Webern Sketches III

8/18/2019 Webern Sketches III

1/10

Webern's Sketches (III)

Roger Smalley

Tempo, New Ser., No. 114. (Sep., 1975), pp. 14-22.

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2/10

WE BE RN S SKETCHES 111)

oger

Sma l l y

STRING TRIO O p . 2 0

After much reflection a

difficult

deciaion: gave up work on the third movement of

m y

String Trio ,

leaving it in tw o movement. ti

The most extensive sketches in the volume* are of a third movement for

the String Trio op.

20. Thirty-one bars were completed and are headed 'planned

as third movement of the String Trio op. 2 o (August I 7 broken off in Hafning)'

The sketches cover five densely-packed pages and are transcribed as Ex.

I

8 .

Many passages exist in two, three or even more versions but usually the earlier,

superseded, attempts have been crossed out and it is possible to trace the final

form by following a path through the maze of

p

de signs, asterisks and arrows.

Occasionally, however, there are several versions of a single bar o r motive,

none of which have been deleted. In the interests of achieving a continuity so

that Ex.

I 8

can be read-and even, perhaps, played-as a torso,

I

have, in each

of these ambiguous places, selected the version which seems to m e to be the

most nearly definitive. For example, when one variant has the word 'gilt' by

it, this is the one I have also chosen, even though the other versions may not have

been crossed out.

The numbers in circles (all present in the original sketches) refer to

Webern's table of the

4 8

set-forms Ex. 17). Here the sets are laid out and

numbered according to Webern, but the more usual nomenclature has also been

added. have been unable to determine the rationale behind the layout of this

table. Horizontally the sets are numbered in groups of four-Prime, Retrograde,

the Inversion beginning with the same pitch as the Prime, and Retrograde

Inversion-but the vertical sequence of transpositions appears to have been

chosen quite arbitrarily. It is not chromatic, nor does it follow the pitches of

Po a common procedure), and i t does not bring into close proximity sets with

similar dyadic structures (see below).

*

Anton von Webern:

Sketches

I

926 -45 . Facsimile reproductions rom the composers s autograph ~ketchecn the Molden-

hauer Archive.

Carl Fischer Inc., New

York 1968.

1975

by Roger Smalley


3/10

WEBER N S SKETCHES 111)

However, one interesting fact does emerge from this table: both the slow

introduction and the sonata exposition of the second movement begin

with

Webern s set number I = Po) whilst the first movement opens with a statement

of 46

+R,).

Both Perle (Serial Composition and Atonality, pp.

25

26) and Kolne-

der (op. cit. , p.109) assume that this second set is Po ; the correct version is

again given by Wildgans (op. cit.,

p.

I

39).

Webern began to use his first sketchbook during the composition of this

Trio, and the sketches for the two published movements, which were written

on loose sheets of manuscript paper , have unfortunately not been found. W e

do at least know (from Webern s statement quoted above) that the present

movement was composed last, and it seems very likely that it was intended to

be the final movement. But if Webern had carried out his original three-

movement plan, might not the published second movement (it is in sonata form,

with a slow introduction, and is the only movement to begin with Po) have been

pl ac ed jr st ? The published first movement (sehr langsam, in rondo form) would

then have become a slow central movement and the sketched third movement

(sehr lebhaft) the finale. Webern might well have left the third movement

unfinished because he realized that he would end up with three movements (in

whatever order) of too similar character. The first movement, although i t has

a low metronome speed (crotchet = 42), does not actually seen1 very slow

because of the predominance of small note-values. Fur thermore some of its

material is suprisingly similar to that of the third movement sketches (compare

I,

bar 16 and bars 22-26 with

Ex.

8, bar 8-17

;

and

I,

Bars 51-56 with

Ex I 8


4/10

TEMPO

bars 2 1 - 2 6 . Anrl Webern \vas a composer tenjperan~entallyunable

to

repeat

himself.

Having abandoned the third movement, Webern was left with a long quick

movement followed by a much shor ter slow movement-obviously unsatis-

factory as a total form. Therefore, exactly as in the Saxophone ~ i a r t e t , e

reversed the order of the two movements, so that the slow movement now

forms a prelude to the longer and more elaborate second movement.

This, of course, is pure speculation, which might be strengthened if we

could determine the form of the unfinished movement. In such an attempt

our procedure must be to analyse the music which exists and see to what con-

clusions we are led. Ex. I subdivides into four large sections, bars

1-7

8 - 2 0 ,

2 1 - 2 6 and 2 7 - 3 1 although this last section would undoubtedly have continued

for several more bars).


5/10

17

EBERN'S SKETCHES (111)

rit. .

VI.

lr

V l n

V l i

v

*

The 'sehr' (and posaibl a l x the 'lebhaft') ha w been croa~ec l ~ u t ,but cxist in

a

previoi~s ketch of th

same passage (Plate 4, second system).

The words

3 / 8

a tempo srh r lebhaft' \uggest that Web ern

was

intending to re-notate the ne st six

?)

bars in dou ble note-valueh.

This tempo indication has

been

transferred from

a

previous sketch

of

the same pasage (Plate

6 ,

third

$?\tern).

The first section (bars

1-7)

is vigorous in 11100d

sehr

lebhaf t and is clearly

separated from the second by a pause. Th e principal voice is that of the viola,

which enunciates a striding theme dominated by a semiquaver triplet motive.

Violin ant1 cello accompany with a rhythmic canon at a distance of one quaver,

at one point (bar 4) picking up the semiquaver triplet motive from the viola.

Tllis is not a pitch canon since at this stage in his use of the

I

2-tone technique

Webern en~ployed nly one set at

a

time, distributing its pitches amongst all the

Loices. By careful placing of th e pitches he does, however , give th e illusion of

I

pitch canon, sometimes direct (bars

I

and

5

sometimes by inversion (bars

3

and 6). In the major part of this Trio movement (with the exception of bars

18-26)

we can still usefully speak in terms of melody and accompaniment-

distinctions which do not apply to the first moxement of his very next work,

the Symphony op.

2

I : a double canon in v hich each voice forms a series of com-

plete I 2-tone sets in itself --the texture has dissolved into the pure polyphony

so characteristic of Webern's later serial music.

Perhaps the inost in te re ~t in g eature of bars to

of

the Trio movement

is the

simultaneous

use ot tliltzrent time signatures, 111nich is almost unique in


6/10

TEMPO

Webern's work. The only published instance is the last movement of the

Cantata No.

2 ,

op, I , which is, however, quite different in its effect. In the

Cantata the superimposition of different bar-lengths is a result of rigorouslv

following through the 4-part canonic texture in terms of metre as well as pitch,

and it thus relates back to Renaissance techniques of polyphonic choral writing.

Webern's aim was to ensure that each of the four voices had the same metrical

structure, whilst in the Trio his purpose was to give each part a iferent and

conflicting metrical st ructur e.29 Was this, perhaps, his final and most extreme

attempt to differentiate the voices of a contrapuntal texture, before bringing

them all smoothly into line with the canons of the succeeding Symphony?

Certainly Webern was thinking very deeply about the problelns of musical

communication at this time. In a letter to Hildegard Jone he wrote

I understand the n o r d .- \r t as meaning tlir faculty of presenting a thought in the clearest, simplest

form , tha t is, the most graspable form. Given this, I cannot conceive of Ou r Father as being

something antithetical to a rt ; r ather it is the highest example. For it achieves the greatest graspa-

bility , clarity and directness can understand the \yay Beethoven worked and worked

at the main th em e of his Eroica until it achieved a degree o f pspabiitv comparable to a rentence

of O ur Father .

That s niy vie\\ of art. 4ntl that s \vhy I \ e never unders tood th e ii>rnning

1

classical , roma ntic , and the rest, and why I \e never placed my e l f in opposition to the masters

of the past bu t have al\rays trie d to d o just like t he m: to say what it is given me t o say ith the

utmost clarity.

later in the same lett er he notes 'The work of which 1 have already spoken to

vou-a "Synlphony" in two movenients-is f i n i ~h e d ' . ~ '

The radical e\.olution in Webern's style betw.een op.

2

and op.

2 I

is

undoubtedly a reflection of this desire to achieve the greatest possible degree of

communicability, to express his n~usica l deas 'with the utmost clarity '. From

the listener's point of view it is-speaking generally-easier to comprehend the

structure of the bvorks following op.

I

than those immediately preceding it.

Of all Webern's narks the String Trio is, in fact, perhaps the most diffic~~lt

to grasp aurally. The degree of variation applied to the rondo theme

11

its

several returns, and to the recapitulation of the sonata movement, is so great

that it is almost impossible to perceive them as such. As Stravinskv remarked :

'Take for example the Rondo of Webe rn's Tr io : the music

is

mar~ellously

interesting, but no one could recognize it as a Rondo'.:"

I f

the musical material

is no longer expressing its form what, then, is it expressing? Disregarding sub-

jective interpretations of 'expressivit)-' one woultl have to say that another le~,el

of structure is being superin~posedon the nominal rondo ant1 sonata forms-

a structure developed from the potentialities of the

I

2-tone svstem itself.

In discussing the op. 24 Concerto we have ahead - seen hot\- the set-structure

acts as a model which informs many other parameters of the music. Sets suggest-

ing specific structural possibilities-the 4-note groups of the String Quar tet

op. 28, the inversionally related hexachords of the Second Cantata op.

r

are the norm in Webern's later serial works. The set-structure of the String

Trio is relatively primitive in conlparison, but it already shon s Webern reaching

ou t towards the creation of such niultiple relationships. The most signficant

feature of the String Trio set is that it is made up of 6 dyads, each consisting of

a semitone step. The particular properties

of

the set can be quite simpl~

demonstrated.

The distance of each pitch, measureti in senlitones, from the initial

G #

=

0

is:


7/10

WEBERN'S SKETCHES 111)

Transposing all the minus numbers by one octave

+I

2) so that all the intervals

are read as occuring in the octave above the initial

G

we obtain:

Po

-+ t

Ro

1 2 ,

1 1 1 6 , 5 / 1 0 > 9 1 1 , 2 / 7 9 8 / 4 7 3

1 0 -+ t RIO

0, 1 1 6 , 7 1 2 ,

3 /

11, 1 0 / 5 * 4 / 8 7 9

This table enables us t o infer two very interesting proper ties of the set.

First, for each pair of sets

(P

+

R, I

+

RI) any transposition of a whole tone

+

2 will reproduce the same six dyads in a different order (and in addition,

depending on the level of transposition, the order of pitches within some of

the dyads will be reversed).33 For example:

t

"2

+ R

2, 1 1 8 , 7 / 1 2 > 1 1 1 3 , 4 1 9 , 0 1 6, 5

' z + t

RIz

2 , 3 1 8 , 9 / 4, 5 1 1 , " 1 7 , 6 / 1 0 ? "

Second, any

I

o r RI set which begins a half-tone lower than a

P

o r R set will

also contain the same six dyads, and vice-versa. For example:

I,

+

RI,

1 , 2 / 7 , 8 / 3 , 4 1 1 2 , 1 1 / 6 , 5 / 9 , I O

P,

+

Ro

1, 0 1 7 , 6 / 1 1 , 1 0 1 2 , 3 1 8 , 9 1 5 , 4

Thus in total:

+ Rn, n + 2 n , + 4 , n + 6 , n + 8 , n +

1 0

all contain

I

+

RI

the same

n-1, n +

1 n + 3 ,

n $ - 5 , n + 7 , n + 9

6

dyads

+ R n + 1, n + I n + 5, n + 7 , n + 9, n + 1 1

all contain

1

+

RI

the same

, $ 2 , n - k - 4 , n + 6 , n + 8 , n + 1 0 ,6dyads

There are, in fact, only two forms of the set with totally different dyadic

structures (say

P,

as compared with I,).

The total collection of 48 sets can

therefore be divided into two groups, according to which of these two basic

structural models each particular set is a member (Fig. 6).

Webern exploits these invariant dyads on a small scale in the next section of

the movement (bars 8-18) .

This falls into two halves (bars 8-1

3

and 14-18).

The texture remains fundamentally the same as in section one: a melody (violin

bars 8-

I 3

cello bars

I

4-

8) is accompanied by two parts in rhythmic canon

(in section one the cello always followed the violin at a distance of one quaver;

here the parts alternately lead and follow at a distance of one semiquaver).

The registral distribution of pitches is again organized so as to give the illusion

of a canon by inversion and in addition we receive the impression that the


8/10

2

Fig.

TEMPO

GROUP I I GROUP I

second half of th e Lanon (from bar 14) begins a5 an inbersion of the firat. Sim-

ilarly the second half of the melody is also a contour (but not pitch) inlersion

of the first half.

All the set-forms' used in this section (RO,, I,, P i , R,, R 5

and R,) belong to Croup I1 and thus all contain different permutation5 of the

same six dyads.

Webern exploits these similarities, especiall\ in the principal

melodic boice, in order to help unif) the tr o h a l~ esof the theme. I f these are

written one above the other

(Ex.

r g ) the cross-relationships of pitcli arc i n -

mediately obvious.

The louer line is a mo\t subtle lariation of

the

uppcr.

Rhythmically it is identical.

Articulation and d~namicsare ncarl) the samc

(and might well have become completely so

if

Webern had gone on to col~iplete

and revise the entire mo\ emen t).

In contour it is an intenion,

in

pitch

a

Iaried

repetition.

19 35

43

7 2 7

1 1

I l l

I1

I,

I 6

li I

RI,, RI,

RI,

RI, RIi RI,

2 0 3 6 44

3 2 2 8 1 2

The next passage (bars

I

8 - 2 0

is a particularl ambiguous one. Theniaticallv

it grows directly out of the preceding section and J e t texturall\ it has more

in common with the following

sehr lebhaft

This double function is reflected in

its material.

It picks up and develops the 4-note pizzicato motibe (violin bars

I o-

I , cello bars I 6 -

I

first by the addition of a grace-note and then by doubling

its speed. But also woven into the texture are the insistently-repeated major

sevenths which dominate the

sehr lebhaft Although this passage returns (bar 2 I

to the initial tempo of the movement, it cannot in any sense be regarded as a

repeat (however varied) of the opening. This significantly reduces the pos-

sibility that the movement was going to be in rondo form, since if it had been

we would almost certainly have expected a return of the principal theme at

this point. The possibility dwindles almost to vanishing point

\then

at bar

2

yet another new idea is introduced, the elegant ghost of a waltz led by the violin.

It would, perhaps, be more realistic to view the movement as a potential

sonata form, with a first subject in t\20 parts (bars I 7 and 8 I 7 , a transition

39

47

7

2 3

I n I,

I I 6 '8

1 ,

RI, RI,

KI,

RI,

RI,

RI , ,

4 40

48 8

16 24

numbers

from W ebern b table

t u .

I

7


9/10

WEBERN S SKETCHES (111)

2 I

(bars I 8-26) and a second subject (bars 27-1). The evidence for calling bars

I 8 2 6 a transition is persuasive. It is the only section which does not establish

a

distinct thematic character of its own. It consists of a small number of motives

worked out in an elaborate contrapuntal texture in which all three parts are of

equal importance, unlike the melody-with-accompaniment texture of the other

three sections.

This outline presupposes an unusually expansive form for Webern, but an

examination of the way in which the sets are distributed throughout the whole

of

Ex I

8 shows that he was undoubtedly thinking in terms of large sections,

as well as suggesting another possible interpretation of the form. Fig. 7 shows

the sequence of sets used, and to which of the two basic groups they belong. It

transpires that, apart from the first seven bars, each of the major sections uses

exclusively dyads from one group (with the exception of modulating overlaps

in bars

2

I and 27).

Note that a division occurs at the violin B flat in bar I

8,

a

further reason for considering that a new section begins here rather than at

bar

2

I . In view of this structure I am tempted to suggest that bars 1-7 , the only

ones to use sets from both groups (and which are divided from that which follows

by a pause) constitute an introduction, bars 8-18 (using exclusively sets from

Group 11) are the first subject, bars

I

8-26 (I followed by 11) a transition, and bars

29

onwards (which use sets exclusively from Group I) the second subject.

Admittedly there is no precedent for this kind of formal structure in any of

Webern s other works, but then there is no precedent for the slow introduction

to the second movement either.34

Fig.

7

Bars

I - -

7

8 t

I

set- form

RI, P , I , I, I , P , R I ,

I, P , P , P , R , R , R ,

N u m b e r i n W e b e r n s t a b l e 2 8

2 9 3 9

3

3 5 3

1 5

2 5 3 3

2 5

6 3

4

Group

I 11 I1 I1 I I

I1 11

11 11

11

11 11 11

The fact that Webern s music has profoundly influenced the work of so

many of the composers who have followed him and has, over recent years,

withstood so much detailed analyisis, is surely no accident. These sketches

reveal, perhaps more clearly than we have been able to see before, the subtlety

and complexity of his craftsmanship. But they also show that for Webern this

painstakingly achieved perfection was not an end in itself, but was only a means of

embodying the primary source of his inspiration, which was a vision of the

unity and interdependence of man and nature. For us, then, the kind of analy-

sis I have attempted in these three articles should not be seen as a final goal but

only as a necessary and preliminary stage in grasping his vision for ourselves.

With this end in view the analysis of unfinished sketches is perhaps even more


10/10

2 2 TEMPO

valuable than the study of com pleted w orks. Con fronted by a finished w or k one

is inevitably committed to explain what already exists; with a tantalizingly

incom plete sketch o ne is constantly speculating what might have been-

reaching out into that unfathomable world of the imagination in which Webern

has had few equals.

Material related to Webern's op.20 quoted by kind permission of

Universal Edition (Alfred A. Kalmus) Ltd.

The au thor expresses his gratitude to Mr . R . White

of Boosev Hawkes. for his notable contribut ion in

engraving th e music examples fo r this series of thre e articles.

NOTES

2 6 .

Webern's diary, 1 2 July 1 9 2 7 . Quoted in Kolneder, op. cit., p. I 3 9 .

2 7 .

Krenek's statement (in his Commentary) that 'th rough careful inspection of the rows and their numbers

it was possible to infer the basic principle of Webern's numbering system' thus appears somewhat optiim-

stic. Solutions will be gratefi~lly eceived.

2 8 .

cf Perle, 'Webern's Twelve-Tone Sketches',

The usical

Quartcrk January 1 9 7 1 ,p.1 I

'.

he difficult!.

with the projected finale

of

the Trio is that it is too similar to the preceding movements.'

2 9 .

cf Perle, op. cit., p.

I

'The alternating

518

and

j / 8

time signatures in the viola part seem relevant to

its actual rhythmic character, but the composer's purpose in distributing bar lines in one way in the

violin part and in another way in the cello part is unclear, since the latter is in strict rhythmic imitation

of the former.'

3 0 .

Extract from Webern's letter to Hildegard Jone dated Miidling, 6 . 8 . 1 9 2 8 , in Wehern, Anton: Letters

to

iJdegardJone a ndjosej

H um p l i k op. cit., p. 1 0 (letter 4 .

3 1 .

Quoted in Kolneder, op. cit., p.

I I

2

3 2 .

I

would like to thank Simon Emmerson for his assistance in analyzing the set-st ructure of the String Trio.

3 3 .

See Perle, op. cit., pp.

8 - 9 .

34.

But see Perle, op. cit., p.

1 :

'The fragment is not sufficiently extensive to permit one to deduce whether

or not the third movement was to have been n~odelled, ike the other two, on a traditional formal design.'

Anton von Webern

S k e t c h e s

1926 45

Webern drafted his sketches into notebooks from June 1925. There are six

sketchbooks

in

existence one in Vienna. T he remaining five are in the Webern

Archives and it is from these five books that these sketches have been ex-

tracted . Th is edition contains drafts not only of well-known works but also of

unfinished or abandoned compositions 47 facsimile pages with foreword by

Hans M oldenhauer and commentary by Ernst Krenek.

The following works are available

in

study score (or full score*) and are taken from

Webern's autograph manuscripts in the Moldenhauer Archive.

I m Som merw ind-Idyl l for large orchest ra

I 904)

La ng sa m er Sa tz fo r s tr ing quarte t

(1905)

R o n d o f or s t ri ng q u ar te t

I 906)

S t r i n g Q u a rt et

(1905)

T h r e e O r c h e s t r a l S o n g s I

9

I 3/14*)

C e l l o S o n a t a

I

9

14)

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