Motivic Development.Mus
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Motivic Development Motive Basics - A motive is the smallest recognizable musical idea * Repetition of motives is what lends coherence to a melody - A figure is not considered to be motivic unless it is repeated in some way. - A motive can feature rhythmic elements and/or pitch or interval elements - Any of the characteristic features of a motive can be varied in its repetitions (including pitch and rhythm). * Motives are typically labeled with lowercase letters starting at the end of the alphabet (i.e. z, y, x, w) Motive z # 4 œ & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ Motivic Development Techniques - repetition: restatement of a motive at the same pitch level * repetition can feature a change of mode (i.e. major to minor) at the same pitch level Repetition Repetition (change of mode) # & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œbœ œ œ œ - transposition: restatement of a motive at a new pitch level * exact (chromatic) transposition: intervals retain the same quality and size * tonal (diatonic) transposition: intervals retain the same size, but not necessarily same quality * sequence: transposition by the same distance several times in a row - exact: intervals retain same quality and size - tonal: intervals retain the same size, but not necessarily same quality - modified: contains some modifications to interval size to fit within a given harmonic structure - modulating: a sequence which functions to transition the piece into a new key Tonal Transposition Exact Transposition # œ œ œ œ & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ Tonal Sequence # œ œ œ & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ - variation: elaboration or simplification by adding or removing passing tones, neighbor tones, etc. Elaboration Simplification # & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Gottry Music Theory Motivic Development continued - fragmentation: utilizing only a portion of the motive (possibly generating new material from that fragment) # 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & 4 œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ - intervallic alteration: stretching or contracting the intervals of a motive (typically within the same contour) - inversion: direction of the intervals are reversed (may be exact, tonal, or modified) - retrograde: motive stated backwards Intervallic Alteration Inversion Retrograde # œ œ & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ - augmentation: statement of motive with proportionally longer rhythmic values - diminution: statement of motive with proportionally shorter rhythmic values Augmentation Diminution # œ & 4 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ - extension: repetition of elements within the motive to make it longer - truncation: elimination of elements within the motive to make it shorter Extension Truncation # œ & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Gottry Music Theory Name_____________________ Motivic Development creating and analyzing motivic repetition and variation On a separate sheet of staff paper, provide the requested motivic variations for each of the given motives. - Tonal Transposition (start on C5) b 4 œ œœœ œ œ - Augmentation & 4 œ œ œ œ œ - Diminution b 4 - Tonal Inversion & b b 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ - Exact Transposition (start on F3) ?## 4 œ œ œ œ - Exact Inversion # # 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ Label repetitions and variations of these two motives from this Bach Invention exceprt (No. 4, BWV 775, mm. 1-16) z y œ œ œ œ œ œ & b 83 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? b 83 ∑ ∑ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & b #œ nœ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? b œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ r & b œ ‰‰ œ ‰œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ R Gottry Music Theory.