Dissertation Index



Author: Mayr, Desirée J

Title: The Identification of Developing Variation in Johannes Brahms OP.78 and Leopoldo Miguéz OP.14 Violin Sonatas Through Derivative Analysis


Institution: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Begun: September 2015

Completed: July 2018

Abstract:

The present work comparatively examines two violin sonatas, aesthetically classified as romantic and almost exactly contemporary, written by the German Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and the Brazilian Leopoldo Miguéz (1852-1902). Based on a detailed structural analysis of the movements that form the two pieces, contemplating formal and harmonic-tonal domains, this study aims to expose, qualify, and discuss the procedures employed by both composers for constructing their respective sonatas. Taking as a hypothesis that the two works are associated with the German organicist-formalist tradition, the thematic analysis is made through the application of an original analytical model (ALMADA, 2011a; 2013a; MAYR & ALMADA, 2017b) developed for the examination of works constructed according to the principles of Grundgestalt and developing variation, elaborated by Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). The analysis also has as precise evaluation parameters the techniques of thematic development and transformation, linkage, and metric manipulation, considered by Walter Frisch (1984) as characterizing Brahmsian derivative treatment. The results point to the confirmation that both works have indeed organic thematic structures (i.e., presenting close ideological links both intra and inter-movements and, consequently, a high level of material economy), though in distinct levels of concentration.

Keywords: Developing Variation, Grundgestalt, Violin Sonata, J. Brahms, L. Miguéz, Musical Structure.

TOC:

VOLUME I (TEXT)
1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 21
2 CONTEXTUALIZATION ......................................................................................... 27
2.1. LEOPOLDO MIGUÉZ AND THE SONATA OP.14 ................................................... 27
2.2. JOHANNES BRAHMS AND THE SONATA OP.78 .................................................. 30
3 THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS ......................................................................... 31
3.1. GRUNDGESTALT ...................................................................................................... 31
3.1.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 33
3.1.2 The origin of the concept for Schoenberg ................................................................. 35
3.1.3 Definitions .................................................................................................................... 35
3.1.4 Discussion .................................................................................................................... 42
3.1.5 Grundgestalt as a compositional conception ............................................................ 44
3.1.6 Concluding remarks ................................................................................................... 49
3.2. DEVELOPING VARIATION ...................................................................................... 49
3.2.1 Definitions .................................................................................................................... 49
3.2.2 Thematic transformation and thematic development ............................................. 53
3.2.3 Metric dissonance ....................................................................................................... 59
3.2.4 Linkage ........................................................................................................................ 64
3.2.5 Correlation between developing variation and evolutionary processes ................ 74
3.2.6 Concluding remarks ................................................................................................... 77
4 FORMAL AND TONAL STRUCTURES .............................................................. 79
4.1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 79
4.2. THEORETICAL GROUNDS ....................................................................................... 79
4.2.1 Sonata Theory ............................................................................................................. 80
4.2.2 Theory of Formal Functions ...................................................................................... 82
4.2.3 Transformational Theory........................................................................................... 87
4.3. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF BRAHMS'S OP.78 .................................................. 94
4.3.1 First movement ........................................................................................................... 94
4.3.2 Second movement ..................................................................................................... 103
4.3.3 Third movement ........................................................................................................ 108
4.4. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF MIGUÉZ'S OP.14.................................................. 117
4.4.1 First movement ......................................................................................................... 117
4.4.2 Second movement ..................................................................................................... 127
4.4.3 Third movement ........................................................................................................ 132
4.4.4 Fourth movement ...................................................................................................... 141
4.5. CONCLUDING REMARKS ...................................................................................... 145
5 THE MODEL OF DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS (MDA) ...................................... 150
5.1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 150
5.2. BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................ 150
5.3. MDA'S CURRENT VERSION ................................................................................... 156
5.3.1 Definitions .................................................................................................................. 156
5.3.2 Levels and stages of derivative analysis .................................................................. 163
6 DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF BRAHMS'S VIOLIN SONATA OP.78 .......... 165
6.1. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF FIRST LEVEL ......................................................... 165
6.2. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF SECOND LEVEL ................................................... 181
6.3. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF THIRD LEVEL (SECOND MOVEMENT) ............ 194
6.4. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF SECOND LEVEL (SECOND MOVEMENT) ........ 198
6.5. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF THIRD LEVEL (THIRD MOVEMENT) ................ 208
6.6. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF SECOND LEVEL (THIRD MOVEMENT) ............ 211
6.7. SUMMARY – MDA LEVELS ONE TO THREE ...................................................... 219
6.8. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOURTH LEVEL ................................................... 223
6.8.1 Tonal relations........................................................................................................... 224
6.8.2 Metrical relations ...................................................................................................... 228
6.9. THE CASE OF REGENLIED ..................................................................................... 234
7 DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF MIGUÉZ'S VIOLIN SONATA OP.14 ............ 238
7.1. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF FIRST LEVEL ......................................................... 238
7.2. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF SECOND LEVEL ................................................... 245
7.3. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF THIRD LEVEL (SECOND MOVEMENT) ............ 262
7.4. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF SECOND LEVEL (SECOND MOVEMENT) ........ 264
7.5. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF THIRD LEVEL (THIRD MOVEMENT) ................ 269
7.6. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF SECOND LEVEL (FOURTH MOVEMENT) ........ 273
7.7. SUMMARY – MDA LEVELS ONE TO THREE ...................................................... 278
7.8. DERIVATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOURTH LEVEL (FOURTH MOVEMENT) ........ 282
8 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 283
REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 291
GLOSSARY .......................................................................................................................... 297
VOLUME II (APENDIX AND ANNEX)
APPENDIX 1: FHL ANALYTICAL CHARTS ....................................................................... 1
ANNEX 1: SCORES ................................................................................................................ 38

Contact:

Desirée Johanna M Mayr
(5521) 98830-3626
djmayr@yahoo.com


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