/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.