A Semiotic Approach to the Clarinet Quintet of Johannes Brahms By

A Semiotic Approach to the Clarinet Quintet of Johannes Brahms

Roberto Mikael Abragan de Guzman

A thesis submitted to the Moores School of Music, Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Musical Arts

in Performance

Chair of Committee: Timothy Koozin

Committee Member: Chester Rowell

Committee Member: Rob Smith

Committee Member: Dan Gelok

University of Houston

May 2021

Abstract This paper will provide a comprehensive look at Brahms’s clarinet quintet by providing a semiotic approach to the musical analysis. The quintet contains deformations regarding its form, according to James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy’s study of sonata cycle and sonata form. Furthermore, musical gestures introduced in the initial movement occur sporadically throughout the rest of the piece, creating connections between movements through their reoccurrence. Normative and non-normative events in the form of individual movements and the work as a whole give rise to oppositions that shape elements of conflict in musical narrative.

Eero Tarasti’s semiotic analysis along with James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy’s sonata theory and Edward Klorman’s idea of social interaction in the music will provide methodological approaches in examining the Brahms’s clarinet quintet. The combination of these approaches helps in identifying a narrative that spans the entirety of the piece.

Structural points in musical narrative are identified by applying concepts associated with sonata form and sonata cycle, while plot developments in the narrative are correlated with recurring motives and themes.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ...... iii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ...... v I. Introduction ...... 1 II. CHAPTER 1 (First Movement – Allegro) ...... 8 III. CHAPTER 2 (Second Movement – Adagio) ...... 27 IV. CHAPTER 3 (Third Movement – Andantino) ...... 40 V. CHAPTER 4 (Fourth Movement – Con Moto) ...... 50 VI. Conclusion ...... 57 VI. Bibliography ...... 61

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES 1.1 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 1, mm. 1–4 ...... 9 1.2 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 1, mm. 5–11 ...... 11 1.3 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 1, mm. 4–17 ...... 12 1.4 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, P1 theme mm. 18-25 ...... 14 1.5 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, Transition zone (mm. 25-35) ...... 15 1.6 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, S2 zone in the secondary zone (mm. 48-58) ...... 18 1.7 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, S3 zone in the secondary zone (mm. 59-70) ...... 19 1.8 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, First half of the Development (mm. 71-97) ...... 21 1.9 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, segment from the second half of the Development (mm. 98- 107) ...... 22 1.10 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, Retransition to Recapitulation (mm. 127-137) ...... 23 1.11 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, last phrase of the coda (mm. 207 – end) ...... 26 2.1 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, Introduction (mm. 1-8)...... 28 2.2 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, mm. 15-26 ...... 30 2.3 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, mm. 27-41 ...... 31 2.4 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, Interlude (mm. 42–51) ...... 32 2.5 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, segment of the B section (mm. 52- 55) ...... 34 2.6 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, End of B Section Coda ...... 37 2.7 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, Coda (m.128-end) ...... 38 3.1 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 3, Introduction (mm. 1-20)...... 41 3.2 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 3, Introduction (mm. 22-33)...... 43 3.3 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 3, segment of the Presto (mm. 34- 43) ...... 44 3.4 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 3, segment of the Presto (mm. 19-20 & mm. 37-37)...... 45 3.5 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 3 (mm. 166-end)...... 48 4.1 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 4, Theme (mm.1-32) ...... 51

4.2 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 4, Circling motive that exists in the fourth movement ...... 55

Introduction

The late works by Johannes Brahms provide some of the most beloved pieces in the clarinet repertoire: a trio, a quintet, and two sonatas. Many scholars have written historical information and musical descriptions of the works, creating useful annotations for musicians and audiences. As valuable as these contributions are, a musical analysis of his works can help provide an understanding of the piece regarding the form, key, rhythm, and other musical ideas that the music encompasses. A semiotic approach to the musical analysis of the Brahms clarinet quintet offers comprehensive information regarding the musical gestures in the piece thus creating a narrative.

Despite being one of the most important works with this instrumentation, the

Brahms clarinet quintet almost never existed. An earlier attempt in creating a chamber work for this instrumentation is said to have happened in 1888. The earlier version of the quintet was discussed in a letter to Clara Schumann; the Frankfurt Museum asked for a concert of Brahms’ music, which included the earlier version of a quintet. Unfortunately, the score for the first version of a clarinet quintet is lost because Brahms deemed the work unworthy of publication and destroyed the score. Furthermore, he considered that the art of clarinet playing had declined during his lifetime. Lastly, the composer had announced his retirement from composition.1

Upon hearing the beautiful playing of Richard Mühlfeld, clarinetist of the

Meiningen Orchestra, Brahms came out of retirement to compose works for the clarinet which invigorated the composer’s adoration for the clarinet. In a letter to Clara, Brahms described Mühlfeld as the “nightingale of the orchestra” and that “nobody can blow the

1 Colin Lawson, Brahms Clarinet Quintet (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1998), 31-32.

clarinet more beautifully than Herr Mühlfeld.”2 During the summer of 1881, he began work on the Clarinet Trio Op. 114 and the Clarinet Quintet Op. 115.

The premiere of the quintet occurred the same year it was composed. The performers included Richard Mühlfeld and Joseph Joachim and his string quartet. Brahms and the musicians took the quintet on tour, traveling through Europe. Bernard Shaw, a critic from the London premiere, remarked that Brahms’ work exceeded his expectations.

Friends, including Clara Schumann, claimed that it was a marvelous and heavenly work.

The success of the piece generated further collaboration between Brahms and Mühlfeld, which resulted in the composition of the two clarinet sonatas.3

Brahms’ clarinet quintet is a prototypical work for this medium with the string quartet and clarinet performing in a symphonic-like setting. Previous chamber pieces of this form existed, such as the Mozart quintet that Mühlfeld was playing during the concert where Brahms first heard him. Brahms’ quintet contains four movements: an opening allegro, an adagio, a binary form third movement, and a finale, which is the very same model as the Mozart quintet.

The study of semiotics in music involves interpretation of musical meaning through examination of signs and signals that can give rise to musical gestures. Some of the different actions that can occur in music may be defined by motivic similarities and differences, keys and how they relate throughout the sonata cycle, different topics that music can characterize and how they evolve, and metric dissonance. The discussion begins with an approach to sonata form and sonata cycles advanced by James Hepokoski

2 Lawson, 32. 3 Lawson, 36-7. 2

and Warren Darcy. Theorists Hepokoski and Darcy’s investigations of various works from the Classical era provides a way to explore musical forms.

In their studies, they use the structural zones of exposition, development, and recapitulation and provide them with a goal. The main objective of a sonata movement is to achieve the essential cadences in the exposition and recapitulation, the essential expositional closure (EEC) and the essential sonata closure (ESC) respectively. To accomplish this, the music must resolve in the correct key and on root position chords. In the music that the theorists consider normative, or that which evokes the most common formal structures, there are defined functions for each of the structural zones, such as the primary, transitionary, secondary, and closing areas. When the music fails to reach its goal, a type of narrative discourse occurs because it introduces a type of deformation in the sonata form.

The Brahms quintet has an extra burden to overcome because of its minor mode.

According to Hepokoski and Darcy, a sonata form in the minor key should resolve to its relative major in the exposition and parallel major in the recapitulation. If the movement fails to reach the major key areas, the sonata form does not fulfill its goal and provides a negative implication. These tonal trajectories occur in the exposition and the recapitulation during their respective secondary theme area. The sonata cycle that is set in the minor mode typically has a major mode trajectory for its final movement but is unrelated to the burdens of the sonata form.

Musical gestures in works provide actions within the musical structure. Theorist

Robert Hatten explores musical gestures and how they have positive or negative expressive connotations that shape dramatic trajectories spanning an entire musical work.

Byron Almén adopts Northrop Frye’s four narrative types (Romance, Tragedy, Irony,

Comedy) in interpreting musical narratives. Using sonata theory as established by James

Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, this analysis examines gesture and narrative in the context of formal designs that can be understood as normative or non-normative, giving rise to oppositional differences between the standards in sonata form and the anomalies that defy it. The narrative stems from the victory or defeat of the order-imposing hierarchy or the transgressor. The conflict between the order and transgressor is carried out by musical agents, such as motivic gestures in the music and normative and non-normative events in the formal structure. 4

Each movement of the Brahms has unique elements that produce distinct plot points in the narrative, thus creating supportive or obstructive gestures. These actions either support the order, aligned with the perceived protagonist in the narrative, or the transgressor, with antagonistic actions that impede the success of the protagonist. The

Brahms clarinet quintet exhibits what Almén labels as a tragic narrative: the story of the order’s defeat at the hands of the transgressor. The order in this work is the optimal or idealized formal structure in minor-key sonata form, in which a heroic struggle toward victory is symbolized in the shift to major mode tonality. A failed modal shift or reversion to minor mode can symbolize the ultimate sacrifice of the protagonist in the tragic-heroic narrative. The tragic narrative unfolds when the sonata movement fails to overcome its burden. Ironic tendencies also appear in the work; the order is presented with opportunities to overcome the transgressors but falters in doing so.

4 Byron Almén, A Theory of Musical Narrative (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2008), 65-6. 4

As musicians delve deeper into the meaning of musical elements, the semiotic study of music has become a new way to look at music from the Classical and Romantic era. In describing narrativity, the Finnish musicologist Eero Tarasti begins with myths and how the protagonist of the tale struggles to achieve their goal. Since storytelling was accompanied by music, Tarasti believes that music invokes these narrative ideas due to its association with myths. The exploration of storytelling in music began by examining gestures, motives, and forms. Tarasti uses the terms signifiers and signified in his analysis regarding musical gestures: signifiers are the different ideas in the work itself and signified being the descriptive action that the music provides.

The perceived failures in this sonata cycle that signal tragic or ironic expression are heavily perpetuated in the first movement. The primary deformation of this work is that it never resolves its final moments in the first and fourth movement in a major key, a component that Darcy and Hepokoski sees as a conclusion for minor mode sonata cycles.

While different results can happen in any minor mode sonata cycle, remaining in the minor mode provides negative outcomes. Specifically, for the first movement, a sonata form ends with bad implications when the exposition and recapitulation do not reach the

EEC or ESC in the major mode. Furthermore, the normative keys must be achieved in said cadences; in this case, ending on the relative and parallel major of B minor becomes the goal of the secondary theme zones of both the exposition and the recapitulation, respectively. The struggle to find the correct key centers provides a conflict between the order-imposing hierarchy and the transgressor. In this movement, the order of the narrative is represented by the ideas and gestures that revolve around the major key.

Therefore, the transgressors, in this movement, are the insistence of B minor and motivic

actions that destabilizes the major mode. The repercussion of the protagonist’s defeat puts an extra burden on the sonata cycle of reaching a major mode close, especially the final movement.

The tragic narrative is further perpetuated by different motivic gestures that exist throughout the work. Moments of tonal ambiguity and metric dissonance provide instability throughout the different movements, while a reoccurring motive that I have labeled the “circling motive” provides unclear intentions by implying two different key areas. The first occurrence of tonal ambiguity occurs in the introduction, which provides melodies that exist in the key of the order and the key of the transgressor. Tonal ambiguity continues to occur in the first movement because of a lack of prepared full cadences in most of the structural zones. The multiple keys of this movement perpetuate confusion, when compared to what Hepokoski and Darcy label as normative key centers in the sonata cycle. The idea of metric dissonance, or syncopation, occurs to create an unsteady feeling regarding melodic and harmonic structure. These syncopated rhythms plague the first movement and occurs simultaneously with tonal ambiguous areas. These ideas lurk the work as an infection, existing subtly until the coda of the finale, when it returns to fulfill their objective as the transgressor’s allies.

Furthermore, the social interplay between the voices creates another aspect of the music’s narrative. The interaction between the members of the string quartet provides the standard collaboration between instrumental voices. However, with the introduction of the clarinet, the quintet faces a new challenge. As the piece begins, the different string instruments oppose one another with the clarinet voice attempting to be the mediator.

This is until the tonal ambiguity pushes the key to the minor mode. As the group traverse

through the piece, a camaraderie begins to form between the group with an acceptance of the clarinet voice in the latter movements of the work. This is shown through the support that the string voices provide for the clarinet as it takes melodic responsibility.

Using semiotic analysis, this document will look at deformations in the musical form found in the Brahms quintet. Additionally, it will determine if the motivic ideas and their transformations throughout the piece provide positive or negative implications, and what their significance is relative to the overall tragic narrative. Furthermore, it will identify ironic incidences that provide the idea of false hope, which are ultimately thwarted by actions of the transgressor and the motives that aide it.

Chapter 1: First Movement – Allegro

The first movement of the quintet presents the standard allegro sonata form and is in the key of B minor. The larger sections of the movement provide the three major areas of a traditional sonata: exposition, development, and recapitulation. Furthermore, both types of parageneric spaces, which are areas in the music that occur outside of the standard structural zones of the sonata form, occur during this movement, with the inclusion of introductory and coda materials.

However, this movement does not follow what is expected in the typical first movement of a sonata. The primary theme area struggles to stabilize its key. During its introductory measures, tonal ambiguity occurs and the motives that occur in this area are metric dissonance and a circling motive. Metric dissonance refers to the rhythms against downbeats, or syncopation, and the circling motive embodies an oscillation of notes around a specific pitch, creating a strong assertion of the highlighted pitch. The transition and the secondary theme attempt, with limited success, to establish the normative major keys found in minor mode sonatas. The introduction of the major mode is met with metric dissonance that reoccurs throughout the movement and continues to destabilize the key these areas. The failure to achieve the essential cadences, which are the essential expository closure and the essential structural closure, provides a deformation in the sonata form. The recapitulation is not presented in the normative key of B major, which creates a catastrophic resolution for a minor mode sonata form. The negative implications that the music presents eventually leads to a tragic narrative and provides implications of irony due to the false hope created during the transition and secondary areas.

Example 1.1: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 1, mm. 1-4

The D-major introduction begins with a melody embodying a pastoral topic with the violins moving in thirds, as shown in Ex. 1.1. Furthermore, the melody provides a motive that revolves around a pitch, most of the time the tonic, presenting a simplicity which is a signifier of the pastoral. The pastoral topic embodies the idyllic life of shepherds providing simple gestures to embody the tranquility of living a rustic life.

Musical gestures include moving in thirds, melodic movement within a small range, usually diatonic. However, this idyllic D major setting creates confusion since the key associated with the piece is B minor, the key of the first theme area. While major tonal centers can exist in the introduction, the expected key for an introductory passage is the dominant of the true key of the piece. When the cello and viola enter, a rhythmic discourse occurs interrupting the serene melody by the violins. This creates a moment of chaos with energy driven syncopations and the acceleration of the harmonic motion. The tonality shifts into B minor, the true key of the movement. The tension between the two keys provides the first narrative discourse with the B minor and metric dissonance providing the first instance of transgressive ideas.

The conflict occurs because of the melody Brahms introduces, which can exist in two tonal centers, according to David Temperley. In his essay, he states how Brahms

strategically uses D major melodic fragments throughout the introductory materials.

Brahms uses a hexachord that exist in both D major and B minor and attempts to omit the tonic of the minor key in the bass voice. According to Temperley, the movement begins with tonal ambiguity because of the uncertainty of the true tonal center in the introductory measures. Furthermore, the author suggests that the lack of tonal clarity is a theme that occurs throughout the piece.5 The absence of a stability presents a dilemma to the sonata form: what is the true key and does the first movement have an extra burden to overcome? The extra burden is that a minor key sonata form should resolve to the tonic major in the recapitulation of the movement to provide a positive resolution. If it does not, then the sonata form is considered by Hepokoski and Darcy to have a negative outcome.

Along with tonal ambiguity, the there is a rhythmic dissonance between the string voices. The syncopation that creates this rhythmic conflict presents another motivic idea that returns throughout the piece. According to Yonatan Malin in “Metric Displacement

Dissonance and Romantic Longing in the German Lied,” metric displacement dissonance has associations to the idea Sehnsucht. Composers in the Romantic era, like Schumann and Brahms, would include syncopated rhythmic gestures in the accompaniment, which often coincided with text that conveyed longing. The idea of metric dissonance creates other implications, such as “disquiet, excitement, conflict (inner or outer) madness and humor, not to mention suspended or even dreamlike states.”6

5 David Temperley, “The Tonal Properties of Pitch-Class Sets: Tonal Imlication, Tonal Ambiguity, and Tonalness” Tonal Theory for the Digital Age (Computing in Musicology 15, 2007), 37. 6 Yonatan Malin, “Displacement Dissonance and Romantic Longing in the German Lied,” Music Analysis 25, no. 3 (Oct. 2006), 251-252. 10

The turbulent opening sequence is halted by a return to D major, by way of a D major arpeggio played by the clarinet in its first entrance, which quashes the momentary conflict between the opposing string groups. As the only non-string instrument in this ensemble, the clarinet fulfills the role of mediator and moves to the circling melody that stems from the D major introduction. The melodic idea is extended with a longer sustained note, a cautious stance as the clarinet tries to settle into the role it takes.

Example 1.2: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 1, mm. 5-11

As seen in example 1.2, the circling motive returns and transforms to an elongated version in the clarinet. Throughout this section, a strong sense of D major reverberates supporting the major key introduction. When the dominant of the minor mode appears in m. 9, the circling idea disbands into an arpeggiation that leads to the leading tone of D major. Throughout the section, inverted dominant chords that function between D major and B minor are prevalent; the aversion to root position chords creates confusion,

affecting the melodic trajectory by the clarinet. The melody moves away from familiar gestures and settles in an area of C-sharp tonicization that leads to the unsettling key of F- sharp indicating the B minor. This move towards the minor mode emphasizes the unpreparedness of the clarinet to be part of the string quartet.

Example 1.3: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, mm. 14-17

As shown in example 1.3, the F-sharp pedal point in the clarinet supports the dominant of

B minor. The viola and cello reinforce the move to the minor mode with their acceptance of the pitch B while using the circling motive. Switching this once positive melodic idea into a negative one symbolizes its allegiance with the transgressor. The music finally reaches a strong cadential area with a dominant that leads into the primary theme zone that introduces B minor.

The lack of direction during the introductory area poses the question of whether it is an introduction or a P-zero module. While it begins the piece, the characteristics of these measures oppose normative ideas of conventional introductions. Typical introductions include a slower tempo, a strong sense of the dominant to introduce the key, and a fermata before the primary zone. Although a pedal F-sharp exists in the last four measures, the overall tonality is too ambiguous. Furthermore, the tempo does not change,

and a fermata does not exist. The traits of the first seventeen measures seem to reject the introductory label.

Zero modules provide a preparatory zone that leads into a definitive tonality regarding key. The preparation can appear as different musical gestures such as an introductory vamp, emphatic chords, or an all’unisono section that goes into contrasting material. While this section opens with unison gestures, the trait of this zone is the

“thematic module that has not yet fully stabilized over a root position tonic.”7 Although this introductory section embodies the idea of a zero module, Hepokoski and Darcy typically find this area before secondary areas. This deformation provides yet another negative connotation supporting the tragic narrative.

As the main primary zone begins, the idea of order and transgressor become clearer when the minor key is established. The order in this movement is the normative structure of sonata theory and the major mode; the movement must achieve the major mode tonalities in its closing moments, providing an essential expositional closure (EEC) and the essential structural closure (ESC), in the attempt to overcome the burden of the minor key. The transgressors are the obstacles that prevent the triumph of the order- imposing hierarchy and the movement’s minor key and cause a negative outcome for the musical form.

7 James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Elements of Sonata Theory: Norms, Types, and Deformations in the Late-Eighteenth-Century Sonata (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), 72. 13

Example 1.4 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, P1 theme mm. 18-25

As shown in example 1.4, Brahms introduces the primary theme in m. 18 providing a stronger establishment of the minor mode. The melody references a fragment from the P-zero material that represents the B minor key, which the harmonies support via tonicizations. With the introduction of an A dominant chord, the key of D tries to overcome the minor mode one last time. While this seems to be an oscillation back to the major key, the A major chord fails to resolve to D and descends back to the dominant of the minor mode. This tonal shift recalls ideas from the P-zero module and strengthens the key of B minor at this point of the movement.

The orchestration during this thematic zone reverts focuses on the string quartet.

The violins play the melody in unison while the viola and cello provide the accompaniment. The clarinet doubles the viola voice after it loses the major mode. By returning to a familiar setting, the simplicity of this orchestration provides a haven for the clarinet to recover after leading the other instruments into the minor mode.

The transition (TR) area provides the normative traits expected for this area such as energy gain regarding volume, rhythmic acceleration, and the articulation. The purpose of the TR section is to modulate to a closely related key and reach a half cadence before a caesura, also known as a medial caesura, leading into the secondary zone. In the Brahms, the normative key areas are D major, B major, or F-sharp minor, the dominant in minor mode.

Example 1.5: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt. 1, Transition zone (mm. 25-35)

The transition provides an interweaving of scale passages with eighth note accompaniment. As shown in example 1.5, the brilliant flourishes that begin in m. 28 lead to an F-sharp dominant chord in m. 31 that represents the key of the primary theme zone.

While non-normative, a half cadence in the primary key like this can occur (half cadence medial caesura in the tonic key (I:HCMC)). However, the TR music restarts after this

caesura, establishing that it was a false caesura. The music modulates in the TR to F major, a non-related key to B minor. The new key idea poses an issue because it does not represent a typical trajectory for a transition. The key of F gains strength with the addition of its dominant, C major. However, with the introduction of the pitch C-sharp, the key of F is not fully realized. A series of chords presenting the tonic and dominant of

D major follow, leading to a half cadence on an A major chord in m. 36, the III:HCMC, that suddenly confirm the expected secondary key area. Since the secondary key becomes realized in its final moment, it creates tonal ambiguity in the TR material, thus providing the transition with ironic implications.

Since the initial cadence of the transition was not correct, a false caesura exists in this movement. The energy from the reemergence of the TR provides confusion, by moving to F major then moving to D major before reaching the appropriate half cadence.

The uncertainty of the key center juxtaposes the normative ideas created throughout the transition section. When the medial caesura, a half cadence in the relative major, arrives releases the tension created in the transition. Caesura fill material follows and provides a continuation of the ambiguity evident in the hemiola that occurs in the entrances of the instruments. Although the tension has dissipated, there is still confusion after the caesura.

The secondary theme also begins with tonal ambiguity. By avoiding the introduction of a root position D major the key center in the first zone of the S theme (S1 zone) is unstable. The pitches in this area represent the new key, but the bass line avoids providing the tonic. Throughout the S1 zone, the pitch A travels through the different voices creating a strong presence of the dominant. The music eventually reaches an A dominant cadential area that leads to D major. However, this resolution is weak because

the dominant chord is not in root position. Furthermore, although a tonic chord is present, the music continues without hesitation and the key center destabilizes, avoiding a substantial resolution. The ambiguity of the key is supported by the lack of tonic and dominant pitches, D and A, occurring on strong beats. Additionally, the melodic fragment during this new section begins on the last beat of each measure; the bass lines mimic the displaced entrances in the consequent phrase of the S1 zone. This zone may be considered to have irony because of the lack of resolution and establishment of the new key in root position.

This area provides the inclusion of the clarinet into the string quartet by having it double the violin melody. Although the whole group is working together, the music is unstable due to their entrances on the last beat of each measure. This rhythmic displacement stems from the syncopation in the P-zero module that challenged the protagonist. Thus, the first zone of the secondary theme is infected by the idea of tonal ambiguity and metric dissonance from the beginning of the piece.

Example 1.6: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, S2 zone in the secondary zone (mm. 48-

58)

The new thematic zone of the secondary area, seen on example 1.6, begins with a

G major chord, the predominant of D major. Charles Rosen attributes the subdominant tonality as a tonal center with passive energy, representing a muted feeling and the diminishing of any tension.8 After a strenuous journey and failing to reach a firm root position chord, the music comes to an area of reflection that is presented by the string quartet. The harmonic motion occurring is slower and more cautious; the fragments of melody repeat in two measure bursts and generate a feeling of uncertainty. The S2 zone blurs the pulse with the rhythm of the upper voices offset from the bass and its strong downbeats. When the clarinet enters, a cadential A major passage occurs, seeking to reach a root position D major. The music alludes to a resolution with D in the bass voice but the chord provided, a D dominant seventh chord, is not the appropriate one to introduce the

8 Charles Rosen, The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1972), 383. 18

key of the secondary theme area. Eventually, an A dominant chord ends this thematic area and introduces the final thematic zone.

The material in the third section of the secondary theme area (S3 zone) derives from fragmented S1 motives. This section differs from S1 through the introduction of an agitated triplet accompaniment that juxtaposes the calm nature of the previous sections, and the circling theme transforms into larger intervals. During this time, the rhythm becomes further distorted with the intensifying accompaniment; the triplets in the first violin and the syncopation of the pedal tones in the second violin and viola create metric ambiguity by obscuring the strong beats with the hemiola. As this section of the S3 closes, the clarinet voice disappears, and a transformation of the zone begins.

Example 1.7 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, S3 zone in the secondary zone (mm. 59-70)

The music provides a string quartet divided; the cello line proceeds with decisive cadential motives, on tonic and dominant pitches, while the violins provide a melody that avoids the cello pedal tone. The viola appears to be conflicted, providing support for both groups by presenting fragments of material from the violins and the cello. The dominant

and tonic pitches in the bass voice signal a resolution, while the viola provides supporting ideas by providing the leading tone of the scale and the seventh of the dominant chord.

The melody in the violins resembles the circling motive with the idea of orbiting a specific pitch and it provides a similar rhythmic energy as the previous section.

Reminiscent of the transition area, this zone in the secondary theme stumbles onto a weak cadential motion in m. 66. The clarinet voice reintroduces the melody and attempts to reach a stronger cadence. However, the instruments end on an unprepared resolution that elides with the launch of the primary theme further resisting a stable arrival point.

Although D major is ultimately reached, it is not considered an essential expositional closure because neither chord is in root position. Since this resolution is non normative for the sonata form it represents a moment of tragedy.

Since the exposition does not achieve its goal of having an EEC, it embodies a narrative full of instability. This uncertainty is created by the lack of a strong cadence in the expected key of D major, and the aversion of a cadential B minor chord until m. 25.

The transition zone continues to present ambiguity by not modulating into the new key until the half cadence before the medial caesura. The aversion towards strongly confirming a key that exists in this secondary zone is a product of the infectious nature of the tonal ambiguity from the introduction, becoming an unexpected ally of the transgressor. Finally, the infection worsens during the secondary area; the protagonist becomes dazed and never reaches a true cadence in D major. The recapitulation is presented with a dilemma: how will it reach the ESC in the correct key?

The development in a sonata form provides the space for innovative changes to occur with the movement’s ideas. The tonal center of a normative development area is

unstable and, in minor modes, should introduce the subdominant or the minor dominant.

An idea of fortspinnung, or the unraveling or “spinning out” of thematic material, typically occurs during this area of the movement. The melodic idea can derive from the primary or secondary theme but can also be completely new material. If motives from both thematic zones appear, then the development is fully rotational, containing motives from the primary and secondary theme areas.

Example 1.8 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, First half of the Development (mm. 71-97)

As shown in example 1.9, the development begins with a familiar rising D major arpeggio, taunting a return of the exposition. The accompaniment voices begin to move independently, providing a variation on the previous iteration of this motive, to avoid the return of the tonal ambiguity. It adopts the circling motive from the violins which the cello transforms into a repetitive motive. The thematic idea is altered – it begins to spin out of control – which is a normal occurrence for a development section. The theme gains

strength with an increase in volume until it scatters into fragments that are distributed to the different voices. This idea culminates into a unison G-sharp, that functions as a dominant for the next section.

Example 1.9: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, segment from the second half of the

Development (mm. 98- 107)

In Ex. 1.9, the secondary area of the development is shown as it moves into D-flat major area. The motives derive from the transition and secondary area of the exposition, providing a fully rotational development. This area provides a softer dynamic and a quasi sostenuto tempo marking. The calmness of the transition and secondary material provides a juxtaposition to the energy that these motives embodied thus far. The melody derives from the secondary theme which is transformed into a conversation between the violin and the clarinet. The other string voices provide accompaniment that originates from the transition. The dialogue between the solo voices portrays the idea of camaraderie that the music finally achieves with the clarinet and violin working together.

Example 1.10: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 1, Retransition to Recapitulation (mm. 127-

137)

As seen on example 1.10, the retransition uses familiar motives from the exposition beginning in m. 127. The shift back to P motives at the end of the development presents a normative trajectory regarding this area. A normative retransition also leads into the recapitulation by providing a dominant area to resolve back into the key of the exposition. Fulfilling this expectation, the music contains an F-sharp dominant pedal that reverberates throughout the section, moving through different voices. While this is the correct dominant for B minor, the recapitulation appears in D major, beginning with the P-zero module. This is considered ironic because the recapitulation occurs in D major, not the anticipated normative key of the recapitulation, B minor.

When the music reaches the recapitulation, Brahms omits measures from the P- zero module, providing a crux, or measures that are absent in the recapitulation from the

exposition. While the music introduces the first two measures of the P-zero, it excludes eleven measures of discourse that prolong the tonal ambiguity and move into the material that leads to the primary theme area. With this modification, the instrumental voices begin to include the clarinet. The transition material is also condensed, skipping the false caesura. The fate of the TR in the recapitulation provides the same unprepared resolution into the medial caesura. The attempt to relinquish the deformations in the exposition fall short since the transition does not prepare the key for the next section until the final chord. Furthermore, forgoing measures in the recapitulation only to fall into the same abnormalities as the exposition provide ironic implications.

The first zone of the secondary theme in the recapitulation provides a comforting tonality; the music arrives on a D major area, which represents the order in this movement. However, in the exposition, the S1 zone centered on the dominant harmony of the key at the end of the secondary area. If this zone is to follow the same trajectory, the recapitulation is headed to G major. Each return of the three thematic areas in the secondary zone provides strong connections to D major since the bass returns to the pitch

D often. But the melodic fragments contain the pitch C-natural, which, when combined with the cadential motion at the end of the third zone of the secondary theme, allude to the tonal center of G major. This presents irony because it provides false hope through the earlier tonicization of D, the key needed to overcome the transgressor in the exposition; the key needed for the recapitulation is B major, the parallel tonic. The G major that ends this section of the piece creates another negative outcome in the sonata movement, because it is not a normative key ending for minor sonata forms. The move to the major submediant typically occurs in the expositions. Since the ESC was not reached

with a cadential motion in root position in the normative key of B major, it presents a negative end to the sonata space, leading to a tragic narrative.

After failing to achieve the goal of closing the recapitulation’s secondary theme area with an essential structural cadence, the sonata launches into the coda. The material at the beginning of the coda provides a motive in B minor, pointing to a return to the minor mode. The instruments continue to fight for a victory in the coda, by confirming the key of B minor, with an extension of an F-sharp dominant chord delineated as a scale passage that resolves in the major mode, B major. The introduction of the B major in the coda presents irony in the narrative since this is the key needed in the recapitulation outside of the sonata space. This new area reintroduces the introduction’s circling motive; although the use of major mode provides a hopeful sounding resolution. This does not last long, however, as the major mode falls prey to a series of diminished chords that lead into a rising B minor arpeggio in the strings, moving the tonality back to the minor mode.

Example 1.11 Brahms Clarinet Quintet, last phrase of the coda (mm. 207 – end)

As shown in example 1.11, the final phrase reveals a startling turn of events; the return of the P-zero material that introduced the movement. The repeat of this motive

provides a calmer quality with slow moving rhythms and decrescendos. The reiteration of this final circling motive provides the last plea for a resolution to the key of the order, like the D major resolution of the P-zero area in the introduction of the piece. The lack of rhythmic energy in the viola and cello diminishes the conflict from the introduction which affects the interruption of the clarinet voice that supports D major. The clarinet’s individuality of advocating for the order in the introduction is lost through its use of the same motive as the violins. Through the addition of rests, the clarinet seems to avoid and delay the inevitable minor cadence during the final measures. While the tragedy lies in the defeat by the transgressor, the irony is the return of the P-zero module that tonicizes

D major order but ultimately succumbs to the B minor.

While the movement fails to achieve the goals of the sonata form, not achieving its extra burden of reaching a major mode provides an even more tragic end to the narrative. The structural zones in both the exposition and recapitulation generate normative ideas in terms of gestures and musical elements; what they lack is a well- defined key center, especially during the secondary zones. While these two zones are in the major key, they are never fully realized with a root position cadence, thus delivering ironic narrative. The irony comes from the fact that each structural zone never reaches the expected norm, instead only weakly suggesting the major mode in the exposition and in the recapitulation. While this sonata form presents many normative elements – like its launch into the correct key in the primary zone, energy gain in the TR, and arrival on the major keys in the secondary zone – it fails to complete its task. The resistance to obtain formal closures in the major mode in the first movement signal a tragic narrative with ironic tendencies.

Chapter 2: Second Movement – Adagio

The second movement of four movement sonata cycles is typically slow, and in the Brahms quintet is no exception. Normative keys of this movement are usually in the major mode of the tonic, the mediant, or the submediant, in contrast to the minor mode of the first movement. A movement of this quality provides the cycle with a “temporary liberation” from the “arduous first movement.” 9 Hepokoski and Darcy say that a second movement in tonic major typically offers a dream like state or the idea of false hope, because the true nature of minor sonata cycles is to inevitably return to the minor mode.

This adagio movement provides narrative ideas through its normative traits regarding sonata cycle, topic theory, and social interplay. The music provides simple contrapuntal movement and clear harmonic motions that offer a release from the tension created in the first movement. The changes in topic provide a conflict that resolves in the coda of the movement by combining ideas. The movement also creates more space for social interplay with its repetitive ideas and the subtle changes happening in the movement.

9 Hepokoski and Darcy, 328. 27

Example 2.1: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, Introduction (mm. 1-8)

The adagio begins in B major, the tonic major of the first movement. As shown in example 2.1, the music moves slowly with small intervals and diatonic steps; it begins by creating simple gestures at a slow tempo embodied by the Singing style. Rhythmic conflicts from the first movement return: the clarinet presents the first melody with a hemiola in the string accompaniment, the idea of overlapping rhythms obscures the clarity of the musical line due to the clash of rhythmic activity and the first violin provides a countermelody in a syncopated rhythm, a reference to the idea of Sehnsucht, against the melody. Sehnsucht is a German noun, referring to “longing” or “desire”; the string quartet, with its syncopation in the accompaniment, presents a yearning to be reunited with each other.

The harmonic motion during the first phrase depicts the same simplicity as the melody. The first four measures provide a B major tonality that resonates within the bass line and through the chords created in the pitches within the hemiola. When the melody begins to change in the third measure, the accompaniment follows in the subsequent measures and the harmonic motion begins to accelerate. A chromatic bass line motion occurs in the fourth measure, facilitating a move to a new harmonic area, the lowered

submediant (♭VI). Although the harmony moves to a G major chord, it ultimately resolves to the F-sharp major chord along with the clarinet melody. When the second violin echoes this melodic fragment, it moves back to the submediant defying the melodic trajectory of moving to the tonic after the dominant. Furthermore, this phrase does not cadence, eliding into a familiar phrase.

The first phrase repeats but provides changes that allow for more clarity. The melody has now moved to the first violin and the clarinet now has the countermelody.

The harmonic motion creates stability, strictly using triplets instead of the hemiola that occurred in the first iteration. The alterations in the second phrase provide insight between the interaction of the clarinet and the string quartet; the clarinet voice embodies the outsider against the medium of the string quartet. The introduction demonstrates this with the accompaniment having rhythmic unrest, creating incoherent whispers during the clarinet’s moment as leader. The sentiment of the string accompaniment is exemplified by the first violin’s syncopated countermelody. The idea of the Sehnsucht, through the violin’s syncopation, returns providing the violin with a voice of longing to return to the string quartet norm. During the second phrase, the string quartet regains the connection with their leader, the clarinet, and the accompaniment begins to move homogenously.

The uniformity of the strings produces a calmer accompaniment by providing the insight of the string quartet and their familiarity with each other. The countermelody in the clarinet suggests that it wishes to belong to the string quartet medium that it has been introduced to.

The harmony during the reiteration of the first phrase follows the same harmonic motion. Although the accompaniment is simpler, the music traverses through the same

harmonies as its predecessor. The cello voice is altered, and through the chromatic bass line in the final measure of the phrase it seeks to maneuver the tonality to somewhere new. Ultimately, however, the music does not cadence in this area, and continues to elide with the new section.

Example 2.2: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, mm. 15-26

As seen in example 2.2, the familiar phrase beginning disappears, and the melody from the submediant area becomes the primary theme. During this moment, the harmonies in the string quartet begin to support the clarinet melody. The harmonic motion throughout this section moves slowly using tonic and dominant chords. The violins and the clarinet work together to provide a topic that continues the singing style that becomes grander than its previous iteration with a larger range. A half cadence is reached and leads to a caesura with a fill that supports the chord.

Example 2.3: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, mm. 27-41

When the clarinet arpeggio ends, a sequence appears in the clarinet and cello, shown in example 2.3. It begins with the same pitch as the introduction but falls a minor third creating a different tonal center. The sequence begins in D major and falls a major step down, traversing through C major and B minor before settling on a Ger+6 , which leads to a return of the initial melody and the tonic. The melody is now performed by both the clarinet and violin, but the rhythmic cacophony created by the hemiola in the other string voices weakens this integration. While the first violin joins the clarinet in providing the melody, the resistance of the rest of the string instruments creates one final conflict, resulting in the disappearance of the clarinet for the remainder of the repeated A section.

The harmonic structure is similar to that of the first phrase, with changes in the harmonies in the latter half of the phrase. The alterations begin with a move to the

Neapolitan and then to the dominant. This adjustment creates the necessary motion to reach the first cadence in the movement. Postponing a fully supported cadential motion is reminiscent of the first movement, creating a hint of ambiguity in the movement as it avoids a full cadence until the final phrase. As the string players hold the final B major chord, the viola lowers the third of the chord, shifting to the minor mode.

Example 2.4 Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, Interlude (mm. 42–51)

Following this an interlude begins, shown in example 2.4, and foreshadows the B section. Here the melody provides more motion than in the A section of the music.

Furthermore, the clarinet plays a bigger role in the social interplay by providing a melismatic treatment of the melody with simple harmonies from the strings, creating a recitative-like area. Recitatives are typically used to express the emotion of a character, and in this movement the clarinet does just that, by providing its sentiments through a virtuosic display in juxtaposition to the simpler start of this movement. As the music

closes, a F-sharp dominant cadence appears with a fermata. This creates suspense as this chord traverses the major and minor tonalities of B, the two modes used in this movement thus far. While this area moves away from the major mode, it also provides the change in hierarchy in the social interplay between the instruments.

The piu lento section begins with a forte dynamic and moves to B minor. The topical idea has now shifted to the style hongrois10, which derives its performance style and instrumental traditions from Gypsy music. Improvisation is a fundamental characteristic of Gypsy music, and in the style hongrois an improvisatory style is utilized during slow movements to showcase virtuosity. The idea of slow, rhapsodic episodes in the style hongrois are called hallgatό. The term means “to be listened to” and usually refers to words with songs. Jonathan Bellman, who studied the different gestures of the style hongrois, suggests that instruments can perform a hallgatό melody loosely, like a fantasia. The idea of this method is to alter the perception of time by adding musical gestures like improvisatory runs, pauses, and sustained notes. Furthermore, Bellman believed that musical freedom, like rubato and improvisation, offers the performance human-like emotions.11

10 Janice Dickensheets, “The Topical Vocabulary of the Nineteenth Century,” Journal of Musicological Research 31 (2012), 130. 11 Jonathan Bellman, “Toward a Lexicon of the Style Hongrois” The Journal of Musicology 9, No. 2 (Spring 1991), 221. 33

Example 2.5: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, segment of the B section (mm. 52-55)

In the B section of the slow movement, the dialogue from the interlude material continues. Shown in example 2.5, the clarinet line provides improvisatory-like flourishes while the violin outlines the principal notes of the melody. These virtuosic displays resemble the circling motive, with an extension of the ascending notes. This provides a reflection of the B minor circling motive from the first movement, which has been absent in this movement so far. This motive and the shift to the minor mode in the same zone provides transgressive traits. The use of a common time signature for this area provides an extra beat, which extends the harmonic motion and allows more space for improvisatory gestures. The harmonic progression throughout the beginning of this passage stays relatively static, using mostly B minor and F-sharp dominant harmonies, with an emphasis on the latter. The melodic outline in the clarinet derives from the theme in the B major section, changing the first descending motive from a minor third down to a major third down. This alteration provides a jarring contrast because it changes the quality of the melody as it was heard in the opening. Furthermore, the singing style becomes hidden in the style hongrois topic. So, while this movement provides a

temporary haven from the minor mode, negative actions still exist because of the reemergence of transgressive motives.

New accompaniment motives arise in this area, seen in the third measure. Dotted- eighth notes rhythms are introduced in the strings; dotted rhythms are signifiers in the style hongrois.12 The melody mimics this gesture further blurring the simplicity the music had before. The strings then provide tremolos that resembles cimbalon tremolos; the cimbalon was an instrument, used as a soloistic or accompaniment instrument, used in

Gypsy bands with a pedal to blend harmonies.13 The new accompaniment motives increase the rhythmic activity, creating a cacophony that juxtaposes the simple sounds in the A section.

During these opening measures, the clarinet voice takes a leading role in this operatic-like recitative, which continues for much of this area. The improvisatory gestures provide negative connotations due to their resistance against the simplicity that is expected during normative second movements in sonata cycles. The improvisation provides the emotion of rage or frustration in the clarinet voice, which has pessimistic implications. The strings present chords that are homophonic, providing a supportive comrade to the clarinet as they move simultaneously with the melody. The passive gestures in the strings suggest that the strings are sympathetic to the clarinet’s frustration.

When the clarinet ends its improvisatory flourishes, the violin assists the melody by continuing it. This demonstrates the empathy felt by the violin and urges the other strings to help, which they do by providing extra support with tremolos that stabilize the harmony as the music progresses.

12 Bellman, 219. 13 Bellman, 227. 35

In m. 64, the melodic material is structured much like the last two phrases, however this new section leads to a climactic point in the movement. The second phrase of this area retains the tremolos from the first phrase, but provides a new motivic idea, using a variation of the alla zoppa rhythm, another signifier of the style hongrois. The alla zoppa is a continuous syncopated rhythm, used in the accompaniment of Gypsy music, which is present in the clarinet and violin melodic material. The cello, playing arpeggios, begins to provide a shift in harmony for each beat eventually including a circle of fourths progression that leads to a cadential resolution in B major. As the major mode resonates, the syncopations return in the accompaniment line. The major mode is fleeting as it moves away and leads to the end of the phrase, which provides similar closing gestures as the previous phrases in the B section. During this phrase ending, the cello finishes the phrase, instead of the clarinet, and the trajectory of its motive descends, in opposition to the hopeful ascent that the clarinet voice had previously.

Example 2.6: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, End of B Section

As shown in example 2.6, the next thematic area creates a chaotic idea that traverses multiple keys that are unrelated to the key of B while using familiar motives.

The music provides a new recitative section, with the clarinet delivering the moments of flourishes. When the music reaches a more active accompaniment, a B-flat minor chord is introduced, moving away from the B tonalities present in the movement. A return to major becomes more difficult because this new tonality is unrelated to both B major and minor modes. Large intervals occur in the clarinet melody, a departure from simple melodies and improvisatory material, which provides a heightened emotional outburst.

The alla zoppa motive returns in the violins and viola, while the cello mimics the clarinet melody from the B minor area. The thematic ideas in the strings provide a desire to return to a more stable area, while the clarinet fully embraces this irregular key area. Tremolos in m. 82 provide a beacon for the clarinet to begin its migration back to familiar themes, which are presented in E-flat minor in m. 85. The clarinet continues to have

improvisatory embellishments, like those in the beginning of the B section, although they are even more active and virtuosic. An end to the hysterics of this area feels unattainable, until the entrance of a C-flat major chord. This enharmonically spelled B major chord provides a signal to return to the lyrical major mode, which is realized by way of an F- sharp arpeggio that functions as the dominant of B major and leads back to the return of the movement’s A section.

Example 2.7: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 2, Coda (m.128-end)

The recapitulation of the A section is exactly the same as the beginning until the coda. As seen in example 2.7, the coda’s melody derives from the improvisatory flourishes in the style hongrois section but is presented in a slower rhythm which provides a calmer iteration of the theme. The use of the motive from the B section connects the clarinet’s emotional outburst with this happier mode of B major. The stillness of the string’s accompaniment, which consists primarily of dotted half-notes, demonstrates their acceptance of the clarinet. Furthermore, the violin continues the clarinet’s melodic line when it rests. The movement ends with a B major arpeggio that 38

the leads into B major chord, thus continuing the same tranquility that is found all throughout the coda.

Through its placement in a major tonality, the second movement provides an escape from the minor mode of the first movement. The narrative in this movement focuses on tonal ambiguity, interplay of musical topics, metric dissonance, and social interplay, as well as contrasting the B major and minor modes. This is accompanied by the changes in topical ideas that provide an opposition between simple versus ornate.

Furthermore, the instruments support and further the narrative through their interactions with one another.

Chapter 3: Third Movement – Andantino & Presto non assai

The third movement of four-movement minor sonata cycles typically provide a return to the tonic after the escape to the major mode second movement. And, like the first movement, the third movement usually has an obligatory form. Typically, this form is a minuet and trio or a scherzo.14

This movement, like the others, has problems with tonal ambiguity. While the key in the beginning, D-major, represents the exact tonality of the P-zero module material of the first movement, it is non-normative since the true key of the first movement is B minor. However, this return to a major mode continues the serenity that the second movement embodies. Furthermore, it provides the key needed by the order to fulfill the sonata cycle. Regardless, the key of B minor occurs later, and the opposition between D- major and B-minor becomes one of this movement’s main conflicts. Lastly, the form of this movement resembles that of the first movement; it provides an introduction, an area providing a sonata structure (with an exposition, development, and recapitulation), and a coda, a deformity in the musical form of third movements.

There are two distinct sections with contrasting moods that present the oppositions that occur in the movement: an introduction and the sonata-like area. The two keys of D major and B minor are represented during these contrasting sections.

Furthermore, the social interplay between the string quartet and the clarinet changes in this movement, coinciding with the tonality and changes in character of the music. Lastly, both musical sections present similar motives and transform them to create further conflict.

14 Hepokoski and Darcy, 329-31. 40

Example 3.1: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 3, Introduction (mm. 1-20)

The third movement begins with an introduction in D major. The chorale style writing provides homophonic textures as seen on example 3.1. The harmonic motion throughout the first four measures provides tonic and dominant harmonies supporting simple melodies. The following four measures present a tonal conflict, with two raised pitches that lead to B minor, and a melody with more chromaticism and faster paced harmonic motion that represents transgressive ideas. The first statement of this movement’s theme cadences in B minor, although the pitch D is presented by three voices, overwhelming the harmony. This represents the strength of the major mode as it overcomes the minor cadential idea and elides back to D major. This contrast in key conveys the same conflict that occurred in the first movement. The stability of the major mode offers more strength in this movement with the strong presence of D even during the minor mode areas.

The theme repeats with the introduction of the violin voices, the first playing an octave above the clarinet while the second imitates the viola. While the harmonic progression is similar, the melody has been altered. The addition of a measure during the second iteration of this section offers space in the music to introduce a dominant chord that is required to resolve to B minor with more conviction. The repeat of the same harmonic progression with the addition of the strong F-sharp chord creates uncertainty, providing strength for the B tonality. The cadence of this statement of the theme remains the same, in that the pitch D is emphasized, destabilizing the minor cadence.

Following this, a fragmented version of the theme returns. Through the omission of the first two measures, the music reaches the minor area much quicker. An alteration in the theme uses more chromatic motion, anticipating the move from D major to B minor. The addition of chromaticism is a transgressive action that weakens the protagonist. New material is also introduced, foreshadowing the material to be found in the B minor section of this movement.

Along with this, an accompaniment change provides more energy; the cello provides mostly root position dominant and tonic arpeggios that move quickly through the chords. The whole group reaches a strong cadential motion between mm. 19-20, reaching a D major chord in root position. This launches an extension of the D major resolution present in the bass line, providing only root and dominant pitches for the following measures.

Example 3.2: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 3, Introduction (mm. 22-33)

As seen on example 3.2, the main motivic idea in this section is the use of arpeggiations oscillating through different voices occurring in mm. 20-28. At first, the triadic motions are delineated as accompaniment motives in the viola part, which is passed on to the second violin and then the cello. This arpeggiated motive gains energy and increases its activity level using sixteenth notes, as the bass provides locks on the dominant and tonic pitches creating stability. This prolongation of the tonic gives the major mode stability. The significance of the arpeggiated motive increases as it becomes the primary melodic idea in the clarinet and the first violin. Finally, Brahms uses the arpeggiations to propel back into the final phrase of this section by providing a steady E

minor arpeggio that leads into a fragment of the introductory material. This leads into the final chord in D major chord under a fermata.

In the introduction to this movement, the clarinet provides the first utterance of the melody with the strings graciously providing accompaniment lines that complement the simplicity of the movement. By doing so, the clarinet becomes an integral part of the chamber work, in contrast to previous movements. Furthermore, the whole quintet is working as a cohesive unit, seemingly as a reaction to the rotating keys of D major and B minor and a challenge to the transgressive minor key.

Example 3.3: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 3, segment of the Presto (mm. 34-43)

The presto non assai, ma con sentimento provides an area resembling a sonata structure which is a deformation in the third position of sonata cycles. As shown in example 3.3, the chorale introduction disappears, and a new topic arises that uses repetitive and motoric material in the strings. The beginning of this section starts on the pitch D, implying that this section is still in D major. The violin reintroduces a rhythm from the style hongrois section, the dotted-eighth note, which puts an emphasis on the important chord tones in the melody and imply a B tonality. During this area, the music

alludes to a change in the minor mode. This section contains tonal ambiguity that has occurred before, in that it does not include any root position chords or cadences that solidify the key center. The final gesture in this phrase is a descending arpeggio of a C- sharp dominant, further suggesting a shift in the tonal center.

Example 3.4: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 3, segments that use the same motives in the introduction and presto (mm. 21-22 & mm. 34-37)

As the music continues, melodic fragments from the introduction begin to appear.

Notably, the motive that occurs in m. 19-20 happens again in m. 34, as shown in example

3.4. The use of this theme suggests a return to the major mode, but most of the string instruments have transitioned into the new minor tonal area. The fight for the major mode continues, as the clarinet provides a more lyrical version of the theme, establishing a stronger connection to the introduction in the major key. While the string voices try to connect with the clarinet by echoing its arpeggiations, they are unable to move away from the agitated sixteenth-notes in B minor.

The first root position cadence, in F-sharp minor, introduces a new thematic idea.

A moment of irony occurs with this new key center, because the third movement should represent B minor, the same key as the first movement. Beginning in m. 54, the clarinet presents a syncopated melody that is derived from similar gestures in m. 20. The syncopation isolates the clarinet melody, as it now is rhythmically opposed to the violin and viola. However, by presenting a somber accompaniment line that contains strong beat pizzicato notes and steady harmonies, the strings seek to provide unwavering support and stability for the seemingly confused clarinet.

In the next section the melody moves from the clarinet to the violin and the motive is exaggerated with syncopated triplets. The clarinet seems isolated at this point as it provides a pedal F-sharp, a moment of stillness that resonates with deep contemplation under the strings. When the pedal tone finally moves, it helps reach another cadence on

F-sharp. However, a problem with this cadence arises; as the resolution is suspended by a quarter note, the viola provides a quiet iteration of the sixteenth note rhythm which prompts a return to the busy theme that began the presto section. The clarinet melody returns with more strength, courtesy of doublings in the second violin and the cello.

A new thematic idea halts the constant sixteenth-notes: a triplet figure that is foreign to this movement. As this musical gesture ends on a dominant harmony, the next phrase reintroduces motives from the beginning of the presto. This alludes to development areas with its reintroduction of past motives. The rotation of motives slows down in the melody which leads to similar triplet motives and functions as a retransition in C-sharp dominant, to return to the initial material.

The recapitulation is not an exact repetition of the beginning of the movement.

The dotted-eighth note rhythm motive remains but repeated sixteenth notes are omitted.

The major mode is more substantially established in thematic material, as the cello doubles the clarinet. The melody continues to be doubled for the remainder of the movement, which provides camaraderie. While the structure and themes are similar, the key is not: it is in B minor, the key of the first movement. Another difference in this recapitulatory section is the collaborative nature of the instruments compared to the area it parallels. The violin begins to play the same melody as the clarinet and continues to support it in the following measures. Furthermore, the clarinet participates in the sixteenth note transitional material by providing gestures as the violins stop that are like those in the viola and cello. When the group begins to work together again, the tonality shifts to a G major chord in m. 166, a chord that relates to D major.

Example 3.5: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 3, Coda (mm. 166-end)

The closing material, including the coda, shifts and begins to reintroduce opening materials. As shown in example 3.5, the music slowly introduces the rising arpeggio motives slowly, while the transgressive materials try to interrupt with agitated sixteenth notes. As opening materials are introduced, the key moves to D major in m. 169; an A pedal provides the same dominant as the opening material of this movement. The major key strengthens the protagonist, overcomes the transgressor, and returns to a final cadence in the major mode exactly like the introduction.

The third movement presents itself like a sonata form with an introduction. The music goes through similar zones with an exposition, development, and recapitulation.

What this movement does not possess are the normative structural zones that are inherent in Hepokoski and Darcy’s idea of sonata theory. Furthermore, the movement provides an abnormality regarding its use of key centers, since it contains the keys of D major and F- sharp minor, a deformation against the normative key for this sonata cycle, B minor.

Also, some of the motives introduced in this movement are the transgressors of the first movement.

The social interplay between the strings and clarinet is inclusive at the beginning and ending of the movement. Due to its resolution to the major mode, the movement functions as a victory within the sonata cycle. With the inner movements providing triumphant ends that resolve to the normative major key, there is hope that the fourth movement of the sonata cycle will also be successful.

Chapter 4: Fourth Movement – Con Moto

According to Hepokoski and Darcy, the finale movement of a sonata cycle has a non-obligatory structure, like the lyrical second movement. In their finales, composers used rondo and sonata forms and procedures such as theme and variations and fugues.

The key of the finale typically echoes the key of the first movement. When finales begin in the minor key and culminates in a triumphant major mode, the piece ends with a positive outcome in the narrative.

Brahms sets his finale movement in the key of B minor without tonal ambiguity, in contrast to the obscured tonality in the D major introduction of the first movement. The movement consists of a theme with variations, representing a popular type of nineteenth century variations, referred to as character variations. Throughout most of the variations, the same harmonic plan persists but a new topical idea is introduced in each of the variations. A penultimate major key variation provides an escape from the minor mode in the set until the return of B minor in the final variation. The return to the minor mode at the end of the sonata cycle is considered a negative outcome, which is exaggerated by the coda that recalls the tragedy of the first movement.

Example 4.1: Brahms Clarinet Quintet Mvt 4, Theme (mm. 1-32)

Shown in example Example 4.1, the theme in B minor begins with a somber melody that the string quartet plays in a choral style setting. The topic presented is the singing style with its simplistic melodic style and slow harmonic motion.15 The violin presents the melody while the rest of the string quartet supports it; the clarinet is barely present, only providing echoes of the violin’s falling melody. Throughout the first sixteen measures, the harmony shifts between B minor, F-sharp dominant and G major. The minor mode has a strong presence in the A section but a cadence in D major occurs before the introduction of the B section. In this new section, a tonicization of the subdominant G major occurs before quickly shifting back to the A section theme in B minor. This repetition adds the clarinet voice into the melody until it reaches the final cadence in B minor.

15 Dickensheets, 105. 51

The first variation moves away from the chorale texture and provides a solo voice introduction instead. The cello provides the melody by using arpeggios that outline the harmonic changes in each measure. The harmonic plan from the theme is followed in this variation. When the rest of the group enters, the instruments play different roles. The clarinet continues the arpeggiated motive that the cello introduced while the violins and viola provide accompaniment that leads into the following measure. The end of the A section of this variation provides similar ideas regarding a tonal shift; an A dominant chord rings during the final chord leading to the B section.

When the music moves to the new section, another dominant chord occurs, leading to the tonicization of G major. The cello has continuous eighth notes that are echoed in the other string voices and provide supportive accompaniment. A return to the

A material comes with orchestration changes to the melodic content; the melodic exchange now occurs in the cello and viola, with the clarinet presenting accompanying material with the violins.

The second variation presents a new topic at a louder volume and lower tessitura.

The minor mode and the declamatory style of the melody, combined with a melody that utilizes simple neighboring motion and a repeated note accompaniment, presents ombra- like ideas. The ombra topic suggests supernatural concepts that evokes awe and terror through the use of musical ideas that utilize full textures, minor mode harmonies, sharp dissonances, and an impassioned style of declamation.16 The melodic fragment provides a steady rhythmic pulse which is juxtaposed by a syncopated accompaniment: a motivic reference to the alla zoppa rhythm from the second movement. As the violins and viola

16 Leonard Ratner, Classic Music: Expression, Form, and Style (New York: Schirmer Books, 1980), 24. 52

provide this contrast, the interruption of rising and descending A-sharp diminished arpeggios in the clarinet and cello provides chaotic energy, typical in the ombra topic.

The second motivic idea in the A section is a dotted rhythm reminiscent of the style hongrois rhythm from the second movement, which creates an ominous mood.

The B section provides a lyrical musical line over the syncopated accompaniment.

This provides the first change in the set with a topical alteration within the variation.

When the A section returns, the clarinet and cello present the melody with the first violin.

However, the violin interrupts the melodic line while the clarinet and cello continue, a deformation in the theme and variations procedure introduced in this movement. The introduction of B motives at the end of the variation provides opposing motives appearing at the same time, suggesting irregularity and ominous connotations. This is further signaled by the fermata in the bar line, creating a break in the set of variations.

The third variation provides an arpeggiated theme initiated by the circling idea in the violin, accompanied by strict chordal texture using eighth notes. The B section contrasts the lyricism of the former section, using staccato notes in the melody and pizzicato accompaniments in the strings. This transformation of style within the variation is a continued deformation from the previous variation. The variation ends in the typical

B minor and ends with a fermata on the bar line, creating another break in the variations, another deformation in the variation set adopted from the second variation. The reintroduction of the non-normative actions from the previous variation presents negative implications as these ideas lurks in more than one variation set.

The fourth variation is in B major and uses the Lied Style, which embodies simple melodies with chorale style harmonies, much like the Singing Style.17 The melody in the clarinet and the violin is accompanied by the lower strings. The melodic motive provides an oscillation around pitches, resembling the circling motive. The change to a slow lyrical motive in this variation provides a halt to the unraveling of the variation structure.

The music leading into the B section provides a hopeful moment regarding the sonata cycle form, as it extends the major tonal area. And while this variation moves back to B major in the return of the A section, the music elides into the final variation moving back to the minor mode.

The final variation changes its time signature to a triple meter and the thematic idea begins to resemble the circling motive. The theme evokes gestures that are like those found in the first movement, but also contains an independent motivic cell from the previous variations of this movement. Although the structural ideas and harmonic progressions mirror the previous variations, these changes provide drastic differences that foreshadow the end’s trajectory.

17 Dickensheets, 106. 54

Example 4.2 Circling motive that exists in the fourth movement

Throughout the variation set, Brahms uses the circling motive and hides it through thematic transformation. As shown in example 4.2, the first instance of it begins in the second variation, occurring as the violin melody with the neighbor tone motive. Existing as a small motive, the circling idea is insignificant and unrecognizable. As it begins to travel the different variations, however, it begins to build strength; it gains vitality with the metric acceleration of the third variation and the length of its existence in the fourth variation. While this idea seems to have disappeared in its entirety, it exists in fragments and has infected the melodies in the variations. The final variation provides hints of the circling motive, but the move to a triple meter provides the motive with a familiar setting.

The end of the variation set provides a tragic end to the sonata cycle, but this last variation elides to a coda providing startling material.

A return of first movement materials occurs when the coda is reached. When the music was introduced in the first movement, it begins in a tonally ambiguous module.

The return of these motives challenges the minor mode but fails. The strength of the minor key is stronger with every voice providing the pitch B, unlike the P-zero module,

which avoided introducing the tonic of the minor key transgressor. The efforts to overthrow the transgressive material fall short as the last phrase provide a return to the final phrase of the first movement. As the final phrase sounds a B minor cadence, the negative outcome of the sonata cycle provides a tragic narrative.

The finale provides a theme and variations that starts with normative conventions.

As the variations begin, deformations to the normative plan begin to occur. Furthermore, transgressive motives from the first movement begin to infect the different variations.

The move to the major mode in the fourth variation provides a false success, because a return to the minor mode follows. In addition, it is flawed because it presents a longer strain of the circling motive, infecting the melody that rings in the variation set. The reintroduction of first movement motives points out that every success in the middle movements and variations provided a false sense of hope. The second and third movements and even part of the fourth movement portray a dream-like sequence as the final phrase awakens and is met with the return of first movement materials. Ultimately, the successes that preceded the devastating final phrase provide the irony in the narrative since the minor mode transgressor repeats in exactly as it was first introduced.

Conclusion A semiotic approach to musical analysis of the Brahms Clarinet Quintet provides musical insight that goes beyond a traditional analysis. Hepokoski and Darcy’s sonata theory sets normative plans for the different movements in the sonata cycle and dictates how a sonata form should function. The analysis of musical gestures helps in identifying norms and abnormalities in the music while offering a means to interpret whether these actions have positive or negative connotations for the overall form. By identifying musical gestures that reoccur within different movements, a narrative becomes available.

When analyzing the trajectory of musical gestures in the Brahms Clarinet Quintet, one discovers a tragic narrative full of irony.

Tonal ambiguity provides the main conflict in the work that persists throughout the movements. It is introduced in the very beginning of this work resulting in an unstable first movement. The battle for dominance between major keys (D and B major) and B minor throughout the first movement emerges as a futile one; B minor has cadences while D major tonality is only alluded to and not strongly confirmed. In addition, G major, a non-normative key, is introduced in the recapitulation. The return of

B minor at the end of the first movement, after the introduction of B major in the middle, creates a further tragic defeat in the first movement. This is perpetuated in the third movement, where a struggle occurs between the two keys, although in this movement the major mode ultimately overcomes the transgressor. Furthermore, the third movement provides the structure with a deformation in its initial key; the normative key is in the minor mode, like the first movement. A non-normative idea in the second movement regarding key exists in its elision of the cadence into the new phrase. The tonal

ambiguity provides the tragedy in the narrative according to the keys needed in the sonata cycle.

While the choice of keys provides tragic outcomes, the normative plan for each movement is mostly followed in the sonata cycle. According to Hepokoski and Darcy, the first and third movement have obligatory forms while the second and final movement do not. The forms are adhered to except for the third movement. The first movement contains each of the structural zones and provides the normative traits that are typical in these areas. Where the structure falls short is when the closures needed for the exposition and recapitulation, or the EEC and ESC, are not reached. Irony is perpetuated because each zone possesses the traits to be successful, but the music does not close in the appropriate key areas.

While the second movement follows its normative formal structure and key, the social interplay during this movement creates the dramatic narrative. The string quartet is a medium that has provided one of the standards of how instrumental voices interact with one another, and the addition of the clarinet provides the opportunity to challenge this dynamic. The introduction of the clarinet in the first movement provides a confused clarinet-agent that attempts to assert the primary melodic idea in the P-zero module, but then just doubles the other string voices for most of the first movement. In the second movement, the clarinet plays a more independent and assertive role, providing most of the melodic content, sometimes in conjunction with the first violin, the prototypical leader in string quartets. While the topic is calm with the singing style in the first section, the switch to the style hongrois represents a frustrated plea from the clarinet-agent to be included with the string quartet. This culminates in the coda of the second movement

providing a camaraderie with the five instruments that persists in the following movements. The latter two movements of the piece provide conversational aspects of social interplay most of the time.

Along with tonal ambiguity, other gestures that occur in multiple movements are the circling motive and metric dissonance, which become allies to the transgressor of the narrative. While only hints of the circling motive appear in the middle movements, the existence of this motive in the first and final movement provide the connection between the movements. And as the circling motive grows in prominence, until its full return in the coda, it provides an idea of an infection that grows until it emerges as victorious in the final variation.

Metric dissonance, often realized as syncopation, lurks in each movement and provides instability. During the first movement, the syncopated motive, presenting the metric dissonance, begins in the P-zero module as an ally of the transgressor. It then persists throughout the secondary zone to destabilize the key centers that provided the normative key areas during those section, preventing the major mode to be fully realized.

The syncopation in the second movement provides the idea of the Sehnsucht, associated with yearning.

Ultimately, the tragic narrative that occurs in the first movement is further perpetuated throughout the other movements, unbeknownst to the perceived protagonist.

The triumphs of the order-imposed hierarchy in the middle movements portray ironic plot devices because although the major key is achieved, the transgressor taunts the protagonist throughout each movement with the subtle use of the motivic infections discussed. Although the inner two movements attain provisional success in their codas,

the circling and syncopation motives cripple the strength of each ending. Furthermore, the deformations from normative plans in most movements perpetuate instability. Finally, the return of first movement material creates a negative implication as it asserts the minor mode motives. The repetition of the final phrase of the first movement provides a devastating end to the tragic narrative, signaling that the struggle against the order- imposed hierarchy spanning the whole work leads inevitably to a tragic-ironic outcome.

This confirms that the victories of the inner movements are delusions of success because they are plagued with deformations and are infected with themes and motives that presented an initial failure.

This study has probed complexities of expression in the Brahms clarinet quintet, tracing the narrative arc of a heroic protagonist that is tragically and fatally flawed. The triumphs implied in passages with major mode tonality are rendered more poignant as they are revealed over time to be fleeting and transient. In this work, Brahms shows his mastery in adapting normative processes in sonata form through deformations that support his powerfully dramatic musical design.

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