John Roeder, "Pulse Streams and Problems of Grouping and Metrical Dissonance in Bartók's 'With Drums and Pipes,'" Music Theory Online 7.1 (2001) << Sect. 6c Section 7a Sect. 7b >>
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[7] Analysis of mm. 41-53

[7.1] Figure 4 continues the pulse stream analysis of the block that starts in m. 41. Three principal streams are identified. Streams 4 (recurring every dotted half) and 10 (recurring every dotted quarter), which were initiated in the previous blocks, are here continued by durational accents and by the sequential change from one vertical left-hand dyad to the next. They are supported by the unusual notation in the left-hand part: normally the last note in a slurred group is not stressed, but Bartók specifies a tenuto on the last dyad of each of the left-hand groups. This requires the performer to bring out the dyad, thereby maintaining stream 4, while still maintaining stream 10 with the regular group-beginnings of the sequence.

[7.2] A new whole-note stream, labeled 12, is created by the three durational accents in the right-hand melody. The block is cut off abruptly by a loud low dyad in the left hand at m. 48, recalling mm. 38-40. This dyad is obviously disruptive in some ways, but it also is an agent of continuity. As streams 4 and 10 proceed in the preceding block, we are aware of the duration of a half note between the onset of each new vertical dyad and the later, durationally accented statement of the same dyad. In particular, at m. 46, as shown by the dotted vertical lines, there is a half note from the onset of the D2-E3 dyad to the durational accent statement of it. The loud dyad at the downbeat of m. 48 provides accent in an unexpected location--interrupting the expected continuation of the left-hand group--but since it is a half note after the last durational accent, it creates a new half-note pulse stream, labeled 13.

[7.3] The following audio example (VII.1a) doubles these pulse streams with drums and pipes, as before.

(Example VII.1a) [click here for suggestions if the movie does not appear or play correctly]
[Your broswer does not support plugins, which are needed to display this QuickTime movie.]

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