Andrew Pea
MUS 242 – Advanced Orchestration
Prof. Lampl
Final Paper – Symphonic Suite
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举世闻名的近义词August 26, 2008
Clifton Williams was an American compor trained at the Eastman School of Music and active in the mid-20th century. His 1957 Symphonic Suite garnered him that year’s Ostwald Composition Award from the American Bandmaster’s Association, his cond such award after winning the first ever Ostwald for his Fanfare and Allegro in 1956.
Symphonic Suite contains five movements. They are unified by the singular theme that Williams us throughout the piece, as well as by his largely consistent harmonic language. He distinguishes each movement by its style, rhythm, and form, often contrasting concutive movements. Each movement treats the main theme (and, in some cas, other derivative themes) in a unique fashion. This main theme never appears completely in unstylized fashion, but it is clearly prent in some form in every m
ovement. It is notable for its ambiguity: when written without accidentals, it begins and ends on D, so it could be thought of in D dorian. However, its first interval suggests G mixolydian as well. Williams plays with this ambiguity throughout the suite, even when using distant derivatives of the theme. (See example 1 in the appendix for a speculative look at what the theme would be without any stylistic adornment).
I. Intrada
顾客价值The “Intrada” begins the piece, establishing the basic tonal language while also introducing the main theme in concutive, but parate, gments. The moveme nt’s form is a simple alternation of A and B gments. The A ctions are maestoso trumpet等边三角形斜边计算公式
fanfares that declaim the opening few notes of the main theme. The B ctions are allegro answers by the horns, first trombone, and saxophone, quoting a longer portion of the theme. The question-answer ctions gradually become more similar in character, until they begin to overlap at the end of the movement. The thematic material of the B ctions also begins to foreshadow the opening motive of the suite’s co nd movement. Harmonically, the “Intrada” takes some unexpected turns. The trumpets begin on a solid E-flat major triad, but move immediately to C-flat major in the cond i
nversion, before ttling on a similarly inverted D-flat major chord in a fermata. A B-flat in the trombones keeps the fanfare vaguely rooted in E-flat major throughout this strange exposition, and this root is confirmed on the first B ction, as the bass instruments sustain an E-flat below that same B-flat. Even so, the woodwinds sustain a D-flat major chord above that, suggesting a loo, jazz-influenced harmonic language verging on bi-tonality. The theme thus appears in a mode that most cloly rembles E-flat mixolydian. Thus, in the suite’s first four bars (example 2), its ton ality has already been on a substantial journey, foreshadowing more adventures to come.石锅拌饭怎么做
折磨II. Chorale
The cond movement, “Chorale”, is considerably more relaxed than the first. Its form is AABAB, with a very short coda made up of a sustained E-flat major chord, the tonic for the bulk of the movement. The A ction contains a derivative of the main theme as stated in the latter appearances of the B ction in the previous movement. Harmonically, the A ction is fairly typical three-voice chorale which adds a descant in its final appearance. The first statement is in E-flat major, but the cond moves immediately to A-flat major where the movement then ttles. The B ction here
contains a stylized version of the main theme, heard for the first time in full. Its harmonies begin sounding like a ii chord, but then are dominated by an E-flat pedal, thus creating the effect of a sustained dominant over which the modal main theme plays. Example 3 shows a reduction of both A and B ctions as they appear in A-flat major.
III. March安全宣传海报
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Williams ramps up the intensity of the tempo, rhythm, and harmony in the suite’s third movement, “March”, in stark contrast to the “Chorale”. The movement opens with a variant of the main theme stated as an F major arpeggio, thereby establishing the new tonic, then as a C-flat major cond inversion arpeggio (example 4). This tritone relationship reappears throughout the movement. The percussion ction finishes the introductory ction of the movement with a driving soli passage. The movement proceeds in a form that is broadly AAB with an extended coda. Both A ctions consist of a melody in F lydian that follows from the introductory melody accompanied by percussive modal harmonies that roughly suggest F mixolydian. In both cas, the melodic ction is repeated and followed by a brief play on the last two notes of the melody proceeding in the movement’s characteristic tritone above moving triadic harmonies (example 5). The B ction relaxes the harmonic motion considerably, with sustained chords over 16-20 bars at a time. The rhythmic intensi
ty remains with an ostinato in the third clarinet and alto saxophone pulled from the movement’s main melody (example 6). This provides an accompaniment for the suite’s main theme star ting on a D. This theme is stated three times: once over F major, again over D minor, and finally a bit delayed within B-flat major, implying an overall I-vi-IV motion. With each harmonic change, the ostinato also changes, gradually increasing the rhythmic intensity
to the end of the ction (example 6). There follows a short ction that recalls the introductory percussion soli and the final ostinato of the B ction with some extra tritone flavor. The coda abruptly changes key to C major and increas the tempo. Steady eighth notes on a C major triad in the horns are accompanied by smears in the trombones and a leaping fifth dotted figure in the upper woodwinds. This is punctuated by a tritone shift recalling the introductory figure. The same tritone relationship brings the movement to a clo.
IV. Antique Dance
After the intensity of the “March”, the suite again relaxes, this time into the fourth movement, “Antique Dance”. The movement’s form is ABA. The A ctions sound reminiscent of Erik Satie’s Gymnopedies, in ¾ with a bass note on 1 and a chord on 2. The chords in this ca alternate betwe
en A minor venth with a D and D minor venth. The harmonies themlves prent an ambiguous tonal center, but the melody and counter-melody ud sugge st A aeolian. The primary melody is derived from the suite’s main melody stretched over ¾, and the counter-melody ems to be unrelated. Rhythmic interest in the outer ctions comes from the percussion ction, which repeats a two-measure ostinato using five different instruments. The B ction remains in ¾ but goes faster, esntially in one. It develops a four-measure theme derived from the middle of the main theme (example 7). This development goes through veral keys, focusing on a lydian modal feel, building to a climax in which statements of the theme in veral voices overlap each other. The ction then gradually relaxes, slowing down for the return of the A ction.
V. Jubilee
The final movement, “Jubilee”, mints a new theme of its own w hile also recalling every previous movement. It begins with an inten introduction using a melody derived from the suite’s main theme. It then proceeds in the form AABACC-coda. The A ctions are dominated by another derivative of the main theme (example 8). In the first two, this melody is prented in F major then A-flat major in the soprano voice. The third A ction prents the melody in the bass voice in B-flat minor twice, with harmonies above suggesting that it is the iv-7 chord of F minor. This harmonic feeli
ng comes from the preceding B ction, which ends in F minor. This ction recalls both the “Antique Dance” and the “Chorale” with its treatment of the melody in ¾, although the accompaniment is new, featuring some moving inner voices and syncopation. A poco accelerando dominates both C ctions, thereby increasing the intensity of the movement as it heads towards its end. The melody in both cas begins with a statement of the movement’s main theme. This theme then appears multiple ti mes in diminution as compared to the first C ction statement. The cond C ction also begins to u the upper voice of the final ostinato from the “March” (example 6, final figure). All the while, throughout every ction so far, the harmonic motion is relatively slow, vamping on the same chord or ostinato for up to 14 measures at a time. The coda runs through a quick review of aspects from every preceding movement. The “Intrada” is invoked in a maestoso ction. The “March”, “Chorale”, and “Antique Dance” all spring to mind in the following allegro vivace in C major. As this final ction slows down, a trumpet fanfare again recalls the “Intrada”. The “Jubilee” ends in the same fashion as the “March”: an arpeggiated cond inversion major chord re solves a tritone away to the tonic. Thus the Symphonic Suite ends with allusions to all that has come before.
