Qn1) If we work on the assumption that a collection of notes can played as a melody (and permuted) as well as partially or wholly verticalized as chords, can you see how the opening RH and LH materials are explicitly used to generate the music in the first 12 bars? Discuss.
The collection of notes includes E, F#, A, B (for the right hand) and F, G, C, D (for the left hand).
One prominent feature that emerged from these materials which are exploited in the melodic as well as verticalized as chords is the interval of a major 2nd. As seen in bar 1 (left hand), the first four notes can be grouped in pairs (as shown in Fig. 1), where the melodic interval between the 2 notes within each pair is a major 2nd. This exact 4 note figuration is then revealed again in bar 5 left hand, except it is now at a semitone lower from the original form. This major 2nd as melodic interval is predominant in both hands throughout bars 1-12, for instance bar 9 (right hand), between notes C & D, G & A and F & G.
This major 2nd interval is also exploited in the chords that pervade the twelve bars. For instance in bar 5, the 4 – note clusters found in both hands are made up of 2 pairs of major 2nd interval. Other instances of chords made up of this 4 – note clusters also contained this characteristic interval.
Another prominent intervallic feature is the perfect 4th, which is first shown in bar 1 right hand chords (e.g. ‘F#’ & ‘B’), and also in the linear sense in the left hand between notes ‘G’ & ‘C’. This is also explicitly utilized to generate the music. It is very interesting to discover that at bar 5 first beat, the composer again juxtapose these exact 2 groups of notes between both hands, only now ‘F#’ & ‘B’ is played as part of the melody in the left hand while ‘G’ & ‘C’ as part of the chord in the right hand (verticalized). This two groups of notes later ‘swapped hands’ and became embellished as chords in the 2nd beat.
Ever more prominently, this perfect 4th interval is not only used to create the left hand chords at bar 9 but also a leaping perfect 4th between the top note of the first 2 chords and guess what.. it is a leap from ‘F#’ – ‘B’! (Fig. 2)
Qn 2) What do you notice about the intervals used at bs. 15-19? Do they also originate from the opening bar?
The intervals used are that of a minor 2nd or major 7th and that of a 5th.
I think they sort of originate from the opening bar where the minor 2nd is first introduced in the verticalized form between the left hand ‘F’ and right hand ‘F#’, while the major 7th can first be seen between the left hand ‘C’ and right hand ‘B’. However in bar 15, this minor 2nd and major 7th interval happened simultaneously between C# - D or D – C#.
The interval of a 5th between ‘B’ and ‘F’ (yangqin part) in bar 16 may also be derived from bar 1. Only that in bar 16, it is a diminished 5th, or perhaps it can be viewed as an augmented 4th since ‘F’ is enharmonically related to ‘E#’. This augmented 4th is first revealed in bar 1 between ‘F’ (left hand) and ‘B’ (right hand). This looks interesting because it seems like the composer is essentially using the same two notes but flipping it on its reappearance.
Qn 3) Discuss the series of melodic and rhythmic transformations of the opening ideas at bs. 20-43.One motivic idea I picked up is the melodic movement of a perfect 4th (either leaping downwards or upwards), that is very predominant from bars 20-43, especially in the yangqin parts (an instance can be seen in Fig. 3). This was first introduced in the opening bar, left hand (shown in red in Fig. 1). This time, it is further explored rhythmically, melodically, coupled with changes in time signatures. It looks like the composer could generate excitement in the music just by playing with this leaping interval.
Next, he also draws upon how he places the accents in the opening ideas (bar 1 and 5) to create the regular as well as syncopated feel at bars 20-43. He also controlled the relative stress and the rhythmic interest by varying the positions of accents every few bars. For instance placing accents on the strong beats (e.g. bar 20), and then at off beats in bar 22 (syncopation), followed by having accents on both strong and weak beats in bar 24. Another instance where this is brought to a higher level can be observed at bar 33 where apart from the conflict in metrical organization between the hands, he upsets the pulse even more by coupling accents with a change in register.
Another rhythmic figure I discovered is the four-semiquaver figuration introduced at bar 5 left hand (piano part) that is further explored and extended into a series of runs at bars 37-42 (yangqin part). Although its melodic contour and intervallic nature has been altered, the rhythmic character is still retained.
Qn 4) Compare also the LH chords at bs. 67 ff & 89 ff.The left hand chords basically have the same structure, the four-note cluster. But on closer observation, the chords in bar 67 can be seen as being made up of 2 pairs of notes each major 2nd apart while in bar 89, they are a minor 2nd apart (see labeled in blue and black in Fig. 4). Or we can see that between the 2 pairs, it is a perfect 5th apart in bar 67 and a diminished 5th apart in bar 89. I think this sort of mirrors the intervallic variation between 2nds and 5ths that is already introduced in the opening ideas.
Qn 5) Turning back to b.15, notice that the octaves are ‘coloured’ by a maj 7th/min 2nd, where do you think this colour element originates? What is its purpose in relation to the harmonies at bs. 20 ff?
I think this colour element originates from the opening bar which I have described in question (2).
I think its purpose is to prepare the listeners since this colour element is again found in bar 20, particularly in the chords of the piano part (between notes D & Eb, A & Ab) and also in the yangqin part (where D and C# is again revealed in the 3rd beat).
Perhaps harmonically, this minor 2nd interval (or semitonal idea) could also be linearly connected in terms of voice leading, for instance the descending minor 2nd from Eb – D – C# (in the piano part from bs. 20-22 and also in the 2nd voice of the yangqin part at bar 20 if seen as a compound melody). Another set is Ab – G – F# in the upper voice of the yangqin part in bar 20.
