ATONAL ASPECTS IN THE LATE PIANO WORKS
OF FRANZ LISZT
by
Richard Fiester w
A thesis
submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts in the Department of Music
California State University, Fresno
June 1974
\ 11 L Lit UfiUY C A LI I t I; K Ik t 1 /,1 L t1 U IV L L b [\ V I LL LIU1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF EXAMPLES v
Chapter
1. THE RISE OF ATONALITY IN THE MUSIC
OF FRANZ LIST 1
PURPOSE 1
RELEVANCY STATEMENT 1
DELIMITATION 1
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS 2
2. INFLUENCES UPON THE ATONAL CONCEPTS
OF FRANZ LISZT 3
3. ATONAL CONCEPTS IN THE LATE PIANO WORKS
OF FRANZ LISZT 13
4. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 27
SUMMARY 27
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 28
30 BIBLIOGRAPHY " . . 31 DISCOGRAPHY LIST OF EXAMPLES
Example Page
1. L'Art De Varier Variation 27, in. 1 3
L'Art De Varier Variation 27, mm. 2-5 4
2. L'Art De Varier Variation 38, mm. 1-6 . 5
3 (a). Prelude, Op. 28, No. 2, mm. 1-4 . 6
3 (b). Prelude, Op. 28, No. 2, mm. 9-16 7
3 (c). Prelude, Op. 28, No. 2, mm. 17-23 8
4 (a). Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 4, mm. 1-5 9
4 (b). Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 4, mm. 9-12 9
4 (c). Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 4, mm. 16-20 10
5. Prelude, Op. 28, No. 4, mm. 1-12 11
6 (a). Gray Clouds, mm. 1-2 13
6 (b). Gray Clouds, m. 5 13
6 (c). Gray Clouds, mm. 9-10 14
6 (d). Gray Clouds, mm. 21-22 14
6 (e). Gray Clouds, mm. 25-27 14
6 (f). Gray Clouds, mm. 33-35 15
6 (g). Gra^ Clouds, mm. 46-48 15
7 (a). Unstern!, mm. 1-15 16
7 (b). Unstern! , mm. 20-24 . 16
Unstern!, mm. 25-36
7 (c). Unstern! , num. 47-57 18 18 7 (d). Unstern!, mm. 58-61 19 vi
Example Page 7 (e). tinstern I , mm. 73-84 x°
7 (f). llnstern! , mra. 85-91 20
7 (g). tins tern! , mm. 105-108 20
7 (h). UnsternI , mm. 147-152 20
8 (a) . Bagatelle llithout Tonality, mm. 1-6 21
8 (b). Bagatelle Without Tonality, mm. 13-15 21
Bagatelle Without Tonality, mm. 16-20 22
8 (c). Bagatelle Without Tonality, mm. 30-33 ...... 22
8 (d). Bagatelle Vlithout Tonality, mm. 38-41 23
8 (e) . Bagatelle Without Tonality, mm. 57-62 23
8 (f). Bagatelle Vlithout Tonality, mm. 86-94 24
8 (g). Bagatelle Without Tonality, mm. 179-180 24
Bagatelle Without Tonality, mm. 131-183 25 Chapter 1
THE PJCSE OF ATONALITY IN THE MUSIC
OF FRANZ LISZT
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to identify the process through an analytical and historical framework for the atonal concepts in the late piano works of Franz Liszt.
RELEVANCY STATEMENT
Over the last years the works of Franz Liszt have been evaluated. Through previous generations, it is apparent that his works, in special regard to their compositional techniques, were taken at less than their true intrinsic worth in many instances.
The examples presently being used are works teat were experimental in nature and show intrinsic evidences of tonalities used in the twentieth century.
DELIMITATION
The selection of relevant material is limited in the following way. Only material that had particular emphasis in Liszt's concept of atonality is used, plus its previous historical reference points in the nineteenth century. 2
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS
The germinal sources that are gradually assimilated into atonality are:
1. the chord of the sixth;
2. the augmented triad with its enharmonic and inverted forms;
3. the diminished seventh chord with its enharmonic and inverted forms;
4. the tx^elve tones within the chromatic octave;
5. the negation of tonality occurring when the harmonic rhythm of some or all the above is rapid, intense, or suspended enough to cause its dissipation.
The musical influences that contain the above germinal
material that Liszt fused into atonal concepts are the works of
Anton Reicna,1 the works of Frederic Chopin,2 the theories of
K. F. von Weitzmann,3 and Hungarian music.4
Publications, 1966), PP* 67 68 , Scale No. 4 as, 1951), p. 663. Chapter 2
INFLUENCES UPON THE ATONAL CONCEPTS
OF FRANZ LISZT
Specific piano pieces composed by Franz Liszt during the last six years of his life, 1S80-86, may well be the foreshadowing of new tonalities of the twentieth century.
As early as 1802, the Eohemian theorist and composer Anton
Reicha wrote two works for piano that clearly foreshadow atonal concepts. They were Thirty-six Fugues for Piano (an experiment in the
"abandonment of tonality")5 and L'Art De Uarler which in Variation 27 and 38 forecast those techniques of Wagner and Debussy.5 Liszt became Reicha*s student in 1826.^
As shown in the example from L'Art De Varier Variation 27, the use of Tristanesque intervals of the sixth and diminished fifth are clearly identified in the first five measures of the piece and elsewhere (Example 1) -
^Reicha, op. cit. , p. xii. x
„ i Ti-zt (London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1963), 7Walter Beckett, v t>. 142; see also Searle, op. cit., p-
Another example of the same Tristanesque effect is Variation
_>3 Oi. «-he same set. Measures 1, 3, and 4 along with other measures show considerable use of the diminished fifth and diminished seventh,
augmented second, and chords of the sixth (Example 2).
40 6 A furtner illustration in the negation of tonality is the second Prelude of Chopin, Op. 28, No. 2.8 Tonal suspension is created in the following tanner:
As shown in mm. 1 and 2 the opening is in the dominant key of E minor. To suspend tonality further, the intervals are so constructed to create dissonance. In vertical position these are intervals of the perfect fifth (itself obviously not dissonant) and the diminished seventh. Horizontally, the relationship is of the augmented fourth in the lower notes, and the minor sixth between the two upper notes is employed. Even in the melodic line the diminished auality is apparent, as shown in the antecedent phrase at ra. 3
(Example 3 (a)).
Lento
_2 2i — 2 —* ' L=_ , O
l r"^ii 1.3 ——t—m i M a - rv-H TT—i—s—hta Lit -* * v '9 -»
^The relationship between Chopin and Lisst is well known Searle, op. cit., p. 127. 7
xo delay tne tonality even further, the entire phrase is
done in the dominant or the dominant or B major with an addition of
the augmented fourth at m. 11. The final delay of the hey before the
cadential procedure appears in the dominant of the dominant at m. 13
(Example 3 (b)).
i 1— I -J- jy L_ R 1 p— m (1 \ 9 - io f A f * * #- 11 . -p- f « JT — C? L > ji • 1 • T i " T ' .14 "' " • f m • •i • - W ; b ; • : *_ 1 P j »Tr*r horizontal position in mm. 1 and 4) forming part of a "diminished scale ' oj- alternating wnole and half steps (Example 4 (a)).
Lento, ma non troppo J = 152
Op.17 Nr 4
2 „ -— l-t—] •* A-?=> i
4 CL £ I I —0 0 • J j (1 At the subsequent phrase at m. 9 the diminished seventh
qualities continue with a descending chromatic pattern in the left
hand, negate tonality with unnatural resolution (Example 4 (b)).
m "-T- m I n 12 'V j;*. A A A A ± I f * * ' i' m
scale constructed of alternating whole and half steps, also
called the Octatonic scale. 10 Tlie sixth and diminished feeling continue in the accom paniment until n. 19 where the cadential material is introduced at m. 20 (Example 4 (c)). ten. ~~
143 k1 -V*
The piece ends with the direct quotation of the introduction, leaving the piece with the tonal ambiguity of the alternating sixth and seventh chords, plus the diminished scale as presented in the beginning of the piece. Host astonishing is the fact that this literal repetition of the opening causes the piece to end, not on the tonic but on the submediant in first inversion, i.e., A, C, F instead of the expected A, C, E. exhibited in mm. 9-10 and elsewhere in The type of sequence the above example plays a major role in yet another Chopin piece, the
Prelude, Op. 28, Kb. 4: namely, a chain of chromatically descending
,„Q „i7nl-res moving one at a time. Obviously, seventh chords with respective
. . , be continued ad infinitum without any this figure, once initiated, ca 11 reference to functional harmony. Its net effect, therefore, is a
suspension of tonality. In this particular instance (Example 5,
mm. 1-12) and also in mm. 13-17 the goal harmony is the dominant of
the home key, but it is not arrived at functionally.
—"—h#— h--— T 4
irtff •± •Script _i L__i J 1 2 1 I 12 Liszt's association with the cneorxstthpnrioi- vK. F.T? von ,,Weitzmann . is already documented. 10 For one ti.ing,th-iro- he was aware of von Weitzmann's tract on the augmented triad Per ubermassige Dreiklang.H Basically, the relationship between tones within a chromatic octave can be held to an inseparable alliance. That is, all tones can be placed into three diminished chords if read in a horizontal position, or into four augmented chords if utilized in a vertical position.
Thus, two scales are generated, each a proper subset of the chromatic octave: (1) the whole-tone scale with its augmented qualities and (2) the diminished scale with diminished or half-step qualities. A possible ultimate in the sphere of atonality arrives when these two tonalities join.
The last general factor that served Liszt in the evolution of his harmonic language was his strong identification with the Gypsy or Hungarian scale-^-2 which, beginning of C, for example, would read
C, D, Eb, Fit, G, Ab, B. Although this scale does not contain a complete diminished seventh chord, it does contain two diminished triads (i.e., degrees 1, 3, 4 and 6, 7, x); an augmented triad, meanwhile, is formed by degrees 3, 5, and 7. In a sense, therefore, this scale can be viewed as a union of the two oasic components von Weitzmann's matrix which constituted the essentials of Liszt's brand of atonality.
1QSearle, op. cit., p- 68. Minir •',r!6. Musicians, Vol. IX ^-George Groves, 1954), p. 249. . Eric Blom (5th ed. ; New York: St. Mart _ „~A Their Music, p- 301. 12Franz Liszt, The^yEsv^ncL_ine _ Chapter 3
ATONAL CONCEPTS IN THE LATE PIANO WORKS
OF FRANZ LISZT
Liszt's Crav Clouds^ is an important middle piece in the
transition from the suspension of tonality to the achievement of atonality.14 The opening motive combines the major seventh, the
augmented fourth, and the tonic triad of the home key, G minor
(Example 6 (a)).
Andante.
it//*)•'•!'i* y IV if rm . —! rf' f"7>1 \ p\ • \ i 2
— m f'P't,1' w ® J I
A further reinforcement of vagueness is the doubling of the
third used as a pedal tone at m. 5 (Example 6 (b)).
r j,, Liszt Society Publications, Vol 13 Franz Liszt, huages_Cris, 13> Late Piano Works (London: Schott and Co.,
rn ...... nf pranz Liszt (Budapest: l^Bence Szabolcsi, Sciences, 1959), pp. 52 Publishing House of the Hungarian Academy 14 Tonality disappears through a series of descending augmented triads at n. 9 (Example 6 (c)).
At its return in m. 21 the opening motive is modified to begin and end on Bb (Example 6 (d)).
1ilr i J
21 00 §3^WWW
At m. 25 the motive (in its original form) becomes the accompanying figure to a more obviously tonal line (example 6 (e))
a#H1v identified by the pedal accompaniment The return is readily laentir i-ori rriids and a syncopated rhythmic pattern plus the descending augmen >- «-
r.no the chromatic scale through one octave, in the right hand ascending the ct 15 plus the use of an augmented fourth in the left hand at m. 33
(Example 6 (f)).
The piece finally concludes on a dissonance which, though G can be identified as the harmonic post, contains both diminished and augmented triads (Example 6 (g)).
As Gray Clouds seemed to have distinctly been a transition between tonal and atonal material, Jnstern^ -ts, no dou^t, conclusive toward atonality.16 The piece is so constructed in j o-?Hipr augmented or diminished sections that are definitely attuned harmonies.
15Liszt, op. cit., PP- 41-44.
T^Szabolcsi, op. cit., PP* Its harmonic base includes the tritone and minor second which is so statea m the opening motive and repeated a fourth higher at m. 11 (Example 7 (a)).
i
Lento. M M 6
*• & —t 9 1 1 i w-*- *•—— p* tanie ji ^ 2 4 5 dv=» - f N=l ki -t J —biu j Z
^ ] "i? . > r H 2 r " r i n 7 / ^—- 15 gg~~_ >—^ At nr.. 20 and 21 there is a diminished triad, but the G# at m. 21 is used as a pivot tone, and by m. 25 the augmented triad is employed as the harmonic base and treated in a sequential series ascending half steps (Example 7 (b)). 1 At n. A, a change to Che nheie-tone scaie is coveted at 53-57 (Example 7 (c))« 18 t p 53 54 55 diminuendc • 56 _ 57 - 5= , =4= .i —J f—| ®-«Ea —«— •4H—4~j J1 —i:— L —- —- S? i 3 f Pi 3 i. 3 3 #333^ 3M* Through mm. 58-71 a series of augmented triads ascend to reach an atonal peak at m. 71 where a diminished triad is used in the left hand against an augmented triad in the right hand (Example 7 (d)). 19 In mm. 73-84 the material of mm. 1-25 is used in modified form and repeats the resolution through the common tone of which is used as a pivot at m. 84 (Example 7 (e)). 20 In ran. 85-100 a series of chords of the sixth alternating with chords of the diminished seventh appears with the tonal center in the dominant of the dominant key of F# creating a somewhat tonal passage (Example 7 (f)). a# sottenuto, qvtisi Organo :sx 87 71 it <4 =8= n eon 8T* b*88« Ey m. 105 the chromatic scale is used (Example 7 (g)) until m. 116 where the first four notes of the whole tone scale are found. These four notes spell out a tritone or augmented fourth, the enharmonic equivalent of the diminished fifth, suggesting a unification of the two basic elements of the work: namely, the augmented triad and the diminished seventh chord (Example 7 h)). 21 In EaSatelle Without Tonality1? an immediate atonal texture prevails with a motive of a minor second and diminished fifth. The atonal texture is repeated at m. 5 in the second motive of a diminished fourth and minor second, both found within the Hungarian scale (Example 8 (a)). Allegretto mo8 SO . Matron©mo 160 J pj ^ ' «>J A i f 1 / 2 0-> \m - 1 ^ ft J J m By m. 13 the figure alternates between major and minor seconds plus the diminished fourth. By m. 17 a suggestion of tne chromatic scale is employed with a continuation of diminished quality of fourth, fifth, and seventh (Example 8 (b)). scherzando 6 UFranz Liszt, Eas^UeJ^H^IonaUte (Editio Musics Budapest, 1972), p. 5. 22 0 1 2 312 3 21 2 1 1/ -4 r :: t ---4—4- 4 i -t= Trj~1riF it £ 4 * 0 — H? 16 • 18 1—1 1 4 I r— yf •—t ill 5=^=4 *1 ^ » 2 3 1 J * 3 i =-_2 1 1 3 [- x 4 .. 4 h J a •=i— aL-Sa 19. 20. ar* - 4 > - - c r-^l —v i —-v— » By m. 32 the entire chromatic scale is used against the basic diminished figure (Example S (c)). 23 The material first used in 13 is returned at nn 38 „ith a change to include augmented intervals (Example 8 (d)). W=^T- =P4— =c=sz: II1! -T H 'ff ^ fr+- 38 39 <•> t »' II I V 38 r * ^ ^ ^•—j—J—j— 40 — Hi #4— f N i If 1 1 At n. 57 the opening motive is used in chordal form with ascending harmonic half steps to encompass the interval of the diminished fourth (Example 8 (e)). a SO 5y pocc accelerando ed appassiona B I ttP" 1 S 24 At n. S6 the use of diminished seventh in arpeggio form complete the first section (Example S (f)). r uinj .p.*" rr£ a?-*—j \ tS !^ x 89 * 90 91 8- 43S 1 92^ 9^_ 94 * Section B at m. 87 is a repeat of section A with some modification. At m. 177 a series cf chromatic diminished cnords through an F octave conclude the piece clearly erasing any trace ox. a tonal center (Example 8 (g))« 25 26 In the analysis of these three works, one fort* opinions and values of their critieal worth in relationship to their intrinsic value in the broad spectrum of general musical literature. It is apparent that both Gray Clouds and Unstern! have intrinsic value in general musical literature and specifically in regard to the compositional techniques in Franz Liszt music. Perhaps these two compositions should be used or considered as worthy as the two Chopin examples are used in this paper. However, in reference to Bagatelle Without Tonality, the consideration is quite different. Here one sees Liszt contributing to his critics' views. Only as an experiment in atonality does it have any intrinsic value; otherwise, it is a piece of banal quality. Chapter 4 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to identify the process of Liszt's atonal techniques in his late piano works. These piano pieces were: 1. Gray Clouds 2. Unstern! 3. Bagatelle Without Tonality The process which was used to find these techniques was to isolate their germinal beginnings. These consisted OJ.. 1. the chord of the sixth; 2. the augmented triad and its enharmonic and inverted forms: 3. the diminished seventh chord and its enharmonic and inverted forms; 4. the twelve tones within the chromatic octave; 5. the negation of tonality occurring when the rhythm of some or all the abovejs r^'^onic' suspended enouga to cause * dissipation. T.rnq to discover where, The next step within the mvestxg if at all, these germinal materials could exist within the direct influences of other musicians and their music. These considerations developed as a result of an association wi 1. Anton Reicha 2. Frederic Chopin 3. K. F. von Weitzmann 4. Hungarian music More specifically, the works that were examined to find musical examples that presented effectual atonal beginnings were: I. Anton Reicha A. L'Art De Varier 1. Variation 27 2. Variation 38 II. Frederic Chopin A. Prelude, Op. 28, No. 2 in A minor B. Prelude, Op. 28, No. 4 in E minor C. Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 4 in A minor III. K. F. von Weitzmann A. Excerpts from Per ubermassige Dreiklang IV. Franz Liszt A. The Gypsy and Their Music In this paper the above works were identified and analyzed for their germinal atonal material of their atonal concepts. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS During this investigation of the selected works these conclusions were formulated: 1. Atonality doos not contain within Uself single element that can ne attriDU,eu 2. Atonality is a gradual historical b n t0 composite of several germinal sources assimilate during the Romantic 3. Atonality did exist in the late works of Franz Liszt. 4. These ^atonal experiments did forecast musical material used in the twentieth century, especially those of the Impressionistic and Expressionistic schools. On the basis of these conclusions the following are recommended: 1. Hore research should be collected and documented on the works of Franz Liszt to clarify further the extent of his use of atonality. 2. Atonality should be treated as a gradual historical, musical process and not a complete revelation of the twentieth century. 3. The theories of K. F. von Ueitzmann in regard to atonality should be made more readily available to the music student. BIBLIOGRAPHY Apel, i-.illi. Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1951. Beckett, Walter. Liszt. London: J. II. Dent & Sons, 1963. Chopin, Frederic. Complete Works. Vol. X: Mazurkas. 3rd ed. Warsaw- Cracow: Polish Music Publications, 1958. • Complete Works. Vol. I: Preludes. 2nd ed. Warsaw-Cracow: Polish Music Publications, 1957. Groves, George. Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Vol. IX. ed. Eric Blom. 5tli ed. New York: St Martin Press, 1954. Liszt, Franz. Bagatelle Sans Tonalite. Budapest: Editio Musica, 1972. . The Gypsy and Their Music. (n.p.) (n.d.) . Xuages Gris. Unstern! Liszt Society Publications. Vol. I. Late Piano Works. London: Schott and Co., Ltd. Reicha, Anton. L'Art De Varier. ed. Jan Racek. Prague: Statni Hudebni Vvpayalstri, 1961. Rostand, Claude. Liszt. New York: Grossman Publishers, 1972. Searle, Humphrey. The Music of Franz Liszt. New York: Dover Publications, 1966. Sitwell, Sacheverell. Liszt. New York: Dover Publications, 1967. Szabolcsi, Bence. The Twilight of Franz Liszt. Budapest: Publishing House of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1^5 DISCOGRAPHY Piano Recital. Louis Kentner. Ruanes Gris. etc. Turnabout 21278.