Analysis For Frank O'Hara - Sevan Amiroğlu

ANALYSIS OF “FOR FRANK O’HARA”
SEVAN AMİROĞLU
102619011
İSTANBUL BİLGİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ

SOSYAL BİLİMLER ENSTİTÜSÜ
MÜZİK-KOMPOZİSYON YÜKSEK LİSANS PROGRAMI
TEZ DANIŞMANI: DIRK STROMBERG
2007
ANALYSIS OF “FOR FRANK O’HARA”
(orijinali)
ESER ANALİZİ: FOR FRANK O’HARA

(Türkçesi)
Sevan Amiroğlu
102619011
Dirk
Stromberg : ..........................................
Selen
Gülün : ..........................................
Seda
Ergül : ..........................................
Tezin Onaylandığı Tarih

: .........................................
Toplam Sayfa Sayısı: 89
Anahtar Kelimeler (Türkçe) Anahtar Kelimeler (İngilizce)

1) Morton Feldman 1) Morton Feldman
2) For Frank O’Hara 2) For Frank O’Hara
3) Avant-Garde Müzik 3) Avant-Garde Music
4) Analiz 4) Analysis
5) John Cage 5) John Cage
Abstract
This study focuses on the analysis of “For Frank O’Hara;” a piece from middle
period of Morton Feldman (1926-1987), who was one of the most significant avant-garde
composers in the 20th century. A brief introduction is given at the beginning of thesis.
After an introductory chapter, some fundamental conceptions of the musical text are
given in order to explain characteristic foundations of Feldman’s musical design. In the
second section, “For Frank O’Hara” is analyzed. Moreover, two early techniques of John
Cage; who was one of the most significant avant-garde composers too; and brief
historical backgrounds are presented in the last section of the study, in order to enable the
comparisons in the context of the American avant-garde tradition.
Özet
Bu çalışma temel olarak 20yy müziğinde Amerikan Avant-Garde ekölünün

öncülerinden olan Morton Feldman’ ın For Frank O’Hara adlı eserinin analizini
yapmayı hedeflemiştir. Çalışmanın balangıcında kısa bir özet yer almaktadır. Bu özetin
ardından, ilk bölümde eserin analizinde kullanılmak üzere Morton Feldman’ın
karakteristik müzikal tasarımını açıklamayı hedefleyen temel kavramlar ve ön bilgiler
bir araya getirilmiştir. İkinci bölümde For Frank O’hara adlı eserin analizi yer
almaktadır. Ek olarak yine Amerikan Avant-Garde ekölünün öncülerinden olan John
Cage’in iki tekniği ve Avant-Garde ekolüne ilişkin tarihsel bilgiler analiz edilen eserle
karşılaştırmalar yapmak ve bağlamlar oluşturmak üzere tezin kapsamına alınmıştır.
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my gratitude to Dirk Stromberg, Selen Gülün and Seda
Ergül for their guidance, patience and understanding.
I would like to thank my sister Serda Amiroğlu, she helped me in some

translation problems and corrected my sentences. Her efforts are priceless.
I am deeply thankfull to Jeff Mc Auley and Tom Johnson for their guidance.
I would like to thank Dr. Michael Ellison, Dr. Peter Snipper and Doç. Dr. Cihat
Aşkın and all MIAM staff, for their priceless supports from the beginning.
Lastly, I want to thank Istanbul Bilgi University Music Department.

Introduction
Morton Feldman (January 12, 1926 - September 3, 1987) is one of the most
significant avant-garde composers and one of the four pioneers (with John Cage, Earle
Brown and Christian Wolff) of American avant-garde New York school of composers in
second half of 20.th century. He studied piano with Madame Maurina-Press, and he
studied composition with Wallingford Riegger and Stefan Wolpe. In 1973 he became the
Edgard Varèse Professor at the University of New York at Buffalo. In September 3rd
1987 Morton Feldman died at his home, in the age of 61.
Morton Feldman began to present his works in the second half of the 20th
century. In his early period he composed pieces with graph and staff notation and he
described these compositions “free from a compositional rhetoric”. Graph pieces of
Morton Feldman reveal the pitch aleatorism and seem to be concerned with timbral
exploration predominantly.
Feldman, John Cage, Earle Brown and Christian Wolff emphasized the existence
of sound with its characteristic identities which manifested as “sound itself”. The
“sound itself” could be interpreted at philosophical basis as: “allowing sounds to be
heard as individual entities” and in composition, liberating the sounds from their
boundaries in musical text. Morton Feldman usually demanded slow tempo and soft
dynamics. In addition to these a kind of non-referential timing structure and minor
second (m2) interval are other characteristics of Morton Feldman pieces throughout his
whole compositional (composition) career. This interval (m2), inversions (M7) and
extensions (compound intervals: m9, M14, etc.) take their place in patterns, repetitions,
and chord constructions. Feldman used this interval with various instrumental parts and
orchestral combinations.
In his middle period (after 1970) he began to write his pieces in fully
conventional notation. These pieces are identical with constantly changing key meters
and more expanded in the length. Likewise the early pieces, dynamics are soft and
tempo is slow. The Viola in my Life 1 is the first piece of Feldman’s middle period.
The present study focuses on For Frank O’Hara (1973), one of the identical
pieces from middle period of Morton Feldman, moreover tries to merge some
fundamental historical conceptions within the musical design. Purpose of the study is
targeted to the analysis of the piece; the strategy of composition, presentation of the
musical material and development of musical ideas (motives) in Feldman’s music.
The first section of the study is prepared in order to explain some fundamental
conceptions of the musical text and characteristic foundations of Feldman’s musical
design. This section also examines the relationships between For Frank O’Hara and
previous pieces of Feldman. Rhythmic articulations and timing, presentation of musical
idea and form are presented with examples, in order to prepare historical and theoretical
context and targets to merge fundamental data for the further interpretation of the score.
Second section of the thesis focuses on the analysis of For Frank O’Hara. The
development of musical idea, the composition process and the orchestration are
examined within the piece. The pitch relations are summarized as “m2”+”M2” in the
guidance of the references I had studied on. During my research writings, conversations,
lectures and interviews of Morton Feldman are taken as basis for summation: Minor
second (m2- OPCI [1, 11] 1) interval and its inversion major seventh (M7) are
considered as minor second (m2) with all its extensions (including compound intervals:
minor 9th, major 14th etc); Major second (M2 - OPCI [2, 10]) interval and its inversion
major seventh (m7) will be considered as major second (M2) with its all extensions
(including compound intervals: major 9th, minor 14th etc)
The last section of the study is intended to analyze “For Frank O’Hara” piece by
comparisons with two early techniques (the gamut technique, the apartment music
process) that had been used by John Cage, in order to show the development of ideas
and methods of avant-garde tradition.
For Frank O’Hara (1973)

1
OPCI= ordered pitch class interval
1. Instrumentation, Texture and Main Concepts
`For Frank O’Hara` was written by Morton Feldman, in the memory of his
close friend, poet Frank O’Hara in 1973. The piece is 18 minutes long; the tempo is
slow (q = 66) and the piece is extremely quiet. It is constructed for seven
instrumentalists. The piece belongs to middle period of Feldman; it is written in
conventional notation. Instrumentation of the piece is as follows:
Flute (doubling piccolo and alto flute in G),

Clarinet in Bb,
Percussion (2 players) xylophone, glockenspiel, vibraphone, timpani, triangle, chimes,
antique cymbals, gong, wood block, side drum, bass drum
Piano
Violin
Violoncello
In ‘For Frank O’Hara’ musical texture is blended with homophonic and

polyphonic qualities, yet it seems predominantly homophonic. The accompaniment of
instrumental layers could be seen throughout the piece. The harmonic structure is
seemingly static as a usual Morton Feldman style.
The main idea is exposed at the very beginning. Accordingly it is developed,

repeated, and expanded with variations throughout the piece. Actually, these are the
characteristics of the most Feldman compositions as he himself described: “As a
composer I am involved with the contradiction in not having the sum of the parts equal
the whole.”2
2
Morton Feldman, "Crippled Symmetry," Res (Autumn 1981)
In “For Frank O’Hara”, the minor and major 2nd intervals (the foundation stone
of the chord, motive and the whole construction- formulated in analysis as: “m2+M2”)
wrap the harmonic structures (sound piles and patterns). On the other hand, the
existence of main musical idea in every fresh moment renders the harmony seemingly
static in piece. In addition to these, the static character of the piece is strengthened by
slow tempo and quiet sounds. Also writer James Fulkerson summarizes the
characteristics of Morton Feldman’s pieces in his essay as follows:
At a point early in his career, Morton Feldman settled on composing a music

which was characterized by very soft sounds (Instructions were often: Dynamics
are very low or Dynamics are exceptionally low, but audible.) Almost always, he
demanded: Each sound with a minimum of attack. 3
1.1 Time, Musical Timing, and “Pan Rhythmic” Expression
As it is seen on the score of the piece, time signatures are changing constantly
without following any symmetry. The usage of changing key meters in Feldman pieces
are peculiar beginning from his middle period (He begins to use fully conventional
notation in 1970 with The Viola in my life 1). I will try to prepare historical context with
examples, in order to explain Feldman’s musical timing.
The specific usage of timing is a constant characteristic in Feldman’s music from

the very beginning of his composition career. Also He has scrutinized the relationship
between music and memory and he has expressed his opinions on this subject in his
many essays. For example in his “Between Categories” he states as follows (1969):
This was not how to make an object…. But how this object exists as
‘Time’. Time regained as Proust referred his work. Time‘s an image as Aristotle
suggested. This is the area, which the visual arts later began to explore. This is
the area which music, deluded that is counting out the seconds, has neglected...4
3
Morton Feldman: Three Periods of Working by James Fulkerson. 1995
4
Morton Feldman “Between Categories” Composer No. 1 (September 1969) p75.
Morton Feldman has used a lot of formulations for emphasizing his rhythmic
articulations and designing his own musical timing. He continues scoring in graph
notation until 1967 (his last graph piece being In Search of an Orchestration), but I
would like to state that, between 1957-1970 Morton Feldman continues to write his
scores using both notation techniques5. As James Fulkerson denotes:
Feldman composed Projection I (thru) V, Intersection I-IV, Marginal

Intersection, Ixion, Atlantis, ...Out of 'Last Pieces', The Straits of Magellan, The
King of Denmark and In Search of An Orchestration using his graph notation
between 1950 and 1967. For 17 years during the 41 years in which he composed
what he considered to be his "work" he used both graph notation and
conventional stave notation. Feldman moved away from these graphic scores -
noting that he had not achieved the freedom from gesture that he had truly
sought. It should be noted that he never abandoned staff notation while he
employed the graph notation.6
The following example shows the opening of Projection II (1951), the dashed
lines are marking the seconds. The orchestration of piece is Flute, Trumpet, Violin,
Violoncello and Pianoforte as it is seen in the score.
The numbers indicate how many sound will be played simultaneously, “A”
indicates Arco, “P” for pizzicato and rectangles in the boxes indicates harmonics. Three
pitch ranges are given in the piece as follows; Bass, middle and treble. (Example 1)
5
The early pieces in staff notation by Morton Feldman were not written in full conventional notation
style. In these pieces certain controls have been given to the performer. For instance, in the For Four
Pianos, notation is in ametric style. There are no note heads, no tempo and no time signature.
Additionally, there are no bar lines. The same score is prepared for four pianists. Due to instructions
beginnings will be simultaneously, after that, the slow tempo will be decided by player’s their selves. In
Duration series similar ametric notation is used as well; without note heads, tempo and time signatures.
The durations of each note is likewise upon the players' decision within the same tempo.
6
James Fulkerson, Composing By Numbers, 2002
Ex. 1 Projection 2- the beginning
As the score indicates the first sound will be a five-note chord in the extreme
bass of the piano, followed by a trumpet note at middle-range. In order to exemplify
musical timing here, I have to remark that sounds are not settled on the beat pulses or
not settled for constitute a beat feeling.
Morton Feldman remarks that he faced some problems while constructing his
own musical timing in both; graphic notation and conventional notation. In his Buffalo
University lecture he states as follows:
What I want to emphasize is that my conception of time was still very

much limited still, very much related to a steady beat or pulse. The directions to
the player told him to enter either on the beat, represented by a box, or off the
beat. The metronome markings were consistent throughout each of these
compositions. This aspect of my graph music always disturbed me. I couldn't
understand, and still can't, how I could give up all control of pitch and not the
rhythmic frame that it takes place in. During all this, I was also composing
precisely notated music. The problem here was similar, being that the rhythmic
placement of my sounds never seemed just right. It was years later that I realized
that it was again this aspect of trying to set something into a steady pulse which
seemed so contradictory to the music I was writing. 7
7
Morton Feldman Slee Lecture, November 20, 1972 Baird Hall, University at Buffalo, The State
University of New York
After 1970 Morton Feldman begins to write his scores with fully conventional
notation and concentrates on memory. Morton Feldman states his approach as: “I still
use a grid. But now the grid encompasses conventional notation. But the initial concept
of the grid- …”8
He constructs his rhythmic accents out of beats; in order to do this, he uses

changing key meters, dynamic articulations and slow tempo; Morton Feldman describes
his search as “pan rhythmic”. That is to say, he tries to construct a kind of non-
referential timing structure in his pieces. Morton Feldman defines his rhythm structure
with these words:
I'm very interested in a kind of pan-rhythmic, a kind of pan-rhythmic

situation. Almost the same ... I mean, rhythm is notation, many times, outside of
the fact what you want to do with it. So what I'm doing now is having small
modules, very simple formations, very simple. …Sometimes I make a more
complicated pattern, but very simple [modules] and out of it I get very
complicated rhythms. And the reasons I'm doing it, I don't want to make a
performers situation [where] they're looking to make a cue. I don't want rhythm
to become an aspect of syncopation.9
To exemplify the rhythmic placement of Feldman in conventional notation I am

going to give an instance. The Viola in my life series (I-IV) are fully written in
conventional notation. In ‘The Viola in My Life I’, key measures are changing constantly
by using certain symmetry. In addition to this Morton Feldman has used little crescendo
and diminuendo markings in irregular beats to emphasize his rhythmic placements. He
states that: “In The Viola in My Life, it was the precise measuring of the crescendos in
the viola which became the 'rhythmic' proportions for each measure.”10
In the example below, time signatures are shown from “The viola in my life I
(1970)” in first 25 measures. Red marked signatures are marked in order to emphasizing
the symmetry of key meters.
8
Jan Williams 1983
9
Kevin Volans, “Conversation with Morton Feldman”, Durban: Newer Music Edition, 1985 pp122-128.
10
Morton Feldman Slee Lecture, February 2, 1973
Baird Hall, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Ex. 2 The Viola in my Life 1 mm.1 - 25
After year 1970 Morton Feldman uses numerous algorhytms for rhythmic
placements in conventional notation. For instance in the following fragment, he
explains his preparation plan of his string quartet, he states, with distribution of basic
model(ex. 3) into the measures, overlapping and sustaining notes, total rhythmic plan of
overall piece will appear with all possibilities, and his formulation will sound like
echo.11
Ex.3 Preparation Plan of Feldman
The following example (example 4) shows us the successive key meters in

opening 7 bars in “For Frank O’Hara”. As we observe in the score, sounds are placed in
different beats (also beats are divided into triplets)in these key measures, in addition to
this, in following measures some dynamic articulations are marked in order to
emphasize “pan rhythmic” accent of Morton Feldman.
As it seen in example, key meters are not arranged symmetrically. Just as he

diversifies the main musical idea within variations, Morton Feldman has developed,
expanded and freely applied these given 6 key meters (considering 2/4 is repeated)
throughout the piece as well. In addition to this, 3/8, 7/8 and 5/16 key meters are
exceptionally applied to the piece in order to break the rhythmical rules. That s to say,
“Pan rhythmical” structure is modified and articulated “Pan rhythmically” by Feldman
himself.
Ex. 4 For Frank O’ Hara mm1-7 time signatures
11
Kevin Volans, “Conversation with Morton Feldman”, Durban: Newer Music Edition, 1985 pp122-128.
With an example I will try to show, how these given 6 key meters are distributed
into the piece and how notes are distributed in these key meters. As it is seen in
following fragment key meters are arranged up without any symmetry (flute and
clarinet parts between mm.49-60). Morton Feldman avoided constructing beat feeling.
Ex.5 For Frank O’Hara mm. 49-60(reduced)
The homophonic flute and clarinet layers are placed in the last beat of these key
meters in order to construct rhythmic proportions, that is to say the rhythmic
proportions of the example appears as follows; it begins with 5/8 key meter, followed
by “2/2+5/4”, “5/4+2/2+3/4”, “3/4+5/8”, “5/4+5/4”, “3/4+5/4” key meter combinations.
These proportions are constructed with the variations of the given limited material
(given 6 key meters at the beginning), and developed with the variations and
combinations throughout the piece.
1.2 Harmony and Intervallic Relationships

“For Frank O’Hara” is centered on “D”; Musical text is woven with major and
minor seconds, the opening idea circulates within the musical text throughout the piece
with echoing in all instrumental colors. In addition to this, the pitch center of the piece
(D) is surrounded with minor second intervals throughout the piece. That is to say “D”
note is sounded and echoed with “Eb / D#” and “Db / C#” notes in various registers.
Minor second (m2) is characteristic interval in Morton Feldman pieces. In

Feldman pieces, this interval takes place in patterns, repetitions, instrument parts and
chord constructions. Morton Feldman denotes about “m2” interval as following:” I've
been living with the minor second all my life and I finally found a way to handle it”12
In “For Frank O’Hara”, the musical idea is emphasized at the very beginning of
the piece (example 6) by a motive in first four measures. This idea is followed by
complementary prolonging sonorities (I will name them “echoes” in this thesis.
Because of the fact that they seems to be a reflection of main idea), which are seems to
be constitute a “musical phrase” with main idea.
The system (or “method” or a better word from Feldman: the strategy) of
Morton Feldman which given in this first phrase, could be summarized as “m2”+”M2”
structure. Furthermore, it looks like shapes the whole piece. The importance of
beginning measures emphasized by Feldman many times. For instance, in his
Johannesburg lecture Feldman states as follows:
Rather than system I would use the word "strategy". Or "format" a

simple word like "format" or "presentation", I don't even have a word like
"process" in my thinking. But strategy and a strategy usually comes about in
terms of the same kind of thinking that any other composer would have. Like
anybody else the opening measure and its potential and its flexibility. But what I
don't do is try to make a system out of it. But in that sense like almost any other
professional composer it is the opening ideas. In that sense I am just as
conventional as everybody else.13
12
Morton Feldman: Toronto Lecture April 17th 1982, Mercer Union Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Transcribed by Linda Catlin Smith
As I mentioned before, the existence of main musical idea in every fresh
moment, renders the harmony seemingly static in piece. On the other hand every
structure is being heard, reappears in new combinations; pitch, rhythm, duration,
orchestration is always varied throughout the piece.
In this section, I will try to expose how musical idea processed in first two
phrases briefly, and how Morton Feldman expanded this musical idea to the whole
piece with using “m2”+”M2” interval structure.
Ex 6 beginning of the piece m. 1-3 (reduced)14
The example 6 shows the opening 3 measures and the motive which will be
echoed with development, variations and expansions in other measures. The intervals,
which form the piano chord at the bass register, announced in the beginning of the
piece, that is to say the m2 and M2 intervals are repeated both harmonically and
13
Lecture given at the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Auckland Park, Johannesburg,
Transcribed by Rüdiger Meyer August 1983
14
O.P.C.I= ordered pitch class interval
melodically overall piece. This structure circulates the whole musical text with different
instrumental combinations.
According to set theory, another spelling of these intervals would be [1, 11] and
[2, 10] ordered pitch class intervals. The piece would be examined in both ways; but I
have to state that none of these procedures (harmonic or serial) are completely applied
as a controlling method to the overall piece. Instead of used serial procedures, piece
keeps sustaining the “D” tune with overall hue, the center is a “focal” center more than
a “tonal” center (the exact word seems to be “focal tune center”). In addition to these
the same time clusters and cells are often variated by some serial and tonal procedures
such as inversions, transpositions and subsets throughout the piece.
The scale of the piece seems to be D minor; Scale is clearly given in the first
chord:”D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D” During the whole structure of the piece, echoes are
emphasizing notes of this scale with its all chromatic qualities according the
compositional strategy of Morton Feldman, some registers of the chromatic scale are
omitted or emphasized in the phrase structures.
The following example shows another interval quality of main idea. The chord
at the treble clef in piano (A, Bb, C#) is founded on “m2” and “m3” intervals (or it
could be spelled as: O.P.C.I [0, 11] and [3, 9]) is repeated again with the help of the
xylophone as an inverted transposition at the 3rd measure (Db, E, F). Example 7 shows
us how the opening idea is distributed itself in instrumental parts.
Ex. 7 m. 2 and 3 chord is transposed

The overwhelming “m2” + “M2” ([1, 11] and [2, 10]) interval structure gives
shape to both dimensions in the piece; horizontal and vertical. Horizontal structure
could be defined as “sustaining sounds”, instead of “melody”.
On the other hand, few melodies are used in the piece. This is another
characteristic innovation of Feldman in his middle period. Melody is begun to appear in
Feldman pieces after 1970. As Frank Denyer denotes:
In his Middle Period the late 60's/early 70's, Feldman achieved a clearly
mature, chamber music style. The pieces became longer (frequently c. 20
minutes in duration), continued to use his previously developed sensual sound
world and began to explore 'melody'.15
In “For Frank O’Hara” melodies are seldom came to scene through the
sustaining sounds. The following example shows the melody in “For frank O’Hara” at
flute part between mm 143-145. As it is seen in example Feldman keeps accenting his
“pan-rhythmic” expression also in melodies.
Ex. 8 For Frank O’Hara mm143-147 flute and clarinet
The following fragment shows that how “m2”+”M2” interval structure exists in
“For Frank O’Hara”, between the sustaining sounds. Ex. 8 shows this relation between
violin timpani and clarinet parts.
Ex 9 For Frank O’Hara mm.5-9 (reduced)

15
Frank Denyer, Search for the Ecstasy of the Moment
On the other hand, the harmonic skeleton of piece is constructed by imitations
and echoes; along with “m2” + “M2” ([1, 11] and [2, 10]) interval structure. Likewise
“m2”+”M2” interval structure, imitations are expanded in all instrumental colors and
registers with variations. These imitations enable the occurrence of main music idea in
every fresh moment throughout the musical text.
Ex 10 For Frank O’Hara fl. And cl. mm.1-12
The example shows the parts of flute and clarinet between mm. 1-12. As it is
seen, flute follows the clarinet at a different octave. The echoing procedure is
established with the close interaction of the flute and clarinet parts; duration, pitch,
texture and the rhythmic placements. The other parts which are not included in this
example cover the text that is composed of m2 and M2 ([1, 11] and [2, 10]) intervals of
the piece.
1.3 Form and Phrasing
Piece is written in the memory of poet close friend Frank O’Hara; it begins and
lasts in one movement. “For Frank O’Hara” could be defined as program music16; it is
rounded on “D” pitch center, and designed as a whole, without any subdivisions;
however, musical ideas are presented in the phrases along the structure. These phrases
follow each other consecutively throughout the piece. All phrases are connected each
other with smooth transitions, similar rhythm structures, melodic movements or similar
textures.
On the other hand these phrases are intertwined to each other with different
rhythmic and orchestral combinations, transitions and variations. The development of
the main idea does not follow a linear path in these phrases. Every single moment in the
piece is could be the material for further developments.
In For Frank O’Hara, form appears as a result of the musical process. That is to
say, consecutively arranged phrases reveal the form of the piece as a result. 17 Similar
approaches to the form could be found in American Avant-Garde tradition such as time
based and fragmented structures of John Cage (the interrelations between the form of
the piece and form understanding of the American Avant-Garde tendency will be
examined in the last section, “Further Study For the “For Frank O’Hara”).
Feldman circulates the musical idea within the musical text throughout the piece
by echoing in all instrumental colors, which is emphasized at the very beginning 4
measures. I would like to define the overall form as “crystal form” 18. This concept is
suggested by Edgar Varèse in his lecture: “The liberation of Sound”. Edgar Varese
16
Music that is descriptive, narrative, or that develops a nonmusical subject.
17
Morton Feldman: “My whole generation was hung up on the 20 to 25 minute piece. It was our clock.
We all got to know it, and how to handle it. As soon as you leave the 20-25 minute piece behind, in a one-
movement work, different problems arise. Up to one hour you think about form, but after an hour and a
half its scale. Form is easy - just the division of things into parts. But scale is another matter. You have to
have control of the piece - it requires a heightened kind of concentration.”
defines traditional forms as “historical containers” and “boxes”; he states that his music
cannot be made to fit into any of these traditional music boxes. Furthermore he exposes
a concept of crystallization and he describes an analogy between his music and the
phenomenon of crystallization. Varese states as follows
This, I believe, suggests, better than any explanation I could give, the
way my works are formed. There is an idea, the basis of an internal structure,
expanded and split into different shapes or groups of sound constantly changing
in shape, direction and speed, attracted and repulsed by various forces. The form
of work is the consequence of this interaction. Possible musical forms are
limitless as the exterior forms of crystal.19
The influence of Edgar Varèse on the compositions of Morton Feldman has been
widely emphasized throughout numerous remarks by Feldman himself. During a
conversation with Paul Griffiths, Feldman pointed out that about forms as follows:
Forms are tricky things … of course: How could I have developed if I

didn't have Webern and if I didn't have Varèse? But I never consciously used
them as models. 20
In this analysis, the criteria for differentiating the phrases are; the development
of the musical material, rhythmic intensities and the pitch groups and centers on which
this material is intensified. In the analysis, phrases are divided as in the following
order;
1- mm. 1-23
2- mm. 24-48
3- mm. 49-70
4- mm. 71- 79
5- mm. 80 – 87
18
Edgar Varèse has quoted the Nathaniel Arbiter (professor of mineralogy) with following: “The crystal is
characterized by both a definite external form and definite internal structure. The internal structure is
based on the unit of crystal which is the smallest group of the atoms that has the order and composition of
the substance. The extension of the unit into space forms the whole crystal. But in the spite of relatively
limited variety of internal structures, the external forms of crystal are limitless”
19
Edgar Varèse, “The liberation of sound”, Santa Fe 1936
20
Morton Feldman talks to Paul Griffiths, Originally published in Musical Times (August 1972) pp 758-
759.
6- mm. 88 – 97
7- mm. 98 -113
8- mm. 114 -128
9- mm. 128 - 136
10- mm. 136 – 145
11- mm. 146 – 160
12- mm. 161 – 184
13- mm. 185 - 197
14- mm. 198 – 215
15- mm. 215 - 225
16- mm. 226 - 264
Musical materials are exposed and developed in the beginning three phrases.
This structure is followed by short development phrases until 11 th phrase. These short
development phrases emphasize the instrumental colors with combinations. Beginning
from 11th phrase the whole process of the former sections are echoed and developed
with variations throughout the end of piece. In the following section, the musical ideas
are examined along the phrases with the interrelations between them.
2. Analysis
2.1 Analysis of 1st Phrase (mm.1-23)
From the beginning of the section the musical idea (motive) is exhibited in first
four measures. As I mentioned in page 9, Morton Feldman exposed his “m2”+”M2”
interval structure at the beginning and expanded that to the whole piece. The scale of
the piece also announced in the first phrase as D minor:”D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D”.
During the whole structure of the piece, echoes are emphasizing notes of this scale with
its all chromatic qualities. The musical texture of the phrase is blended; interchanges
between homophonic and polyphonic structures.
The “D” note sounding from Clarinet is duplicated with violoncello pizzicato.
The piano chord stands at a distance with m2 and M2 to this “D” note in two extreme
registers (C# in treble clef and “E” in bass clef). This symmetry also exists in the very
structure of the chord (“E”,”F”,”G” in bass clef) and is repeated all through the piece
both in melodies and the chords.
Ex. 11 Interval structure (the opening)
In the 3rd measure, in the piano part, the structure in the first chord is reversed
and changed. This second chord is not an exact reversal of the first chord but an
important portion of symmetry exists in this chord. In addition to this, xylophone (Db)
is sounded with this chord, thus the first vertical construction is sounded in second one;
in different registers and orchestration- except its “G” and “Bb”.
On the other hand, the “Db” note in Xylophone in measure 3 seems to be an

answer to the sustained “D” note in clarinet. This “question / answer” figure is
emphasized and echoed along the first phrase and it is sounded with many variations in
other phrases throughout the piece as well.
Ex 12 Piano Chord
Example 12 reveals the symmetry and relocation of sounds at piano part in

detail. As it is seen m2+ M2 structure preserved with p5 transposition in second chord
and “E” and “F” notes are registered at the treble clef of the new chord. The cluster in
the first chord (A, Bb, C#) is repeated again with the help of the xylophone as an
inverted transposition at the 3rd measure (Db, E, F) and the cluster in the second chord
(B, C, D) is an alteration of the clarinet and piano couple ( Bb, C#, D).
These cross pitch displacements (with alterations) of the main idea are repeated
with variations by the various orchestral colors in following phrases throughout the
piece as a compositional component as well.
After measure 4, main the main idea begins to expand its interval and figure
qualities into following measures. In remaining bars (4-23), “m2+M2” interval
structure of Feldman circulates within the musical text throughout the piece by echoing
in all instrumental colors, in accordance with his pan-rhythmic accents. (ex. 12 and 13)
These echoes constitute a structure that develops inside the time throughout the piece.
Ex. 13 mm. 1-8 expansion of main idea
Example 13 shows that “D” sound of clarinet (in first measure) is echoed with
flute in m.5 one octave higher and “E, F, G” cluster in 1st measure at piano part is
echoed with chimes (“E”) in m.5, at violin (“F”) with harmonics in m.6 and at the
clarinet (“G”) in m.7.
In example 14 “m2”+ “M2” relationships are marked between consecutive

instrumental parts. Dynamic articulation of timpani (decrescendo in m. 8) is the first
dynamic articulation of the piece. As it is seen in example, duration and rhythmic
placement of the echoed notes is also subject of a variation.
Ex. 14 “m2”+”M2” structure mm. 5-9 (reduced)

The “question / answer” figure of clarinet-xylophone instruments (between
mm1-3) of main idea is emphasized with flute and violoncello. As it is seen in example
15, the answer of the sustaining flute sound (“D”) appears in m.10 with violoncello
(“Db”) pizzicato. The “G” note of clarinet (m. 10) establishes a triton (diminished fifth)
with violoncello. This interval is echoed in m.11 - 12 between flute and violoncello
part. (example 15)
Ex. 15 “D/Db” figure repeated with variation
The low register “Eb” note of violoncello, which is sounded in m.5 right behind
the main musical idea (ex. 14) is echoed in the chimes with “D” and then in the flute at
high register in m. 16. The “Eb” note renders a smooth transition (minor second) to the
piano chord with prolonging “D” note in chimes. Furthermore, “D, Eb” motif of the
chimes is echoed with vibraphone part within the variation of main musical idea at the
closing of the phrase.
The closing of phrase begins at m.18, with the piano chord and “D” sound of
clarinet (example 17). It is the same structure with the very beginning of the piece.
Metric alteration is applied in a different key meter to the structure, all sounds are
repeated at the same register, but there is difference. At the piano line, existing notes are
shifted one-step lower at the bass clef. Thus, “D” note becomes the lower register
( “m2”+”M2” intervals could be seen easily in the bass clef of the new structure as
“M2”+”m2”).
Ex. 16 Two structures m.1 and m.18
The following example shows the beginning and the closing measures of the
first phrase. As it is seen, main idea sounded with new additions between mm18-23.
These additions are;
“Gb” in piccolo: This note is sounded first in violin part as “F#” with harmonics(m. 10
and m. 11) and echoed in violoncello part as “Gb” with harmonics(it is emphasized
with dynamic articulation)
“D# and E” in chimes: This minor second interval appears at first time in main idea
(in 1st and 3rd measure, at bass clef of the piano chord) as “E / F” and “B / C” ; it is
imitated by vibraphone in different register as “B / C” (in m. 12) and chimes with a
transposition “D / Eb” (m. 16).
“F” with harmonics in violin: This note is sounded in main idea in both chords, and
then echoed in violin part with harmonics (in m.6 and m. 16).
Ex. 17 Beginning and end of first phrase mm. 1-4 and mm. 18-23(reduced)
If we compare all the piano chords in the first phrase we will see none of the
repetitions are the same, because even when the pitches remain the same, durations and
rhythmic mountings to the measure differ in every chord. In addition to this every chord
is sounded with different instrumental colors and pitches in text throughout the phrase.
In this scheme we can see how Feldman repeats the similar chords (or material) in his
particular way. He developed a kind of “perpetual variation” technique. These
variations occur via chord structures, patterns, rhythmic structure, timing and
orchestration.
Ex. 18 Piano chords m. 1-23
The distributions of the meters are given with a table in the following. At the
beginning of the piece 6 key meters are exposed. These key meters are not arranged
symmetrically and repeated with variations throughout the piece. As it is seen in the
table, 2/2 key meter (red marked) is mostly used in the first phrase. 3/8 key meter is
exceptionally applied in measure 17.
Ex. 19 Table of the key meters
Key meters Distribution Measures

2/4 2 1, 3
2/2 7 6, 9, 12, 15, 16, 19, 23
3/4 6 7, 8, 10, 14, 18, 21
3/2 1 4
5/8 4 5, 11, 20, 22
5/4 2 2,13
3/8 (exceptional) 1 17
Total: 23
2.2 Analysis of 2nd Phrase (mm.24-48)

This phrase begins with a piano chord without any accompaniment in measure
24. The chord encountered at the beginning of the phrase, carries the traces of all the
chords in the first phrase, except its “D#” note at the lowest register. The “m2”+”M2”
intervals (or [1, 11] and [2, 10] O.P.C.I) appear at treble clef of the piano chord in this
phrase.
The piano part remains silent beginning from the 25th measure until the end of
the phrase (m48) in order to establish a contrast to the first phrase, nevertheless the
notes included in the chord (“D#”, “E”, “F”, “C”, “A#”, “Db”) forms the phrase by
echoing in all instruments and at different registers (“A#”=”Bb”, “D#”=”Eb”).
Ex. 20 piano chord in process (percussion part is reduced)
As it is seen in the example 20, “C” and “Db” registers of the piano part are
echoed in the 26th measure by the clarinet and violoncello. ”A#” register is echoed by
clarinet (“Bb”) in the measure 28. “D#” is echoed as “Eb” at the same time on violin
and flute. “E” and “F” registers are echoed by clarinet and flute in mm 31-32. Piano
chord is extended itself into following measures by these echoes. “m2”+”M2” interval
relationship could be seen in musical text along these extended echoes. (ex. 19)
Ex. 21 m2+M2 intervals mm.25-32(reduced)
In m.33, “E, Bb” motive appears in the flute. This motive is repeated in
following measures without any accompaniment. These notes are the last echoes of the
chord material which piano exposes at the beginning of the phrase (“A#” = “Bb”).
“E, Bb” triton structure is repeated in different key meters with rhythmical
variations until m. 40. Close to the end of the motive, this echo is accompanied by the
“Bb” note (m. 39) by the clarinet. “Bb” is emphasized by duplication in woodwind
instruments in order to constitute an “m2” interval with timpani tremolo at the “A”
register (mm. 42- 48) at the end of the phrase.
Ex. 22 flute and clarinet between mm. 35- 41
On the other hand, timpani tremolos are emphasized at the beginning of the
second phrase between m.27- m.32 with dynamic articulations. Thus, timpani tremolos
in “A” registers serve both functions; it provides integrity in phrase construction and
constitutes a smooth transition to the next phrase; with “m2+M2” interval structure at
the end of the phrase.
Ex. 23 end of the 2.nd phrase mm. 41-49
The distribution of the key meters is given in the example 24. 3/4 key meter is
emphasized throughout the second phrase. Rhythmic structure is articulated with an
exceptional key meter (3/8) in measure 41 as in the first phrase.

2/2 6 25, 27, 30, 37, 40, 49
3/4 12 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 39, 42, 43, 44, 45
5/8 4 26, 33, 38, 46
5/4 2 24, 47
Total: 25
2.3. Analysis of 3rd Phrase (mm. 49-70)

Third phrase begins at measure 49. As a distinctive characteristic, musical text is
colored by instrument groups. Woodwind and string instruments are coupled
rhythmically in this phrase in order to expose a more homophonic texture construction.
Musical texture has both qualities; homophonic and polyphonic; it is woven more
intensely than the former phrases. In this phrase repetitions are more frequent.
At the beginning of third phrase (m. 49) piano chord is accompanied by flute
and clarinet couple. Musical material is almost same with the first phrase. In addition to
this, the “question / answer” figure of clarinet-xylophone instruments in first phrase
(“D-Db”) is emphasized here between instrument groups in different registers; pizzicato
of string instruments (“G, Ab”) constitutes an answer to woodwinds and piano. In
following measures this “question /answer” figure is echoed with variations between
mm. 51-66. In this phrase the “m2” interval relation is more emphasized than “M2” 21;
in the piano chord (“E, F, D#, Gb”= “Eb, E, F, F#”), woodwinds (”B, C”) and strings
(“G, Ab”).
Ex. 25 Beginning of the 3rd Phrase
As for the piano chord of this phrase, it is an inversion of the piano chord in
measure 24 (the beginning of the second phrase). The “D#, E, F” registers are inverted
and “Gb” register is added into this new chord. This note is emphasized by piccolo (m.
21
“M2” interval is especially emphasized by vibraphone in this phrase. The “m2” +”M2” interval
structure still exists but “m2” is emphasized more than “M2” in the other instrument parts
22) within the variation of the main idea of the first phrase. In this phrase it constitutes
an “m2” transition between question and answer as it is seen in example 25.
(“Gb”-“G”).
Ex. 26 the piano chord
Beginning from m.49, the flute and clarinet couple repeats the “C” and “B”
notes at various registers until measure 67, but there are two exceptions; “A, D” pitches
in m. 53 and “B, D” pitches in m. 55. As seen in the example below, the exceptional
task of sounding “C” and “B” notes are given to violin and violoncello couple in 53rd
measure, and transferred to violoncello and clarinet couple in 55th measure. The
exceptions have been fixed after m. 55, “D” in violin and “Db” in violoncello are
sustained with harmonics at the same register. (ex. 24)
Ex. 27 Woodwind and string instruments mm. 49-60
The homophonic layers of woodwind and string instruments are colored with
piano and percussion instruments after measure 50. The “question –answer” figure,
which is sounded between woodwinds-piano group and strings at the beginning of the
piece, takes its place between woodwind-string layers and piano-percussion instruments
after measure 50. “G, Ab” interval is echoed in the percussion and piano with different
rhythmical and instrumental variations as an “answer” to the homophonic layers of
woodwind and string instruments between mm. 51-66.
The piano part is grouped with percussion instruments after measure 50 and
takes it place in “answer” section of the figure. The “G, Ab” pitches of string group are
imitated by xylophone and vibraphone in measure 51 with accompaniment of piano
chord. Between mm. 52-55 answer is echoed with its consecutive variations;
glockenspiel (“C, D”)22 and vibraphone (“G#, B”) in m. 52 are echoed by piano (“A,
Bb”) in m.53 and by timpani with decrescendo (“Ab”) in mm 54-55.
In measure 56, vibraphone is accompanied by the piano chord and cymbal in

“A”. In this measure, vibraphone echoes the pitches of glockenspiel (“C, D”) with new
additions (“A#, B”)23. In measure 58 piano answers the woodwind-string layers alone.
The piano chord is modified in measure 58-59; “D#” is omitted and “B, C” pitches are
added in the bass register of the piano chord. 24 In measure 60, glockenspiel, vibraphone
and the piano instruments are sounded together. In this measure, the piano chord at the
beginning of the phrase appears again without modifications, glockenspiel echoes the
“A” note of cymbal in different register and vibraphone echoes its preceding (m. 56)
registers.
In measure 62, the piano chord answers the layers alone as in the m. 58; but the
chord is encountered here is the same chord at the beginning of the phrase. In measure
64, chimes and vibraphone sounded together as an answer. In this measure chimes
echoes “A” note25 and vibraphone echoes its preceding (m. 56 and m. 60) registers. In
measure 66, piano chord echoes whole phrase in the last answer (“D#” is omitted and
“B, C, D” registers added to the chord). The last chord announced in mm. 67 with piano
22
“C, D”(M2 interval) pitches are echoed in glockenspiel and vibraphone in order to emphasize the
“m2”+ “M2” structure in text
23
echoes of the “G, Ab” interval structure (m2) appears in vibraphone in m.56
24
these pitches are echoes of the “question” figure, between m. 58-59, main idea of sustaining layer is
reflected to the piano
25
This register is echo of the cymbal(m. 56) and glockenspiel (m. 60)
is more or less the same with the chord announced in m. 3(except is “Gb”), the very
beginning of the piece. (Example 29)
In third phrase, four different key meters are used; the 5/ 4 key meter is
emphasized with variations throughout the phrase. As it is seen in the following
example (example 29) it is articulated with the other key meters. “5/4+5/4”, “5/8+5/4”,
“3/4+5/4” and “2/2+5/4” combinations are used throughout the phrase. There isn’t any
exceptional key meter in this phrase.

2/2 4 50, 53, 67, 69
3/4 4 54, 55, 59, 61
5/8 4 49, 56, 63, 65
5/4 11 51, 52, 57, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70
(exceptional) 0
Total: 22
Ex.29 The “question-answer” figure mm. 50-60 (string instruments are reduced)
26
As it is seen in the example 29, the echo of the “question / answer” figure of
clarinet-xylophone (“D-Db”) instruments in first phrase, appears between instrument
26
“Q” is marked in order to emphasize “question” and “A” for the “answer” sections in the fragment
layers with variations in the third phrase. Moreover, after measure 57, the “D” and
“Db” notes of clarinet and xylophone are emphasized and repeated in violin and
violoncello with harmonics in fixed registers. After measure 66, all instrument layers
are suspended through the end of the phrase, except violoncello. “Db” layer of the
violoncello continues alone through the end of phrase to call attention to “D”-“Db”
transition.
Ex. 30 String instruments at the end of the phrase
I have to state that, from the beginning of the piece, piano chords are connected
to the each other along the first three phrases. The opening chord of piano exists in all
following chords with its symmetry and interval relationships. As it is seen in following
example (example 31), “E” and “F” notes are common notes in all chords. Moreover,
there are at least three common notes in each chord with its next. The last chord in
example shows the last piano chord in third phrase in m. 66. This chord is identical with
the one that has been announced in 3rd measure apart from its “Gb” note.
As I mentioned before, ”Gb” is the characteristic note of this phrase and it is

emphasized by the all chords in piano part. It constitutes an “m2” transition at the
beginning of the phrase between woodwinds-piano group and strings and it constitutes
an “m2” transition to the next phrase which is rounded on “G”. In addition to this, at the
beginning of the phrase, the “B” and “C” notes are sounded in clarinet and flute. These
notes, which serve as the axis for flute and clarinet in remaining measures, are sounded
in the last chord of piano in order to consolidate the integrity of the phrase.
Ex. 31 the piano chords in beginning 3 phrases

2.4 Analysis of 4th Phrase (mm.71-79)
This phrase begins at measure 71 with the “G” note sounded by the flute part
with harmonics, accompanied by chimes, vibraphone and violin. Texture of the phrase
is polyphonic. The “G” note of flute is duplicated in violin part with harmonics and
consecutively followed by clarinet part. In this phrase violin duplicates the flute part
throughout the end. The example below (example 32) shows overall process in the
phrase.
Ex. 32 mm. 71-79
The “m2”+”M2” interval relationship could be seen in example along the

phrase. The duration of the flute part at the beginning is conserved in length and it is
repeated; by clarinet (m. 72 and 74) and piccolo (m.75). The “G” register is emphasized
as well as violoncello (m. 73 and m. 77) in different lengths. The registers of chimes
and vibraphone is echoed in the piano in m. 73 together, in m. 75 parts are echoed in
each other. “G- Gb” relationship (m2) between violin and chimes is imitated by
violoncello and clarinet between mm75- 79. The whole structure is echoed by the piano
chord at the end of the phrase.27 On the other hand the lowest and highest registers of
the piano chord “G, Ab” remind us the string registers at the beginning of the preceding
27
“G” and “F” notes are sounded with “Ab”–“Bb” (M2) notes. “m2”+”M2” interval structure is
emphasized in the piano chord.
phrase (“G,Ab” takes its place at the beginning as a answer, then echoed by vibraphone
and xylophone, and in other instruments with variations throughout the former phrase)
At the end of the phrase “Gb” note is emphasized in chimes motive and it is
echoed in clarinet part. “Gb” is the characteristic note of preceding phrase and it is
emphasized as a reminder at the end, in order to strengthen the integrity with next
phrase.
Likewise the preceding phrase, key meter material is limited with four key
meters. The 3/4 key meter is emphasized and it is articulated with other key meters
throughout the phrase.

2/2 1 78
3/4 6 71, 72, 73, 75, 76,77
5/8 1 74
5/4 1 79
(exceptional) 0
Total: 9
As it is seen, this phrase is shorter than the former phrases. It is important to

remark that after measure 70, shorter phrase structures begin to appear within the text
and these short phrases seem to be a short development passages which are prepared
with the combination of the material given in the former 3 main phrases. In addition to
this, these short development phrases are important for highlighting the orchestration of
the piece. Sub instrument groups are arranged in each phrase, musical materials are
presented with different instrumental combinations.
.
The piano is used seldom in the instrumentation of the short development
phrases. The reason for this can be Morton Feldman’s wish to form contrasts in
orchestration in these short phrases. It is more important to remark that here; in the
beginning three phrases of the piece, the piano was the major instrument and it was
enabling the musical text to produce reflections. That is to say main idea was sounded
with piano and the other instruments were echoing the pitches of it. As it is sees in
example 32 and following examples, in these short phrases the piano does not take its
place at the beginnings; it seems to be its major role in the text is suspended.
2.5 Analysis of 5th phrase (mm.80-87)
This phrase begins with an exceptional key meter (7/8) at measure 80. At the
beginning of the phrase “B” and “C” registers in ‘flute – clarinet’ part and “D” and
“Db” registers in ‘violin – violoncello’ part are sounded together. These notes are the
characteristic notes of the third phrase with their instrumentation; string instruments
also sounded with their same register values.28
Ex. 34 mm. 80-87
The sustained sounds of woodwind and string instruments (“m2” interval

construction is emphasized between layers: ”B, C” and “D, Db”) are followed by the
consecutive timpani (“A”) and bass drum tremolos follows each other.29
As it is seen in the example phrase ends with exceptional 7/8 key meter with
timpani tremolo in “Bb” as it begins. This short phrase seems to be a passage; it is
connected to the next phrase with a timpani tremolo in “A”.

3/4 4 82, 83, 84, 86
5/8 1 85
5/4 1 81
7/8 (exceptional) 2 80, 87
Total: 8
28
“B”, “C” is sounded at the beginning of the 3rd phrase and “D”, ”Db” at the closing. Also “Gb” note is
emphasized at the preceding measure in order to remind 3rd phrase.
29
Consecutive Timpani and Bass drum tremolos in different registers seem to be an echo of the
“question/answer “figure; which was emphasized throughout the 3rd phrase.
The phrase is framed by the exceptional 7/8 key meter. It is used twice; in the
beginning and in the end. Rhythmic structure is constructed with the 3/4 key meter and
articulated with the 5/4 and 5/8 key meters.
2.6 Analysis of 6.th Phrase (mm.88-97)
The phrase begins at measure 88 and it is connected to the preceding phrase

with the timpani tremolo in “A”. Beginning from measure 88, the piccolo develops an
ascending line with “m2” intervals throughout the phrase. ”E, F, Gb” pitches of the
piano chord (m.91) are sounded at the end of the line (measure 97). The ascending line
of the piccolo part is accompanied by the homophonic layers.
In this phrase, homophonic texture is constructed by the layers of clarinet, violin

and violoncello. String instruments are sounded with harmonics throughout the phrase.
Clarinet, violin and violoncello layers use the “B, Bb, C, Db and D” 30 pitches in various
combinations, by echoing each other. In following example, I have marked the echoing
procedure on the “B” pitch. This pitch is echoed continuously throughout the phrase in
different registers.
Ex. 36 mm. 88-97
The piano and vibraphone chords that have been used in third phrase are used
again in this phrase (measure 91) with their same registers. The pitch structure of
vibraphone is given at the beginning of the phrase. The “A#, B” registers is sounded
enharmonically (“Bb, B”) by piccolo and clarinet, “C, D” registers are sounded by
30
These pitches are the main material of the 3rd phrase (“Bb” is also used as “A#” in 3rd phrase. But in
this phrase this note appears as a characteristic note, because it is emphasized as much as others)
violoncello and violin in measure 88. As for the piano,”E, F, Gb” pitches of the chord
are sounded at the end of the piccolo line (m.97) at the end of the phrase.
I have to remark that, the homophonic layers are used characteristically in third
phrase. But it is exposed at first time in the second phrase between mm. 31-33 within
the flute and clarinet parts, as an echo of the symmetrical main idea which was exposed
with piano clarinet and xylophone at the beginning of the piece.31

2/4 1 97
2/2 2 92, 95
3/4 3 88, 91, 94
5/8 4 89, 90, 93, 96
(exceptional) 0
Total: 10
Phrase begins with the 3/4 key meter. The 5/8 key meter is emphasized
throughout the phrase and it is articulated with the other key meters. Towards the end of
the phrase triplets are also used with 2/2 and 2/4 key meters in order to emphasize a
rhythmic accents. These accents are echoed in following phrases.
2.7 Analysis of 7th Phrase (mm. 98-113)
This ascending phrase seems to be the echo of the preceding one. It begins with
the timpani (“A”), clarinet (“Bb) and violoncello (”B”) at the measure 98. The piccolo
31
The symmetrical flute and clarinet motive in second phrase is developed in third phrase with string
instruments added.
is replaced by flute, the chimes are replaced by glockenspiel and the violin part is
removed in the orchestration. The end of the ascending flute phrase is also the end of
this section.
The all notes of chromatic scale is used in the phrase in the following order; “B”
and “Bb” pitches are sounded by clarinet and violoncello part with long sustaining
notes and the remaining pitches of the scale(C, Db, D, Eb, E, Gb, G, Ab, A) 32 is used in
ascending flute line throughout the phrase.
In this phrase polyphonic texture is used in order to establish a contrast with the
preceding phrase. The largely used key meter is 5/8. In addition to this 2/4 and 3/4 key
meters are used within the phrase in order to emphasize rhythmic articulations. Within
these key meters; triplets are used at the ascending flute line, ties are removed in the
sustaining clarinet and the violoncello parts, the durations of the “A, G#” pitches are
rhythmically alterered in glockenspiel. Phrase ends with 2/2 key meter and this key
meter also emphasized with the triplet at the flute line.
Beginning from measure 101, “A” and “G#” ostinato pattern is sounded by
glockenspiel with fixed registers. These pitches are characteristic pitches of this phrase.
The pitch material of the glockenspiel is also echoed with retrograde by the flute part at
the end of the phrase in the different register. 33 Clarinet, glockenspiel, vibraphone,
violin and violoncello are announced synchronously in measure 112 in order to
emphasize closing.
As it is seen in following example (example 39) 2/2, 2/4 and 3/4 key meters are
used with triplet throughout the phrase in order to emphasize rhythmic accents.
Ex. 38 m. 105- 115
32
some of these pitches are spelled enharmonically
33
In the preceding phrase, “E , F, Gb” pitches of the piano was echoed at the end of ascending piccolo
line.
As it is seen in example 39, “B, Bb” pitches are replaced in accompanying
clarinet and violoncello lines.34 Violoncello is sounded with harmonics throughout the
phrase. Rhythmic articulations are emphasized in boxes. The motive of the piccolo line
at the end of the former phrase is echoed by flute between mm.104-106 in same
registers and in mm. 107-109 with variation.
The phrase begins with 3/4 key meter The 5/8 key meter is emphasized
throughout the phrase and it is articulated with the other key meters. The rhythmic
accents are seemed to be an echo of the preceding phrase.

2/4 3 100, 105, 108,
2/2 1 113
3/4 2 98, 111
5/8 10 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 109, 110, 112
(exceptional) 0
Total: 16
34
This replacement process emphasized with main idea at the very beginning, then in second phrase
between flute and clarinet parts and echoed throughout the piece
2.8 Analysis of 8th phrase (mm.114-128)
The phrase begins in m. 114. In the instrumentation the flute is replaced with
alto flute, glockenspiel is replaced by chimes and vibraphone. Percussion instruments
are scattered throughout the phrase in order to establish a contrast with preceding
phrase. In string instruments, the violin is added again into the instrumentation, violin
and violoncello are sounded with harmonics throughout the phrase.
Texture is homophonic likewise 6th phrase. The melodic movements are mostly
in contrary directions between alto flute and clarinet part. In this phrase there isn’t any
ascending line in the instrument layers. Pitch materials are given at the beginning of the
phrase as follows: “B, Bb, C, Db and D”35.
These pitches are used in various combinations between homophonic layers, by

echoing each other as in the 6th phrase. The “B” and “C” registers are emphasized more
than other pitches; these pitches are sounded continuously in all instruments at different
registers in whole structure. In addition to this some contrapuntal variations are applied
between the instrument layers. For example, “D-Db-C” melody line in the alto flute
part (mm. 116-119) is imitated in violoncello (mm.117-120) as “C-B-Bb”. Text of the
phrase is woven with freely applied imitations. (Example 42)
Another similarity between this phrase and 6 th phrase is vibraphone. As in the in

6th phrase, the pitch structure of vibraphone is given at the beginning of the phrase. The
“B, C, D, Db” registers are sounded by clarinet, violin, violoncello and chimes in
measure 114. (Example 40)
Ex. 40 mm.114-128 flute, clarinet, violin and violoncello

35
These are the characteristic pitches of the 6th phrase
Ex. 41 piano in 3rd phrase and vibraphone in 8th phrase
As it is seen in example 41, the registers and pitches of the vibraphone call out
the last piano chord in third phrase (m.66). The chord sounded in vibraphone is an echo
of the piano chord; “E, F, Gb” registers are omitted and “Db” is added in the
vibraphone chord. The “question / answer” motive of the third phrase is echoed here
with vibraphone and chimes. The answer motive is sounded with vibraphone chord
twice, then with the “D” in chimes. With “D” pitch of the chimes pitch structure of the
phrase is emphasized again vertically with its all colors near the closing.
The key meters in the phrase is framed with 5/4 key meter. The 5/8 key meter is
used throughout the phrase and it is articulated with the other key meters and the
rhythmic accents as in the 7th phrase. There isn’t any exceptional key meter.

2/4 1 117
2/2 1 120
3/4 3 116, 123, 124
5/8 6 115, 118, 121, 122, 125, 126
5/4 3 114, 119, 127
(exceptional) 0
Total: 14
2.9 Analysis of 9th phrase mm 129- 135

This phrase begins in measure 129, seems to be the echo of the preceding
phrase. As in the same way musical texture is constructed by homophonic layers.
Likewise the preceding phrase, pitch materials are given at the beginning of the phrase:
“B, Bb, C, Db and D”. These pitches are used in various combinations between
homophonic layers; however “C, Db and D” pitches are more emphasized here.
Rhythmical structure of the preceding phrase is also echoed with variations in different
key meters.
Ex. 43 mm. 128-135
Instrumentation is nearly same; alto flute and clarinet in woodwinds, violin and
violoncello are sounded with harmonics throughout the phrase. The melodic
movements are in contrary directions between string instruments. Percussion
instruments are replaced with piano. It is remarkable here; “question / answer” figure of
the third phrase was called out by percussion 3 measures before; the piano chord of the
third phrase (E, F, D#, Gb) is sounded with its same registers for strengthen the
previous effect.
Phrase 9
2/4 1 129
2/2 1 133
3/4 3 130, 134
5/4 3 128, 131, 132, 135
(exceptional) 0
Total: 8
As in the preceding phrase, the key meters are framed by 5/4 key meter at the
beginning and at the and. However 5/4 key meter is emphasized throughout the phrase.
The rhythmic accents of the former phrase are articulated to the structure.
2.10 Analysis of 10th phrase (136-145)

The homophonic texture of former two phrases continues in this phrase. Piano
and percussion instruments are removed in instrumentation. The alto flute and clarinet
in woodwinds, violin and violoncello are sounded with harmonics. Likewise the
preceding phrase, pitch materials are same (B, Bb, C, Db and D) but these pitches are
distributed into the layers in another variation. “A, Bb, B” pitches are more emphasized
in this phrase with symmetrical flute and clarinet layers.
Ex. 45 mm. 136- 145
The melodic movements are in contrary directions between the flute and clarinet
parts (“B, Bb” pitches are emphasized). As it seen in the example 45 same structure is
repeated twice; but not exactly in same way. This is an echo of the “question /
answer“figure in woodwinds, in these two structures different instrumentation is
emphasized with variations on similar pitches. “C, Db, D” pitches are only used in
string instruments with various combinations.
At the closing of the phrase the ascending melody line of the flute part is
accompanied by the strings at fixed registers (“C, Db”). The flute melody progresses
from “B” to “Gb” register; this is the last echo of the ascending piccolo line in the 6 th
phrase.36
Ex. 46 flute melody mm 143-146
The “G” pitch in the clarinet belongs to the beginning of the next phrase. Two
phrases are linked each other with “m2” interval. This is the last short development
phrase of the piece however development continues throughout the piece. As it is seen
in the piece, up to now the musical ideas developed with their reflections; they are
mirrored throughout the piece with their every new addition and variations. This
material could be a motive, a chord or a time element. All of the materials and ideas
have been processed in these development phrases are this process will continue in
same way at the following phrases.

Phrase 10
2/2 3 136, 143, 145
3/4 5 137, 138, 140, 141, 142
5/8 1 139
3/2 1 144
3/8 (exceptional) 0
Total: 10
3/4 key meter is emphasized throughout the phrase. The rhythmic accents of the
former phrases are articulated to the structure with 2/2, 2/4 and 3/2 key meters.
36
The ascending melody is exposed by Piccolo (“B” to “Gb”) in the 6th phrase at first time and it is
echoed in 7th phrase with an ascending line in alto flute which processes “D” to “A” (perfect 5th
ascending).
2.11 Analysis of 11th Phrase (mm. 146-160)
Phrase begins in measure 146 with the chord sounded in piano (E, F, G#, A) and
the “G” pitch of clarinet. The piano is added again to instrumentation. Texture is
homophonic but sustaining woodwind and string layers are removed, pitches are
scattered in the text.
At the beginning of the phrase the “E, F, G#, A” 37 registers of the piano chord is
sounded by vibraphone and piano in m. 148, then this “m2” interval structure echoed
by flute clarinet and timpani. As it is seen in the example “m2” interval is emphasized
in with variations throughout the phrase. The piano chord in m. 155 is the new variation
of the main piano chord. In this phrase it’s also constructed with “m2” intervals.
This phrase is variation of the fourth phrase. The beginning clarinet note is
conserved with its duration and repeated in different instruments in different registers.
Phrase processes “G” to “Ab”38 as in the fourth phrase. “Ab” in emphasized in piano
chord at the beginning (enharmonic spelling: “G#”) twice, then with the violoncello
(longest note of the phrase) at measure 151, with pizzicato of violoncello at measure
155(also accompanied by violin pizz. here in”G”) and with a unison of the vibraphone
– clarinet couple at the end of the phrase.
Rhythm structure is determined mostly with 5/4 and 2/2 key meters. Rhythmic
placement of the notes usually appears at the last beat of 5/4 key meters and note is tied
to the whole note with the next measure. 5/4 key meter is emphasized throughout the
phrase with combinations as in the 3rd phrase. “5/4+2/2”, “2/2+5/4”, “5/4+5/4” key
meter variations are used.
37
“G#, A” pitches are the characteristic pitches of 7th phrase (glockenspiel motive)
38
“G, Ab” pitches are emphasized here as in the similar way with the 3rd phrase(piano answered by string
pizz.’s “G,Ab” in m.50)
Phrase 11
3/2 2 156, 158
2/2 5 147, 149, 151, 154, 160
3/4 1 157
5/4 7 146, 148, 150, 152, 153, 155, 159
(exceptional) 0
Total: 15
The pitch center of the piece “D” is also emphasized in the clarinet and flute
(with the same duration of beginning clarinet note) and answered by the piano chord
and the string pizzicatos ”G, Ab” at first time and by clarinet and vibraphone(“Ab”
unison) in second time. The “question / answer” figure is developed in the next phrase
with variations.
Ex. 49 mm 146-160
2.12 Analysis of the 12th Phrase (mm. 161-184)
The phrase begins in m. 161 with “A#” sounded in piccolo and “B” in violin
layers and accompanying by timpani roll. In measure 162, violoncello (”D”) and piano
chord, in measure 163 glockenspiel are added to these layers. As it is seen, this phrase
is constructed with layers, texture is polyphonic.
Alto flute is replaced by the piccolo, glockenspiel and antique cymbals is added
in instrumentation. Violin is sounded with harmonics throughout the phrase
predominantly. It is remarkable snare drum is added with “fff” dynamic articulation at
the middle of the phrase. However same pitch material is sounded, the texture and
instrumentation of the phrase shows contrast with the former one. .
Ex. 50 Beginning of the 12.th phrase
The musical material is being represented in former phrase takes it place in

these sustaining layers. The “m2” interval is more emphasized as in the preceding
phrase. The “A#” and “B” pitches, which were sounded in the flute and clarinet in
preceding phrase (m. 150), are repeated here in piccolo ”A#” and violin ”B” layers;
“D” register which was sounded consecutively by clarinet and flute, takes it place in
violoncello with harmonics, the piano chord of the former phrase is also repeated as a
layer. The “C, Db” pitches of the glockenspiel are echoes of the end of the 10 th phrase,
which were sounded by violin and violoncello in long sustaining notes with
harmonics.39
As in the preceding phrase imitations are emphasized and “question / answer”

figure is developed in this phrase between the layers. The “A#” layer of the piccolo,
which was rhythmically accompanied by the violin, is silenced in m. 166. In measure
169, piccolo is resounded with “Ab”, but after m. 169 it is rhythmically accompanied
by the violoncello part instead of violin. “D, A” melodic movement of violoncello in
mm. 168-169 is imitated by piccolo in m. 173. “C, Db” pitches of the glockenspiel are
duplicated by vibraphone and echoed by the piccolo and clarinet in measure 175. “G,
Ab” registers of the former phrase are sounded by clarinet and violin in mm. 173- 175
and echoed with string pizzicatos as in the former phrase. Phrase is articulated with an
exceptional 5/16 key meter.
Ex. 51 mm. 168- 179 replacements
The snare drum is used at the end of these replacements with 5/16 key meter; it
calls attention to its rhythmic accent with “fff” dynamics and masks the transition
between clarinet and string layers (m2 interval is emphasized again in strings with “C#,
D” pitches). When the snare drum is out of scene a different color of the layers appears
suddenly; which is constructed by exactly the same pitch material of the phrase.
39
“C, Db” registers were used in strings with long sustaining sounds throughout the accompaniment of
the ascending flute melody (at the end of 10th phrase)
In the following measures, glockenspiel, ancient cymbal and vibraphone are
removed in instrumentation. “A#” pitch of the piccolo at the beginning of the phrase is
doubled here by piccolo and clarinet as “Bb”, same piano chord is sounded, however it
sounds like a new structure. The transition at measure 177 also provides smoother
connection to the next phrase.
The 5/8 key meter is emphasized in the phrase with various combinations with
other key meters. 5/16 exceptional key meter takes it place towards the end in the
phrase. After this exceptional key meter, rhythmic transition is occurred in the phrase;
throughout the end 5/4 key meter is emphasized in following measures.

Phrase 12
2/4 1 167
2/2 5 160, 173, 176, 182, 184
3/4 5 169, 171, 172, 175, 181
5/8 8 163, 164, 165, 166, 168, 170, 174, 178
5/4 5 161, 162, 179, 180, 183
Total: 25
2.13 Analysis of the 13th Phrase (mm. 185-197)

This phrase is attached to the preceding phrase with a timpani roll in “Ab”.
Phrase begins in m. 185 with alto flute, clarinet and violoncello. Texture is constructed
by homophonic layers. In woodwinds piccolo is replaced by alto flute, and in
percussion glockenspiel is replaced by chimes. The “question / answer” figure is also
developed here with new texture and new instrumental colors. Homophonic layers of
the woodwinds and strings are answered by vibraphone and chimes in percussion. Pitch
materials are nearly same with the preceding phrase. Chromatic scale is distributed
between layers; “B, Bb, A, Ab, G” pitches are emphasized in woodwinds, and “A#, B,
C, D#, D, E”40 pitches are distributed between the percussion instruments, “Gb, F”
pitches are emphasized in string layers with harmonics.
In the very beginning of the section alto flute and clarinet melodies descend by
moving parallel to each other until m.190 with m2 intervals. After m.190 their
movements are in contrary directions. Homophonic texture of the phrase is constructed
with imitations and replacements as it is seen in example.
Ex. 53 mm.185-195
40
after the transition in the preceding phrase, the piano chord (B, C, E, D#) and the “Bb” pitch of the
woodwinds are distributed between the percussion instruments in this phrase
Beginning from measure 186, violin and violoncello repeats the “F” and “Gb”
pitches with harmonics. String layers are constructed by echoing each other. These
reflections are first imitated by the vibraphone and chimes then the alto flute and
clarinet. As it is seen in example 53, “m2” interval is emphasized in all layers. At the
end of the phrase the alto flute is replaced by flute in measure 193, “D, Eb” pitches of
the chimes are echoed by the flute and clarinet and accompanied by in the very low
register of the piano.
Ex. 54 End of the phrase
At the end of the phrase a violoncello figure is attached with pizzicato(C, Db, B)
as an answer to the flute and clarinet. The interval relations of this motive are echoed at
the next phrase in the instrument layers with variations. The 3/4 key meter is
emphasized more than others in the phrase. At the end, 2/2 and 3/2 key meters are
articulated with triplets. The rhythmic accent was emphasized in the short development
phrases.

5/8 3 185, 190, 192
3/4 6 186, 187, 188, 191, 194, 195
5/4 2 189, 193
2/2 1 196
3/2 1 197
(exceptional) 0
Total: 13
2.14 Analysis of the 14th phrase (mm. 198-215)
Phrase begins at measure 198. Texture is homophonic. The flute, violin and
violoncello layers are sounded with harmonics. Texture is homophonic. As in the
preceding phrase chromatic scale (“A” and “Ab” pitches are omitted in this phrase) is
distributed between layers; “F, Gb, G”41 pitches are emphasized by flute layer and ”C#,
42
D, D#, E” pitches are emphasized by violin. In this phrase “A#, B, C” pitches are
sounded once in the vibraphone in measure 203.
The motivic structure (at the beginning of the example 56), which is sounded by
pizz.’s with violoncello, is attached at the end of preceding phrase. This structure is
echoed in all layers with variations throughout the phrase. As it is seen in the example
motive is also retrograded at the beginning of the flute layer (“G, F, Gb” pitches are
retrograde transposition of the motive).
Ex. 56 mm 196-201
41
“F,Gb” pitches are sounded by strings at the preceding phrase. In this phrase these pitches are
emphasized in woodwinds more than other pitches.
42
these pitches are sounded at the end of preceding phrase by the clarinet and the flute
The piano chord of the third phrase is sounded at the beginning of this phrase
and it is followed by chimes in “D” register in measure 199. In this phrase “m2”+”M2”
interval structure is emphasized. All pitches of this chord are duplicated by the other
layers except its “Gb”. However this pitch is echoed in woodwind layers until measure
205. Chimes and vibraphone43 are synchronously sounded with the instrument layers in
m.205.
Ex. 57 mm. 204-211(reduced)
“E, F, Gb” pitches are sounded in the clarinet with extreme register shifts. Violin
and Violoncello parts mostly accompany each other with counter movements until the
end of the flute phrase. Towards the end of the phrase violin and flute layers are
silenced, clarinet sustains “Eb” pitch in fixed register in accompaniment with
violoncello in “D” with harmonics.
In measure 210, violoncello layer is silenced and it is echoed by the flute at the
end of phrase. The flute part is accompanied by the “Eb, F” pitches announced in piano
towards the end in very low register as an echo of the phrase. 44 These registers are echo
of the flute and clarinet layers. In the closure, the “m2”+”M2” interval structure is
43
percussion instruments are sounded with same pitches as in the preceding phrase; however, a new
register combination and rhythmic placement is applied to these instruments
44
This closure is emphasized at the end of preceding phrase.
emphasized again between the flute, clarinet, timpani (“Db”) and the piano parts. The
flute and clarinet is echoed by glockenspiel in measure 214 and consecutively in
triangle and string pizzicato’s (m. 215).
Ex. 58 the closure of the phrase mm. 206-214
As in the preceding phrase 3/4 key meter is more emphasized in this phrase and
this key meter is articulated with rhythmic accents (the triplets in 2/2 key meters) as in
the short development phrases.
Phrase 14
5/8 4 200, 202, 204, 214
3/4 6 198, 201, 203, 205, 206, 207
5/4 2 201, 212
2/2 2 199, 209
3/2 3 208, 211, 213
(exceptional) 0
Total: 17
2.15 Analysis of 15th phrase (mm. 215- 225)
Phrase begins in measure 215. The flute is replaced by the piccolo at the
beginning of the phrase and piano is used intensely in orchestration again. Timpani
tremolos are emphasized intensely until the closure of the phrase. Phrase begins with
“Ab” sounded by the flute and a new chord sounded by piano. This structure is
answered consecutively with clarinet part in “D” and a second piano chord in
accompaniment. Texture is polyphonic. The “m2”+”M2” intervals structure is
emphasized between layers. The “M2” interval structure is emphasized in the
woodwind (“B, Db”) and string (“Bb, C”) layers. As it is seen, these layers are have m2
relationship with each other; clarinet-violoncello (“B, Bb”) and flute –violin(“C, Db”)
instruments are accompanied in the phrase.
The repeating violoncello (“D”) and clarinet (“Eb”) layers of the preceding
phrase are echoed in the timpani (“D”) and in the second piano chord (“D#”). In this
phrase, the piano chords are constructed by the pitch materials of the preceding phrase.
The first chord echoes the transposition of the preceding piano chord and timpani (“Db,
Eb, F” pitches are transposed to “Bb, C, D”) in its bass register; second chord echoes
string pizzicatos at the end of the preceding phrase. The “G, Ab and C#” pitches of the
first piano chord are the sounds that are shared in common between these consecutive
chords. The chromatic scale is sounded in these two piano chords at the beginning;
except the “A, B, F” registers. “A” and “B” registers are emphasized by the chimes and
clarinet two measures later and echoed with the new piano chord in measure 226.
As it is seen in example 60, main idea is given by woodwinds and piano in the
beginning two measures. In following measures, motive is expanded with variations
and imitations throughout the end of the piece. The piccolo is echoed by violin and the
clarinet is echoed by timpani consecutively. The “Bb” and “C#” registers of the piano
chord is imitated by the violoncello (measure 219) and the flute (measure 220). Piano
chords are resounded in next measure (m. 217), and the second piano chord is repeated
as a rhythmic layer until measure 213.
Ex.60 beginning of the 15th phrase mm. 215- 226
In this phrase accompaniment of the layers are used in combinations; timpani -
piano accompaniment takes its place to the flute- piano accompaniment after measure
223, and woodwinds-piano accompaniment at the beginning of the phrase takes its
place to the flute – violin (measure 220) and clarinet violoncello (measure 219)
accompaniment. The transition to the next phrase is shown in example 60; in the next
phrase “G, Ab, C#” pitches are common notes in piano part and the pitches of the violin
chimes and clarinet is sounded at the bass register of the new chord.
The 5/4 key meter is emphasized throughout the phrase. On the contrary to the
former phrases, triplets are used within the main meter of this phrase. The beginning
3/4 and 5/8 key meters will be echoed in the beginning of the next phrase with same
instrumentation.
Ex. 61 table of the key meters

Phrase 15
5/8 3 216, 218, 224
3/4 2 215, 220
5/4 4 217, 219, 221, 223
2/2 1 225
3/2 1 222
(exceptional) 0
Total: 13
2.16 Analysis of 16th phrase (mm. 226- 264)
The last phrase of the piece begins at measure 226. A new piano chord is
sounded at the beginning of the phrase in accompaniment by the flute in “Ab”. In the
piano chord, the “G, Ab, C#” pitches are common notes with the two piano chords in
the preceding phrase. The chimes (“A”) clarinet (“B”) and violin (“C”) layers are
echoed at the bass register of this new chord. After measure 227, piano is removed from
instrumentation until measure 258, the pitches of the second piano chord (C#, D#, E) of
the preceding phrase are sounded with instrument layers until measure 253.45
Ex. 62 mm. 228-238 (reduced)
As it is seen in example 62, “Db, Eb, E” (“M2”+”m2”) registers are sounded in

woodwinds and strings. The “F” note of the chromatic scale appears in the phrase in
measure 237 and this note is sounded again in violin and accompanied by glockenspiel
in measure 240. After measure 245 flute and clarinet repeats “E, Eb” pitches by
alternating. The accompaniment of the layers is used in combinations as in the former
phrase. As it is seen in the example, the clarinet-violin-violoncello accompaniment in
measure 228 takes it place flute-clarinet- violin accompaniment in measure 237. These
combinations are used throughout the phrase.
45
Piano chord of the former phrase is expanded in this phrase with different instrument colors in this
phrase. Pitches are spelled Enharmonically “Db” in violoncello, “Eb” in clarinet and “E” in flute
Beginning from measure 246, through the “E, Eb” layers, the ascending melody
line46 of the violoncello emphasizes the closure of the piece (example 64). Beginning
from “B” in high register it ascends to the “Ab” chromatically between measure 246-
253 (“Eb” and “E” is sounded by woodwinds). In measure 254, piccolo is added to the
instrumentation and it completes the melody of the violoncello chromatically with “A”
pitch, and then continues in this register throughout the phrase. Clarinet layer continues
accompanying piccolo with “Eb” in order to establish a smoother transition.
After measure 253, “Ab, D” melody is sounded twice in violoncello; this is the
melodic motive of the piccolo and clarinet at the beginning of the phrase. The “Db”
pitch which was sounded with piano chord at the beginning, then in the piccolo with
harmonics and violoncello in very low register, is emphasized by glockenspiel,
vibraphone and the piano at the closure. At the end of the phrase with “D” pitch is
sounded by violoncello in high register and then with harmonics.
This phrase begins with the 3/4 and 5/8 key meters, as an echo of the preceding
phrase. However, the 3/4 and 5/8 key meters are arranged as a long repetitive patterns
in this phrase and this structure is articulated by the same key meters and the other key
meters in order to emphasize rhythmic accents. Exceptional key meter is not used
throughout the phrase.
Phrase 16
3/4 18 226, 228, 230, 232, 234, 236, 240, 241, 243, 245, 247,
252, 254, 255, 257, 258, 259, 260
5/8 17 227, 229, 231, 233, 235, 237, 239, 242, 244, 246, 248,
249, 250, 253, 256, 261, 264
5/4 2 262, 263
2/2 1 238
2/4 1 251
(exceptional) 0
Total: 39
46
Ascending melody line is appears at 6th phrase, developed in 7th phrase and used as a closure in the
10th phrase
Ex. 64 mm. 246-257
3. Further Study for the “For Frank O’Hara “
3.1 Two American Avant-garde Features
The following two techniques from John Cage, who was one of the most
significant American avant-garde composers in 1950’s, show us two important
approaches in American avant-garde tradition. In this section I will discuss firstly the
“Gamut technique”; which enables the static feeling in musical text and secondly
“Apartment music” process; which enables the echo of the past in musical text.
I will apply these two techniques to the Morton Feldman’s ‘For Frank O’Hara’
piece in order to explain static feeling in the piece and reflect the some avant-garde
characteristics of Feldman’s work more clearly. Although John Cage had presented
these techniques before 1950, they affected many American avant-garde composers.
The traces of similar approaches could be found in Feldman’s works. Under this
title, these techniques are presented as background information for approaching music
of Feldman. Gamut technique is presented and studied in order to explain the static
character of “For Frank O’Hara”, and process of Apartment music is studied in order to
expose the echo of the aural peculiarity of twelve tone music and traditional harmonies.
Time based and fragmented structures of Cage exposed a new type of

understanding and aesthetic after the 2nd half of the century. He also stated his
approaches towards the composition in his lectures (Silence) 47. Lecture of Silence of
John Cage includes series of formulations, criticisms, philosophical approaches, and the
categories and tendencies of music at the moment (in beginning of 2.nd half of the
century). Also some of these writings refer directly to Morton Feldman and his music.
Silence lecture series of John Cage’s could be also used as a reference for
American avant-garde composers after 1950, because he mostly speaks as a
47
Silence :Lectures and Writings – Marion Boyars London 1970, John Cage
representative of his colleagues and his friends, instead of referring to himself directly.
To give an example:
People always want to know what are we doing and the last thing we
want to do keep it as a secret. But the truth is we don’t know what are we doing
and that is how we manage to do it’s lively. I believe of course, that what we are
doing is exploring a field, that the field is limitless and without qualitative
differentiation but with multiplicity of differences, that our business has changed
from judgment to awareness.48
Thus John Cage summarizes the approaches of the American avant-garde

School. His writings and thoughts have close relation to the works of his colleagues. For
instance he has divided the composition into four components. These components are:
49
1 Structure: According to John Cage, the structure is the division of a whole

into parts. Author Reginald Smith Brindle mentioned the structure in his book as
follows:
Principle to regulate "structure": a piece was divided into a number of
units which were grouped into sections, and then each unit was divided into the
same number of subunits grouped the same way.50
2 Materials: Cage states that compositional materials are sounds and silences,
and the existing contradiction between them. As john Cage states:
For this new music nothing takes place but sounds: those are notated and
those are not. Those are not notated appear in the written music as silences,
opening the door music to the sounds that happen in environment. 51
3 Method: Method is a note-by-note procedure in composition, existing sound

choices, and the musical syntax.
48
John Cage, Silence, “where are we going and what are we doing”
49
Ibid. “By structure was meant the division of whole into parts; by method, the note to note procedure.
Both structure and method (and also ‘material’ the sounds and silences of a composition ) were , it
seemed to me then, the proper concern of the mind[…]Composition then , I viewed , ten years a go ,as an
activity integrating the opposites ,the rational and irrational , bringing about, ideally a freely moving
continuity within a strict division of parts, the sounds, their combination and succession being either
logically related or arbitrarily chosen .”, pp 19-29
50
ibid
51
John Cage, Experimental Music, p7
4 Form: Form is overall morphology. It contains structure, materials and
method. Form is the reflection of the underlying conception of work.
This formulation of John Cage could be applied to ‘For Frank O’Hara’ easily.
The form of ‘For Frank O’Hara’ is not a sonata allegro, or minuet, or some other
traditional form, although the piece carries echoes of the traditional forms. For this
reason it would be a better way to define the piece with its structure (it can be divided to
sub units: in thesis I have called them in “the phrase”), materials (sounds and silences)
and method (note by note procedure followed by Morton Feldman).
Michael Nyman, who is one of the contemporary composers, in his book

‘Experimental Music’ states that formulations which had been done by John Cage are a
result of teamwork (John Cage, Morton Feldman, David Tudor and Christian Wolff) but
it is expressed by John Cage. As Michael Nyman states:
It would be misleading to talk of a “school” or package aesthetic, for it

rather what Cage, in another context, referred to as a ‘field situation’ , a creative
climate that cage had helped to bring about in which all four composers worked
and which they contributed. 52
Tradition is a kind of trade which is made with the past. It is the creation of new
texts by taking the past as the source. Thus, the tradition is not a repetition of what was
done in the past in the same way; on the contrary its expanded branches of the acts in
the past come into life. However these four pioneers of American avant-garde walked
on different paths, and they have constituted the American avant-garde tradition during
1950-1960’s. The essence of this tradition reflects the common tendencies and
intentions of these composers. James Fulkerson states another common point between
these composers in his essay “Composing by Numbers” as follows:
What were some of the aesthetic aspirations of Cage, Wolff, Brown and
Feldman? They sought a music free from gesture or musical rhetoric, allowing
sounds to be heard as individual entities. They sought a plasticity of musical
materials which would correspond to the freedom which the abstract expressionist
painters were achieving on their canvases53
52
Experimental music, Michael Nyman, p 51
53
James Fulkerson, Composing by Numbers, 2002
This common point is described by John Cage as well. To illustrate I will relate
an excerpt from his writings:
...in connection with musical continuity, Cowell remarked at the New

School before a concert of works by Christian Wolff, Earle Brown, Morton
Feldman and myself, that here were four composers who were getting rid of
glue. That is: Where people had felt the necessity to stick sounds together to
make continuity, we four felt the opposite necessity to get rid of the glue so that
sounds would be themselves.54
The following part of my thesis intended to analyze “For Frank O’Hara” piece
by comparisons with two early techniques that had been used by John Cage in order to
show the development of some musical ideas and methods, and to present some
auxiliary historical context for further interpretation of the score “For Frank O’Hara”.
3.1.1 The Gamut Technique
Gamut procedure is a technique used by John Cage. Cage explored this

technique for the first time in his “Two Pieces for Piano” composition, which he
composed at 1946. Later, John Cage developed this technique and used widely in his
works. “Gamut” is a word, used for identifying the ancient medieval scale, which
ordered all the pitches in common usage. The word is also used to signify a range of
certain subset of useable colors and a range of possibilities.
In this section, I will explain Cage’s Gamut technique in order to explain the
static character of Feldman pieces. The intersections and divergence between these
pieces (John Cage’s pieces and Morton Feldman’s pieces) will be studied in order to
clarify the characteristics of static harmonies in ‘For Frank O’Hara’. The effect of John
Cage on Morton Feldman’s music is also mentioned by Feldman himself with these
words:
Cage opened up the door to a vast world, willy-nilly. He opened Pandora's

Music Box. He opened a door for me where I saw a direction which had nothing
to do with any model in his world. He articulated for me what I was doing, but I
figured it out for myself. It took some time. I went another route. For example, the
54
John Cage, Silence : History of Experimental Music in the United States, pg 71
whole secret to my music, if I could just talk about myself for a minute... Knowing
me all these years, you can imagine the great deprivation I feel in not being able to
talk about myself completely, but if I could only talk about myself for a
moment...55
John Cage, who has applied this technique for the first time in his “Two Pieces
for Pianos” (1946), has tried to obtain a static harmonic background within limited
sonorities. The essence of the Gamut technique is expressed by writer James Pritchet
in The Music of John Cage with these words:
The basic premise of Gamut Technique was, simplifying the use of

harmonies by limiting composer to a collection of specific sonorities composed at
the outset.56
Cage was thinking that these repeated sonorities would provide a static harmonic
background to the piece. These sonorities are limited and mostly fixed, and they
produce a succession of harmonies that neutralize any sense of progression and provide
a kind of static, aimless (no goal directed) harmony. The opening five bars of the “Two
Pieces for Piano” (1946) are shown in example 65.
Ex.65 Two Pieces for Piano II
55
Morton Feldman in conversation with Peter Gena-The following conversation was originally published
in TriQuarterly 54 (Spring 1982) and subsequently reprinted in A John Cage Reader in celebration of his
70th birthday (New York: C. F. Peters Corporation, 1982) pp51-73. The original taped conversation was
transcribed into typescript by Kathleen Beckerman
56
James Pritchet. The music of John Cage.(Cambridge UP.1999) p 41
Sonorities that are marked in example 65 will be freely repeated throughout the
piece. In these two passages from the second piece, Cage has used the same sonorities
in different permutations and contexts. Author James Pritchet states that, this is the
essence of the gamut technique.57
The repetitions of these clusters are shown in following example and marked in
same way (example 66 from bar 15 to 21). The technique is applied to the piece
regularly. Some of the registers are shifted, some rhythmic changes has occurred, and
some different dynamics are applied to the same sonorities.
Ex. 66 Two pieces for piano II
The development of gamut technique of Cage might be seen in the second

example. John Cage applied same chord clusters between mm15-21, with different
dynamics and placed them freely on the different beats. In “The Seasons” Cage applied
57
James Pritchet. The music of John Cage.(Cambridge UP.1999) p 41
this technique to the orchestration, and he used larger gamut sonorities. James Pritchet
expounds that:
The gamut technique is used more freely in “The Seasons” than in piano
pieces, in as much as there are many harmonies that are used only once or twice
in free combinations with those of the fixed collection. In addition, melodic lines
appear in “The Seasons” independently of the chords from the gamut. 58
Ex. 67 The Seasons “Summer” (in reduction)
This excerpt (example 67) is focused on two harmonies drawn from the gamut.
These harmonies are fragmented and arpeggiated throughout the measures as shown by
59
the circled notes. Cage largely used the gamut technique during 1946-50’s to
recapture the static expressiveness of Eric Satie’s music.
After 1950, John Cage begun to extend “Gamut Technique” to his orchestral
works; furthermore he systematized the ‘orchestra gamut’ by arranging the sonorities.
58
ibid. p 41
59
ibid. p 41
He used orchestral instrument colors in various combinations within his limited
compositional materials.
Instead of predetermined and static cells of John Cage, Morton Feldman uses
ever-changing structures with tiny variations in his pieces. Long sustained sounds
connect the sound piles within the perpetual development. In addition to these I have to
mention that the common point is usage of limited material, and the repetition which
takes place in Cage’s music with predetermination and fixed repetition of chosen set.
Contrary to Cage’s music it takes place without any predetermination (it looks like it is
the chosen idea for perpetual development) and ever changing repetition in Feldman’s
music.
In his compositions (especially after 1970 - from the beginning of his middle
period), Morton Feldman usually uses tangled echoing sounds around his main musical
idea from the beginning to the end of the piece. He demands also slow tempo during the
compositional narration. Morton Feldman defines his compositional strategy with these
words:
Actually now I just try to repeat the same chord. I'm reiterating the same
chord in inversions. I enjoy that very much, to keep the inversions alive in a
sense where everything changes and nothing changes. Actually before I wanted
my chords in a sense to be very different from the next, as if almost to erase in
one's memory what happened before. That's the way I would keep the time
suspended ... by erasing the references and where they came from. You were
very fresh into the moment, and you didn't relate it. And now I'm doing the same
thing with this relation. And I find it also very mysterious60
The underlined phrase in the quotation above, which puts forward a dilemma,
seems to be a key point for Feldman’s music and his aesthetic understanding. I’ll try to
exemplify this dilemma with the score of “For Frank O’Hara” at some instances.
In the example below (example 68) the piano and clarinet parts are given in 1st
and 18th bars. These are the beginning and closing fragments of first phrase (phrase
60
Desert Plants. Conversations with 23 American Musicians (Vancouver: Aesthetic Research Center
Publications, 1976) pp 1-20, and subsequently reprinted in, Morton Feldman Essays, Walter
Zimmermann, editor (Kerpen: Beginner Press, 1985) pp 229-244.
ends at m.23), in the first period of the piece. As it is seen in the example, the same
cluster (or musical idea) reappears towards the end of the phrase, but it is not exactly the
same cluster.
Ex. 68 Opening and 18th measure (in reduction)
The example shows us, all sounds are repeated almost in same register, however
there is an exception; “D” is the lower register of this new chord. In the bass clef of the
piano, all sounds of this chord are lowered by 2nd interval. In addition to this durations
of sounds are altered and musical timing is changed. As it is seen in example, static
structure moves in Feldman’s music continuously, also in larger scales. Writer Yvar
Mikhashoff conveys the description of Morton Feldman in his essay:
[…] he said of the music, very quiet and barely moving, that it was like a
bug under a microscope -unmoving to the naked eye, it is in fact quivering with
activity.61
Transition in the piano chord shows that (in the example 68), Feldman
emphasizes the pitch center of the piece towards the end of the phrase; because the “D”
note is the pitch center of the piece. Author Tom Johnson, who had studied composition
with Morton Feldman, has published some of his notes during this study. This quotation
from Morton Feldman is taken from Tom Johnson’s personal notes:
61
UB’s Feldman: One of a Musical Kind Buffalo News Sunday, October 4, 1987
The lower register is gravity. If you omit it and use only higher registers,
there's no gravity. The music remains suspended and ethereal. Verdi knew about
that. 62
The second chord in the piano part at the very beginning of the piece could be
given as a second example in order to clarify Feldman’s transitions. This chord had
transformed in the piece in the same way. The example below shows the variations
within the measure numbers. The chord is sounded with xylophone (in the 3rd m.),
with woodblock (in 13th m.), and alone (in 22nd m.) in the piece. Sustaining sounds are
also omitted in the example:
Ex. 69 Instrumentation
The cells or repeating structures of John Cage exposes more fragmented

constructions in his compositions whereas the structures of Feldman seems to be in
perpetual change or evolution. This is the primary difference between static harmonies
of Cage and Feldman. Moreover, durations and rhythmic placements of the chords in
the time span are different in order to emphasize rhythmic articulations and perpetual
change. John Cage defines the music of Morton Feldman as follows:
To bring things up to date, let me say that I am as ever changing, while

Feldman's music seems more to continue than to change. There never was and
there is not now in my mind any doubt about its beauty.63
62
Remembrance by Tom Johnson, http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mftomj3.htm, Tom Johnson
63
Lecture on Something" p 128
The second main difference in Morton Feldman’s music is, the musical idea
does not disappear or take its place in another cell instantly. The preceding idea
prolongs within the echoes throughout the piece. In addition to this, these echoes
develop in time just like the main musical idea.
I will give an example (example 70) to clarify my argument. Below (very

beginning of the piece), “E” and “D” notes in piano and clarinet in m1 are echoed in
different registers and instruments. The lowest register “E” in piano part is echoed in
m.3 at the treble clef, later in chimes (m.5), and the “D” note in clarinet is echoed in
bass clef of the piano part in m.3 and in flute (m.5). Also the chord at the bass clef of
piano (E, F, and G) omitted (E, F) and repeated in following chord structure at treble
clef (m.3). Echoes are sounded in various registers and in various instruments in the
piece. Musical text is woven with minor and major 2nd’s; also the accompaniments of
these echoes are constructed mostly by the duplications or m2 intervals.
Ex.70 The beginning 6 measures (in reduction)
The example shows how Feldman interpreted and developed and how he
reflected avant-garde way of thinking in his score. The traces of gamut technique could
be easily seen in the example, especially in orchestration. Limited set (I mentioned it as
the main musical idea), which is given at very beginning of the piece, reappears in new
combinations; pitch, rhythm, duration, orchestration; it is processed with a certain
compositional strategy throughout the piece. Morton Feldman also exposes this strategy
with these words: “I am interested in music where the variation is so discrete. I would
have the same thing come back again, but I would just add one note.”64
3.1.2 Apartment Music Process
The “Apartment music process”65 has been experienced by John Cage and it
seems to be related with an approach of Modernity, which by turning the past into
“rune” (routing the myth by rendering its content dysfunctional and indefinable) placed
it within the artwork. In this section of my thesis, I am going to try exemplifying and
explain this approach of modernity in pieces of Morton Feldman which had been
applied by John Cage systematically and schematically in “Apartment Music”.
In “Apartment House 1776”, Cage used forty-four pieces of the early American
composer William Billings. These compositions were mostly choral works. John Cage
edited the work of Billings by adding silences, extracting the notes of choral parts and
some of the measures with chance operations. This process is summarized in detail by
author James Pritchet, in his book “The Music of John Cage” as follows:
He counted the number of notes in a given voice of the piece, and then
used chance select from these. Supposing there were fourteen notes in a line,
chance operations might select notes one, seven, eleven and fourteen. In such a
case, he would take the first note from the original and extend it until the seventh
note (removing all the intervening notes); all the notes from the seventh to the
eleventh would be removed, leaving a silence. Then the eleventh note would be
extended to the fourteenth, followed by another silence. Each of four lines thus
became a series of extended single tones and silences.66
The process of “Apartment Music” shows us an intention of modernity at the

same time. John Cage converted the past into “rune” and placed it within the artwork,
although the past still exists within artwork but it is disfuctioned. The cadence structure
and leading voices, which are fundamental part of 18.th century music, are disabled in
64
Morton Feldman, 'Anecdotes and Drawings', Essays, ed. Walter Zimmerman (Kerpen: Beginner Press,
1985)
65
James Pritchet, p 3
66
The Music of John Cage , Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom 1993, James Pritchet p 3
the piece. James Pritchet transferred the results of the process by using words of John
Cage’s:
The cadences and everything disappeared; but the flavor remained. You
can recognize it as eighteenth century music; but it’s suddenly brilliant in a new
way. It is because each sound vibrates from itself, not from a theory. The
cadences which were the function of the theory, to make syntax and all, all of
that is gone, so that you get the most marvelous overlapping.67
The method of John Cage, of which function is “by turning the past into “rune”
(routing the myth by rendering its content dysfunctional and indefinable) placing it
within the artwork” seems to be a mathematical procedure. If we took back applied
procedure in Cage’s music, we get the choral work of W. Billings again.
A similar method takes its place in Morton Feldman‘s music, which functions
nearly same, and processes more organically. That is to say the method of Feldman is
integrated to the piece and it can’t be separated or if it is separated there won’t be a clear
reference point. In addition to these the references of Feldman seems more subjective
and if its source is not stated exactly by composer it will be hard to get a certain result.
For instance in lecture at Buffalo University (1973) Feldman explains a reference point
of his piece, which was written in memory of his piano and composition teacher
Madame Press as follows:
The beginning harmonies of Madame Press are vaguely Hollywoodian,

then recall Edgard Varèse and slowly metamorphise into something more my
own. I was consciously attempting to relive my own musical history while
thinking of her. Those were the harmonies of my youth.68
In the following example we can observe the development of motive, symmetric

intervals and transformations which could be seen in dodecaphonic music. In “For
Frank O’Hara” Morton Feldman follows some serial procedures for ordering his scale
and main musical idea but these procedures are not applied to the piece strictly. Instead
of used serial procedures, piece keeps sustaining the “D” tune (often minor) until the
end without any cadence structure and traditional progression feeling.
67
ibid.
68
Morton Feldman Slee Lecture, February 2, 1973 Baird Hall, University at Buffalo, The State University
of New York
That is to say Feldman applied some harmonic and serial procedures in his
pieces, but he disfunctioned them at the same time, in order to construct his own
musical language. In his conversation with composer Peter Gena, Feldman describes
himself and his music with these words:
I am the master of nonfunctional harmony. And only a school kid is

involved with functional harmony. But what composer heard in terms of
functional harmony? Harmony died in the early part of the nineteenth century.
Harmony is like serialism. Kids talk about serialism. Serialism lasted six
months. It lasted six months.69
The given structure in the example below contains the first five measures from
the beginning of “For Frank O’Hara”. I have marked some interval relationships
according to harmonic and serial principles. The opening idea develops via variations,
echoes, expansions and transformations throughout the piece.
Both of these procedures appear and fade out in time and none of them could
describe a total plan or what chord will come in queue. That shows us how Morton
Feldman embodied traditional and serial procedures in his piece by turning each of them
(traditional and serial procedures) into rune.
Ex.71 Beginning 3 measures of “For Frank O’Hara” (reduced)
69
Morton Feldman in conversation with Peter Gena-The following conversation was originally
published in TriQuarterly 54 (Spring 1982) and subsequently reprinted in A John Cage Reader in
celebration of his 70th birthday (New York: C. F. Peters Corporation, 1982) pp51-73. The original
taped conversation was transcribed into typescript by Kathleen Beckerman.
Morton Feldman also tries to erase the references of the past moment in his
pieces. The trace of “Apartment music process” could be studied in Feldman’s music in
two aspects. Firstly between piece and past; past is turned into rune and placed in an
artwork, secondly; in every preceding moment we had listened throughout the piece. As
it seen the example above every past moment is turned into rune and it is embodied in
new chord. During his discussion with Walter Zimmerman (in1976) Morton Feldman
states as follows:
Actually before I wanted my chords in a sense to be very different from

the next, as if almost to erase in one's memory what happened before. That's the
way I would keep the time suspended ... by erasing the references and where
they came from. You were very fresh into the moment, and you didn't relate it.
And now I'm doing the same thing with this relation.70
4. Conclusion
70
OPCI = Ordered Pitch Class Interval
The following conversation was first published in Walter Zimmermann's book, Desert Plants.
Conversations with 23 American Musicians (Vancouver: Aesthetic Research Center Publications, 1976)
pp 1-20, and subsequently reprinted in, Morton Feldman Essays, Walter Zimmermann, editor (Kerpen:
Beginner Press, 1985) pp 229-244. / Feldman, Morton : Essays, (Beginner Press 1985) p. 230
In “For Frank O’ Hara” Feldman exposed single musical idea at the beginning and
then he expanded it to the whole. He extracted the substance of more than 15 minutes
of music with a single idea. That is to say, every phrase structure is the development of
the single idea, which was given at the beginning of the piece. The musical ideas find
their reflections; they are mirrored throughout the piece. This musical idea could be a
motive, a chord or a time element. It is perpetually developed with echoes, variations,
transitions. Morton Feldman explains construction of his pieces with these words:
As a composer I am involved with the contradiction in not having the sum

of the parts equal the whole. The scale of what is actually being represented,
whether it be of the whole or of the part, is a phenomenon unto itself. The
reciprocity inherent in scale, in fact, has made me realize that musical forms and
related processes are essentially only methods of arranging material and serve no
other function than to aid one's memory.71
During the compositional narration, Morton Feldman avoided to expose any

beat feeling in the piece. He constructs his rhythmic accents out of beats; in order to do
so, he uses changing key meters, dynamic articulations, slow tempo; and he describes
his search as “pan rhythmic”. In “For Frank O’Hara” a kind of non-referential timing
structure is constructed with changing key meters and various beat placements in
measures. He used soft dynamics throughout in the orchestration of pieces. Climax
does not exist. Dynamic articulations are marked in order to emphasize the timing.
The structure of the musical text is woven with tangled echoing sounds
throughout the piece. In addition to this, he uses slow tempo in order to emphasize the
static feeling. The existence of main musical idea in every fresh moment renders the
harmony seemingly static in piece. On the other hand every structure that is heard,
reappears in new combinations; pitch, rhythm, duration, orchestration. During the
repetitions, he changes one or some of these components. At first sight Morton
Feldman's music seems to be very quiet and barely moving, nevertheless it is like a bug
under a microscope -unmoving to the naked eye, it is in fact quivering with activity.
The piece carries within the romantic view of the composer that comprehends the
71
Morton Feldman, "Crippled Symmetry," Res (Autumn 1981)
fragment as a formation not completed but thinking on itself progresses towards the
infinite.
He creates unique sounds and sonorities on the surface of time. His main
concern in orchestration seems to be the sounds of traditional instruments. The
compositions of Feldman show the possibilities how orchestration could be applied to
the single idea. In “For Frank O’ Hara” all instruments are used in various
combinations. Development of the main idea is strengthened with instrumental colors.
About the instrumentation techniques of Morton Feldman, writer Tom Johnson states as
follows in his essay:
[…] the most important thing about all of Feldman's work is his uncanny
sensitivity to instrumental colors. Just as an example, at one point in 'Instruments'
the winds were playing the three-note cluster, and I found it difficult to tell
whether they were all playing in the same octave or not. At first I thought the flute
was an octave above the other instruments. Then it began to sound as if both the
flute and oboe were playing an octave above the muted trombone. Or were they
all in the same register? Normally I have a good ear for such things, but in this
case I really couldn't tell. Without ever relying on special avant-garde techniques,
Feldman finds ways of putting instrumental colors together so that they sound like
something we've never heard before. 72
He applied some harmonic and serial procedures in his piece, but he

disfunctioned them at the same time, in order to construct his own musical language. As
it is seen in the last section, the traces of avant-garde tradition in the text of “For Frank
O’Hara” are examined with two instances; the gamut technique and apartment music
process; in order to prepare a historical context. Morton Feldman embodied traditional
and serial procedures in his piece by turning each of them to the rune in his pieces.
Bibliography
Books, Essays and Lectures:
72
Tom Johnson, Morton Feldman's Instruments (March 24, 1975)
Brindle, Reginald Smith. The Avant-Garde since 1945. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford UP,
1995.
Cage, John. Silence: Lectures and Writings. London: Marion Boyars, 1995.
Feldman, Morton.
-- “For Frank O’Hara”. Universal Edition New York 1986
--"Crippled Symmetry," Res (Autumn 1981)
-- Slee Lecture, February 2, 1973 Baird Hall, University at Buffalo
-- “Between Categories” Composer No. 1 (September 1969)
-- Lecture at South African Broadcasting Corporation, Auckland Park,
Johannesburg
Fulkerson, James. Essay:”Composing by Numbers”, 2002
Grout, Donald Jay, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. Newyork:
Norton, 1996.
Johnson,Tom. The Voice of the New Music-NewYork City 1972-1985. Editions 75.
Paris 1989-http://www.tom.johnson.org
Lester, Joel. Analytic Approaches to Twentieth-Century Music. Newyork: Norton,
1989.
Mertens, Wim. American Minimal Music. Trans. J Hautekiet. London: Kahn & Averill,
1999.
Nyman, Michael. Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond. Cambridge: Cambridge UP,
2000.
Pritchett, James. The Music of John Cage. Ed. Arnold Whittall. Music in the
Twentieth Century Series. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1999.
Varese, Edgar. “The liberation of sound”, From a lecture given at Mary Austin house,
Santa Fe, 1936
Volans, Kevin. “Conversation with Morton Feldman”, Durban: Newer Music Edition,
1985
Zimmerman, Walter. Morton Feldman, 'Anecdotes and Drawings', Essays, ed.
Kerpen: Beginner Press, 1985
Web Resources:
1 - http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfeom.htm; Morton Feldman: Three Periods of
Working by James Fulkerson, Feldman's Search for the Ecstasy of the Moment by Frank
Denyer
2- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mftomj2.htm : Three Feldman Articles from The

Village Voice, Morton Feldman's 'Voices and Instruments II' (February 22, 1973),
Morton Feldman's Instruments (March 24, 1975) , Morton Feldman Writes an 'Opera'
(December 11, 1978), Tom Johnson
3- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfhirata.htm; The Sounds of the Sounds

Themselves: Analyzing the Early Music of Morton Feldman, Catherine Costello Hirata
4- http://www.perspectivesofnewmusic.org
5- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfbrynh.htm; The Auditive Memory and its function

in the late works of Morton Feldman, Bryn Harrison
6- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfgriff.htm; Morton Feldman, Paul Griffiths
7- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfjf1.htm, Morton Feldman: Voices and Instruments,

James Fulkerson
8- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mffafchp.htm, Triadic Memories, by Jean-Luc

Fafchamps
9- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfmercer.htm; Morton Feldman: Toronto Lecture,

April 17th 1982, Mercer Union Gallery, Toronto, Canada. Transcribed by Linda Catlin
Smith
10- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfjobur1.htm; Morton Feldman: Current Trends in

America. Lecture given at the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Auckland Park,
Johannesburg, August 1983, Transcribed by Rüdiger Meyer
11- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfjf2.htm; Composing By Numbers. James

Fulkerson
12- http://www.tom.johnson.org, (Official web site of Tom Johnson)
13-http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfvolans.htm; Kevin Volans, “Conversation with

Morton Feldman”
14-http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/music/spcoll/feldman/mflectures.html;
Morton Feldman Lectures, Post-Concert Discussions, and Introductory Remarks
15- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfgriff.htm; Morton Feldman by Paul Griffiths

16-http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfgena.htm; “Here Comes Everybody” Morton
Feldman in conversation with Peter Gena
17- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfrockwl.htm; Morton Feldman (and Crippled
Symmetry) by John Rockwell
18- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfcage.htm; Four Extracts from Silence
19- http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mfgldstn.htm; Morton Feldman and The Shape of

Time by Louis Goldstein

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ANALYSIS OF “FOR FRANK O’HARA”

İSTANBUL BİLGİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ

TEZ DANIŞMANI: DIRK STROMBERG

ESER ANALİZİ: FOR FRANK O’HARA

Tezin Onaylandığı Tarih

Toplam Sayfa Sayısı: 89

Anahtar Kelimeler (Türkçe) Anahtar Kelimeler (İngilizce)

Bu çalışma temel olarak 20yy müziğinde Amerikan Avant-Garde ekölünün

I would like to thank my sister Serda Amiroğlu, she helped me in some

Lastly, I want to thank Istanbul Bilgi University Music Department.

For Frank O’Hara (1973)

Flute (doubling piccolo and alto flute in G),

In ‘For Frank O’Hara’ musical texture is blended with homophonic and

The main idea is exposed at the very beginning. Accordingly it is developed,

At a point early in his career, Morton Feldman settled on composing a music

1.1 Time, Musical Timing, and “Pan Rhythmic” Expression

The specific usage of timing is a constant characteristic in Feldman’s music from

Feldman composed Projection I (thru) V, Intersection I-IV, Marginal

What I want to emphasize is that my conception of time was still very

He constructs his rhythmic accents out of beats; in order to do this, he uses

I'm very interested in a kind of pan-rhythmic, a kind of pan-rhythmic

To exemplify the rhythmic placement of Feldman in conventional notation I am

Ex.3 Preparation Plan of Feldman

The following example (example 4) shows us the successive key meters in

As it seen in example, key meters are not arranged symmetrically. Just as he

Ex. 4 For Frank O’ Hara mm1-7 time signatures

Ex.5 For Frank O’Hara mm. 49-60(reduced)

1.2 Harmony and Intervallic Relationships

Minor second (m2) is characteristic interval in Morton Feldman pieces. In

Rather than system I would use the word "strategy". Or "format" a

Ex 6 beginning of the piece m. 1-3 (reduced)14

Ex. 7 m. 2 and 3 chord is transposed

Ex. 8 For Frank O’Hara mm143-147 flute and clarinet

Ex 9 For Frank O’Hara mm.5-9 (reduced)

Ex 10 For Frank O’Hara fl. And cl. mm.1-12

1.3 Form and Phrasing

Forms are tricky things … of course: How could I have developed if I

Ex. 11 Interval structure (the opening)

On the other hand, the “Db” note in Xylophone in measure 3 seems to be an

Example 12 reveals the symmetry and relocation of sounds at piano part in

Ex. 13 mm. 1-8 expansion of main idea

In example 14 “m2”+ “M2” relationships are marked between consecutive

Ex. 14 “m2”+”M2” structure mm. 5-9 (reduced)

Ex. 15 “D/Db” figure repeated with variation

Ex. 16 Two structures m.1 and m.18

Ex. 18 Piano chords m. 1-23

Ex. 19 Table of the key meters

Key meters Distribution Measures

2.2 Analysis of 2nd Phrase (mm.24-48)

Ex. 20 piano chord in process (percussion part is reduced)

Ex. 22 flute and clarinet between mm. 35- 41

Ex. 23 end of the 2.nd phrase mm. 41-49

Ex. 24 Table of the key meters

Key meters Distribution Measures

2.3. Analysis of 3rd Phrase (mm. 49-70)

Ex. 25 Beginning of the 3rd Phrase

Ex. 26 the piano chord

Ex. 27 Woodwind and string instruments mm. 49-60

In measure 56, vibraphone is accompanied by the piano chord and cymbal in

Ex. 28 Table of the key meters

Key meters Distribution Measures

Ex. 30 String instruments at the end of the phrase

As I mentioned before, ”Gb” is the characteristic note of this phrase and it is