/t)!
PANDIATONICISM IN THREE BALLETS BY AARON COPLAND
TTESIS
Presented to the Graduate Council of the
North Texas State University in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of
MASTER OF USIC
By
Kenny L. Adams, B. M, E.
Denton, Texas December, 1972 Adams, Kenny L., Pandiatonicism in Three Ballets ,b_ Aaron
Copland. Master of Music (Theory), December, 1972, 86 pp., 5 tables, bibliography, 45 titles.
The term "pandiatonicism" first appeared in 1937 in Nich-
olas Slonimsky's Music Since 1900, and was used to describe an important twentieth-century harmonic device. Writers dealing
with this subject are in general agreement with Slonimsky's
basic definition of pandiatonicism--"the technique of free use
of all seven notes of the diatonic scale in melodic, harmonic
and contrapuntal combinations . . ." However, they are in
disagreement as to its exact nature and function in such areas
as tonality, tertian structure, and harmonic function.
In Billy he Kid (1938), Rodeo (1942), and Appalachian
Sprin (1944), Copland uses varied compositional devices in the construction of many of his pandiatonic passages. The purpose
of this study is to identify these devices, to illustrate Cop-.
land's methods of using these devices, and to tabulate the fre- quency with which they are used.
The ostinato is used more frequently than any of the other devices used by Copland in his pandiatonic writing. The device
can at various times be found in the bass, treble, or middle ranges of the orchestra.
The diatonic scale, either ascending or descending, is often used for its unifying qualities in certain pandiatonic passages. At times, the scale passage is employed as an accom- paniment figure, and at other times it is used melodically.
1 2
Octave displacement is sometimes used in conjunction with the
scale patterns, Parallel thirds and fourths are an important device in
Copland's pandiatonic writing. These thirds are created by
the harmonization of a melody (either above or below) at the
third. Parallel fourths are used in a similar manner in the harmonization of melodies and accompaniment figures. Secundal sonorities (those that are built with two or more consecutive seconds) are often used in Copland's pandia-
tonic harmonies. These sonorities can be found containing
from two to six consecutive members of the diatonic scale. Copland's pandiatonic harmonies are sometimes arranged with bichordal spellings. These harmonies have the appearance
of two chords of the diatonic key superimposed upon one an- other. There is no suggestion of two different keys.
A device that is found in several of Copland's pandia- tonic passages is the pedal. This device occurs on the tonic, subdominant, and dominant. Double pedals are occasionally used, employing tonic and dominant. The arpeggio is a device used in several different ways in Copland's pandiatonic writing. Arpeggios are sometimes employed pandiatonically with octave displacement.
Copland's ballets illustrate how effectively the canon may be used pandiatonically. The ballets contain a two-part canon at the octave and a three-part canon at the octave, Pan- diatonic harmonies are also created by Copland's practice of joining different themes to each other.
U 3
The diatonic materials used by Copland in his pandia- tonic writing are the major, minor, and certain church modes (Dorian, Mixolydian, and Lydian).
@4' TABLE OF CONTENTS
, , , , , , , Pa ge LI S T O F TA B L E S . . ,. . , , . ,
*f*,*,*,*,*, , , , LISTyv OF ILLUSTRATIONS,, . ,., . . *
Chapter
I. MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY . . . . . , . , , . . ,, Beginnings The Goldmark Years The Years with Boulanger The Jazz Period The Abstract Period The American Folk Song Period
II. THE PRINCIPLE OF PANDIATONICISM...... 23 Tonality and Atonality Bitonality Structure Harmonic Function Pandiatonic Cadences Modes and Scales Accidentals The Seven-Tone System Summary
III. COPLAND'S METHODS OF PANDIATONIC HARMONIZATION...... , , 45 Ostinato Scale Patterns Parallel Thirds Parallel Fourths and Fifths Secundal Sonorities Bichordal Sonorities Pedal Arpeggios Canon Combined Themes Modes in Pandiatonic Writing
IV. CONCLUSIONS...... 74
APPENDIX ...... , , ...... , . , . . . . 77
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... ,, . *. . 84
iii LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
I. Devices Used by Copland in Pandiatonic Passages * . .. 0 0 * 0 0 0 . . 0 0 0 0 0 77 II. Modes and Harmonic Framework Used in Appalachian Spring 0 * . * * . .4 .0 0 0 0 0 78 Iii. Modes and Harmonic Framework Used in a . . . * 0 . . Rodeo. * 0 . , 0 0 0 0 79 IV. Modes and Harmonic Framework Used in
Bllyfthe Kid 0...... 0 0 0 0 0 80
V.0 Comparison of Modes Used in Copland's
Three Ballets . . . . * * * . S 0 0 0 0 82
iv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure Page
1. Casella, "Galop Final " Eleven Children's 4 Piees,measures -7"...... ". ."." 26
2, Slonimsky, example of pandiatonic writing from Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns, p. 495. ."." . .r. ".. ." 00" " 0 ..".". 26 3. Stravinsky, "Danse Busse," Petroushka, measures 1-4 ...... 27
4. Persichetti, example of pandiatonic writing from Twentieth Century Harmony, p. 224 . . . 28 5. Copland, Appalachian pring, measures 372-375, . 28 6. Dahl, "Coda," Divertimento for Viola and Piano, measuress1T8-22l*W.TT.,.. . w.".. .. 29 7. Slonimsky, Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns,p. l95 . . . . .,."...... 30
8. Stravinsky, "Danse Russe," Petroushka, measures 111-112 ...... 30 9. Stravinsky, "Hymne," Serenade, measures 58-60. . 30
10. Copland, Aplachian Spring, measures 15-21. " . 31
11. Honegger, Jeanne d'Arc, Scene IV, measures 89-92 ...... 32
12. Hanson, Lament for Beowulf, measures 163-166 . . 32
13. Hanson, Lament for Beowulf , measures 109-110 . . 33
14. Satie, "Valse Diatonique," Eleven Children's Pieces, measures 3-12...... 34 15. Satie, "Galop Final," Eleven Children's Pieces,
measures 74-80 . .," " . . . ". .TT7. ."... 35
16. Stravinsky, "The Shrove-Tide Fair," Pe troushka, measures 42-52 ...... 0... ,,.. . 35 vi
Figure Page 17. Stravinsky, "Rondoletto," Serenade, measures 20--22 -.-.-.-.- * - -.-.-.-.-...... 36 18. Copland, Appalachian Spring, cited in Dallin's Techniques of Twentieth Century Composition, p. 127 ...... - - ...... 37 19, Slonimsky, Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic
Patterns, P. 194 .,. . , ~~~ ...... 37
20. Copland, Bjjy jj2e Kid, measures 41-43 . . . . . 38
21. Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 27-32 . . . . . 39 22. Persichetti, example of a change of pandiatonic mode from Twentieth century Harmony, p. 224. 39 23. Stravinsky, "Gigue," Duo Concertant for Violin and ,ano,measursi666.7T,~. . . . . 40
24, Casella, "Galop Final " Eleven Children's Pieces, measures 47.5...... ~. . . . 40 25. Stravinsky, "The Shrove-Tide Fair," Petroushka, measures 59_67 ., . .* . . . . , ...... 41 26. Slonimsky, Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns, pF7T2 71 ...... ,., 42 27. Stravinsky, "Ecologue I," Duo Concertant for Violin and Piano, measures32.3W, .~ . . 43
28. Copland, Billy he. Kid, measures 103-107 . . . . 45
29. Copland, Appalachian Sri , measures 240-243, . 46 30. Copland, Applachian Spring, measures 249-252. . 46
31. Copland, ailly he Kid, measures 604-607 . . . . 47
32. Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 69-73, . , 47 33. Copland, Billy the , measures 337-340 . . . . 48 34, Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 541-546. . 49 35. Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 331-336, , * , , , , * , ...... 50
36. Copland, Bill the Kid, measures 373-375 . . . . 51 vii
Figure Page
3?. Copland, Apcalhian Spring, measures 563-570, . 51
38. Copland, Bi : the Kid, measures 438-441 . . . . 52
39. Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 451-455 . . . . 52
40. Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 366-368. . 52
41, Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 350-354, . 53 42, Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 180-185 and measures 270-2747 . ,...... 54
43. Copland, Ap.achian Spring, measures 505-509. . 54
44. Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 209-212 . . , . 55 45. Copland, Appalachian fln&, measures 426-430. . 55 46. Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 612-616 . . . . 56 47. Copland, Appalachian ing, measures 414-416. . 56
48. Copland, "Saturday Night Waltz," Rodeo, . . . 5? measures 1-8 ......
49. Copland, BiL:. the Kid, measures 603-606 . . . . 58 50, Copland, Billy fle jjj, measures 289-292 . . . . 58
51, Copland, BiltlyhelKd, measures 299-302 . , , . 59 52, Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 366-368. . 59
53. Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures
110-111 ...... w . . . . . 60
54. Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 350-352. . . . 60
55, Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 444-447 . . . . 61
56. Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 601-602 . . . . 61 57. Copland, Appalachian Spr$.ng, measures 549-552. . 62
58. Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 673-682, . 62 59. Copland, "Saturday Night Waltz," Rodeo, measures 78-79 ...... *. . . . . 63
60. Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 15-19. . . 63 viii
Figure Page 61. Copland, ily the Kid, measures 106-11 .*" 64
62. Copland, Appaachian Spring, measures 333-337, ." 64
63. Copland, Apalachian Spring, measures 366-368, 65 64. Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 286-290 ...... , . , , , . 65 65. Copland, Applachian Spring, measures 69-71,, 66
66. Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 11N-116 .a.a. 67 67, Copland, Applachian Spring, measures 16-21, , 67
68. Copland, Applachian Sr , measures 549-552. 68
69. Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rde ,
measures 107-109 . . . . . , . . , . . 0 0 .0 68
70. Copland, Appalachian pri, measures 394-397, 69
71. Copland, Applachian Spring, measures 531-53 7. . 69
72. Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo,$ measures 270-274 . . . . * ...... 0 70 73, Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo,
measures 114-116 . . . . . 0 0 . 0 0 0. . .
74, Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo,
measures 394-398 . . . . 0 .
75. Copland, Appla hn Spring, measures8-8. 0 .
76, Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo,
measures 310-315 . . . . 0 0 0 . . . . 0 0 0 72
77. Copland, fBila the Kid, measures 44-48 * CHAPTER I
MSICAL BIOGRAPHY
Beginnings
Aaron Copland, born November 14, 1900, lived his first twenty years in Brooklyn on a street he described as "drab."1
His father, Harris Copland, a hard-working immigrant from
Lithuania, successfully owned a neighborhood department store, above which the family lived. Sarah, his mother, who assisted with the family business, was more artistic in nature than her business-minded husband. It is likely that much of Copland's early musical interests were inspired by her, She had a pleas- ant voice and often would sing and accompany herself when the family gathered for informal "sings." However, Copland's main impetus in serious music study was his own desire. "Music as an art," he said, "is a discovery I made all by myself," 2
The piano was young Copland's first musical interest, and his first teacher was his older sister, Laurine. After giving her brother lessons for about six months, she declared that because of his rapid progress she could teach him nothing more. After wor ing at the piano by himself for another year and a half, Copland decided he wanted to study from a professional teacher and persuaded his parents to let him,
1 Aaron Copland, Our New Music (New York, 1941), p. 212.
2 lbid., p. 213.
1 2
The first formal training Copland received was piano les- sons from Leopold Wolfsohn. While studying with Wolfsohn, Copland made his first public appearance and heard his first public concert. At this stage, his widening musical interests were beginning to include composition. "The idea of becoming a composer seems gradually to have dawned upon me some time around 1916 . . , 3
Realizing that to compose one must have a knowledge of harmony, Copland asked Wolfsohn to find him a harmony teacher.
Beginning in the fall of 1917, he went to Manhattan every week to study harmony, counterpoint, and composition with the noted
Rubin Goldmark, who later served Juilliard Graduate School of
Music as head of its composition department. Although unaware at the time of the momentous step he was taking, Copland began his career as a composer.
The Goldmark Years
The four years that Copland spent with Goldmark proved to be an excellent beginning for his compositional studies. Spe- cies counterpoint, fugue, song forms, variation forms, and es- pecially the sonata form, which Goldmark considered the supreme vehicle for musical expression, were all part of his work. Look- ing back, Copland felt that the value of this training was that Goldmark
. . . had an excellent grasp of the fundamentals of music and knew very well how to impart his ideas. This was a
3 Ibid., p. 213. 3
stroke of luck for me. I was spared the flounderings that so many musicians have suffered through incompe- tent teaching at the start of their theoretical train- ing.
During this period, Copland continued to make progress as a pianist. Since he had been with Wolfsohn for several years, Goldmark encouraged Copland to study with a second teacher,
Victor Wittgenstein. By the winter of 1919, however, Copland had become disappointed with his results and at Goldmark's sug- gestion, left Wittgenstein to study with Clarence Adler.
It was through his studies in piano rather than composi- tion that Copland became familiar with modern composers. The conservative Goldmark "actively discouraged this commerce with the 'moderns'," 5 and felt a student's merit was measured by his ability to master sonata form. By contrast, Copland's first lesson with Adler was marked by the presentation of
Ravel's Sonatine, which Copland thought a "revolutionary piece at the time,"6 Through his exploration in new piano litera- ture and his frequent attendance of opera and symphony con- certs, Copland was discovering works by Debussy Scriabin,
Hugo Wolf, and other more modern composers.
Because of his interest in these composers, Copland was considered to be the enfant terrible of Goldmark's class and was often the butt of many good-humored jokes. This situation
Ibid., p. 214,
5 lbid., p. 215.
Julia Smith, Aaron Copland (New York, 1955) p. 12, citing Musical Courier (author not given) (September, 1946), 14. 4 did not lessen his interest but instead increased it, Copland said, "The fact that this music was in some sense forbidden only increased its attractiveness. "7
Two of Copland's pieces during these years testify to his interest in contemporary music and his awareness of modern techniques, Smith states that both the Scherzo Humoristique:
Le Chat et la Souris (The Cat and the Mouse) and the song Old
Poem "reflect the French impressionist style, with the latter indicating . . . a beginning interest in a frequent change of meter,"8 Works such as these were too advanced for Goldmark's ears, and Copland was informed that his "experiments" would have to be done independently and that only works in the tra- ditional vein would be acceptable for their lessons. It was evident to Copland that he could not fulfill his artistic de- sires under these limitations, Having decided to forsake col- lege for the study of music, he felt that Europe offered the best opportunities for continuing his musical education. In
June, 1921, Copland sailed for France.
The Years With Boulanger
As a young man of twenty-one, Copland threw himself into a world that was, both geographically and musically, a great distance from his home. Post-war Paris had succeeded Berlin as the cultural center of the world, and its innovative, stimu- lating atmosphere was precisely what made study in Europe a
7 Copland, 2.2 cit.
8 Smith, _®;. cit., p. 14. 5
"must" for any ambi t i ous young musician. The romanticism of the nineteenth century was being supplanted by new aesthetic
concepts , including Jtravinsky's dynamism, Schoenberg's ex-
pressionism, and Bartok's nationalism. The beginnings of the neo-classical movement, which would find more adherents in
the middle of the decade, were being felt, It was into this exciting environment that Copland came to find a suitable composition teacher.
Copland's tour in Europe began with a summer's stay at
Fontaitsbleau, a music school established for Americans. The summer there, he felt, would enable him to become more famil-
iar with the language and to receive some intermediate in- struction while looking for a teacher for the fall. His com- position teacher at Fountainbleau was Paul Vidal, of the Paris Conservatoire, whom Copland soon discovered to be as conserva- tive in musical matters as Goldmark. Copland conscientiously prepared his lessons for Vidal, but without the interest or enthusiasm he had hoped to gain from his stay in France.
It was almost by chance that Copland found his teacher.
Through his association with other students, he began to hear of an excellent harmony teacher, Nadia Boulanger, along with
"ecstatic reports of her manner of presentation."1 0 Copland's initial reaction was only slight interest, since he felt his studies in harmony had been adequately covered under Goldmark.
9Copland, _.iS., pp. 217-218.
1 0 Arthur Berger, Aaron Copland (New York, 1953), p. 7. 6
Finally, at the insistence of one of his fellow classmates, he attended one of her lectures, the subject of which was an analy- sis of a passage from Boris Godounoff. "I had never before,"
Copland later said, "witnessed such enthusiasm and such clar- ity in teaching. I immediately suspected that I had found my teacher." 1 1
As the summer continued, Copland visited Boulanger's classes whenever possible, becoming more certain that he should study with her. Despite earlier reservations concerning study- ing composition with a woman, in the fall he moved into Paris to begin his study.
Copland's lessons in composition, orchestration, and score reading took place in Boulanger's apartment in the late after- noon. His days were usually occupied with preparing assign- ments for his lessons, while the evenings were often spent at concerts or the theatre. Continuing his efforts as a pianist, he spent several hours a day in serious practice; his teacher was Ricardo Vi'ies, who had also taught Poulenc. Preferring to do his own serious composing in the evening, he often worked at the piano late into the night.
Copland found Boulanger's unpedantic style of teaching and her interest in modern music perfectly suited to his own musical temperament. She greatly encouraged his investigation of new music; for score reading practice she often had Copland read at the piano a movement from a Mahler symphony with which
1lCopland, M. cit., p. 218, 7
he was unfamiliar. When later asked to explain Boulanger's
method of teaching, Copland said that she simply reacted to
the efforts of her students instead of laying down rigid
rules. She seemed to be able to inspire her students with
confidence and a sense of worth. Copland maintains that when
he brought her something he had composed, he always felt he
was with someone who knew all the answers. Her "musical in-
stinct was so sure that she could immediately point out the
weak spot and tell you why it was weak ,. #"12
In addition to sharpening his various musical skills, the
Paris years marked Copland's beginning as a writer of musical criticism. During 1924, he wrote and published "Gabriel
Faure, a Neglected Master," appearing in that October's Musical
Qfarrly. He has since become as respected for his literary contributions to the musical world as for his compositions.
Shortly before Copland's stay in France was over, Boulanger was invited to make several concert appearances in the United
States. As an organist, she asked Copland to provide her with a new work to perform on her tour. Copland accepted and soon
left France for his return home with a commission from his for- mer teacher.
The significance of the years Copland spent with Boulanger is great, as indicated by Copland's remark when asked later to cite the most important musical event of his life: ". . . my
1 2 Edward T. Cone, "Conversations with Aaron Copland," Per- spectives of New wusic, XIII (Spring-Summer, 1968), 61, 8
introduction to Nadia Boulanger and her acceptance of me as a pupil." 1 3
The Jazz Period
Upon his return to the United States, Copland felt he
should begin supporting himself as his parents had helped fi- nance his three-year trip abroad. Sending out cards announcing
himself as a teacher of piano and theory, he took residence in his first studio. During this time, he continued to write and
orchestrate his Symphony forCy and Orchestra for Boulanger.
This work was premiered January 11, 1925, by Boulanger and the
New York Symphony Orchestra. With this, his first orchestral performance, Copland scored an artistic success. Though some critics were certainly not as passionate in their praise as others (some, in fact, were rather cool), Copland's fame as a composer had begun.
Some of the materials Copland employed in the Jazz Period are found in the Organ symphony . Smith states that the middle section of the work "marks the first appearance of 'blues', as such, in any of Copland's music to date."114 The far-reaching significance of this section of the Organ Symphony is that
""+ . .it is the first evidence of the blues element which, added to the fast jazz rhythmic mood (first encountered in the Finale of the Dance symphonyy [1925]), was shortly afterward
13 Smith, . cit.., p. 45. 14Ibid. , p. 78. 9 consciously adopted by Copland in order to make his music sound more American." 1 5
The jazz-inspired rhythmic aspect of Copland's music is certainly an important one. This is true not only of the works
in the Jazz Period but also of the works in the different styles
that followed. Berger states that rhythms suggestive of jazz
"are still to be found today in Copland's music, but the devel-
opments to which they are subjected often remove them very far
indeed from the character of their source 0 ."16 Although his first "blues-type" melody appears in the Or-
an Sphony and jazz rhythms were initially heard in the Dance
Symphony, his first consciously written jazz piece was An Immor- tality, a work for women's chorus written in 1925. Some of its jazz components are a polytonal and polyrhythmic "riff" style bass, a syncopated major melody employing a flattened third, and a three-part jazz-canon at the unison.
After completing this first full experiment in the jazz idiom, Copland wanted to see what else he could extract from the jazz vein. The next work to follow was Music for the Thea- tre (1925), which some musicians consider his best work. 1 7 Some jazz devices appearing in this work are the use of a "riff" in the bass; a "hot blues break" played by the clarinet; the use of traditional jazz devices, such as the trumpet's use of the
1 5 ibid., p. 79.
1 6 Berger, .22. cit., p. 50.
1 7 Smith, op. cit., p. 84. 10
"wa-wa" mute; and jazz polyrhythms. Music for the Theatre oc- cupies an important place in Copland's career as a composer and the evolution of his own style, and in the acceptance of jazz as an acceptable source of material for serious composi- tion. It is an important work in the development of Copland's musical style because it marks a separation from the French, or European, manner of composing into a consciously American style with its new jazz idiom,1 As to its broader importance, Slonimsky states that Music for the Theatre possesses a certain historical significance inasmuch as it gives expression of jazz music in a classical dance form for the first time."l9
Copland's next major work of the Jazz Period, the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, was not completed until the last months of 1926. Its first public performance was in Boston on January
28, 1927. Although the following day's reviews in the Post,
Herald, and Transcripts were quite unfavorable,2 0 Copland ac- cepted the criticism with his typical good nature. The worth
of the work gradually was realized; fifteen years after the
Concerto's premier, Oscar Thompson described it as "the most impressive symphonic work in the jazz idiom by an American or European composer.," 2 1 With the completion of the Concerto,
8 Ibid,, p. 86
19Ibid.
2 0 Ibid. , p. 95.
2 1Oscar Thompson, Great Modern Composers (New York, 1943), p. 44. 11
Copland felt he had said everything he could within the limita-
tions of the jazz idiom,22 He now began to look for other ma- terials.
During August of 1927, evidences of Copland's harmonic ex-
plorations were seen in the ang for soprano voice and piano,
The materials used in this experimental work were later fully exploited in the works of his Abstract Period, Smith describes
the work as Contrapuntal in technique (without a trace of jazz), this short work (lento molto, 3/2) employs the serial tech- niques (a kind of tone row) withoV, however, actually destroying all sense of tonality.
Copland began his next major work, ymphonic Ode, about the same time as Song was composed, Written over a period of two years and in several countries, it was not performed until 1932.
A five-sectioned work in one movement, the Ode has only one theme; however, an over-all design of slow--fast--slow gives it a feeling of exposition, development, and recapitulation. The form might be indicated as A-B-C-B-b, with A, C, and ) the slow sections and B in faster tempo.2k
The retrospective importance of the Ode is in its pivotal relationship to the whole body of Copland's music; it completed the works that preceded it and foretold aspects of the works to follow, Jazz was still an inspiring element of the Ode, but the jazz influence was felt in more subtle ways and occurs beside
2 2 Copland, _o. cit., p. 220, 2 3 Smith, _of. cit., p. 99, 24ibid., p. 115. 12 material that had nothing to do with jazz. The work's main kin- ship to the Jazz Period--a kinship shared by most of Copland's music--is its jazz-derived rhythms.
The Ode was certainly a turning point in Copland's evolv-
ing style, In it he ", . . was beginning to rid himself of such composer's paraphernalia as scales, arpeggios, fill-in sonori- ties, literal jazz references, and similar devices character- istic of the jazz-inspired works . . ."2 Copland himself has remarked that the works that follow it are not as grandiose or fulsome.26
Since Copland felt that the Symphonic Ode was a culminating work, he also felt the need to follow it with something differ- ent. Although he did not have the Piano Variations in mind at the time, 2 7 retrospective examination shows the stylistic bridge the Ode forms--on one side is the Piano Concerto at the height of the Jazz Period and on the other the Piano Variations and the
Abstract Period.
The Abstract Period
Copland's second period of style produced abstract works that were appreciated and understood by only a limited audience. These works, Short Symh2n, Statements, and Piano Variations, were not performed often because, in Copland's view, they are "difficult
2 5lbid.
26 Copland, 2, cit., p. 228.
2 7 Cone, _2. nfl., p. 64. 13 to perform and difficult for an audience to comprehend." 2 8 To many audiences, this type of music, in which the development of an idea is more important than traditional melody, is considered too coldly intellectual. 2 9
The absolute conception of these works was quite unlike the jazz-oriented. compositions Copland had come to fame with.
This, plus their advanced constructional techniques, caused the general music public, along with most musicians, to fail to realize the worth of these works. Today, many critics consider the efforts of this period to be Copland's best music. 3 0 The Piano Variations, written in 1930, is described by
Berger as "a masterpiece of musical construction" 3 1 and stands as a milestone in Copland's career. Not only did he write a piece that is masterful in itself, but in doing so he discovered that transparent texture that has since been so characteristic of his music. In fact, Flanagan states that it is in the Varia- tions that "the 'Copland sound' is finally crystallized." 3 2
The theme and its twenty variations spring from a four-note motive, E-C-Eb-#, which unifies the work. These notes are also the first four tones of Copland's row-- -C-Eb-C-A-D-Ft-G#-8-G-Bb-F.
28Copland, 2, _cit., p. 228,
2 9 Harold C. Schonberg, ThemLives of the Great Composers (New York, 1970), p. 549. 3 0 Jack Frymire, "Copland 68," Music & Artists, I (November, 1968), 48, 3 1 Berger, o. cit.., p. 45. 32William Flanagan, "Aaron Copland," HiFi/Stereo Review, XVI (June, 1966), 48. 14
As the work develops, the row is transposed to begin on differ- ent pitches, with a return to the original row on E for the coda.
It is important to recognize that Copland, as any good com- poser, always shapes his material to suit his composition--his rows do not dictate the music. "His music," says Thompson,
"does not yield the effect of having been composed in fulfill- ment of a creed."3 3
Copland has always been in essence a tonalist,34 By infus- ing his serially-oriented composition with his own personality, he emerges with what some would call a musical contradiction--a tonally-designed twelve-tone work.
Another departure from strict serial technique is the num- ber of tones Copland uses in his rows. Both the Theme and Varia- tion I use only ten notes of the row; the eleventh tone, fBb, is added in Variation II. The final tone F, although appearing briefly in Variation VII, finally comes into its own in Varia- tion X when it becomes the basis for a new row transposition,
F-Db-E-D. The Piano Variations is different from the other works of this period in that, because of its polytonal-serial aspects, it is more sharply dissonant. Although it was not received well at its first performances, it has since become regarded as one of the important works in contemporary piano literature.3 5
3 3 Thompson, p. cit., p. 43.
3tArthur Berger, "The usic of Aaron Copland," Musical Quar- t&ry, XXXI (October, 1945), 436. 3 Smith, ~ff. ji., p. 128. 15
The Short Symphony followed the Piano Variations in 1933. In addition to serial techniques, there appear polytonal as well as tonal passages. In this work, Copland increased his mastery of both the symphonic form and clean, transparent style of orchestration. The work was not heard in the United States until 1944.36
Between 1933 and 1935, Copland worked on his Statements, the final work of his Abstract Period. The work consists of six movements entitled "Militant," "Cryptic," "Dogmatic," "Sub- jective," "Jingo," and "Prophetic." In this work, tonal, poly- tonal, atonal, and serial elements are combined to create a work that shows Copland at his best.
The works of the Abstract Period demonstrate Copland's mat- uration as a composer and his increasing ability to successfully meld diverse materials together. Moreover, the challenge of taking an absolute musical idea, extracting its essence, and ex- panding it to intellectually staggering proportions was met with Copland's characteristic sureness,
These works, however, did not enjoy wide public acceptance.
Because the average American audience was not able to understand many contemporary works, Copland's aesthetic direction changed, and a new style period began.
The American Folk Song Period
The American Folk Song Period was a natural result of Cop- land's desire to involve the layman in an appreciation of
3 6 Ibid,, p. 150. 16 contemporary music and a decision to employ a simpler harmonic language. In an autobiographical sketch Copland remarks, It seemed to me .that we composers were in danger of work- ing in a vacuum. Moreover, an entirely new public for mus ic had grown up around the radio and the phonograph. It made no sense to ignore them and to continue writing as if they did not exist. I felt that it was worth the effort to see if I could 't say what I had to say in the simplest possible terms,'7
For this reason his abstract, serial themes were replaced by singable cowboy and Shaker tunes, and diatonicism, rather than the row, became the harmonic basis.
Although the situation of the day may have spurred Copland to action, this new musical development was not simply the re- sult of an arbitrary decision. The diatonicism that did not fully assert itself until this style period can be found, though certainly not in a position of dominance, in his earlier works.
A typical Copland practice has been to interpolate non- diatonic tones upon a foundation that is basically diatonic.
During the early stages of the Jazz Period, these interpolations were often polytonal. By the time of the Symphonic Ode, these piled-on dissonances no longer stand apart from the key of a given passage as a separate, polytonal superimposition. "They are fused somehow," says Berger, "into the prevailing texture." 3
With this technique, Copland creates a dissonance more subtle and less conventional than straight polytonality.
Even at the height of the Abstract Period in the Piano Varia- tions, a diatonic order can be found. At one point, unadorned
37Berger, Aaron bpland, p. 67.
38Ibid., p. 68. 17 major triads enter the texture, a highly unusual procedure in traditional twelve-tone writing.
Stronger evidence of this earlier diatonic order is the use of passages that are purely diatonic, which contain no non-dia- tonic dissonance. Two examples are the opening trumpet canon 3 9 in the Piano Concerto and the "Lento" from the Short Syphony.
With the composition of the works of the Folk Song Period,
Copland's interpolations above his diatonic foundations became less dissonant. Subsequently, purely diatonic combinations ap- peared with greater and greater frequency.
A very important work in the development of Copland's style during this period is El Salon Mexico, completed in 1936. In this work, the composer discovers two techniques that are basic to the music of this period--the quotation of folk music, and the use of a simpler, more easily understood musical language.40
Some of the Mexican tunes quoted are "El Mosco," "El Palo Verde,"
"La Jesusita," and "El Malacate." The work develops in G major and E major, and the harmonies, says Smith, ". . . are either triads or appropriate (to the folk tunes) polytonal combina- tions," 41
Three ballets, written between 1938 and 1944, constitute the backbone of this period, Several other large works were written during this time, but the ballets, the essence of the Folk Song Period, overshadow them.
3 9 Berger, "The Music of Aaron Copland," p. 437. 4 Smith, o:.c 2ift., p. 175. 41lbid. 18
It is in Bijjy the Kid (1938) that the style of this pe-
riod becomes crystallized. Familiar cowboy tunes abound--"The Old Chisolm Trail," "Git Along Little Bogies," "Goodbye, Old
Paint," and "0 Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie." To give these
tunes an appealing freshness, Copland places them in polyhar- monic and polyrhythmic settings.
While Copland employs many authentic folk songs in these works, they are seldom quoted literally. Usually they are modi- fied melodically, rhythmically, or (one of his favorite prac- tices) expanded by phrase extension. Occasionally a song is transformed to create a mood opposite its original; what once was frivolous becomes broad and tender. By taking the sub- stance of folk songs and then transforming and shaping them,
Copland's music "distills far more than it quotes."43
In 1942, four years after fBill the Kid, Copland received a commission for a second cowboy ballet, which was entitled
Rodeo. Just as its predecessor, Rodeo makes use of such folk and cowboy tunes as "Sis Joe," "Bonyparte," and " cLeod's Reel."
Declaring the work to be one of Copland's most accessible and easily understood orchestral works, Smith terms it "Americana at its best,".
The work for which Copland is probably best known, the bal- let Appalachianring, was premiered in 1944 and was awarded
Berger, Aaron Copland, p. 60, 43Frymire, _ cit.., p. 48.
Smith, _p. citf., p. 143. 19 the Pulitzer Prize for Music the following year. Much of the ballet has the flavor of Shaker hymns and dance songs but only one actual tune is used, the Shaker song entitled The Gift to be Simle. Although there is less quotation of folk tunes than in the other ballets, the diatonic trend of the entire period reaches its peak in this work.t Flanagan states, "If the phrase 'Copland sound' has any meaning, Appalachian
[defines] it." 46
Copland's compositional career has been marked by the orig- inal way he dresses familiar material. Whether that material is jazz or twelve-tone, the final Copland product is subtle and so- phisticated refinement of the original. Thus, it is logical that in this period he would use diatonic harmony in a modern manner, a technique termed pandiatonicism by Slonimsky. Pandiatonic writing occurs in all of the ballets, as well as in some later film scores and incidental theatre music. An investigation of Copland's use of this technique will be undertaken in chapter three of this paper.
During this time, Copland was also engaged in writing sev- eral works of a serious and absolute nature, Among these are the Piano Sonata, the Clarinet Concerto, Sonata for Violin and
Piano, and the Third Symphony. Many of these works are closer in harmonic content to the serially oriented works of the Abstract
4Berger, "The Music of Aaron Copland," p. 437. 46Flanagan, R. cit., p. 51. 4 ?Nicolas Slonimsky, Music Since 1900 (New York, 1937), p. xxiv. 20
Period than they are to the diatonically conceived ones of the
Folk Song Period. These serious works were not composed with the popular music audiences in mind but were written to satisfy the co-poser's need for a more serious creative outlet. As
Copland alternated between the absolute and the folk song works, his attitude concerning the use of specific references to na- tive American music began to change. Feeling that American composers were becoming more self-reliant, Copland stated, ". .. we can be certain that when our music is mature, it will also be
American in quality. American individuals will produce an Amer- ican music, without any help from conscious Americanisms." 4 }
Although Copland has continued to employ "Americanisms" for his more popularly styled film and theatre music, he no longer does in his absolute works.
The past few years have seen Copland make a complete re- turn to his earlier serial techniques. In 1962 there appeared
Connotations, his first all-out orchestral twelve-tone work.
It is based on three four-note chords heard at its outset, from which many lines are drawn, 5 0 Evans states that while Copland's earlier serial works were "essays in a tentative serialism,"5 1
Connotations is "the fully committed working out of a row." 5 2
"8Smith, 2. cit., p. 223.
4 9Thompson, a. cit., p. 46.
50Peter Evans, "Copland on the Serial Road," Perspectives of New Music, II (Fall-Winter, 1963), 141. 5 1 1bid.
5 2 1bid., p. 149 21
The composer's feeling is that Connotations is the logical cli- max of his other serial works--the Piano Variations, the Piano
Quartet (1950) and the Piano Fantasy (1957). Copland's final work to date is Insc ;,, first performed in 1968. It is scored for large orchestra with varied percus- sion. Noting the presence of both serial and diatonic elements in the work, Henderson states that their combination produces "music of a stimulating independence of spirit." 4
Bernstein, however, suggests that Copland's latest ventures into serialism were not musically comfortable for the composer. When Bernstein asked why Copland bothered with such things as tone rows and rules of retrograde inversion, Copland replied, "Because I need more chords. I've run out of chords." 5 5 Bern- stein also feels that Copland's reason for no longer composing, aside from age, is that younger composers are leading the art down avenues which he could not or did not wish to go.56
While the music world may not be certain as to the materials
Copland may choose to work with in a particular instance, it can be sure the final product will bear Copland's own individual im- print. Bernstein says that although Copland's style ranges from
53 Flanagan, pp. j. , p. 49,
5 4 Robert Henderson, "Copland's Inscap,!" Tempo (Winter, 1968- 1969), 29. 5 5 Leonard Bernstein, "Aaron Copland--An Intimate Sketch," HUgh Fidelity/Musical America, XX (November, 1970), 5?, 5 6 Ibid. 22
"New York jive to New Mexico twang . . , so strong is the force of Copland's personality that it shines through all of his mu- si ."57
5 kLeonar Bernstein, "Young People's Concert," unpublished script, CBS-TV, December 27, 1970. CHAPTER II
THE PRINCIPLE OF PANDIATONICISM
The term "pandiatonicism" first appeared in 1937 in Nico-
las Slonimsky's Music Since 190_0. The term was used to de-
scribe a harmonic device that had become an important feature
in works of certain twentieth-century composers. 3lonimsky's
basic definition of pandiatonicism is "the technique of free
use of all seven notes of the diatonic scale in melodic, con-
trapuntal and harmonic combinations . . . "i According to Blom, early approximations of pandiatonicism,
as used by Glazunov and Tschaikowsky, were "progressions of per-
fect fourths (e.g., E.A.D.G.) and arpeggios of thirds (e.g., A.B.
rsic] D.F.A.C.E.G,) . . ."2 Pandiatonicism itself did not emerge until the early twentieth century, Blom says, when it developed
at first as a "modern white-key piano technique" and as a reac- tion against both the harmonic chromaticism of the nineteenth
century and the "pan-chromaticism" of the twentieth-century aton-
alists. 3 It became more fully established with the rise of the
Illonimsky, 22,!ci.
2Eric Blom, "Pandiatonicism," Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Eric Blom, Vol. VI (NewYork,~1954, p. 543 3 lbid. Neither the term "pan-chromaticism" nor "modern white-key piano technique" is defined by Blom.
23 24 neo-classical movement around 1925.4 Some writers consider pandiatonicism to be an important technique of twentieth cen- tury composition.5 Others, such as Austin, deny it is any form of "principle of harmonic motion or structure" and is, at least in the hands of some composers, only "a temporary costume." 6
Among those who consider it a legitimate technique, there is considerable disagreement concerning aspects of its structure and function. This chapter will consider some of these disputes.
Tonality and Atonality?
An investigation of the tonal properties of pandiatonicism is fundamental to understanding it as a harmonic technique. Not all who have written about pandiatonicism have discussed its re- lationship to tonality, but among those who have, differing views are held.
One view, as expressed by Blom, is that pandiatonicism is
"firmly rooted in tonal harmony."8 Apel does not comment as di- rectly as Blom does, but he does state that the harmony usually
4Willi Apel "Pandiatonicism," Harvard Dijtiona r of Music (Cambridge, 1969), p. 639. 5lbid,
6William W. Austin, Music in the Twentieth century (New York, 1966), p. 424. 71n this study, a passage will be considered tonal if there is one tone to which all others are subordinate, and atonal if there is no such tone. An atonal passage, however, may be con- structed of traditionally tonal materials (i.e., major and minor chords),
8B lone, _op".camt.. 25 has a "tonal staticity." 9 Some tonality is implied in Hansen's assertion that the harmonic progressions "will ultimately end on tonic." 1 0 Slonimsky, declaring it to be a "consolidation of tonality,"11 further explains his position: ", . . the bass, the fifth from the bass, and the tenth from the bass determine the prevalent harmony."12 None of these writers states con- clusively that pandiatonicism is tonal or atonal. Though one may lean toward a tonal viewpoint, an exact position is not stated,
Blom's discussion notes that "the perfect fourth on the fundamental is seldom if ever used," 1 3 which is a view also held by Slonimsky.l4 These two writers are the only ones to impose this qualification. To restrict the fourth, however, is to contradict the basis for the pandiatonic principle--."the free use of all seven notes of the diatonic scale . . 0"15 It would re-define the term as the free use of six notes of the diatonic scale, with the avoidance of the other. For the pur- poses of this study, the use of the fourth above the fundamental will be unrestricted.
Slonimsky cites Casella's eleven Children's Pieces as an 16 example of pandiatonic writing,. The pieces that employ
%tpel, f.l, cit.
1 %PeterS. Hansen, Twentieth Century Music (Boston, 1967), p. 179,
11S lonimsky, off?,,c t o121 13 Blom, ~ov. ct, , p. 534. 14 lonimsky, cit. 1 5Ibid. 16 26 pandiatonicism are number three, "Valse Diatonique;" number eight, "Minuetto;"" and number eleven, "Galop Final." Though it is at times obscure in the "Minuetto," all three pieces are ton- al. The excerpt from "Gmlop Final" is in C major.
jwgripte Alle
_ _4'
Fig. 1-Casella, "Galop Final," Eleven Children's Pieces, measures 4.7.
Allegretto A Allegro $
mmommmm-- I IL. lir w --- wom"NAW ommummoom ""own Xl!k V v
Sf
ommoomm" (rib. 4dl ALU MI odOF 'Affw -.,
1I V
i d9 I F-A
_ _ _ _I
_ _ _ _ _ OW Il
- ", &-,a I- -- - 11 -
VG t
Fig. 2-Slonimsky, example of pandiatonic writing from Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns, p. 195. 27
In his Thesaurus, Slonimsky has written examples of dif- ferent types of pandiatonic writing. The illustrations of four, five, and six part harmony all have tonal endings. (See Figure
2.)
Apel denotes several works that contain pandiatonic writ- ing. 1 7 The pandiatonic passages found in Stravinsky's Petrou- shka are tonal. The opening theme from the "Danse Russel" is in a Mixolydian mode in G major. (See Figure 3.)
plane 4 .1
Fig. 3--Stravinsky, "Danse Russe," Petroushka, measures 1-4.
Persichetti's statement that "the horizontal chord succes- sion has no tonal direction"1 8 does not definitely pre-suppose a state of tonality. Neither do his illustrative examples and references totally clarify this area. The progressions in
1 7Apel, . cit. The works referred to are Satie's Embr- ons desseches; Poulenc's Suite (1920); Debussy's "Doctor Gradus ElTParnasswn," Coin des enfants; Stravinsky's Petroushka and Serenade (1925).
18incent Pe rs ichetti, Twentieth Center Harmn (New York, 1961) , p. 224. 28
Figure 4 show no clear tonal direction, but the final chord seems to establish Bb as the point of repose.
4' 'd t
. d bK ..,-.,... 5t .,.. H
iff-= - d I I
Fig. 4--Persichetti, example of pandiatonic writing from Twenti th Century Harmo p. 224.
Some of the works cited by Persichetti as containing pan- diatonic writing seem to uphold the tonal principle and some do not. The passage in Figure 5 is tonal (C major).
w ir- Fl. I tj i ban" boom Of -.mom
ar "" T . .nrs Yr
1, F
{
.ifYY.ww rwrwrr..
Via. ... r.ara. i ell+w .xflrrrw!wF 'r bMf AYMM1 lY J rwwafs.Nk.ryr +' e A+u. I adwwMW
MKiYy - . .+YVeen OF .06
MOO" AhL IYeyM Aft
SKI +Ar+Y 1+f MM .AAiY!. A+ . Y. :.qVA iYi
aWY. +MiMV Aia -
'-. M..frWa'«P' w.v wdtlMYM111f4wM M MwY x1Y b 1 - - - I Pt
Ch. .+rgRA l4n.w+Y
A
Fig. 5-Copand, Appalachian irin, measures 372-375
l1_bid., p. 225. The works are Stravinsky's Duo Concertant for Violin and Piano, Dah's Divertimento for Viol and Piano, opland#s ATAppaachian ,pring, Hanson's Lament f or Beowulf, and Honegger's Jeanne d'Arc. 29
The tonality of Dahl's Divertimento is not as clear, as seen in Figure 6.
Fig. 6--Dahl, "Coda," Divertimento for Viola and Piano, measures 18-22.
The passage from Hanson's Lament for Beowulf (see Figure
13) appears to have no definite tonality.
Of the writers surveyed, Miller's view is the most clearly stated. He says that "although pandiatonic music is not neces- sarily atonal, neither is it solidly tonal . . 0"20 This study will assume that pandiatonic music is neither tonal nor atonal by necessity, but may be either by preference of the composer.
Bitonality
Some pandiatonic chords, because of their vertical arrange- ment, have the appearance of being bitonal. In Figure 7, the second vertical structure appears to be the superimposition of
2 0 Hugh Milton Miller, History of Music, third edition (New York, 1969), p. 534. 30 the IV and V triands in C major. Other similar combinations can be seen in Figures 7 and 8,
i,:
I A 4-~. =ftWO=1
-Ai_
Fi.7--Slonims cy, Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Pat- te rns, p. 195.
Piano
AIts
Harp
Fig. 8--Stravinsky, "Danse Russe," ?etroushka, measures 111-112,
There is also an appearance of bitonality in passages where individual voices outline different triads. (See Figures 9 and 10.)
; - ~ .
pool R, A- ''y N I w iAL _.
qw -0 '
.,_ _ . .
Fig. 9-Stravinsky, "Hymne , " Serenade , measures 58-60 31
(3) t. ---.
Ft. ______
(if AI ~- ~ ~ ~-s -~ ______
s------vI,,
- wrrr. ~ ~ ~rrwr.
! _w.a~~ .w~r+."...... +w-.. ~ __ __ww....rrr Via. II- _ _ k_ _ *0t % I
______low- Vc.
Fig. lO--Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 15-21
However, Blom states that these sonorities cannot be con- sidered bitonal because there is no superimposition of key. He says, "The combination of the tonic chord with the sub-dominant or dominant triads, peculiar to pandiatonic usage, cannot be described as bi-tonality, as the notes are taken from the same diatonic scale." 2 1 These will be referred to as bichordal So- norities.
Structure
Slonimsky describes the structure of pandiatonic chords as being of ". . . tertian harmony in the lower strata, in quartal harmony in the higher tones." 2 2 Hansen's view is broader and claims ". . . the chords are not limited to structures built in thirds . 23
2 _. CAse,_22Slonimsky,_ 23Hnsn,_o. _'" cot.jn. 32
The pandiatonic chords in Figures 11 and 12 can easily be identified as being tertian, Others (see Figure 13) are non- tertian,
49 p 2
IF.
w attar Z3e.. qwusm bo.,w t
u~ 1 4N
Fig. 1L--Honegger, Jeanne d frc, Scene IV, measures 89-92.
& II men kind-est, To his folk.. the most mp
men kind- est, To his folk. the most
Ah
111.1 14. f
& F e fm Fig, 12--Hans on, Lament f or Beuf, measures 163-166 33
ing, be wound..... with -
ing, be ...... wound...... with the weep - - -
til it at last the
tilit at last e the
Fig. 13--Hanson, Lament foBr Beowulf, measures 109-110
For this study, it will be assumed that pandiatonic har-
mony is built in thirds only when the composer prefers it and
that it is non-tertian when that is his preference.
Harmonic Function
Slonimsky views pandiatonic harmony as functional2L and
states that "the harmonic function of the principle triads re-
mains strong."25 On three different occasions he describes
24The succession of chords is determined by the traditional root movement by fifth relationship. 2 5 Nicolas Slonimsky, "Introduction," The New Book of Modern Composers, edited by David Ewen (New York,1976TTp . 34 the ultimate harmonic function as being determined by the bass, 2 6
In substantiation he writes, "A clear example of functional pan- diatonic writing is found in the 'Waltz' on the white keys from
Casella's Children's Suite for piano. The function of the tonic and the dominant is observed, but the melodic and harmonic flow is free." 2 7
Vivacissimo (one beat to a measure)
min
saco. senmre OFeg
Fig, 14--Satie, "Valse Diatonique," Eleven Children's Pieces , measures 3-12.
The "Galop Final" (Figure 15) of the same work shows a sim- ilar tonic-dominant relationship in pandiatonic block chords. 28 29 An opposite view is held by Hansen, Persichetti, and 30 Apel, who all assert that pandiatonic harmony is non-functional.
26Slonimsky, Music Since 1900, pp. 46, 293, 345 27 Nicolas Slonimsky, "Introduction," The book of Modern Com- Posers, edited by David Ewen (New York, 1942),~1l5 2 2 ansen, _U. cit. 9Persichetti, . cit. 3 0 Apel, 22. cit. 35
'"'."r
'"..,
p7C0 allarg. ... t
tunga af .I' af fir
T I (IjbR&
Fig. 15--Satie, "Galop Final," Eleven Children's Pieces, measures 71_-80.
fIsI rin' ! ,*.i.n.m UIU M. t A -o_ T r I faP -- -r* r z -A : IYI _.. -I L _-- .t. r _ ._ ,... _.._ ..
Si # #
TL1.3.
Ob. iit.
01.1.
,"1. I31III
Ew1 it.IV.
PI 1.,I I. Ztrl111
____+~E 5TEi _
S TO. I! WMi
Vt.'.
_ _f __ __
!"_ .""1 t -A Fig. 1 6 .-- Stravinsky, "The Shrove-Tide Fair," Petroushka, measures 42-52. 36
Dallin even states that this absence of functionality is the only feature that makes pandiatonicism unique from other non- chromatic music, 3 1 Figure 16 contains an example of non-func- tional pandiatonic harmony in which the triadic voices move in step-wise parallel motion. In Figure 17 the B-minor and Ct- minor arpeggios in the left hand alternate in a non-functional manner.
For the purposes of this study, pandiatonic harmony may either be functional or non-functional.
.. _
:.wsi uMW p+rnK r ryw O'NOMmoo No~
_a- Plop" x A21 r 1tL~
Fig, 17--Stravinsky, "Rondoletto, " Serenade, measures 20-22.
Pandiatonic Cadences
Dallin contends that "traditional . , . cadence formulas
3 2 are foreign to the style" of pandiatonicism. Slonimsky adds that "cadential pandiatonic formations favor the inclusion of the second, sixth, and seventh from the bass."3 I3oth Dallin's
3 1 Leon Dallin, Tchnius of Twentieth C9nte pCowpoiion, rev, ed,, edited by Frederick W. Westphal (Dubuque, Iowa, 1964), p. 127. 3 2 Ibid.
3 3 Slonimsky, Masic Since 1-200, p. xxiv. 37 reference to Appalachian Spring (Figure 18) and $lonimsky's original examples (Figure 19) illustrate this characteristic absence of traditional chord spelling and voice leading.
S492-
T v Iv. 'WI I :*
Fig. 18--Copland, Ajplachian Sprng, measures 370-375, cited in Dallin's Techniques of TweniTehCent Composition, p. 127.
AJ "' I I I
0 z" . IT-i7II I 4t 11 if EE- ---. - - 4- r 1 it TT- spy'. i
ie~ II 4~ _____
1 I_ _.I . . - -. .- -00.... . !Ar lL ff A r .I I ldft AM
jot, Kira -11001 !l 4 fit' AL J.
Fig. 19- S onimsky, Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Pat- tns 1 194.p.,
Modes and Scales
All the pandiatonic writings previously quoted have been in the major mode. This fact substantiates Slonimsky's assertion 38 that "major tonalities are by far the most frequent in pandia- tonic usage , " An example of minor mode pandiatonicism occurs in Copland's BillY the Kid. The following example is in Bb-minor (natural form).
a~414' 44, 4 i+
Ob.
IIL
I _ _
rT p
;}n
Fig, 20--.Copland, Billy te Kid, measures 41-J43
The church modes are sometimes used for pandiatonic pur- poses--Figure 3 is Mixolydian and Figure 21 is Dorian on C. Persichetti notes that to avoid tiring the ear with the continual repetition of the same scale, the mode of a pandia- tonic passage is often changed. He illustrates this procedure
341bid. 39
I _ _t___pI
P ~~ II,- -W I I
Fig. 21--Copland, B the Kid, measures 27-32
(Figure 22) by changing from what appears to be C major to Db major.
Adaio
H.(sord),Ya.Pp
Fig. 22--Persichetti, example of a change of pandiatonic mode from Twentieth Century armo, p. 224.
Expanding the original concept, Persichetti writes that
any scale--even a synthetic one--may be the basis for pandia-
tonic writing. 3 5 However, none of the literature surveyed re-
veals any pandiatonicism based on a synthetic scale.
Accidentals
As Miller points out, pandiatonicism began as a revolt against chromaticism, and for this reason it "minimizes the
35Persichetti, a2. it., p. 225. use of accidentals."3 6 C-major, having no accidentals, is the favorite key. Even when other keys are used, the music often has a C-major appearance (see Figure 23); since all the notes are naturally found in the scale of the key, no accidentals are needed.
lA A t _... it 41L AWL
.10" mom
INNI
.mw 3 3
Fig. 23--Stravinsky, "Gigue," Duo Concertant for Violin and Piano, measures 66-68.
However, some composers avoid key signatures and place the accidentals at the point of each occurrence. This could result in a pandiatonic passage with several accidentals,
meno forte
4.As +mpre molstacc.
Fig, 2*--Casella, "Galop Final," Eleven Children's Pieces, measures 4750.
3 6 M11ler, 92. cit. 37 bi. Occasionally, even when key signatures are used, accidentals
are added to effect a change of mode without a change of signa- ture.
,
I I I~I~2 ""'
ObLU
Fttsr n
; LU AMr.- arrou. _ are. iB
nn
-L ___I _ I Irv [y I -1
Fig. 25--Stravinsky, "The Shrove-Tide Fair," Petroushka, measures 59-67,
The number of accidentals, by itself, is not a determin- ing factor in identifying pandiatonic writing. A pandiatonic
passage may have many or few accidentals , and key signatures
may be used or abandoned.
The Seven-Tone System In one of his explanations of pandiatonicism, Slonimsky states, "The pandiatonic technique may be described by analogy with the twelve-tone technique as the seven-tone system." 3 8 This conception puts equal importance on all diatonic tones. However, it is contradictory to Slonimsky's earlier advocacy of the avoidance of the fourth scale degree. (See p. 25,)
Slonimsky further identifies pandiatonicism with the twelve-tone principle by constructing pandiatonic serial rows.
He names these rows pandiatonic progressions and defines them as "tonal rows composed of all seven different tones of the diatonic scale." 3 9 Figure 6 contains some of Slonimsky's
Fig. 26-Slonimsky, Thesaurus of c es and Melodic Pat- terns, p. 192.
3 8 Slonimsky, The Book of Modern Composers, p. 15. 3 9Slonimsky, Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns, p. viii. 43 pandiatonic progressions. However, in none of the literature surveyed was there any evidence of these serial-type progres- sions. Neither does any other author refer to them,
3lonimsky states that the seven-tone system makes possible melodic pointillism (see Figures 26 and 27). Berger simply states that pointillism and "pan-diatonism" are the same term.4 0
A S '"r{ wws - eMeRdf.-, werw ...,.w.
*_qw ztW.brafl1 ., ~- .. , rr.ww ~ex w
Fig. 27--Stravinsky, "Ecologue I," Duo Concertn for Xioin and Piano, measures 32-34.
Summary
Pandiatonicism is a harmonic tool upon which differing viewpoints are held. For the purposes of this study, the fol- lowing will be assumed:
1. Definition.--A sonority will be considered pandia- tonic if its members are from the same diatonic mode but cannot be classified, according to traditional analysis, as diatonic triad members or properly approached and resolved non-harmonic tones.
4IBerger, "The Music of Aaron Copland," p. 431. 44
2. Tonality.--Pandiatonic writing may be tonal or non- tonal.
3. Bitonality.--Bitonality cannot exist in pandiatonic writing, but certain chord spellings may result in bichordality, 4, Harmonic function.--Pandiatonic chords may or may not contain functional root relationships.
5. Cadences .--Pandiatonic cadences employ non-traditional chord construction and voice leading,
6. Structure.--Pandiatonic sonorities may or may not be built in superimposed thirds.
7, Modes and scales.--Major, minor, and the church modes may be employed in pandiatonicism.
8. Seven-tone system.--The seven-tone system will not be considered as an organizing method for pandiatonicism. 9. Accidentals,--Accidentals may or may not be used, CHAPTER III
COPLAND'S METHODS OF PANDIATONIC HAJ{MNIZATION
An examination of Copland's ballets reveals the compos- er's use of certain compositional devices to create much of his pandiatonic harmony. In some cases these devices are pandiatonic in themselves. At other times pandiatonicism is the result of the device in combination with the rest of the texture. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate Cop- land's use of these devices.
Ostinato
The ostinato figure is frequently used by Copland as an integral part of a pandiatonic passage. A simply structured ostinato appears in Figure 28, in which only three tones are used. The tone F, occurring on beats one and three, alter- nates with the G (and its grace note E) on beats two and four. This ostinato is the sole accompaniment to the melody in C major,
_ _o. f
I . =4 I
dir Vt. L )(A sit
ylfyr .+ %o ifiO tiqfr
{ Via.
Fig. 28--Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 103-107 45 46
The ostinato in Figure 29 is based on alternating thirds.
The thirds are built on tonic and supertonic, with the upper
note of each third harmonized by tonic. Pandiatonic harmony occurs in the trumpets, as well as between the ostinato and
melody. Copland develops this ostinato into a more involved
ostinato (see Figure 30) through extension, triadic harmony,
S CCQ
F I
-Y ll Li Aly AL
B ' - o-J )- 4w S~r ter y
5
s.
F "* 8.& H.9054
Fig. 29-*.Copland, Appa hian spring, measures 240w243
Ob.
Pft*. I ___
_v. 'P L#Yu c4w p Vtu
Fsi - pizi.p and p hi iT 2-2
Fig. 30--CoplandL, Apalachian measures 249-252 47
and octave displacement of the original thirds. Its combina-
tion with the melody results in pandiatonicism,
The ostinato in the bass voices in Figure 31 remains con-
stant, while the pandiatonic chords above it continually change the harmony.
FL z
Ob. Z
KrP.
S__ t
~r~~. poco a poco TrpE crsc. ,l oa pWoc 3
Cb.
Fig. 3l--Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 604-607
fr~v -;~mom I Ab A~ ~ It
i
2qaool -,-Tc W VI. I iv.(j i)
Via.
Vc.
Fig. 32--Copland, Aplachian Sprn, measures 69-73 48
In Figure 32, the arpeggios in the second violins are the basis for another ostinato. The violas and violincellos pan- diatonically harmonize this ostinato, which is then combined with the melody in the flutes and first violins. Multiple ostinatos are illustrated in Figures 33 and 34.
In Figure 33, the four-note descending ostinato in the flutes
ac kA . It 0 rit rf PicC g~ALL " _..." "w "_ _ "' , ...... r.
Ob.
____Ww
E7-7 Pimio ~ ~4 - ~ - __ _ __
V. 2
Via.
Vic.
b.
Fig. 33~Copland, Bil t he Kid, measures 337-340 and piccolo is imitated one beat later by clarinets and oboe.
The pandiatonio chordal ostinato in the French horns, trom-. bones, and bass instruments is supplemented by a third osti.. nato figure in the piano. The violin and viola develop the opening motive from the cowboy song, "Goodbye, Old Paint."
In Figure 3)4, several ostinatos are played against the melody, These separate ostinatos are in (I) the first flutes and clarinets, (2) second flutes and clarinets, (3) oboes and trumpets, (4) second violins, and (5) the piano, The melody is in the first violins.
Lg -T-
1. ji- - - rrw yl Mlrf
.016 *TZ Fl. rf *a * As
jual,
AD Am 6" Ob. .11
'": s " .. !'" : .. s .wM ^b . C" mole
PC.
(II
T.(
Me,
vu,+
woo: roomo
VI, H ff I-A do
Fig. 34--Copland, Appalaohian Spring, measures 54L-546 50
Scale Patterns Berger states that in Copland's canonic writing "a note may get in for its linear significance rather than for its eu- phony." 1 This observation could well be made in regard to
Copland's pandiatonic writing in general. In many passages,
the linear aspects of the diatonic scale are of importance not
only for the pandiatonic harmonies created by the individual
notes in combination with the rest of the texture, but espe-
cially for the unifying quality of the scale itself.
Disregarding octave displacement, the pattern in Figure
35 is a continuous ascending scale for eight measures, Conse- quently, every note in the D major scale is at some point pan-
diatonically harmonized by each of the two chords above it.
- - -7I -
Vin.i-- - detacheeab ceecree,
Via.y~r detace res,
delaclW cra
'Cello #4 creac, pa'.
-~~ reset.
Fig. 35--Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 331-336
.1 Berger, "The Music of Aaron Copland," p. 429, 51
The following example shows the creation of pandiatonic
seconds at various points by the combination of melody, arpeg-
gios , and scale patterns, 1 xL In- PC
V1 Arlo""' FL fm lk A -M AL ps I'a i m a M. A ME- Am MP f va WON Via. =mow F
V'.
Fig. 36--Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 373-375
Pandiatonic seconds are created by the combination of
the duet and scale passage in Figure 37.
-0 itS au. r. 0 - - - le- op I t 7! _77- 71
Trb. _ - ... _ _ _ _
unlit, ,.rn=
fyaf
Fig. 37--Copland, Apahian rin, measures 563-570
The scale pattern from Billy the Kid (see Figure 38) is later developed by the extension of the scale and the progres-
sive diminution of its note values (see Figure 39).
The pandiatonic sonorities in Figure 40 are underpinned
by a descending scale pattern in C major, 52
36
vi. - *1*8. _ -At
Ep Via r++w~i~
... w. ..
V IC. a
bt
Fig. 38--Copland Billy the d measures 438-44l
I It f: e iL to _ .4
_ __ACV-,
Via. -- f
VIk.
I il, l ls~li 1 , II , l i i . 1 . - - - . ------4 Ct,.
Fig. 39--Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 451-455
Ff. I
Vi. I ~-
-t H -Oi m
Vi.
- 4 yw.. .------
Cb.
Fig. 40,--Copland , Appaahian Spnring, measures 366- 368 53
The scalar violin melody in Figure 41 is accompanied by an ascending scale encompassing three octaves.
I-M lift vII Imp- 1
inn .w Ida
A& An Am-
w
V'. e pizz, 46 lift
low
iZZ, Cb.
Fig. 41--Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 35O-35i
Parallel Thirds
Copland occasionally creates a pandiatonic effect by har- monizing a melody in strict parallel thirds. These thirds re- nain constant, without regard for the expressed or implied2 harmony.
In its first appearance in Rodeo, the following theme's first three measures are harmonized with the full tonic triad
(see Figure 42 A). This diatonic harmonization is later re- placed by a pandiatonic one (see Figure 42 B) in which the sixth scale degree (A) lies outside the implied tonic chord.
Authentic cadences are implied at several points in the flute melody in Figure 43. The parallel thirds (tenths) in
2 The harmony is implied by the chordal outlines and ca- dences in the melody and/or by previous harmonization of the melody. 54
I~I solo (wit humor) I Tremb.I
a atthe fr 8
I I
g y yR
cop (soAdd Vla~
Fig, 42 A--Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 180-185
UJ'
id. An a tit' t SI
sub.su& ___-
Fig. 42 B--Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 270-274
the bassoon, however, occasionally result in tones not found in
the melodically implied tonic and dominant chords.
_
1
Ob. ,._.,_ .. .. _ _ a . -. ,_. _ . _ _....w ,. =fir .. .1. . ,,...... M..~, ------* .,.,,,,, , _, ,,.,, ,.,,,.,,R,~,.w
.; 1.1 t. E:i I (ifn )III
Fg.
WOW ...... lk kW A M . L-- it I rt K i Tr. . IB _ _II _II_ I I _1_--1 t. It I-
14ZF [U F'II ame
Fig. L3-opland, ApjA achan pring, measures 505-509 55
The clarinet accompaniment in Figure 44 is in constant parallel sixths to the piccolo, It also is pandiatonic be- cause its strict, pre-determined movement results in tones foreign to the melodically-implied chords.
Now
7 It Noc. B"d . NOW .
Fl.
'00 op Oc. u 1 A YtlM ! !L 71b1
4 pool am d CaM now =I 3
k 3
Fig. 44--Copland, Bjl the Kid, measures 209-212
Parallel Fourths and Fifths
In a manner similar to his use of parallel thirds, Cop- land also employs parallel fourths and fifths pandiatonically.
The illustration in Figure 45 demonstrates his melodic use of fourths,
i woI" I
ddL
Xylo. Ids. 7-1 ip.L slow 10 A i
kRn y' 1wi1104YY 'Ai4 .!RR i.iRrM MRY ...... YwR MMRMRR;fyR?...... VilF' FY MM t
17 1- «FYrrR,..
Now- FRFY M RYnMI
.w..RYR..e....Yrr "Not I V r
i -- I
4w ,m -41L ;R t w ; - A- V
Fig. 45-Copland, Appalachian Mpring, measures 426-430 56
The doubling used in Billy the Kid (see Figure 46) re- sult in parallel fourths and fifths.
too Piano Ur- 1 ro" a '-I . I "
_YLL
. . ______~w -r-- = EtZ Z2~. +W
_ Y Yw.-rawM YwIM+ VIt MIlM- -. w..w
_ - awwV+ Vtc.
Cb.
Fig. 46--Copland Billy the Kid measures 612-616
Parallel fourths and fifths are also used as a pandia- tonic accompaniment. The key in Figure 47 is F major.
Ft. mf ! C.
Ob. inIi
Tr.(M) pMzz
I, t IL RMfI -. I
Fig. LI7-Copland, App hin 'pring, measures 41l4- l6 5?
In the opening of Copland's "Saturday Night Waltz," the spirit of a country fiddler is evoked by the use of parallel fifths stacked one upon the other. These pandiatonic sonori- ties (see Figure 48) each contain between two and five notes of the C major scale.
Introduction (4 152)
/gnon legato
f non legat
/n lpez arco pin. arco pizz.
/non legato
Fig. 48--Copland, "Saturday Night Waltz," Rodeo, measures 1-8
Secundal Sonorities
A practice that is used with some frequency in Copland's ballets to create pandiatonicism is the employment of secundal sonorities, 3 These sonorities may be found in either melody
or harmony and are sometimes built with octave displacement. The brass chords on the first beats of the measures in
Figure 49 are built in seconds (G, Ab, Bb); the chord in the fourth measure of this example is also secundal (Ab, Bb, C).
3 Secundal sonorities are those that are built with two or more consecutive seconds (i.e., G, A, B, C, D, etc.). 58
VS.L
11 9#".PO
inP CAW!.pa Paoo
. Trb.
w { 146- cil*c. Poo0a* '"P
14
Fig. 49.Copland, Billy the Kd, measures 603-606
An accompaniment figure in ll the Kid (see Figure 50) is constructed in parallel seconds (sevenths). Several meas- ures later, Copland raises this figure two scale degrees and adds an additional second to create parallel secundal chords.
(See Figure 51.)
Ob. di
Bsnr
Mac
Fig. 50-Copland, Billy the id, measures 289-292
A technique by which seconds are individually added to the texture is used in Applachian Spring (see Figure 52).
The excerpt's first measure contains two seconds (C, D), the 59
'~Arco V
. - __4,
T np
'p
Fig. 51--Copland, Billy the _, measures 299-302 second measure adds another (C, 0, I) and the last has one more (C, D, E, F).
L k L 11 ' V. M mtea. R - **a WWIN.W R 09 149 YEI ...>.. ..,.., Vt. It
Via. V. =
Fig. 52--Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 366-368
A five-note chord (C, D, E, F, G) is used in Rodeo, oc- curring on the second and fourth beats.
A similar five-note chord (G, A, B, C, ,) is illustrated
in Figure 54.
The Lydian mode on F is the context in which the chords
in Figure 55 appear, The half-notes on the third beats con- tain four consecutive seconds (, E, F, G), and the final quarter-note chord contains six of the notes of, the scale
(C, 0, i, F, G, A). 60
Ns
'- / Ens.in F 1t~2t2~~4 ~ 4U 11 AMR f I Ar -7t
Inn.!!
Via.
pcol egn
Oi- - D.B.
Fig. 53-Cop1and, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 110-111
din don 444 - - ... I =I w I I wir I rm
." I
osso
'VI. -r
VI.. }92VI
VIC.
cb.
Fig. 5L-Copiand, Billy the Kid, measures 350-352 61
1 I i
ulit r1ri/rr
rrpt
xf
Trb. 3
Fig. 55-CopIand, Bily the. id measures 444-447
Bichordal Sonorities
Copland's pandiatonic harmonies sometimes are arranged with bichordal spellings. An example of bichordality occurs
FIG, AA____
COb. "'r;rr' "
.. __~r' wx . . .Mr. nr ...
Vi.
vCo.
Fig. 56--Copland, Biliy the Kid, measures 601-602
Gkeorge Thaddeus Jones1, ic op o ition (vanston, 1963), p. 118. Bichordality is the superimposition of chords "from the same (seven-tone) scale with no suggestion of two keys." 62
in Billy the Kid (see Figure 56). While the strings and wood- winds sustain a C major chord (with the added sixth, Al the
clarinet arpeggio outlines the notes of a G major chord. The thirty-second note is analyzed as a pandiatonic lower neighbor.
In the following example, Copland creates pandiatonicism
through the simultaneous occurrence of the tonic and subdomi-
nant arpeggios.
sol
j 1. Ftl.
So Ob.
_ jj_
1' L " '" - --- r ""
CI. { Sol
(tn B )II I~w_ 1T J - I __~ LI .i.1_ IA_._^
Fig. 57--Copland, Appalachian Spr , measures 549-552
a
I VI. I
4 -iv
Via.
Vc. pl
Cb
Fig. 58--Copland, AalaShian Spring, measures 673-682
Appalachian Spring is concluded with a bichordal con- struction. After the full tonic chord has been established, 63
the violins divide and add the dominant chord above the tonic, The viola melody in Figure 59 outlines the tonic chord of B major. The accompaniment in the bassoon, clarinet, and bass
clarinet spells the sub-dominant chord, E major
r C1ts.in BI A 11 i t
LIZA- Bun AIL cpo
# 7 via,
'Cello ON,
Fig. 59-Copland, "Saturday Night Waltz," Rodeo, measures 78-79
The overlapping of the tonic, sub-dominant, and dominant chords is illustrated in Figure 60.
e y
.Nwwrw+wywww+iYrt.tiwnwn+m-"x n Yww
n Ww -""rrr4w4 Y4 Fli. '-nw++ h"' o-..wr~ - '
hlrwMMiMtwww.r+-a.w.R+"r v.l. i r= .. wy .Y 4' jrrt -
.. { I - MCIL"rn "r/.wvr. - _ _ M - +4w+w wu+Mn Nw ew +4 YR" .awnW.w+rw w..er." 't' '.l.n^n' +. a.z.Wwy .rF+M'-.tirt+...... -. alna InA) .i+.saw+a+,wr+ m .. M....+ nsr..+rm+.+" a +14".-Arrr
- ,. . 'dMag4eN"rt" # Md wMbiM4b^wrw '""".4 r 1 '^ -
' l rY +1rYOYp44M4!Y"rsly4 "M Y YF'Muy eY#eML"k"4++wiN h4rt" - " ' _ w +a^ l..ssrw rsww trrleY/+IrR!lrnYSY +.'wti4'w r+'a' *"""""'w"' - - .r. +.«w...- +..
. y...syr..rauew Y+MwllrrYrtaxm.yi nA) I wrw' aYwar Rrarrrrw4
- L >
Solo
ls }+rYp M4 l+r+^w!!M1't ...... wws t rtrsy.4wwrrlwr! ...... J rYYtT#!+q
'vi ' I ~~ .7ii 7 , r~ ...-, ,,. . ._ r .2ZZ2F2Z4...... V1.11 'iii , VIZ,.
-{------rte'-- -- ^ n' e-*,z,«, mom
Fig. 60--Copland, Aplachian ring, measures 15.-19 64
Pedal
A device that is found in several of Copland's pandia- tonic passages is the pedal. It is interesting to note that the pedal in Figure 61 is on a scale tone that is rather un- common for a pedal tone (the fourth scale degree in C major).
Pig.
7-1
' I" fyyj M i Y ' 1F
OiY MR " " "
'Vt. 07
'r Or 1 If II w -j It 1!
.w/;wn ..r" .wr wwwM. e..n
wIW ' IYMI" *AW
i r - 1" 4 Via.
a..
Cb.
Fig. 61--Copland, Billy _ , measures 106-111
A pedal on the dominant is found in Appalachian Spring (see Figure 62). Several measures later the pedal is trans- ferred to tonic (see Figure 63).
i . 71w
non_e_ __to__** _ . -*- ,*-._ VI.I AI.'
mfpstacc. ILl
Fig. 62--Copland, Aplachian pri n, measures 333-33? 65
Ob. =7 F F #. Nt
vut
I '' J
q MLI
VC.
Cis.
Fig. 63--Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 366-368
An excerpt from Rodeo illustrates Copland's use of a dou- ble pedal on tonic and dominant.
desk (2 Soli)-non sentimental
I -'--
. seP- .. Nor 3sr , " 'a _ _ - " +.,M.. T-Py "w, r """"w, ,,, ""' , , " ., ~:: . . " .... . ,. , . r jf I- 1 Lzzz.
Fig. 64--Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, Measures 286-290 66
Arpeggios
The arpeggio is a device used in several different ways in
Copland's pandiatonic writing. In Appalachian Srin& (see Fig-
ure 65) Copland's melody is underpinned by the alternation of
the arpeggiated subdominant and tonic chords. These arpeggios,
which are pandiatonically harmonized themselves, are then pan- diatonically combined with the melody.
LtZFl.4. Ir--.~
__ - eyy1mf vi'
W W 71Y 4 iz .)tt
V#. ii
vC.(j ' .+.
VA.
Fig. 65--Copland, Appaachian prl measures 69-71
Pandiatonicism is sometimes created by the use of over-
lapping arpeggios. In Figure 66 the tonic, sub-dominant, and
dominant arpeggios are sounded in quick succession. Since the
ear groups these arpeggios together as chords, the aural ef-
fect, even though all of the chord tones are not sustained, is that of these primary chords (F major) pandiatonically over-
lapping. 67
,, Ak Picc I, -o m
f -l
Fig* 66--Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 111-116
This technique is further illustrated in Figure 67. The over-
lapping arpeggios (with some of the notes sustained) occasion-
ally results in the overlapping of full chords.
rit ft. !
(in A) }}lt. Ci, - r __ _ (in A~)II
VU ...... «...... _._...... 1r -2+ j},
-L - - - I w, hZI.. _ I K4 . A .... .,r .,., Via. : lk.e-o.r~4* .,. .M...~ ~ ~. 4* s- f..iwwv.~ ...... 4 .w- 4(* Vt. .e4a r.M rse. ',+t*w.ppw
Fig. 67--Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 16-21
The simultaneous sounding of tonic and dominant arpeggios cre- ates pandiatonic harmony. 68
sol
11
FL
Ob tsu 06.l Sol
C L.Sot" _ -
Fig. 68--Copland, Appalahian Spring, measures 549-552
Arpeggios are sometimes employed pandiatonically with oc- tave displacement. The following from Rodeo illustrates this practice. The C major arpeggio in the flute is pandiatonically harmonized by the horns and strings.
Solo
FI I IF'
Cit.! iniB 14!! y thur ftXE H w-t ___ )
Ens in F t 2 -<~~-
- d $ senzasordi.I) S~~~
1ia (cot tegno) y voe I r- A.
- F w w . . w" - wer rw+e s +r .+- w.^..s+w.w r r+r I
Fig. 69-Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 107-109 69
Canon
Copland's ballets illustrate how effectively the canon may be used pandiatonically, A theme from Appalachian Spring
(see Figure 41) is later repeated with free imitation a fourth higher (see Figure 70).
._ . Ob. ff F 1.11 MV f M41r.
L. vnrs atfmIf- MW fmarc. ci . '' 14 t ------, rF - --- I r ~fnarc. / at F: 1.. 7- 1.1I II fmarc. {1 hmAJ t _._
Fig. 70-Copland, Appalachian Spring, measures 394-39 7
The Shaker tune, "The Gift to be Simple," is developed in several ways. Figure 71 illustrates a canon at the octave.
V artlo&a *%Ff W. a A. I _.- t - 1 L -- r' - (F) A -AL-Ilk A - 11 loll 11
Tr. Jcant.
'" ""i
1 - I .1.11 Nal, j
. err , ~ S # d. I AR '. 1 1'. Tartb. -'F F fm 1.!t IT now
Fig, 71--Copland, Sping,rppalachian measures 531-537
On the following page, a strict three-voice canon is ii- lustrated in Figure 72. 70
FL1I
sub
1 4F- __ Oboes LU
C.A. JO I Cits. In B
----.--..-..-L--- I- -- IIV.it ww7 .
fft
Bias LU 0 --- 9 141 - --
so rd. PL2 >* Uus.inF U! & IV
Tpts. In f Al__-r,< r I T n 114 lI
2 Trom bs 14&11 (11,sen 0rfsord Troin.iii Tuba ._._7 r I I - ..
Fig. 72-Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 270-274
Combined Themes
In a manner similar to his construction of a canon (if the canon may be thought of as the combining of a theme with itself),
Copland pandiatonically joins different themes to each other. A theme introduced early in Rodeo (see Figure 73) later is combined with a completely different theme, producing pandiatonic har- monies (see Figure 74).
Fig. 73-Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 114-116
8lM r~ i# }+Y1ayk, ++~l Ui # 0 r # iyMt A AOL
Plano stag.
Yin, /7 ifOff- stacc. Via.
Yin V sf'C, stacca I - fZ ci
.,-~.s-a-,..-
7 I" *j~.~ai ;zztaj ttc . ...
l r uy x }gyNw a .'M' +M w"!w w++M+{'b >w..bNnywrw,
MM4yM1 M + + P ..
Fig. 74--Copland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 394-398
A rhythmic, energetic theme of Appalachian Spring (Cf, Fig-
ure 5) is later combined with the broad, majestic one illustrated in Figure 75. ) Imo.. I -00- -,-.I I
T i - , .,.
T. B
Trb.
474
VI. I
V1. i
Fig. 75--Copland, Apjplachian Spring, measures 80-83
Modes in Pandiatonic Writing
Although Copland uses the unaltered major scale for the basi 9 of most of his pandiatonic writing, he does use other
P-J i ,
y olo-H4
-- 'I - --- ______
Tpts.l B jA~
n - __ _ _--- -______
___.__K . .:"L ivy
V"in..
via Y. BY 1 F .dc xkie i - 'j _ -:
Fig. 76-GCopland, "Buckaroo Holiday," Rodeo, measures 310-315 73 modes to a lesser extent (see Appendix, Table V). Figure 55 is in Lydian mode, Figure 76 illustrates the Mixolydian mode transposed to D, and Figure ? is Dorian transposed to F.
VI.
~- _ v1s
wo- VkC. 7 iswywnyr _..~,r .r~." eyy.a wn~.yn.r ww.. .n.a. w.r.~w~wwwwryinn-.r
Fig. 77--Copland, Billy the Kid, measures 44-48 CHAPTER IV
Conclusions
In Billy the Kid (1938), Rodeo (1942), and Appalachian
Spring (1944) Copland uses varied compositional devices in the
construction of many of his pandiatonic passages. The purpose
of this study is to identify these devices, to illustrate Cop-
land's methods of using these devices, and to tabulate the
frequency with which they are used.
The ostinato is used more frequently (see Appendix, Table
I) than any of the other devices used by Copland in his pandia-
tonic writing. The device can at various times be found in the
bass, treble, or middle ranges of the orchestra. In cases where
a multiple ostinato is used, all the orchestral ranges may con-
tain an ostinato. On occasion, Copland will create an ostinato
for pandiatonic purposes and will then develop that ostinato
into a more involved one. The diatonic scale, either ascending or descending, is often used for its unifying qualities in cer- tain pandiatonic passages. At times, the scale passage is em-
ployed as an accompaniment figure, and at other times it is
used melodically. Octave displacement is sometimes used in con-
junction with the scale patterns. Parallel thirds and fourths are an important device in Cop-
land's pandiatonic writing. He uses parallel thirds, without attempting to make them conform to the prevailing harmony.
74 75
These thirds are created by the harmonization of a melody
(either above or below) at the third. Parallel fourths are used in a similar manner in the harmonization of melodies and accompaniment figures.
Secundal sonorities (those that are built with two or
more consecutive seconds) are often used in Copland's pandia-
tonic harmonies. These sonorities can be found containing
from two to six consecutive members of the diatonic scale. Copland's pandiatonic harmonies are sometimes arranged
with bichordal spellings. These harmonies have the appear-
ance of two chords of the diatonic key superimposed upon one
another. There is no suggestion of two different keys. Bi-
chordal sonorities occur as the result of overlapping chords, the simultaneous occurrence of different arpeggios, and other
similar methods.
A device that is found in several of Copland's pandia-
tonic passages is the pedal. This device occurs on the tonic,
sub-dominant, and dominant. Double pedals are occasionally
used, employing tonic and dominant. The pedal can be found in
the bass voices, treble voices, and as an interval pedal, The arpeggio is a device used in several different ways
in Copland's pandiatonic writing. At times, the melody is harmonized by the alternation of tonic and sub-dominant ar- peggios. Pandiatonicism is sometimes created by the use of overlapping arpeggios. Arpeggios are sometimes employed pan- diatonically with octave displacement. 76
Copland's ballets illustrate how effectively the canon may be used pandiatonically. The ballets contain a two-part canon at the octave and a three-part canon at the octave. Pan-
diatonic harmonies are also created by Copland's practice of
joining different themes to each other.
The diatonic materials used by Copland in his pandiatonic writing are the major, minor, and certain church modes (Dorian, Mixolydian, and Lydian). Their frequency of use is illustrated
in the Appendix, Table V.
Another writer says the result of Copland's artistic use
of pandiatonicism provided "one of the few valid links between
popular, diatonic music, and the much more complex intervallic
procedures of 'serious' music." 1 It is a tribute to Copland's
skill that he has been able to communicate with simplicity, without drifting into banality,
1 Norman Kay, "Aspects of Copland's Development," Tempg, LXXXVII (Winter, 1970), 27. 77
APPENDIX C C1- '-4 0 0 i
i 0 * +" 0 0 0 * CV "4 00 bfl 0 C ( ( Q 0 0 C (4 . a a i E C) o0(9 'N Ca 0 k +)PC 0 0 "4$4$4 f E
0 4 4- W 00
$443) tow " to 11t) (~ CO to ) H t 0 sCs*a*f s * "* a a a a 0EQt 0 C * H H to S' C H 0 4-) 00 4 0 0
0 00W C C) (D C C - .0 $49 (C
(0 4 43C) VC)y COD 0 PC0- C))$4C PC 430 0c 0$C4 t a a 0 3 O 43P C'r1 0 4O t C' r C to c M o 0 OPC$4g4(4 CD V4 $C14C S a t H CH CH H C C 004 O WOfO0'"4
$4 q- 00 " p 0 0 0 0 0 O-0P 00 rwi t 0 C9 0 C9 t W4OC OQ-EQ cN
Oo a PC 0 C'4 00 44 NO 14 t0 0C)VkO C (40 0P 1- . 0 d C) Cr r.!C C) 4 -Q '4"4 0 I C CC30CC 43VC 43V 0 '04 1 0 +)0 0 "4C '"443C4 n-$C '"4 0 C 0) 00 043 0'"4 low 0'"4 0W 'cad 0 0 0 $40 0 ''H $4C $4 0 43 C) O 0 C 0 'rdc4" "4-80 q*.4+ -" 43 H4 H V $4 bC (4 '"4f 4. ""4P H4 HQ PC(4 ( 0 QOV fr C '" $4 (4 C r C) c 0 &44& &4$4 U) P 0 Asi P4 P4 Cm * *$4 *PC 0 e (4 PC * p *43 o M 0 PC 0 PC cc a 43 78
00 t C9) O HM '44 00 1 0 S t 9 S 5I9 9 9 !4 to 0 t O 0 U (0 t :iUeo ,ze 0 Hr r 0 w) ro,
0 4 sense 0 H 0 H to C C 0r4 C1) r ~ r C) H V0 Woo Jed
t as oun-- * * * * * * * C. S C to a
seaznsrep * C
z4 H 44 H
eas 'O r S H . *- 4
C, Cr) CSCHH C) " C C00C9CS "
fig
0. H ~CS
CC U) 0 00W0-000 000'-1*-- H * 4 nsen- -
se ns) C H O CS) C0
r9" 4)
~selrnstew * Cto H
gu -p aagig.. i=,, ,' 'ggblELIM -Jim aeg
00 rM 0000000 n n n n n r n Q?0O n n $4$4$44 $44 $Q4 "' ~ U 000 M M &.+ 00 C ~ m 79
0) Cs (C' Co Ha 10L e 0 is* ;ue a a .H eq H 0 H Co H H 0 VA2 c9 9 9 0 ti H4
H t ow-q 4 0 e0 4 C q s nsee H00 Co HH e H
H 4UOOJ eq#tO * #d* .l' * alt al!* *
H - * * * * * * * * * * H
se nsvw r-a
C* C ! + '{ a ~ . * * *. * * * * * --o
Seons9epj * * o .- . . * *o .*
C) -C H C Cc o coCoH H-, (C) H e C-) '4' * C* * - * e
~40 '- 9 C9 9- W O C 9 e t o0n0
ai- a i a a r co se)nseej CtH*- o 0) 0 C t* * *co* '
C. 0 He M Co-- 00
0srI'e t it (0o 0C He0H e HC*
.C9
(1)
0 on Inon n ' j o'" 1 -r-a 0 0 0. *00"'4Cd M0 , 0 1 C'cicrz 80
TABLE IV
MODES AND HARMONIC FRAMEWORK USED IN BILLY THE KID
Pandiatonic Diatonic Mode
Measures Per Cent Measures Per Cent
A Major * , * ., 8 1.3 C Major 12 1.9 8 1,3 Bb Major 23 3.8 23 3,8
F Major 35 5,6 9 1.4 Eb Major 4 046
, , Cm Dorian 33 5,3 5
Bbm Dorian 3 .5
Fm Dorian 15 2,4 *0 Db Major 4 .6 65 10*7 D Major 8 1,3 6 1,0 G Mixolydian 71 11,2 7 1,1 B Major . .0 . , 6 1,0 Ab Major 16 2.6 31 5#0 F Lydian 19 3.0 45 7,2 A Mixolydian 4 .7 4 G Major 1,8 &x Dorian 6 1,0 0 0 Rests
o"wwwm""MMw t,*.s- I I, -M-, -- -IIII- m q1 1a " a , , TOTALS 253 409 228 36.5 253 4015-228W36" 81
TABLE IV--Continued
Chromatic Polytonal Totals
Measures Per Cent Measures Per Cent Measures Per Cent
C D 16 2o6 .3 26 4.2 F/Ab . a 5 2.4 35 5.6 a 10.6 110 18.2
a 5 1.3 57 9.1
0 0 4 .6
c aj * a 38 6.1 0 6a 3 .5 a# * .a 15 2.4
* a 69 11,3
4 . a 18 2.9 . .a 6 1. a a 84 13.3 #* . a * . 6 1.0 i 0 . . . . a S0 0 0 " # * a 47 7.6 . . 6 . a 70 11*2
5 . .a 13 2.2
4 .7 . .a 15 2.5
0 a . . 6 1o0 " . 8 1.3 0 a ,,. __ ,,, - i
46 7.48 14.3 624 100.0 82
TABLE V
COMPARISON OF MODES USED IN COPLAND'S THREE BALLETS
A. pachian pring
Mode Measures Per Cent
Major 679 99,6
Rest 3 4
TOTAL 682 100.0
B. Rodeo
Mode Measures Per Cent
Mixolydian 7 .9
Major 762 97,9
Rest 9 1.2
TOTAL 778 100,0 83
C. Bill the Kid
Mode Measures Per Cent
Mixolydian 75 11.9
Dorian 67 9,2 Lydian 19 3.0 Subtotal 151 241
Major 465 74,6
Rest 8 1,3
TOTAL 624 100.0
D. Combined Works
Mode Per Cent*
Dorian . . .0 . 9 * . 0 . * * . 0 3.0 0 Mixolydian 0 9 .4 0 * . . . * 0 0 4.3 0 0 M Lydian . .0 . . * 0 0 . * 0 0 0 .0 0 1.0 0 0 .0 .9 0 Subtotal .9 .* .0 0 0.9 0.9 * 0 . . * 0 . * 0 .0 8.3 .0 .0 I Major, . 0 .0 1 .9 . . 0 . * 0 . 0 .0 0 90.7 0 0.0 9 0 9 Rest , . 0 0 * 0 0 0 * . . 0 a 1.0 0 .0 .0 0 0 TOTAL * a * * 0 .
*Percentages are the average of the combined percentages of the three works. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Austin, William W., Music in the Twentieth Century, New York, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1966.
Bauer, Marion Twentieth CCentur Music, New York, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1947.
Berger, Arthur, Aaron Copland, New York, Oxford University Press, 1953.
Copland Aaron, Our New :Mu , New York, McGraw Hill, Inc., 1941.
Dallin, Leon, Techniques of Twentieth Century Composition, rev. ed,, edited by Frederick W. Westphal, Dubuque, Iowa, Wm. C. Brown Company, 1964.
Duckles, Vincent, Mus ic Reference and Research Materials, Free Press of Glencoe, 193.
Forte, Allen, Contemporary Tone Structures, New York, Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1955.
Hansen, Peter S., Twentieth Centur Music, Boston, Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1967.
Jones, George Thaddeus, Music Compositin, Evanston, Ill., Sum- my-Birchard Company, 1963.
Krohn, Ernst C., compiler, The History of Music: An Index to the Literature Available in a Selected Groupof Musicolog- ical Publications, St. Louis, Wington University, 1952.
Miller, Hugh Milton, History of Music, 3rd ed., New York, Barnes & Noble, Inc., 199.
Persichetti, Vincent, Twentieth Century Harmony, New York, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1961.
Schonberg, Harold C., The Lives of Great Composers, New York, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1970.
84 85
Slonimsky, Nicholas, "Introduction," hem Book of Modern Com- posers ,edited by David Ewen, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1942.
"Introduction," The New Book of Modern Composers edited by David Ewen, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1961.
, Music Since JJ(Q, New York, W. W. Norton, 193?. 1, Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns, New York, Coleman-Ross Company, Inc., 194?.
Smith, Julia, Aaron Copland, New York, E. P. Dutton & Company, Inc., 1955.
Thompson, Oscar, editor, Great Modern Composers, New York, Dodd, Mead & Company, 1943.
Articles
Berger, Arthur U., "The Music of Aaron Copland," Musical Quar- terly, XXXI (October, 1945), 420-447.
Bernstein, Leonard, "Aaron Copland--An Intimate Sketch," jjRh Fidelity/Musical America, XX (November, 1970), 53-55.
Cole, Hugo, "Aaron Copland," TJpQ, LXXVI (Spring, 1966), 1-6.
, "Aaron Copland II," Tmpg, LXXVII (Summer, 1966), 1-6.
Cone, Edward T., "Conversations with Aaron Copland," Perspec- tives of New Music, XIII (Spring, Summer, 1968), 57-72. Crankshaw, Geoffery, "Aaron Copland," The Chesterian, XXXII (Spring, 1958), 97-101.
Evans, Peter, "Copland on the Serial Road" Persjecties of New Music, II (Fall-Winter, 1963), 141-149.
Fine, Irving, "Review of Records," Musical Quarterly, XL (October, 1954).
Flanagan, William, "Aaron Copland," HiFi/Stereo Review, XVI (June, 1966), 47-49. Frymire, Jack, "Copland 68," Music & Artists, I (November, 1968), 47-48. Henderson Robert, "Copland's Inscape," Tempo, LXXXVIII (Winter, 19685, 29-30 86
Kay, Norman, "Aspects of Copland's Development," Tempo, XCIV (Winter, 1970), 23-29.
Encyclopedia Articles
Apel, Willi, "Pandiatonicism," Harvard Dictionary of Music, Cambridge, The Be lknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1969.
Blom, Eric, "Pandiatonicism," Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Eric Blom, Vol. VI, New York, Mac- millan & Co., Ltd., 1954.
Music
Casella, Alfredo, Eleven Children's Pieces, New York, Associ- ated Music Publishers, Inc., T949.
Copland, Aaron, A palachian Spring, New York, Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., 1945.
Billy the Kid, Ballet Suite , London, Boosey & Hawkes, Ltd. , 1941.
Rodeo, Selections, London, Boosey & Hawkes, WLtd. 96.
Dahl, Ingolf, Divertimento for Viola and Piano, New York, G. Schirmer, Inc., 1951.
Hanson, Howard, Lament for Beowulf , Evens ton, Ill., Sunmy- Birchard Publishing Co. , 1925.
Honegger, Arthur, Jeanne d'Arc, New York, Editions Salabert, 1939.
Stravinsky, Igor, Duc Concertant for Violin and Piano, London, Boosey & Hawkes, Ltd., 1938. Petroushka, London, Boosey & Hawkes, Ltd., 19480 Serenade in A, London, Boosey & Hawkes, Ltd., 1947.
Unpublished Materials Bernstein, Leonard, "Young People's Concert," unpublished script televised by CBS - TV, December 27, 1970.