Night Dances Mvmt I

Question 1

What is the structure of mvmt I?

Answer 1

1-50 Dance 1a
51-62 Interlude 1a
63-86 Dance 1b
87-142 Dance 1c
143-150 Interlude 1b
151-154 Coda

Question 2

Where is Dance 1a?

Answer 2

Bars 1-50

Question 3

How can bars 1-8 be described?

Answer 3

LH alone

Alternating 2-bar phrase made up of 4/4 + 3/8 bars with beats subdivided into 3+3+2+3 quavers repeated 4x

Pitches confined to C and Eb alone (Key: C minor)

Introduction of 2 quavers in the RH in anticipation of the next 8-bar sequance from 9-16

Question 4

How can bars 9-16 be described?

Answer 4

A repeat of bars 1-8 with the addition of a quaver pattern in the right hand (in the form of a repeated C) which produces a continuous series of quavers between both hands

Question 5

What contrasts can be made between the flute and piano part in Dance 1a?

Answer 5

The piano part is very rhythmic and regular whilst the flute part is irregular and rhythmically free.

The flute is also more chromatic and unpredictable in its use of pitches in comparison to the piano.

Question 6

Detail the activity of the bass line in Dance 1a

Answer 6

Outlines C-Eb throughout with the occasional addition of F#, creating a tritone with the C.

Mainatins the alternating 4/4 + 3/8 and 3+3+2+3 rhythm throughout

Question 7

How can the RH harmony in Dance 1a be described?

Answer 7

Mainly alternates between an Eb7 chord and a chord of C-F#-G (outlining the open 5th C-G)

Question 8

How does the flute part in bars 17-32 link to serial techniques?

Answer 8

Starting on bar 18, the flute part outlines the first 4 notes of row 1, with the addition of a G in bar 24 (not part of the row)

The row is completed in a 4-bar phrase in bars 29-32, adding the final 6 notes to the 10-note row

Question 9

How does the flute part in bars 34-40 link to serial techniques?

Answer 9

6-bar melody outlines the inversion of notes 4-10 of Row 1 transposed to E

Question 10

How does the flute part in bars 43-50 link to serial techniques?

Answer 10

8-bar melody in the flute now outlines a new secondary row of 7 notes (Row 2)

Question 11

Where is Interlude 1a?

Answer 11

Bars 51-62

Question 12

What is the structure of Interlude 1a?

Answer 12

Two new ideas presented in ABA form

Question 13

Describe the flute melody in bars 51-55

Answer 13

The 2-beat melodic figure in bar 51 is not derived from the rows

On the other hand, the passage from bars 52-55 is loosely derived from the rows (starting from the penultimate Gb in bar 52)

Question 14

Describe the flute line in bars 56-59

Answer 14

1-bar pattern in quavers repeated 4x

Derived from notes 8-10 of Row 1 (C-G-C-F#)

Question 15

What happens in bars 60-62?

Answer 15

Return to the same material as bar 51 with the same harmony in the piano as before.

The flute repeats a 2-bar figure 3x, rising an octave each time

Question 16

Where is Dance 1b?

Answer 16

Bars 63-86

Question 17

Describe bars 63-72

Answer 17

Varied repeat of bars 1-16

Some quaver rests are filled by RH near the end, leading to a near continuous quaver pattern

Additional pitches (apart from C and Eb in bass) outline minor blues scale on F# (which becomes more important later in the work, especially in mvmt II)

Overall tonality still rooted in C

Bar 72 breaks 3+3+2 pattern

Question 18

Describe bars 73-79

Answer 18

Extension of the previous passage for piano, now with rhythmic development so the pattern is in continuous quavers.

5-note pattern moving from C-F# in LH

3-note pattern (G-Bb-C) in RH

Question 19

How does the flute line introduced in bar 80 link to previous material?

Answer 19

Derived from material from bars 51-55. This includes parts of row 1 and aspects of the minor blues scale

Question 20

What does the piano do at the end of dance 1b from when the flute is introduced?

Answer 20

3 repeats of the pattern established in bars 76-77 (and 78-79) followed by a 3-bar reduction of this in bars 84-86 when the metre changes into 3/4

Question 21

Where is Dance 1c?

Answer 21

Bars 87-142

Question 22

Where are bars 87-93 heard earlier in the piece and what is different now?

Answer 22

Repeat of bars 18-25 with a reduced piano part

Question 23

Describe bars 94-103

Answer 23

Flute part is an extension and development of the figure first heard in flute in bar 51

Piano part is an extension of the material from bars 87-93

Question 24

How does the section from 104-142 compare to the rest of the piece so far?

Answer 24

It fuses together all the melodic and harmonic aspects of Dance 1a previously heard in bars 1-50 into a continuous melodic line

Underlying tonality changes to A minor for the first time

Question 25

How is the piano part in bars 104-111 constructed?

Answer 25

Bass line expanded from single notes to pairs of 5ths rising up through the tritone A-C-Eb (A-Eb being the tritone)

Seventh chord on C in first inversion in RH

Question 26

Describe the piano part in bars 112-142

Answer 26

A-C-Eb bass continues

Harmony predominantly confined to C7 and Eb7

Alternating 4/4 + 3/8 is maintained with only a brief change in the transition bars 140-142

Question 27

Describe generally the flute part in bars 112-142

Answer 27

Flute line brought together as a fully formed 28-bar statement for the first time

Pitch remains as in Dance 1a despite the underlying change of tonality in the piano

Falls into 4 segments

Question 28

Where/what is the first segment of the flute melody in bars 112-142?

Answer 28

Bars 112-115

Repeat of 29-32 with an identical flute part

Question 29

Where/what is the second segment of the flute melody in bars 112-142?

Answer 29

Bars 116-122

Elaboration of bars 34-40 with added melismatic figuration

Some of the figuration in bar 116 is drawn from Row 1 - note adjacent semitones, the falling 5th and tritone

Bars 120-122 are a virtual repeat of 37-38

Question 30

Where/what is the third segment of the flute melody in bars 112-142?

Answer 30

Bars 122-134

Development and extension of bars 43-50 with melismatic material

126-132 are a virtual repeat of 43-50

Question 31

Where/what is the fourth segment of the flute melody in bars 112-142?

Answer 31

Bars 136-139

Represent new codetta material

Question 32

Where is Interlude 1b?

Answer 32

Bars 143-150

Question 33

How does the piano part in Interlude 1b use previous material?

Answer 33

It transforms the flute part from bar 51 into a small march-like theme using augmentation

This is harmonised with notes taken from the second chord of bar 51

Question 34

At what pitch does the flute double the piano part in bars 147-150?

Answer 34

Two octaves higher

Question 35

What is the key of Interlude 1b?

Answer 35

Implied Eb major

Question 36

Where is the Coda?

Answer 36

Bars 151-154

Question 37

Describe the Coda

Answer 37

151: Brief fragment of piano part of section 1, now in higher register

152-153: Fragment from bar 80 in flute heard over figure from bar 151

Low C at end establishes the tonic