complex and diverse cultural scene in Latin America of the twentieth century. His Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano incorporates some of his own characteristics as a composer and reflects his firm artistic position in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires in the twentieth century. Three aspects define Guastavino’s unique musical identity in the trombone sonata: first, his anti-modernist artistic approach as presented by the musicologist Bernardo Illari, which is a commitment to formal and tonal aspects of Western Romantic music in opposition to avant-garde movements of the twentieth century; secondly, his Argentine cultural influence, which became stronger during his second compositional period of songs, the time in which the trombone sonata was written; and finally, his intimate relationship to vocal music, songs in particular.1
Scholars agree that songs occupy a central position in Guastavino’s career
because they are his most popular pieces and form the largest part of his work.2
Therefore, one must acknowledge how songs influenced Guastavino’s instrumental music. This effect is especially important when the composition features the trombone,
1 Bernardo Illari, “Carlos Guastavino” (class lecture, University of North Texas, Fall semester, 2010); Silvina Luiz Mansilla, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino. Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones (Buenos Aires: Gourmet Ediciones, 2011), 19; Jonathan Kulp, “Carlos Guastavino: The Intersection of Musica Culta and Musica Popular in Argentine Song,” Latin American Music Review, Vol. 24 (2003): 43-44. 2 Ibid., 41.
1 known for its association to the human voice since the sixteenth century.3 For this reason, this paper investigates the Argentine song and Western sonata traditions featured in Carlos Guastavino’s Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano.
Consequently, the paper argues that these features represent his unique approach to musical composition in the twentieth century, thus making the trombone sonata an important addition to trombone repertoire.
Significance and State of Research
The number of compositions for trombone in Latin America is vast, but only a few have entered the canon of trombone repertoire outside of Latin America. Guastavino’s
Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano was composed in three movements and is a prime example of a serious composition for trombone. Unfortunately the work is virtually unknown outside Latin America or Argentina for that matter. Despite his large and substantial oeuvre, Guastavino is a composer who has not yet received appropriate attention worldwide — especially in comparison to fellow countrymen such as Alberto
Ginastera and Astor Piazzolla. Therefore, this paper helps to promote Latin American trombone repertoire through the music of Carlos Guastavino. The paper seeks to highlight Guastavino’s most noteworthy characteristics as composer: his romantic gestures, his anti-modernist approach, his national identity, and his songful approach to the trombone sonata. Ultimately, the paper seeks to stimulate performances and research about this composer.
The available literature produces sufficient evidence regarding Guastavino’s unique place as a composer, and his placement justifies the importance of the trombone sonata in trombone repertoire in Latin America and worldwide. A review of the state of
3 Trevor Herbert, The Trombone (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006), 45.
2 research is be based on four important subjects: first, Guastavino’s biography; secondly, a theoretical analysis of the trombone sonata with emphasis in Guastavino’s uniqueness; thirdly, the song and national identity in Guastavino’s music and; lastly, the trombone, its history and repertoire.
Although the body of literature written about the music of Guastavino is relatively small, especially in the English language, the existing literature does provide the necessary information to support this paper. For instance, the Diccionario de la Música
Española e Hispanoamericana, Vol 5 (2002) contains an entry by Bernardo Illari, Silvina
Mansilla and Melanie Plesch which presents fundamental biographical information about the composer, as well as comments on his artistic position in the twentieth century. Additionally, the article investigates Guastavino’s vocal music, piano music and guitar music. Another valuable source of information about Guastavino’s work is the book, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino, Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones
(2011) by Silvina Mansilla, which contains relevant information about Guastavino’s general work, compositional approach, biography and career.
Jonathan Kulp’s article, “Carlos Guastavino: A re-evaluation of his harmonic language” (2003) and Bernardo Illari’s article, “Estrategias modales de Guastavino: Sus canciones tempranas” (2013) offers substantial information to theoretically understand and analyze Guastavino’s compositional choices regarding sonata form, structure, and harmonic language. These articles offer a basis for analysis of Guastavino’s music, with emphasis on his unique approach to tonality. The subject of songs and national identity regarding Guastavino is discussed extensively in both Mansilla’s book and in Illari’s article mentioned above. Another article by Jonathan Kulp, “Carlos Guastavino: The
3 Intersection of Musica Culta and Musica Popular in Argentine Song” (2003) also
presents important content on Guastavino relationship to his nation. Finally, Trevor
Herbert’s book, The Trombone (2006) includes the necessary information about the
trombone, its repertoire, and history since its earliest days to the present.
Method and Approach
The method and approach resorts in the three elements stated in the purpose of this proposal. James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy’s book, Elements of Sonata Theory
(2006) is utilized as the analytical framework for studying the traditional approaches to the sonata form and its implications on Guastavino’s trombone sonata. These components of sonata form are identified and analyzed in order to define Guastavino’s strong preference towards classical forms rather than the avant-garde trends of his time. My intention is to link the information encountered in the formal analysis of the piece to the historical documentation and literature regarding Guastavino’s artistic placement.
Secondly, I examine the Argentine influences in his trombone sonata through his use of modal melodies, modal harmonies and juxtaposition of tonal and modal elements. Thus, I compare the Argentine elements in the trombone sonata to similar features found in other analyses of Guastavino’s works. I also compare the trombone sonata to the elements of Argentine song discussed by scholars such as Jonathan Kulp,
Silvina Mansilla and Bernardo Illari, which serves as point of reference to Argentine
song characteristics.
Lastly, I investigate his vocal approach to the trombone by analyzing his choice
of tonalities, modes, range, tessitura, rhythm, and trombone technique requirements.
4 The trombone plays an active melodic role rather than a virtuosic or technically demanding one. Guastavino makes this choice despite many of the advanced techniques available during the time of its composition. Thus, in comparison to major works of trombone repertoire, Guastavino’s trombone sonata has an undistinguished position in trombone repertoire. This is due to the work’s representation of a unique artistic point of view and specific approach to the trombone as a solo instrument in the twentieth century.
5 CHAPTER II
CARLOS GUASTAVINO, SONGS AND THE SONATA PARA
TROMBON O TROMPA Y PIANO
Biography
Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino was born on April 5, 1912 in the city of
Santa Fe. He was the son of a musically inclined family of Italian immigrants. His parents Eusebio Guastavino (1885 - 1962) and Josefina Porucini (1887 - 1975) participated regularly in musical activities common to middle class in Argentina; they were particularly interested in the guitar and the mandolin.4 Carlos Guastavino started
studying music very early in his life. At the age of four years old he started taking
lessons from the pianist Esperanza Lothringer (1887-1960). After a short period of
studies, Esperanza moved to Buenos Aires and discontinued his private instruction with
Gustavino.5
Apart from his activities as a regular student, Guastavino was very involved with
other musical activities such as church children’s choir and playing the organ. At a very young age, he became highly proficient in the organ and sacred choral repertoire, which led him to be responsible for the liturgical music at the age of ten. Parallel to his
musical progress, Guastavino was an exemplary student in his regular schooling, which
led him to receive many academic awards. In 1929, he finished high school and started
4 Pablo Cohen, “Sonata No 1 for Guitar by Carlos Guastavino: an Analytical Study of Its Structure, Style and Argentine Folk Influences” (DMA diss., Temple University, 1999), 1. 5 Silvana Luiz Mansilla, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino. Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones (Buenos Aires: Gourmet Ediciones, 2011), 43-44.
6 studying chemical engineering at Universidad Nacional del Litoral while maintaining his musical career.6
Guastavino moved to Buenos Aires in 1938 where he briefly studied composition at Conservatorio Nacional de Música. He also studied privately with Athos Palma, who taught him harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration. In the following years Guastavino received many awards for his songs, including the Ministry of Culture and Public instruction for his Canción del Estudiante (1939), which became his first published piece by Ediciones Ricordi Americana.7
From 1942 to 1959 Guastavino focused his career as a pianist and performer of his compositions, which led to collaborations with many artists, most frequently other pianists and vocalists. For instance, he collaborated with Argentinian vocalists Clara
Oyuela and Concépcion (Conchita) Babía, as well as American baritone Andrew
Pankey, who performed Guastavino’s songs in the USA and Europe. The pianist Inés
Gomez Carrillo performed his Sonatina in G minor at Carnegie Hall in 1947.
Guastavino’s persona as composer and interpreter became his personal trademark that opened opportunities to many international tours. He toured extensively to Chile, Brazil,
Europe and Asia with the support of the Argentinian National Office of Culture, as well as private music institutions.8
After great success in his second tour to Chile, he was nominated vice-director of the newly founded Escuela de Música of Universidad Nacional del Litoral (1948) in his hometown of Santa Fe. In the same year, Guastavino moved to the United Kingdom
6 Silvana Luiz Mansilla, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino. Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones (Buenos Aires: Gourmet Ediciones, 2011), 44-45. 7 Ibid., 46. 8 Ibid., 46-51.
7 where he studied at the Royal Academy of Music and received great recognition for his compositions, which included a performance by the BBC orchestra premiering his Tres
Romances Argentinos. He also recorded his pieces with the British baritone Fredrick
Fulller for the BBC and Dublin radios. Guastavino returned to Argentina in 1949 where he continued on with a busy schedule of performances, premieres, and recording of his own compositions for many years.9
The 1960s were marked by his involvement with the folkloric inclined movements; he participated in radio and television broadcasts and received commissions to write pieces in a popular and folkloric style. He also served as judge in popular and folkloric festivals such as Primer Festival del Folklore del Noroeste (1963) and Festival Odol de la Canción (1963). According to the musicologist Silvina Luiz
Mansilla, the 1970s represents the beginning of Guastavino’s last stage in his life where he received much recognition for his work and contribution to Argentine culture. His music was being recognized, performed, and recorded by internationally famous musicians, for instance, his piece Las Presencias No 6 ‘Jeronita Linares’ was recorded by the world renowned guitarist John Williams and the London String Quartet (1980).
Guastavino received formal recognition of his cultural legacy when Argentine President
Carlos Memem awarded him Personalidad Emerita de la Cultura Argentina in 1999.10
Guastavino lived in Buenos Aires until 1997 when his family brought him back to
Santa Fe due to health problems. He passed away shortly after on October 29, 2000.
He still received honors many years past his death such as Premio Konex de Honor in
9 Silvana Luiz Mansilla, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino. Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones (Buenos Aires: Gourmet Ediciones, 2011), 48-54. 10 Ibid., 52-55.
8 2009.11 His music and career has been a subject of research and performances in
Argentina and abroad. Furthermore, his music became a strong representation of
Argentine identity nationally and abroad.
Argentine Song
Guastavino’s ability and intimacy with songs is undeniable, as well as the similarities of his treatment of the trombone sonata and his vocal works. One must understand the importance of national belonging in Guastavino’s art songs and popular songs to understand the Argentine element in his instrumental music. The Argentine musical identity of Guastavino and his songs is reiterated by the national identity of
Guastavino’s music instead of an exploration of national trademarks such as folk tunes.
His songs became extremely popular and emblematic of Argentine culture, sometimes
even considered as a folk song.12 One can easily argue that Guastavino’s songs are a
representation of Argentine music itself, rather than a resulting product of appropriation
of folklore.
Scholars agree that songs play a major role in Guastavino’s oeuvre but they
disagree in its periodization. Musicologists Bernardo Illari, Silvina Mansila and Melanie
Plesch propose a distribution of Guastavino’s oeuvre based in three large periods; the
first one in the 1940s is characterized by his use of modalities in his compositional
technique, the second one (1941-1967) caries his more personal style, and the third
11 Silvana Luiz Mansilla, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino. Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones (Buenos Aires: Gourmet Ediciones, 2011), 55-56. 12 Jonathan Kulp, “Carlos Guastavino: The Intersection of Musica Culta and Musica Popular in Argentine Song,” Latin American Music Review, Vol. 24 (2003): 43.
9 one (after 1967) is considered a moment of elaboration where more traditional pieces
coexist with more intellectual ones.13
Jonathan Kulp suggests a classification of Guastavino’s songs only in two
periods.14 The first period (1939 – 1962), Guastavino writes mostly art songs based on
texts of Spanish writers. Consequently, according to Kulp, the songs are more Spanish
than Argentine, even though Guastavino’s most popular song Se equivocó la paloma
(1942) and other popular works were written during this period.15 The second period
(1963 - 1975) is marked by the popular music features, rather than art music that became popular, such as Se equivocó la paloma. Guastavino uses more Argentine
poetry, musical refrains, and a generally simpler style.
Trombone Sonata
Carlos Guastavino’s first movement of the Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y
Piano was completed in 1971 in Buenos Aires, but the full piece was only finished in
1973. The sonata was dedicated to Jorge Alberto Roel and first premiered in the French horn version on June 7, 1984 at Teatro Independencia in Mendoza, performed by
Carlos Florit on horn and Ana Inés Aguirre on piano. The trombone version was premiered on September 21, 1988 at Auditorio Ingeniero Juan Victoria in San Juan performed by Carlos Ovejero on trombone and again Ana Inés Aguirre on piano.16
The time in which the piece was written can explain some of the simple melodic
style, the narrow range, and the tuneful melodies, as well as Guastavino’s general
13 Bernardo Illari, Silvana Luiz Mansilla and Melanie Plesch. "Guastavino, Carlos," in Diccionario de la Música Española e Hispanoamerica. (Madrid: Sociedad General de Autores y Editores, 1999), 947-948. 14 Jonathan Kulp, “Carlos Guastavino: The Intersection of Musica Culta and Musica Popular in Argentine Song,” Latin American Music Review, Vol. 24 (2003): 43-44. 15 Ibid. 44-45. 16 Silvana Luiz Mansilla, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino. Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones (Buenos Aires: Gourmet Ediciones, 2011), 279
10 approach towards Argentine identity. After 1967 was the time in which Guastavino was
composing in his established style but was also exploring other paths.17 His self-
identification with Argentine popular music seems obvious in this period due to his
participation in popular music projects such as the commercial album, Canciones
Populares Argentinas among other projects associated with national song.18 However,
the most important representation of Argentine culture in Guastavino’s body of work is
his production and its reception, which has defined Argentine song throughout many
years. The trombone sonata is a representation of Argentine music because it is
constructed as an authentic Argentine song: Guastavino’s songs. More specifically, the
first movement of the trombone sonata is a song without words framed by a sonata
scheme, which represents Guastavino’s intimacy and commitment to the two forms.19
Since his music is the foremost representation of Argentine art song, his instrumental
song without words is the authentic representation of Argentine song.
One cannot deny the influence of vocal music in Guastavino’s overall work; he
explores the vocal qualities of the trombone in his sonata. These following singing
qualities are utilized throughout the entire piece: vocal features dominate the first and
second movements of the sonata and the third movement also alternates some melodic
passages with technical ones. One could argue that Guastavino did not have enough
knowledge of the trombone as a solo instrument; consequently, he would not write in a
mechanically technical complex manner. Nevertheless, there are at least two reasons to
believe that Guastavino’s choices of style in the trombone sonata are artistic. First,
17 Bernardo Illari, Silvana Luiz Mansilla and Melanie Plesch. "Guastavino, Carlos," in Diccionario de la Música Española e Hispanoamerica. (Madrid: Sociedad General de Autores y Editores, 1999), 948. 18 Guastavino’s album Canciones Populares Argentinas was released in 1968. 19 Chapter three contains details analysis of the first movement sonata and song form combination.
11 Guastavino has an association and familiarity with vocal sonorities. Second, Guastavino
created a technically demanding third movement: it is fast pace, utilizes double tongue
techniques and wider intervals, and cross partial glissandi.
Furthermore, Guastavino composed a trombone quartet with demanding passages that exploits its active side. Nevertheless, he opted to compose a piece mostly based on vocal lines instead of trombone technique flourishes. Guastavino makes a choice that could be misunderstood by critics and others. His choice could be seen as lack of skills or knowledge that led him to write such simple tunes for the
trombone. But the choice was made with a fully comprehensive and educated view of
the trombone, its aesthetics, history, and possibilities.
12 CHAPTER III
FIRST MOVEMENT: ANDANTE COMODO AND ALLEGRO
In the first movement of Carlos Guastavino’s Trombone Sonata the trombone
mostly functions as a vocalist during the entire movement. Contrary to other pieces of
the genre, the first movement of the sonata does not present many technical challenges
to the trombonist in terms of range, flexibility, agility, dynamics, effects or wide leaps.
On the contrary, all themes played by the trombone are tuneful, mostly diatonic, contain
no extreme dynamics, no abrupt stylistic changes, no avant-garde effects, and almost
no wide leaps. It is not a piece displaying virtuosity; but rather a piece that features
beautiful tone quality and lyricism.
Modality
Guastavino used modality extensively in his pieces and his other works; he
acquired deep knowledge of modality both theoretically and intuitively.20 Modality
represents his cosmopolitan figure; a very well rounded and cultured man who had
access to vast musical experiences that provided him with unquestionable knowledge of
western musical systems.21 This rounded knowledge of culture and music released
Guastavino from a linear view of music history. In a time that such a view could have
pushed him to follow the trends of avant-guard tendencies, breaking ties with any tonal or formal languages of previous generations. These tendencies seemed to be the only possible way to find artistic identity among other Argentine composers.22 However, his
grounded musical knowledge enabled him to find an artistic view looking back and
20 Bernardo Illari, “Estrategias modales de Guastavino,” Estudios sobre Carlos Guastavino, edited by Silvina Luz Mansilla (Santa Fe, Argentina: Universidad Nacional del Litoral, forthcoming), 11-13. 21 Ibid. 3-4. 22 Bernardo Illari, “Carlos Guastavino” (class lecture, University of North Texas, Fall semester, 2010).
13 beyond his peers; for instance, he looked back into modal music.23 This artistic option is
similar to the one taken by Brahms about a century earlier. Brahms looked back into the
classical and baroque forms to find his own voice in the post Beethoven romantic music
dilemma.24
Dorian mode has a central position throughout the first movement of this sonata.
Guastavino uses the Dorian mode during the introduction, exposition, and development
of the piece creating a tension in between tonality and modality. The tension is only
resolved in the recapitulation of the piece. Jonathan Kulp argues that Guastavino “goes
into great pain to obscure the tonic” and often uses tonal tonic of the piece as the
central reference to the key signature.25 This is the same strategy used in the trombone sonata where the key signature is in B-flat major —tonal key of the movement— while the mode used is Dorian in C. Furthermore, Bernardo Illari goes into greater details into
Guastavino usage of modality in his pieces; he explains that Aeolian and Dorian were the most common modes used and that Guastavino used dominant chords as chromatic strategies to confirm the final of the modes, consequently affirming the actual modes.26
Once again, Guastavino uses the same strategies in his trombone sonata. For instance,
the first chord is secondary dominant chord of c final, which is the final note of the
Dorian key (mm. 24).
23 Bernardo Illari, “Estrategias modales de Guastavino,” Estudios sobre Carlos Guastavino, edited by Silvina Luz Mansilla (Santa Fe, Argentina: Universidad Nacional del Litoral, forthcoming), 3- 17. Dr. Illari provides a thorough explanation on modes and Guastavino’s extensive use of them. 24 Preston Stedman, The Symphony (Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education Company, 1992), 140-142. 25 Jonathan Kulp, Carlos Guastavino: “A re-evaluation of his harmonic language,” Latin American Music Review, Vol. 27 (2003), 199. 26 Bernardo Illari, “Estrategias modales de Guastavino,” Estudios sobre Carlos Guastavino, edited by Silvina Luz Mansilla (Santa Fe, Argentina: Universidad Nacional del Litoral, forthcoming), 18.
14 Vocal Features
Guastavino’s treatment of the melodic material contains many characteristics of songs in its use of the tessitura, range, melodic repetition (sequences), and diatonic motion. The melodic range of the trombone is only two octaves throughout the entire movement. Most of the movement is written on the higher middle range of the trombone, which is a tessitura that facilitates smooth melodic playing (see example 1).
The melodic range does not usually exceed much more than an octave in each section or phrase. For instance, the secondary theme has the largest melodic interval in one section for the entire movement: a major thirteenth (example 1). However, the lowest note is only presented in the last two measures of the section after the end of the phrase; a long note with rests in between (m. 66). Guastavino clearly avoids extreme melodic leaps. In fact, melodies are mostly diatonic and large leaps are prepared gradually by sequences. For example, the largest leap within a phrase is a minor seventh (m. 60), which occurs after a series of intervals getting gradually larger in a sequential passage (mm. 51-60).
15 Example 1: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 50 – 67
As seen above, the phrases played by the trombone are also very adequate for vocalizes; additionally the melodies could be associated with popular songs due to their simplicity in style. For instance, the primary theme (mm. 25-38) is light and moderately fast (quarter note equals 120bpm) with eighth notes grouped with slurs while the piano plays mostly quarter-notes and eighth notes, which emphasize the quaternary feel of the melody. On the other hand, the secondary theme (mm. 51-67) has a slower binary feel, even though the tempo marking is the same. The trombone melody groups two eighth notes and a quarter note while the piano punctuates the meter playing half-notes, which implies a cut time binary pulse. The same lyrical characteristics on the trombone part are kept during the transitioning and development sections.
Sonata Form
Audibly and technically the first movement is a song without words. However, the movement is not organized in simple ABA song form; it is strictly composed in the mold
16 of a sonata form.27 Guastavino presents two contrasting themes in the exposition while
maintaining a lyrical songful style in both themes. Guastavino relies on two mechanisms
in order to create a song like feel though out the sonata form: (1) the avoidance of a
tonal resolution — which also creates an ambiguity between tonality and modality —
and (2) transfers all the complex rhythmic activity to the piano part, mostly through
metric displacement which allows the trombone part to continue to function melodically
even during the developmental sections. In other words, Guastavino superposes two
interacting formal compositional procedures that justify one another; the song with the
melodic lines and the sonata form in its formal organization.
According to James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy in their book Elements of
Sonata Theory a common type of sonata form has an exposition, development and recapitulation in the following manner: A║BA’ which they call a Type 3 sonata.28 In a
sonata form the exposition (A) has a primary theme (P) in the tonic followed by a
transitional section (TR) and a secondary theme (S), usually in the dominant. This first
section is sometimes repeated and followed by the development section (B), finally the
exposition returns in the recapitulation (A’) but now in the tonic key without modulating
to another tonal area.29 The first movement of Guastavino’s trombone sonata follows
this model accurately with an addition of two other common features: an introduction
and a small coda.
Apart from the formal structure and vocal style of the piece, rhythmic and tonal
structures are central elements to Guastavino’s song quality in a sonata form; more
27 Guastavino’s treatment of the form will be further discussed later in this chapter. 28 James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Elements of Sonata Theory (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 15. 29 Ibid., 14-22.
17 specifically, he uses tonal and modal ambiguity as well as rhythmic feel and metric
displacement. The tonal and modal ambiguity allows him to avoid premature resolutions
and expands his modulation possibilities throughout the piece. For instance, the primary theme (mm. 25-40) is not presented on the tonic at first (B-flat major) but rather, on the supertonic (C minor), which gives the melody a Dorian quality. However, the melody concludes in the tonic (m. 33), confirming the original key.
The rhythmic feel of the melodies and metric displacements permit him to create the sense of urge and agitation during the development section without breaking the flow of the melodies. For instance, the primary theme (mm. 25-38) is light and
moderately fast (quarter note equals 120bpm) with eighth notes grouped with slurs
while the piano plays mostly quarter notes and eighth notes, which emphasizes the
quaternary feel of the melody (ex. 2a). On the other hand, the secondary theme (mm.
51-67) has a slower binary feel, even though the tempo marking is the same (ex. 2b).
The trombone melody groups two eighth notes and a quarter note while the piano
emphasizes the meter playing half notes, which imply a cut time binary pulse. The same
lyric characteristics on the trombone part are kept during the transitioning and
development sections.
18 Example 2: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón oTrompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 24-27
Example 3: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm.50-53
The first movement of the sonata has the formal elements described by Heproski and Darcy but treated in Guastavino’s own way. As shown in the examples above,
Guastavino uses manipulation of melodic and rhythmic material to generate a structure that can accommodate simple song through complex sonata structure. The analysis below demonstrates how Guastavino uses these techniques throughout the piece in a consistent and coherent way.
Analysis
The introduction (mm. 1-24) of this movement sets the form in motion; it serves as condensed version of the structural elements that will work more extensively
19 throughout the piece. The introduction contains tonal and modal ambiguity, changing rhythmic feel and metric displacement. The melody is constructed on the supertonic with arpeggios around a C minor chord and passing through in the first two bars and the repetition of the same C minor scale gesture four times (mm. 7-10). These gestures create a strong feeling of polarization around C minor with a Dorian sonority that is qualified by the use of A naturals. Contradictory, there is a constant repetition of an imperfect authentic cadence (IAC) to E-flat major which could lead one to expect a resolution in E-flat major. Here Guastavino establishes a pattern of avoiding the tonic and usage of ambiguous sonorities that will be repeated throughout the piece. However, this first ambiguity is quickly resolved by the stronger cadence in C minor in the first chord of the exposition (m.25), confirming the expectation created by the melody of centricity around C minor, thus Dorian mode.
The piece starts with a very clear quaternary feel obviously marked by a four-four time signature, which is asserted by the unaccompanied trombone melody emphasized by slurs every two eighth notes. The quaternary feel stays consistent for most of the introduction until measure nine where the melody goes to a binary feel, which is emphasized by the piano accompaniment and slur markings every two quarter notes.
Contrastingly, the piano part starts with longer note values that imply a binary feel (mm.
3-6) and are gradually condensed to metric displaced motives that are grouped in three eighth notes (mm. 23-24). Guastavino uses rhythmic diminution (mm. 7-9) and syncopation (mm. 11-13) to finally achieve a three eighth note metric displacement
(mm. 23-24) that sets up the beginning of the exposition. The syncopations, metric
20 displacement, as well as the tonal and modal duality presented in the introduction become the base material for the entire movement.
The exposition (mm. 25-73) has P on the supertonic (mm. 25-38) but briefly cadences on the actual B flat major tonic (m. 33), than the tonic is reaffirmed in the last bar of P (m. 38). In fact, Guastavino presents four different arrival points until the end of the primary theme which provokes a sense of ambiguous centricity. The first cadence point (m. 26) is at the supertonic, ii (c minor), which marks the Dorian sound. The second cadence point (m. 30) is during a secondary dominant to the supertonic over a
C pedal, V7 of ii (GMm7 chord over a C pedal tone), which marks a C minor Dorian sound. The third cadence point at the tonic chord, I (B flat major) in measure 33, finally arriving on the tonic of the piece; the final arrival point confirms the tonal center of the movement as Bb flat Major (mm. 38). The weak characteristic of the final arrival makes the sense of ambiguity stronger.
The use of the Dorian sonority in the opening theme seems to be a choice rather than an accident when one considers Guastavino’s intimate respect for the tradition of classical forms. Also, the form of the Sonata scheme is always present, in fact, it is proven by resolution of the tonal arrival point at the end of P in B-flat major (m. 38). In other words, the composer sticks to the basic Sonata scheme and cadence, the primary theme of the Tonic. The transitional section (mm. 40-50) has its modulatory character — as expected —moving from the tonic at the end of P to the dominant at S. The secondary theme (mm. 51-68) is on the dominant (F major) and indicates B-flat major as the central tonality of the piece. The exposition is concluded by a small transitory section and repetition of the exposition as it sets up the development section.
21 Traditionally a sonata form movement has a development section that is “active, restless, or [with] frequent tonal shifts.”30 In this sonata, Guastavino achieves these results with consistent modulations that induce tonal shifts and are strengthened by frequent alternations of metric feels. He uses two main harmonic techniques to create a sense of instability that result in expected tonal areas: (1) the augmented six chords, which allow for a larger number of tonal resolutions and (2) deceptive cadences, which also allow the composer to resolve on unexpected chords. For example, the German augmented six chords (mm. 95-96) apparently indicate a resolution in C minor; nevertheless it is resolved in B major. Shortly after (mm. 99-100) Guastavino uses a deceptive cadence to return to B flat major. Guastavino passes through many distant tonalities during the developmental section by applying both of these techniques. The most notable usage of unexpected harmonic changes is in the final measures of the development where Guastavino resolves to B flat major (m. 124) after five measures of a dominant F-sharp pedal point (mm. 118-122).
Example 4: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm.95-96
30 James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Elements of Sonata Theory (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 18.
22 Example 5: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm.99-100
The composer uses rhythmic variety in order to achieve the active and restless qualities of the developmental section. It has an abundant frequency of alternation between two different metric styles and metric displacements.31 For instance, from
measure seventy-nine (m. 79) to measure eighty-four (m. 84) the piano has a very
active figure every dotted quarter note value which produces a feeling of metric
displacement. The metric displacement (MD) is alternated with sections in regular
binary rhythmic feel (BRF) throughout the developmental section. The alternations of
the two rhythmic patterns divide the development into six parts where the metric
displayed section acts as a micro transitioning section in between the lyric statements of
the trombone solo. This organization produces a sense of gradual forward momentum
and continuity of the development from one section to the other.
31 Most of the complex rhythmic activity is the piano part. Guastavino preserves the song quality of the trombone part, despite the complex and restless character of the section.
23 Example 6: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I, mm. 83-86
Table 1: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. I (mm. 76-119)
Development section
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
BRF MD BRF MD BF BF BF MD
mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm.
76-78 79-84 85-88 88-94 95-100 104-109 110-117 117- 119
The table above (Table 1) shows an overall layout of the organization of the
development section through the use of two contrasting rhythmic feels. Part one; the
trombone and piano are playing soft and melodically in D major, V/G (mm. 76-78). Part
two; the piano solo modulates through the metric displacement (mm. 79-84). Part three;
the trombone and piano return playing softly and melodically, now in B flat major, V/E- flat (mm. 85-87). Part four is marked with a crescendo, modulating and overlapping of the melodic trombone phrase as the piano plays with rhythmic displacement (mm. 88-
94). Part five, six and seven (mm. 95-116) are all in binary feel, but they contain the most complex chromatic harmonies, which modulate constantly. However, through parts five, six and seven the piano rhythmic motion gets more active gradually transitioning to
24 complete rhythmic displacements in part six. Lastly, part six (mm. 117- 119) is another short metric displacement transitioning before the false recap.
According to Hepokoski and Darcy a Type 3 sonata-form recapitulation “resolves the tonal tension originally generated in the exposition by re-beginning on the tonic and usually by restating all of the non-tonic modules from part 2 of the exposition (S and C
[closing] material) in the tonic key.”32 Guastavino organized his recapitulation almost exactly as stated by Hepokoski and Darcy; however the recapitulation is unique because it resolves the tonal and modal tension of the piece. The tonal is resolved because entire recapitulation section (mm. 126-167) is under the umbrella of the tonic key. Consequently, the tension of modal and tonal ambiguity is also resolved because the opening Dorian sonorities of the exposition are erased from the recapitulation.
Guastavino did not reenter the P theme in C minor moving to B-flat major mirroring what he had done in the exposition. Instead, the recapitulation is presided by an unstable false recapitulation in B-flat major (mm. 123-126) emphasizing the return to the central key of B-flat major instead of C minor. The actual recapitulation restates both P and S on the tonic (B-flat major) making clear the tonality of the piece after the ambiguity of its exposition. He accomplished such task by setting up a definite return to the tonic key, harmonizing the piano part and transposing the first three notes of the trombone melody
(mm. 126-130). Guastavino resolves any tension regarding the tonal and modal ambiguity of the piece. He sums up the movement with a short coda (mm. 168-183) in
B-flat major, leaving no doubt about the affirmation of the movements tonality.
32 James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Elements of Sonata Theory (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 19.
25 Guastavino’s simple and direct treatment of the recapitulation reinforces his close attachment to the traditional sonata form. On the other hand, his overall treatment of tonal and modal ambiguity shows a traditional yet fresh twentieth century approach to a familiar scheme. Certainly, one can consider Guastavino subtle approach a statement against the avant-guard novelties of his time, resembling Brahms’s musical positioning to the futurist of his time.
26 CHAPTER IV
SECOND MOVEMENT: ANDANTE CANTABILE
Guastavino remains true to his songful and anti-modernist approach in the trombone sonata in his choices of key, affection, and form. The second movement is composed in E-flat major, subdominant of the sonata’s main key of B-flat major, and is
constructed in a rotational sonata form. According to Hepokoski and Darcy the most
frequent key choice for the slow movement of a late-eighteenth-century sonata is on the
subdominant of the main key.33 Furthermore, “subdominant-key movement lowers the
first movement’s tension toward the more relaxed IV.”34 Guastavino’s of choice of
subdominant key influences the mood of this second movement, which follows convention that assumes cantabile, pastoral, and sentimental characteristics.35
Traditionally, slow movements do not have a specific form, most of them, however, are
in some sort of ternary form (ABA’), variations, or a set of alternating variations.36
The slower pace of the second movement already establishes a cantabile style
that is associated with vocal lines. Guastavino uses these characteristics to further expand his exploration of the vocal qualities of the trombone. More importantly, he seems to use the freedom of form to reflect his own trajectory in the genre of songs, which in his early career started with complex romantic style and merged to a direct and simple style.37 The movement is outlined in the same manner; it begins with long
33 James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Elements of Sonata Theory (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 324. 34 Ibid. 35 Ibid., 323-324. 36 Ibid., 322-323. 37 The progress from complexity to simplicity in the overall scheme of the composition also is another influence of romantic music in Guastavino. A complex piece movement that culminates in simple tune was widely used composers in songs, chamber music and orchestral works. Very well-known examples are Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Brahms’s First Symphony.
27 phrases, complex harmonies, avoidance of tonal resolution, and polyrhythmic gestures, but the piece gradually switches to shorter phrases, simpler harmonies, clearer tonal center and straight forward rhythms in its coda. One cannot affirm Guastavino’s intention to create any sort of autobiographical statement with this movement. However, one can understand his command of both art song and popular song styles, which is one his most important defining traits of his unique Argentine background.
As advanced above, the movement is organized in a rotational sonata form.
Hepokoski and Darcy make clear that a sonata form is based on a principle of rotational structures where large thematic blocks define its structure with alternations and adjustments38. Guastavino adds an introduction, a transitional section, a short cadenza, and a coda to the structure (see Table 2). Guastavino’s lyric treatment allows for simple melodies, which are in relatively narrow range with constant harmonic suspensions, tonal obscureness, and chromaticism. In agreement with the techniques used in the first movement, the melodies encompass an octave within a phrase with predominant diatonic motion. The only exception is the cadenza, which reaches a three-octave range in its course. The main key of E-flat fits the central range of the trombone well, which facilitates good tone, dynamic contrast, range, and technical facility.
38 James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Elements of Sonata Theory (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 611-614.
28 Table 2: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. II (mm. 1-144)
Exposition: Development: Recapitulation:
first rotation second rotation third rotation
Intro A B Trans. A’ B’ Cad. A’’ B’’ Coda
mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm.
1-8 8-32 32-50 50-60 60-68 69-82 83-91 92-105 106-123 124-144
Harmonically complex Developmental Harmonically Simple
stable harmony
The form plays a fundamental role in the shape of the movement and contrasts
between complexity and simplicity. The main body of the form is divided in rotations;
each rotation contains a variation of A and B as well as a transitional section or a
cadenza. The shape constitutes of an arch form where the first rotation is harmonically
complex and instable presenting A and B sections. The second rotation is compressed
in size, modulates to a distant key of E major (m.70) that culminates during the
trombone cadenza. Finally, the third rotation is more harmonically stable and prepares
the tonal resolution in the coda. The coda is based on a simple repeated harmonic
pattern (ii-V7-I) with a simple tonal melody in E-flat major.
The piano introduction (mm. 1-8) is marked forte, essaltado, un pò mosso (loud,
exalted, and a little bit moved) based on a series of suspensions and dominant-seven
chords between the dominant (B-flat) and subdominant (F minor). The introduction is also marked with rhythmic complexity containing constant polyrhythmic figures of double against triple. By the beginning of the A section, he marks a tempo molto
29 cantabile, slows down the harmonic rhythm and the suspensions become less often. A different and less agitated character sets the central sonority of the piece.
The A section is based on fundamental melody and accompaniment style. The complexity in the primary theme rests not upon the melody, which remains simple, but rather on the harmonization. In accordance with the technique used in the first movement, Guastavino uses tonal ambiguity in the beginning of the movement, which contributes to continuous flow of the piece and reinforces the central tonalities in major arrival points. He avoids resolving in the central key of E-flat major in the introduction
(mm. 1-7) and A section (mm. 8-32). He harmonizes the simple melody in C minor
(Aeolian mode) around dominant chords; which open many possible tonal paths.
Therefore, Guastavino obscures the fundamental key harmonically and melodically making the key or mode uncertain at this point. The first resolution in E-flat major will be in an inverted imperfect authentic cadence (IUC) at the end of section A (mm. 31-32), which is similarly repeated at the end of section B (mm. 49-50). The only definite PAC will be at the end of the last section (mm. 122-123). B (mm. 33-49) is based on a dialogue between the two instruments in contrast to the melody and accompaniment style of A. However, the B is more instable and intense due to the constant use of suspensions, melodic leading tones, and avoidance of tonal center (see example 7).
Guastavino is able to create tension that culminates during the transitional section (mm.
49-59). The transition is similar to that of the introduction, naturally preparing the first
variation A and B.
30 Example 7: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. II, mm. 30-42
Part two has an urgent and restless mood, which is achieved by the compact size of the two sections and rapid modulations. The compact size increases the sense of urgency and marked points of dramatic harmonic change. For instance, the transitional measures between section A’ and B’ (mm. 67- 69) present a sharp harmonic turn from a C minor area to a B major dominant chord (mm. 69) preparing the modulation to the distant key of E major (mm. 77). The abrupt change is marked piano in dynamic at the B major chord, which is preceded by a crescendo from the previous section.
The development traits of the form help to make clear the contrast of the parts and overall direction from complexity to simplicity. After the trombone cadenza, the piece gradually evolves to a more stable and less dramatic place using simple musical gestures, an approach that is closer to Guastavino’s piece in popular style. He gradually
31 goes away from the tonal obscureness and complex harmonies. For instance, at the third rotation (mm. 92-123) the piano starts with the melody in section A’ which has a similar character to that of the first rotation (mm. 8-50). However, the harmonies are more stable; they clearly indicate a harmonic direction towards an E-flat major resolution. Section A’’ (mm. 92-105) is in an E-flat major tonal area, but does not have any strong cadences. The strongest cadence is an IAC at the first measure of Section
B’’ (m. 105), which temporally modulates to B-flat major (m. 112) a final resolution in E- flat major at the end of the section (m. 123).
Example 8: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. II, mm. 128-131
The coda (mm. 124-144) confirms the resolution in E-flat major unquestionably defining the central tonality of the movement. On the other hand, the coda also concretizes the simple song style of the piece, which has been intelligently hidden through harmony, tonal suspense, and rhythmic complexity. The simplicity is evident melodically and harmonically: the melody is composed of short phrases in diatonic tones and modest binary rhythmic division, while the harmony outlines a repeated ii-V7-I
progression (Ex. 8).
32 The progression from complexity to simplicity is obvious when comparing the
opening measures of the movement to the coda section: the former is made of
unresolved harmonies with polyrhythm where the latter was made of a simple
progression and binary rhythms. The arrival of the pure and simple style seems to be a
resolution of the duality of simple melody against complex harmonies and modulations.
Such duality was common in musical compositions of the romantic period, especially
composers such as Shubert, Schumann, and Brahms, who used duality extensively in
their pieces.39 However, there are three unique trademarks of Guastavino’s approach:
first, his use of romantic concepts which were considered out of fashion; second, his
use of the trombone as the melodic voice; finally, the resulting cosmopolitan Argentine
song which, regardless of its influence, is the product of one the most important
Argentine song writers.40
39 "Lied -LSB-Ger.,Pl.Lieder-RSB-." In The Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2003. https://libproxy.library.unt.edu/login?qurl=http%3A%2F%2Flibproxy.library.unt.edu%3A2532%2Fcontent% 2Fentry%2Fharvdictmusic%2Flied_ger_pl_lieder%2F0 (accessed March 10, 2014.) 40 Bernardo Illari, “Carlos Guastavino” (class lecture, University of North Texas, Fall semester, 2010).
33 CHAPTER V
THIRD MOVEMENT: RONDÓ – ALLEGRO GIUSTO
As expected from a pure instrumental work in the western tradition, the third
movement of Guastavino’s trombone sonata has a lighter, exuberant, and playful
quality. It focuses on the virtuosi performing ability of the instrumentalists and a brilliant
fast pace. The fast rondo movement completes the overall sonata layout and presents
the most technical approach to the trombone in the piece. Contrasting with the first two
movements and reinforcing Guastavino’s loyalty to the sonata form. Nevertheless, the
vocal quality of the piece is still strongly explored in the melodic episodes in a cantabile
style, which is framed by refrains in a leggiero style. The melodic episodes are filled with
tunes that have a simple and vocal quality, which are features of Guastavino’s vocal
oeuvre. In sum, the song approach is still fundamental to the movement despite the
superficial agile character.
In this movement, the thematic repetition typical of the rondo form helps to
highlight the contrast of the styles. The movement includes a repeated refrain and two
episodes with a coda (ABACA coda) (table 3).41 Contrast is created between the
refrains and episodes: the refrain (A) carries the leggiero technical section while the
contrasting episodes (B) have the melodic cantabile sections.42 Guastavino also utilizes
alternation between trombone and piano achieving contrast between sections. The coda
has a typical finale ending, its main role being to emphasize the central tonality clearly
closing the full cycle of the piece.
41 For types of Rondo form see: James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Elements of Sonata Theory (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 389-392. 42 Each refrain and episode have two periods comprised of two phrases, sometimes with added small introduction, interlude or transition.
34 Table 3: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. III (mm. 1-245)
A B A C A Coda
Refrain First episode Refrain Second episode Refrain
Leggiero Cantabile Leggiero Cantabile Leggiero
mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm.
1-42 43-100 101-144 145-190 191-218 219-245
As indicated in the table above, the form is clearly separated by contrasting
sections of the piece where both episodes consist of a cantabile style in juxtaposition to
the refrain’s light and fast qualities. Furthermore, Guastavino also creates subtle
variations in each episode through his use of instrumentation. For instance, the first
episode (B section) consists of a piano interlude (mm. 43-58) with the main theme in the
trombone (mm. 59-76) in F major, followed by a repetition of the same theme played by
the piano (mm. 77-92), also in F major. Variety is achieved by the alternation of the two
melodic mediums, even though the key and character remains stable. The second
episode (C section) includes a short introduction (mm. 145-149) to the theme, where the trombone remains the melodic voice (mm. 150-189). However, this time Guastavino achieves contrast by giving a modulatory character to the section. This episode contains two periods, the first one remains stable in the key of E-flat major while the second period (mm. 173-191) has a modulatory character, which culminates at the final repetition of the refrain.
Although the movement is clearly in B-flat major, the harmonic treatment supports the forward momentum and flow of the movement through modulations in
35 many tonalities. However, contrary from the previous movements, most of the tonalities
are closed related ones such as G minor, C minor, F major and E-flat. Also, Guastavino makes the center of B-flat apparent much sooner than in the previous movements (mm.
20). Nevertheless, he still hides the central key through misleading melodic lines and
avoidance of tonal resolution. For instance, the movement starts in C minor with a quick
Picardy resolution (m. 12) in C major, however the C tonality is not confirmed and
evolves to fast modulation to B-flat (mm. 13-20). He reinforces the B-flat tonality in the
second period of the first refrain (mm. 21-36), but quickly adds a modulatory transition
to the first episode where he passes by through two tonalities, G minor and F major.
Guastavino still relies on innumerous secondary dominants and chromatic
passages in every section. However, despite the complex harmonic maneuvers that he
utilizes throughout the movement, the episodes are fundamentally based in simple
tuneful melodies. The melodies of both episodes are tonally stable: episode one in F
major (Example 9) and episode two in E-flat major (Example 10). In both episodes melodies are mostly comprised of stepwise diatonic motion. The range covered by both melodies is narrow, within an octave. Larger leaps are only founded in the beginning and ends of each phrase: episode one ends with a major fifth and episode two begins with a major sixth.
36 Example 9: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. III, mm. 59-76
Example 10: Guastavino, Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano, Mvt. III, mm. 150-
159
Example nine and ten shows some of the simple vocal elements of the melodies in both episodes. Guastavino used these same characteristics throughout the entire piece. However due to the characteristic harmonic stability of the movement these elements of simplicity seem even more evident, thus bringing out the main element of the entire piece. Furthermore, the simplistic tuneful melodies serve both as a unifying feature of the piece as a whole while consistent to the light quality of the movement.
37 Guastavino is able to achieve consistency and unification of the large scheme of the entire sonata while respecting the common contrast to the other movements. Two elements define these characteristics: first, the strict preservation of a common third movement form, loyal to the instrumental sonata tradition. The movement’s lighter and less serious mood establishes great differentiation from the previous ones. The mood is neatly explored through the fast pace, the firm tonal center and lack of modulation, in contrast to the previous tonally ambiguous and modulatory style. Second, Guastavino remains true to his fundamental vocal qualities even in the movement that has a different style from the previous ones. The vocal qualities of the trombone sonata are easily recognizable throughout the movement, despite its overall virtuosi approach. The vocal qualities are a unifying element in every movement of the piece.
38 CHAPTER VI
CONCLUSION
Guastavino is known for his artistic choice of cultivating a traditional romantic
style of composition apart from the new tendencies and influences of the artistic
novelties of the twentieth century.43 He experienced and learned some of the
compositional procedures that were common among modern composers of the
twentieth century, yet he decided to stick to his own musical beliefs and adopted a more
traditional route. As a matter of fact, he was outspoken against some of the avant-guard movement, despite his shy personality.44 His cosmopolitan background gave him tools
to make well-educated choices for the music his was composing. His formal approach
to music is prominent in Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano in its highly strict
organization as a whole, the structural form in each movement, and his unique
treatment of tonality and modality. At the same time, Guastavino was true to his own
style as composer, which is ultimately an Argentine song style. Finally, he used the
lyrical qualities of the trombone to convey the type of melodic approach the he used in
his vocal works.
Guastavino truly follows the forms and styles of the western composition tradition
in his Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano. This skill proves his knowledge and
intimacy with classical music writing, furthermore, his commitment to an anti-modernist
aesthetic concept. Therefore, his choice of using Argentine elements, popular music
elements, and vocal elements of the trombone are deliberate rather than by chance.
43 Silvana Luiz Mansilla, La Obra Musical de Carlos Guastavino. Circulacion, Recepcion, Mediaciones (Buenos Aires: Gourmet Ediciones, 2011), 19. 44 Jonathan Kulp, Carlos Guastavino: “A re-evaluation of his harmonic language,” Latin American Music Review, Vol. 27 (2003), 197-198.
39 Thus, this sonata is a product of a cosmopolitan composer who opted to compose with mixtures of classical forms, songs, and Argentine poplar musical influences. In sum,
Sonata for Trombone and Piano is a work that embraces Guastavino’s cosmopolitan style, his intimacy and knowledge of vocal music, and his idiomatic use of the trombone as a soloist with precise use of the sonata scheme.
40 BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Guastavino, Carlos. Sonata para Trombón o Trompa y Piano. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Editorial Lagos, 1973.
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