MUS 672 Assignment 3

Bela Bartok, From the Island of Bali

• The form of the piece is rounded binary (ABA’ Coda). The form is
defined and articulated by tempo markings, and thematic material. The
A section is found in measures 1-12. The B section is 12-23. The A’
section are in measures 31-40, and the Coda is 40-43.

• All of the sections implement the octatonic scale (2,3), except for a
portion of the B section (measures 12-23). The pitch collection in the
passage most closely resembles E-flat Hungarian Minor (aka gipsy
scale). The collection could also be analyzed as being a derivative of
the octatonic scale that uses the pitches 2,3,9,t instead of 2,3,9,e. The
other departure from the Octatonic scale (2,3) is the A double flat in
measure 15, which increases the dissonance and tension in that
passage. The homogeneity of the piece creates expectations, and
amplifies the contrast provided by the departure from the most often
implemented pitch collections.

• The symmetry is used to contribute to the the overall sense of unity

of the piece. The hands are symmetrical through the inversions of
intervals, but are unified due to the fact that they are complimentary
halves of the octatonic scale (2,3). Through the division of the
octatonic scale, they necessitate each other. The use of the octatnoic
scale is symmetrical in itself.

• There are three tetrachord motives that can be found throughout the
piece. The first motive, located in the first measure, is a tetrachord
[3,2,9,8] which is a descending minor second, followed by a
descending perfect fourth, followed by a descending minor second.
This tetrachord is also symmetrical in itself. The following tetrachord
[e,0,5,6] found in measure two is comprised of the exact same
intervals, but inverted. The third motive found in mm 23-30 (initially
[0,1,5,6]), which is also a symmetrical tetrachord, is composed of an
ascending minor second, an ascending major second, and an
ascending minor second.

• Even though the piece has pitch centricity, and finite thematic
material, there is a strong sense of openness and wandering. The
symmetry of the octatonic scale gives an impression of
weightlessness and free movement between pitch centers. The
sections in 6/8 do not particularly emphasize the strong beats, which
avoids an overemphasis of gravity and weight. Disallowing a strong
sense of tension and resolution, and lessening the gravity of the
rhythm give the piece a sense ethereality and exoticism.

Joan Tower, “Vast Antique Cubes,” from No Longer Very Clear (for
piano solo), mm 1-16

• Measure 1 contains a harmonic major 10th with the notes D and F#.
The second measure contains the same harmonic interval but is
transposed up a minor 6th with the notes C and E. These four notes
together suggest the whole scale (WT,0)

•Measure 3 contains a harmonic minor 10th between Eb and Gb, a

harmonic minor 10th between F and Ab, and a harmonic major 6th
between B and G#. The second dyad is a transposition of the first up
one whole step, the third dyad is melodically transposed up a
diminished 11th from the second. This pitch collection suggests the
octatonic scale (0,2)

• The first ascending gesture starting in measure 4 includes all notes

in the octatonic scale (1,2) except for D. The second ascending
gesture, which starts at measure 12, includes the whole tone scale
(WT, 1) in its entirety.

• In this excerpt, most instances where the octatonic scale is

implemented, a scalar or contrapuntal texture is used. In the
instances where the whole scale is used, a harmonic or chordal
texture is used. The second ascending gestures is contrasted with the
first by being set in the thirds. The ascending whole scale then
becomes an instance of planing, instead of just an ascending scale as
is the case in the first gesture with the octatonic scale.