Pitch and Duration as Textural Elements in Lutoslawski's String Quartet Author(s): John Selleck Source: Perspectives of New Music,

Vol. 13, No. 2 (Spring - Summer, 1975), pp. 150-161 Published by: Perspectives of New Music Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/832088 Accessed: 19/02/2009 17:57
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=pnm. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Perspectives of New Music is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Perspectives of New Music.

http://www.jstor.org

PITCH AND DURATION AS TEXTURAL ELEMENTS IN LUTOSLAWSKI'S STRING QUARTET

JOHN SELLECK

In the Introductory Movement of the Lutoslawski String Quartet (1964), pitch elements and durational contours seem to be strongly associated with qualities best described as varying along a continuous scale, such as color or texture. Discrete differences of pitch and duration do in some respects appear to have specific functional characteristics, but that functionality does not appear to arise from any inherent properties of the pitches or durations themselves. The most particular image projected by the piece at any one place is of a particular textural display sustained over some time span. So not only do orchestration, dynamics, attack characteristics, timbre, etc. function to mark off units of the movement with definite surface features, but pitch, interval, and rhythm, which are usually of primary concern in a piece of music, are here more or less subordinated to projectthan the more usual ing gross variances of surface phenomena-rather procedure of textural elements being subordinate and projecting various levels of relations among pitches and rhythms. The movement can be divided into definite sections, each with a particular textural character. The prevailing pitch material is chromatic with a predominant use of interval-classes 1 and 6. There are sections which have rather different pitch material, being less chromatic and using other intervals. The contrast between large and small intervals is emphasized in a developmental manner by the extreme use of, on the one hand microtonal inflections, and on the other hand the octave; both are used in the movement as a kind of maximal way of delineating the form of the movement, at least in terms of pitch. The octave usage increases throughout the movement until a whole passage of octaves occurs near the end. As the movement progresses, microtones assume a role as the extreme textural form of the mostly stepwise "chromatic" material which for the

150 ?

LUTOSLAWSKI S STRING QUARTET

most part uses only eleven pitch-classes (minus Ct), while the octave is the extreme form of the use of larger intervals and is associated almost exclusively with pitch-class CL. For purposes of discussion the pitch material can be classified into four types as regards interval display: first, the use of only interval-classes 1 and 6; second, the use of all interval-classes, which occurs in three sections; third, the use of the octave, which serves to demarcate sections throughout the movement and finally becomes a dominant feature of the
music at the end; and fourth, the use of quarter-tones, which occurs in two of the sections. More specific differentiation of the sections has to do with registral distribution of the pitch material; the most definitive aspects of each individual section are rhythmic. The durational features of the movement are particularly "scalar" in that while the most basic contrast in the durational domain, i.e., long and short, serves to characterize practically all the rhythmic usage in the movement, no definite metric serves to organize durational units into motivic hierarchies. The effect is of a stochastic or pseudo-random distribution. The piece begins with the first type of pitch material chromatically organized into linear motives of various lengths which when taken in toto fill various longer spans of the total chromatic. By octave transfer chromatic motives are imbedded in longer spans. If one considers the movement as "up" or "down" in terms of pitch-class succession, a summation of all the motion can be shown as follows, divided into three distinct "pitch-direction" groups (Ex. 1).

'^A9Ex. -^-^'c_ ^y

Ex. 1

Although not a serial work in any strict sense of the word, various treatments of the chromatic motives resemble somewhat those one might expect to find in a serial work. For example, note the retrograde-inversion related successions from two passages in the opening section (see Ex. 2). Relations of this sort, however, are not very apparent in passages where several parts are counterpointed. Pitch relationships are generally obscured by larger gestures. The long-short idea here is displayed mainly as spacing between predominantly short notes. "Slow-fast" as a variant of "longshort," or "few-many" as another, are durational aspects introduced here.

* 151 *

PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC
A

4s-?w 4-

wy

Lr=

-b-e
Ex. 2b

Ex. 2a

The final three-note motive of this section links up chromatically with the microtonally inflected C of the next section (1).1 The pitch-class C, destined to be the conveyor of extreme interval usage, while serving as a sort of tonal focus, does not have any functional meaning in a system of tonal reference. It is only one of the many arbitrary assignments that are given to pitch materials in the movement. (See Fig. 1.)

<cc.

&

~ ~ ~~c f-^T
.L?

.n

(m) n n

v.) n n

-)

.,

n "(. Cr" ()

"t

vnoi

0jJ

t"
D

Yt' < t
,-

Inol
?ta;---?--~-K

i,

T' 'F--.-.n

t
n

t
._.

tw7 J!-

1 . jo'l

[n'i

t:')

. )n n

n C ,

vnoI
P, L

-,epeat u^],-e _
e>n

_
,

x vioeo. thtn stop

_t_

i
Irdok

Of th-

n-

,___

.,"r?)?'?fl __-_11^

u "'Vtt

t4

ionce

of the

.G!
?./r. ^r

1.I

'?
'i i
4#at

W1

vC.
? mrdetC

-oe

*)The sirv

detrotes *Me

oil L

Abj *he ae rnte qnwa?t Of

torL .

Fig. 1
1 Numbers in parentheses indicate rehearsal numbers in the score.

*152 ?

LUTOSLAWSKI'S

STRING QUARTET

The pitch collection of the latter part of this section at (1) resembles that of the opening section. There is a retrograde-inversion symmetry around D# (Ex. 3).
Vn. II At

bx A

Vla,.

Vlc. . b\ Z-

Ex. 3

Rhythmically, this section is characterized by the use of a rhythmic motive consisting of "short-long-short" in various combinations of shorter or longer versions of each subdivision of the motive (Ex. 4). The use of any particular combination seems somewhat fortuitous, although longer "long" notes are typical of the cello part.
short

long-short

+
r

r"

r
Ex. 4

p B

The remaining four pitch-classes of the total chromatic not used in the previous passage are used exclusively in the next passage (2) which is again for solo 1st violin. Here is introduced the second type of pitch material, that not consisting exclusively of interval-classes 1 and 6. Ct is emphasized here registrally and by repetition. The rhythmic character of this passage is determined by what may be thought of as a particular *153 ?

PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

ordering of the four pitches previously cited into pitch-rhythm "cells" of 2, 3, or 4 notes. These modules are concatenated to form larger structures (Ex. 5).

a
V

-t'

I i6m , am "
r*
I

'

i 3

1
1r f

Tl

Ex. 5

After the emphasis upon C as a more or less distinct pitch element in the piece at this point, the next section returns to the first type of pitch material organized timbrally in the following manner, notably excluding C (Ex. 6):
Vln. I
A

t0

* .,. ^J .h; _ ~. ~.. ~--~*

-

Via.

V n.w II Vln. II

Ex. 6

Durational characteristics are formed by a further development of the long-short idea (Ex. 7) :
Vln. I short Vln. II short Via. l19g short

long

long

?jf

r
LI

r,

11
r
fr

short

II
long

W-L

II

Ex. 7

The use of wide registral distribution leads to the statement at (4) of the widest interval, the octave, presented as a short, repeated figure in the cello (Ex. 8). From this point on C is associated predominantlywith this kind of presentation. As if to emphasize this, there follows a flurry of rapid, staccato, chromatic (linear) notes from the three remaining instruments whose pitchdirection spans recall the beginning (Ex. 9). 154 ?

LUTOSLAWSKI

S STRING

QUARTET

Ex. 8

Vln. I

Ex. 9

The distribution of notes here is such that there is a textural change of many pitches per durational grouping of 32nd notes to very few pitch changes per group. The spaces between the groups of notes get slightly longer toward the end of the passage. The pitch-collection is again everything but Cf . This is now a permanent feature of the first type of pitch material. The missing C is then presented again as an octave in a passage which includes all instruments. There is a development of the octave idea registrally. If the register-instrument areas employed are numbered from the lowest to the highest in pitch, the first statement is 1 2 4 3 1 and the second after the grand pause is 4 3 1 2 4-clearly inversion is part of the game being played in this piece. (See Fig. 2.) vno I
-L
t-

nf-

2'
f

ai vnoa
frv cg5 P.C

vLao,
vc.
S' sif

Io?.;
psi wequma
distOance

lUne sLuggsts *)The wrvot bektinetv eltca#lm?<&

Fig. 2

155?

PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

The particular contrasts presented in the piece thus far have come to a sort of dramatic climax, and textural contrast now involves changes in the pitch and durational material which have not occurred up to this point. The section at (5) involves the second type of pitch material, only rudimentarily presented previously at (2). Pizzicato appears for the first time. Each part is in a different meter and within this cross-rhythm framework the frequency of attack is varied such that, owing to the seeming attempt to vary the pitch-class presentation as much as possible, a varying density, tonally, from thick to thin is produced, depending upon the speed of attacks. The dynamics tend to emphasize this; usually the dense places are louder. The final dense area is contrastingly soft, and a return to the first type of pitch material is effected at the conclusion of the section. (See Fig. 3.) Notably, the pitch-class Ca is omitted from this section. Concluding is a statement of the "missing" Cl again as an octave.
( 40 rneatu^es/min .

vnori, vnoti
VLXia vc

,?. ,.

'v -jf[f

' ; y^y^ i ;,
i(.P_2 y

l'y" ,7?
Yr

rJ
i

_v,

? ~ -

~, ,

1 c GY_J^J^
Y [/

v
vv

,
X1

f '_
7

,"'^
7

Li y
Y

>

yJ
Fig. 3

tt ? jt[ Y >

'LL:

All parts are written out in score, as opposed to the separate, nonsynchronous layout of the previous sections. The octave passages are a special case; score form here only controls the succession of attacks. At (5) duration as well is controlled. Interviews with performers of this piece lead me to believe that the differences between passages having loosely controlled ensemble, and those having specific indications as to the dura* 156 ?

LUTOSLAWSKI S STRING QUARTET

tion of notes, as in this section, are to be emphasized. Even so, the effect of the pizzicato section is of a not too different nature, rhythmically, from any previous passage. The result is a textural variation of the slow-fast variety which is more carefully controlled and the change of texture is less gross than in previous sections. The section at (6) returns to the first type of pitch material with emphasis on the tritone. It is organized similarly to the section at (4). (See Ex. 10.)
Vln .

a,I" '.I

._

1a. ^M

bA

! lB--tfbe,

Ex. 10

The rhythmic idea of long-short is here presented as very long followed by many short(s). The groups of short notes vary in size according to the scheme of Ex. 11.
Vln.I long
0

Vln.II long
0

Via. long short

short
'1 l

short

etc.

11I

11

etc. I

I ..II

etc.I

| I

11 I11I BEa CB I
I
II ?

IH

I
I

I
!

II X

I E

! * ?

I I

1I

d= {I1 LLLLW 1j I II
I1 II1
I I

I I

111

II I

ry^ '
Ex. 11

| '

* 157

PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

The next section at (7) uses the chromatic pitch material, but here it is organized so as to emphasize the interval of a third. Timbrally it is differentiated as shown in Ex. 12. Cuing provides a way of ensuring that instruments sharing pitch material do not simultaneously state the same pitches, i.e., the pitches which the viola shares with both violins are never played by the viola whenever those pitches are being played by the instrument sharing them.
Vic. Vln.I Vic. Vln.I Vln.II Vln.II

Via.

Via. Ex. 12

Via.

The durational idea here is one of long(few) or short(many) or some motion from one to the other (Ex. 13). Occasionally there are quite long isolated notes, or a few groups of equal length short notes.
Vln.I Vln.II

f
long

LU i

L
* short

Lc
long

clu
Ex. 13

rllllmllllLyDL
.short

-olong

The Ct octave has by now assumed its role as an articulator between sections. The registral statements do not seem to be related with regard to the particular pattern of register changes in each case, but as the movement progresses, the number of registral presentations in any one statement get fewer, until only one occurs just before (11). The next and final statement, however, is longer than any preceding, and climaxes the movement. At (8) the previous registral expansiveness is contrasted with confinement of the chromatic pitch material (Ex. 14). Cuing, this time, rather than controlling tonal distribution as in the previous section, controls the durational aspects of active (fragmented, short) to static (sustained, long), such change occurring over the entire section as the predominant feature (Ex. 15). After a statement of the ubiquitous Cf octave, we are met with the has occurred only once fourth type of pitch material-at (9)-which before in any way extensively dominating the texture of a whole section. Low strings are involved, emphasizing the change of texture. *158 ?

LUTOSLAWSKI'S
Vln.I
. -

STRING

QUARTET

^
Vln.II

)^
s .

_ 1

do

ha-bVla. _ _

M a

b* b--

Ex. 14

separated VIn.I Vln.I Vln.II Via. (Numbers indicate 5 12 5

by rests

separated 5 7

by sustained 9

notes

7 1 7 -.--? 5' 7 6

t
4 6 8 5 6 5 8

7 r 6T 8

t
6 P 5

t
10 quantity

^ ^t 5| 5

___ 5

77

- 7

5 0 8

of 16th notes in any one group) Ex. 15

The microtonal inflection of C at (1) is recalled now by the quarter-tone inflection of the open strings G, A, and D of the cello and viola (Ex. 16), again exhausting the total "chromatic" range-minus C , of course.
Vlc.
Via.

Vic.

Vie.

v o
q.t.

Ir
inflected range

i-1
Ex. 16

--

The viola plays long notes while the cello plays groups of short notes whose pitch-direction motions make comparison with similar motions, in 12-tone terms, from the first section of the movement. The contrast between small intervals and maximum largeness of interval-i.e., the octave -is refreshed by the C octaves which separate this section from the next. The most obvious contrast here from the previous passage is the change

159 ?

PERSPECTIVES OF NEW MUSIC

of register from low to high. The pitch unfolding is generally a descending chromatic line as displayed in Ex. 17.
Vln.I
8va
lL#

etc.

Ex. 17

Section (10), using a different meter in each instrument, begins a slow moving away from pitch material type 1 toward pitch material type 2 which is mainly evident at (11). The halfstep-tritone motive of the first section does appear here, but not obviously so until the end of the passage. At (11)- comes, roughly speaking, the arco version of the section at (5). While (10) displayed predominantly long notes, this section has an increasing use of short-note groups, the density being similarly controlled as at (5). The climax of the movement comes with a cluster of short notes which seemingly is a saturation point intervallically, registrally,dynamically, etc. the most contrasting display possible, a It is followed-naturally-by whole passage of C octaves. Pitch-class C does occur in the previous section, but only once. This would hardly be thought of as related to the more prominent association with the interval of an octave. The registral permutation of the Cl octave begins as on p. 13 of the score, but continues with so much variance that the effect is almost that of a random distribution.One group of seven register-changesis repeated, but the total pattern is such that one could not hear the identity. The pizzicato passage following begins specifically with the 1 4 3 2 1 permutation of registers that began the octave passage at (12). Here the C is "spread" to include the pitch-classes B, C, Db, D. All four pitches are in the cello and viola; two each occur in the two violins (Ex. 18).
Via.
Ic.

Vln.I

Vln. II Ex. 18

Section (13) does not seem to continue the permutation pattern of

(12), but the association is made, nevertheless. The register-permutation idea, now no longer the exclusive property of the octave, but "conquered" 160 *

LUTOSLAWSKI'S

STRING

QUARTET

ultimately by the chromatic tetrachord of pitch material type 1, fades away and the movement closes with a coda for the cello which returns to a presentation like the very beginning in the 1st violin. Example 19 shows the pitch-direction spans.

0.r

A,Ex.

19

Ex. 19

The control of the aspects of pitch, duration, and timbre are best
thought of as "texturally" expressed rather than "discretely" referential. The change in interval size, the change in density through length of notes and frequency of rests, the emphasis on stasis versus motion are all general terms to describe the effect of hearing this movement. The fact that the pitches and durations are somewhat organized is secondary to the result of this organization which is mainly to aid in a differentiation already understood as "stochastic" or pseudo-random in some sense on the surface of the music, especially because of the non-synchronous nature of the counterpoint. The particular textural identity of each section is made up of the treatments of many different aspects. Some of these, for the most part pitch content, change rather less often from section to section, providing a measure of unity. The changes in other aspects, whether duration, timbre, dynamics, or register placement, are much more important in determining the structure of the movement. The successions of texture changes while at times very dramatic, are, nevertheless, logically related from section to section. A particular quality, say register placement, may evolve to a certain degree in one section to become the prevailing state of affairs in the following section in some other domain, say interval-class size. Despite occasional deviations, the basic idea of the movement is one of expansion from limited areas of tonal and durational movement toward climactic points of maximal spaciousness in various domains.

* 161 ?