13
motives and textural changes.
The scenario suggests a large ABA form, and while this is true in general terms, the
formal structure is best described as through-composed. The five main events are further
divided into twelve smaller sections. These twelve smaller sections are delineated not by
cadence points or pauses, but by significant textural or motivic changes. Rehearsal letters
are conveniently placed so that they indicate the arrival of each of the smaller sections.
Within each of these twelve parts there is localized development of rhythmic and melodic
motives.
With one exception, the duration of all the motives used in this piece is a single
beat. The three most significant motives in this work appear in the opening section—from
0 (m. 1) to § (m. 12). The first of these motives, x, is a five-note series of descending
perfect fourths followed by a major seventh.25 This motive is significant because, unlike
the other main motives, it has several melodic and rhythmic permutations both in this
section and in its later occurrences in the work. The other two motives in the opening
section are both rhythmic reiterations of a repeated pitch. The y motive is made up of
three repeated pitches separated by a short rest. In later sections a variant of this motive
echoes only the last two notes. The z motive copies the five-note grouping of motive x
and the repeated pitch content of motive y and is used occasionally throughout the
movement. All three motives are introduced in the opening four measures, and are shown
in Example 1.1.
25 For a complete list of motives, please refer to Figure 2.