Analysis of Haydn's "The Joke" 1st movement

PDF version: http://www.box.net/rssdownload/120026429/The%20Joke.pdf




Report of Seminar in Theory and Analysis

About the 1st movement of Haydn’s “The Joke”

Student: Kong Kao
Advisor: Prof. Christian Utz

This string quartet is the second one in the “Russian” quartets (Opus 33) which were written by Franz Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809) in 1781. The “Russian” quartets are done after the change of Haydn’s contract, which made him publish his own music without the permission of his employer. Charles Rosen agreed that the music is written in a completely new and special way.

In this report, we’ll focus on the 1st movement of “The Joke”.

The Exposition

The movement establishes its main key (E-flat major) in the opening 4 bars by a perfect authentic cadence. The opening 4 bars also show up as a period within which the previous 2 bars form the antecedence and the latter two forms the consequence. In these 4 bars we can find the basic figurations which are used all over the movement and I’ll label them as A and B (shown below). Though the B figures in the bar 2 and bar 4 are not exactly the same, the rhythm shows the similarity. So we can still say that the movement has all its material shown in just 2 bars of the opening.


Bar 4 and 5 expand the figure A in two ways. The 4th interval is broadened each time the figure occurs in Violin I (which I labeled as A2), and in the Violin II and the Viola the interval is decreased (labeled as A3). Though A3 would be considered as a note decorated by its down neighboring pitch, the rhythm of it make the listener feel the same swing of A, so I still relegate it as a variation of figure A.

The continuous 16th note on Violin I in bar 7 (which I labeled as A4) can be considered as a variation of A2 by deleting the last note of each 4-note group, so it’s still a variation of A, as shown below:
could be considered as

By stretching and use three variation of figure A, bar 5 to 8 could be considered as a contrasting period against bar 1 to 4. Though this period could be seen as the fragmentation of figure A, the half cadence at the end of it displays the impossibility of bar 1 to 8 to be a complete sentence. But as we listen to bar 9 to 12, which exactly repeats the opening 4 bars, we can easily figure out that bar 9 to 12 is the recapitulation of bar 1 to 4. Therefore, bar 1 to 12 is a small ternary within which bar 5 to 8 plays the role of “contrasting middle.”

Note that the exposition part of the small ternary, which I declared it to be a period, has only 4 bars. As we know that the standard antecedence of a period would have 4 bars and consequence 4 or 5 bars, what we have here in “The Joke” is smaller than that. But consider this: both the antecedence and the consequence end at the 3rd beat of the respective bar, instead of the 1st beat of the bars. These 2 non-ordinary phenomena make me suspect that maybe the metre should not be 4/4, but 2/4, in which way that each bar in the current version would be split into 2 bars, thus the period would have 8 bars and end at the 1st beat.

In many places of this piece, Joseph Haydn used the technique of overlapping to maintain the flow of the music. While comparing bar 4 and bar 12, which we thought to be exactly the same, we can find that on the Cello in bar 12 the figure B occurs exactly at the end of the figure B in Violin I. After Viola succeeds the figure again, figure B shows up continuously. In other words, Haydn use a period that consists of figure B to follow the small ternary, but the figure B has already occurred BEFORE the end of the small ternary. This overlapping technique may be the difference between the “Russian” quartets and Haydn’s earlier work Charles Rosen mentioned: A fluid form of phrasing, in which each motif emerges from the previous one without interruption. The following score shows only figure B in bar 12 to 15. Note that the PAC falls on the 3rd beat of bar 12, instead of the 1st time figure B occurs.

These bars also have the functionality to transpose from E-flat to its dominant key: B-flat. This is done at bar 15, after which figure B occurs only in Violin I. In other words, Haydn combined the end of the small ternary and the transposition together by using figure B occurs in different voices, and stayed stable for 2 bars (bar 15 and 16).

After 2 measures fulfilled by figure B, bar 17 and 18, which uses only the later half part of figure B, is the fragmentation of the previous 2 bars. The harmony succession also flows faster by the diminished rhythm in Violin II and Viola. Both the fragmentation in Violin I and the denser harmony form the intensity of the dominant harmony. This intensity is slightly held on bar 19 by the dotted quarter and goes on. In fact, bar 19 does not “release” the intensity but increases it. After introducing the new variation (the ornament “turn”) of a figure which would continue on bar 20, the cadence occurs finally on the 1st beat of bar 21. The occurrence of the ornament “turn” can also be considered the technique of overlapping which is mentioned before since the new element is shown BEFORE the cadence. Haydn used this technique to make the music flow without stopping. In fact, when I 1st time listen this piece, the feeling of the flow made me not noticing a PAC here!!

Bar 19, which could be considered just a linking part, has a special feature: The way it links bar 18 and the following materials is just like what links the antecedence and the consequence in the opening 4 bars. The melody in the beat 1 and 2 can be thought as a variation of: The up-going major 2nd melody inserted by a chromatic passing tone is the same at beat 3 and 4 in bar 2. If we oppositely think what’s in bar 2 is a variation of bar 19, then the “origin” of bar 2 and 3 could be: In this aspect, bar 3 and 4 can also be said “begin at figure A.” The characteristic of the consequence in bar 3 and 4 is much clear since the rhythm of it and the antecedence are exactly the same.

Bar 21 to bar 28 is an extension of the cadence, we’ll discuss later and compare it with the end of the recapitulation.

Bar29 to 32 could be considered as a codetta which forms the cadence in different registers each 2 bars. Haydn used only A2 here. Note that the last figure in Violin I is the same as the opening of the movement. Though in different keys, this intensifies the listener’s impression to the piece.

The Development

After repeating the whole exposition part, the music goes into a transition which transposes the dominant key (B-flat major) into A-flat major. The way Haydn used to transpose to a major 2nd below key is by the technique of “falling fifth”. viio/IV and V7/IV are used to transpose into the subdominant key, respectively in bar 33 and 34. Part of the antecedence of the opening period then occur almost the same as bar 1, but at the end of bar 35 shows up again in Viola. The “sub-phrases” (an idea which begins at figure A) overlap each other and occur in Cello and Violin I again. Check the following reduced score which retain only the theme. Haydn also used this part to transpose from A-flat major into f minor.

While astonished by the absence of the “sub-phrase” on bar 39, the music goes into E-flat major while the idea appears again. After just saying only part of the antecedence, the music finally frees the listener from the expectation of hearing the theme completely in the home key. Note the appearance of the home key stands for the “median return” in the development part.

As expected, the median return would not maintain too long. The theme is interrupted on bar 42 by figure A3 in Violin II and Viola. There seems to be a new “minor-2nd down” element in Violin I, but we can consider it as the inversion of A3.

From bar 42 to bar 49, we can find A3 and its inversion almost everywhere. In fact, we can still relegate the eighth notes followed by a quarter into A3, too, just like how we link the relationship between bar 2 and bar 19. I’m still thinking that the ornament “turn” in the Violins is also a variation of A3. In this aspect, bar 42 to 49 consists of A3 only.

So, bar 35 to 41 repeats the “sub-phrase”, and bar 42 to 49 repeats A3. We can say that Haydn used his material “densely” here in the development part since in each bar group there are only one material and the material’s variation. If you see group of figure A in bar 51 and 52 as A4 broken into different voices, you’ll find out that bar 49 to 52 consists of only A4.

To end the development part, Haydn used long-lost figure B in bar 54 to 56. Note that figure B hasn’t occurred in the development part until bar 54, except in bar 42. In fact, the occurrence of B in bar 42 is easily ignored by the listener since it’s already dissolved into the satisfaction of the appearance of the antecedence. So we can say that figure B occurs here for the 1st time in the development part, but in an incomplete form just like bar 17 and 18.

Unlike extended cadence in the exposition part, Haydn directly used a fast melody in Violin I following the group of figure B in bar 56. The music suddenly stops on bar 58 in a half cadence. Both the harmony and the time make the listener shocked for a silence which sustains a dotted quarter.

The theme appears at the time we are expecting the recapitulation part, but in a wrong key (c minor) instead of the home key (E-flat major). The false recapitulation releases the tension of the half cadence in bar 58 and makes the real recapitulation shows up in a smoother way. Note that Haydn used diminution on the rhythm in bar 61 and 62 to “slow down” the flow without changing the speed. Also note that c minor and E-flat major are related keys, which means that transposition can be done by enharmonically diminished seventh chord.

The Recapitulation

After ushered by the half cadence at the end of the false recapitulation in bar 62, the music goes into real recapitulation. The recapitulation is like the exposition except some features.

The small ternary in the exposition part does not show up completely in the recapitulation part. Bar 70 extends A4 in Violin II again and followed by a group of figure B. The group of figure B does not play the role of transposition here, so the “cross-voice occurrence” is not used, neither. (That is, figure B only shows up in Violin I here.) The linkage and the easily-ignored cadence appear in the recapitulation part just like in the exposition part, except the key.

The fortissimo in bar 79 appears like bar 22, but in a shocking harmony which contains D-flat. Even we would not expect a transposition in the recapitulation part, the pitch D-flat, which is not within the scale of E-flat major, strongly imply the music to transpose. We don’t know that the pitch D-flat is just used to form the harmony V7/IV, which leads to IV, until the music reaches V7 in bar 82. So I would say that Haydn played a joke here about the tonality.

Bars 80 to bar 86 have the same functionality as bars 23 to 28. But Haydn used material denser here than in the exposition. The 3rd and 4th beat of bar 84, and the 1st 2 beats of bar 85 form a sequence, which does not occur in the exposition. Note that the group of A4 in bar 70, which repeats Violin I of bar 69, can also be considered as an extension and intensified density in the recapitulation.

The codetta seems not the same, but we can still find some relationship by inversing figure A. We can say that the recapitulation varies from the exposition more and more as time goes by.

Conclusion

The following table shows the model of this movement.

Bar no.

Description

Key/Harmony

Exposition – Start with a small ternary followed by a long cadence

1~4

Exposition of the small ternary

Basic idea A and B occur

PAC in Eb

5~8

Contrasting middle of the small ternary

Three variations of A occur

HC in Eb

9~12

Recapitulation of the small ternary

PAC in Eb

12~16

Group of B

Modulation to V(Bb)

17~18

Fragmentation of B

V of Bb

19~21

Cadence

PAC in Bb

21~28

Extension of the Cadence

PAC in Bb

29~32

Codetta

PAC in Bb

Development – Use same material densely

33~34

Transposition

Bb=>Eb=>Ab

35~40

Chaos with new figures

Ab=> f =>Eb

41~42

Getting stable by the theme (octave higher)

Eb

42~49

Fragmentation of A3 and its variations

Eb=>Gb=> f

49~53

Variations of A2

f => c

54~56

Fragmentation of B4

V of c

56~58

Like bar 25~28 without returning the tonic chord

HC in c

Recapitulation – Vary from the exposition more and more as time goes

59~62

False recapitulation / Modulation

c => Eb

63~69

Same as the opening small ternary, but without the recap.

Eb

71~90

Like bar 15~32, but with other features

Eb

Reference
Charles Rosen - The classical style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven
William Drabkin - A reader's guide to Haydn's early string quartets
W. Dean Sutcliffe - Haydn: String quartets, Op.50
Christoph Wolff & Robert Riggs - The string quartets of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven

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不會上網未必不能發達

作者: gary27 (小龜) 看板: joke
標題: 一則很重要的故事 鄉民一定要看
時間: Fri Dec 28 21:19:11 2007

有一個中年失業男子,找工作找了很久都找不到,

結果看到微軟在徵清潔工,就前去應徵。微軟的人

力資源主管在面試後問他:「你會不會上網 ??如果

你有被錄取,我們會公佈在我們的網站上。」

那男子回答:「對不起,我不會上網。」

人力資源主管:「不會上網還想來微軟應徵,你有沒有搞錯??」

說罷就把他趕了出去。

那男子失意之餘,摸摸自己身上僅有的十元美金,靈機一動

在商店裡買了一大袋馬鈴薯,然後開始挨家挨戶地去拜訪且

販售他的馬鈴薯,沒想到真的賣完了,且他賺了三十元美金。

於是他就靠著這種挨家挨戶拜訪的方式,慢慢地開始了他的創

業生涯,從數百元美金,到開設生鮮蔬果宅配公司,並建立了

很大的連鎖賣場,從此他成了億萬富翁。

有一天有個保險業務員去找這位億萬富翁拉保險,保險業務員

順口問了一句:「您會不會上網?? 我們公司的產品都在網路上

有很詳細地介紹。」

那位億萬富翁於是告訴了這位業務員:「我不會上網。」

保險業務員很訝異地說:「您身為億萬富翁,掌裡這麼大的事

業,竟然不會上網?」

這位億萬富翁於是告訴業務員他當年到微軟應徵清潔工的故事,

並說:「如果我當年會上網的話,我到現在還是個清潔工..... 」

這個故事給了我們三個啟示:
一、要到微軟應徵最好要會上網,不然你連清潔工都無法錄取。

二、不會上網未必不能發達,還是有機會當億萬富翁。

三、你看到了這篇文章,表示你會上網,

那你當清潔工的機會應該比變成億萬富翁大 ..

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Re: [音樂] 自動作曲

作者: kong (Life of Music) 看板: P_LifeOMusic
標題: Re: [音樂] 自動作曲
時間: Fri Dec 14 03:40:34 2007

※ 引述《kong (Life of Music)》之銘言:
> http://kong.dorm7.nctu.edu.tw/ac/

(請找PHP檔)
> 還好目前還很難聽
http://kong.dorm7.nctu.edu.tw/ac/20071214.php

雖然規則還是很死板

不過加了點伴奏之後增加了不少可聽性

...至少可以平心靜氣地把100個小節聽完


本學期(就課業要求上)應該就到此為止吧

--
就算是這個世界 把我拋棄
而至少快樂傷心我自己決定
http://www.streetvoice.com.tw/kong0107/music

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[大哭] 嫂子的教育....不能等....

作者: ongong (ongong) 看板: StupidClown
標題: [大哭] 嫂子的教育....不能等....
時間: Tue Dec 11 17:45:32 2007

話說昨天 嫂子休假在家

秉著中部賢慧女子的特性 她把家裡整理的乾乾淨淨

順便也將家裡不要的東西 一起清出去

她在倉庫看到了老爸的打獵工具袋(台北有飛鼠可以獵嗎??)

還有 生鏽到不行的番刀

這位貼心的台灣媳婦 想說 改天買新的給老爸

所以 就拿到門口放 等垃圾車來 一起拿去丟

就進去睡午覺

*********************************************文化衝擊 分隔線************

剛下班的老爸 看見了他的獵人袋和刀 跟垃圾放在一起

這種事 在"女性為尊"的傳統阿美族家庭

意味著 休夫......(我老爸是被招贅的)

老爸以為 是因為老媽昨天生氣他喝太多酒 生氣到要休了他

含著眼淚的老爸 就進門收了一點衣物 留下手機(阿母名下財產)

拿出所有的存摺簿 印章 提款卡 放在櫃子上

留了一張紙條 "謝謝妳照顧我 卡照 留"

然後就出門了.......跟著垃圾一起消失在門口.....(臨走不忘順便倒垃圾)

之後 老妹回家 看到櫃子上的東西

急得將大家叫回來 因為 老爸離家出走

然後 大家就出門找

一直到晚上12點 阿公打來 問我們發生什麼事??

才知道老爸回娘家 還躲在房間哭

經過一番推敲 才知道 是嫂子的貼心......Orz

老哥馬上開車載老媽回台東 帶她老公回家

老哥出門之前 拿了一千塊給老妹

跟她說 "買幾本阿美族的書 給我老婆看 她的社會科不及格....."

"不然 下次回娘家的會是我......"

差點 我家就變單親家庭........

--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 220.133.200.132
※ 編輯: ongong 來自: 220.133.200.132 (12/11 17:47)

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