Stravinsky - Dumbarton Oaks (Movement I)

Question 1

(Structure/Form) What is the structure/form of Dumbarton Oaks

Answer 1

This piece utilises a type of additive construction form – the structure is derived from blocks of material that is usually developed in an organically evolving way.

Question 2

(Structure/Form) How is the structure derived?

Answer 2

There is a 3-note motif that dominates the entire movement and material/sections are developed based upon this material.

Question 3

(Structure/Form) What are the sections of Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 3

It could be argued there are 5 distinct sections/’blocks’ of this composition. Each section contains a different structure/form or has a particular function in the music.

Question 4

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(Structure/Form) What is the structure of block 2 in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 4

Of particular note, is the use of ternary form in section 2 (RM7-11) and a fugue (RM11-20 [RM 13 is when fugue starts])

RM means Rehearsal Mark

Question 5

(Structure/Form) What is significant about ‘section/block 4’?

Answer 5

Section 4 makes use of the material from the first section (RM1-7).

RM means Rehearsal Mark

Question 6

(Structure/Form) What is significant about ‘section/block 5’ in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 6

From Section 5 (RM25) a coda is produced utilising material from the piece. There is less frantic harmonic motion and music generally eases.

RM means Rehearsal Mark

Question 7

(Structure/Form) What other structural features are found in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 7

RM28 acts as a linking passage to introduce the next section. As a result, it is used to modulate from Eb Major – F Major.

RM means Rehearsal Mark

Question 8

(Harmony/Tonality) What is the tonality of Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 8

The piece utilises a lot of modulations/tonicizations throughout, however, there is generally considered to be 5 tonal centres (S1-Eb /S2-D /S3-Cm /S4-Eb /S5-Eb-F).

Get the tonal centres memorised, if possible.

Question 9

(Harmony/Tonality) What Neoclassical feature does Stravinsky add to the harmony in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 9

The harmony is a mixture of diatonic chords with added dissonances in line with Stravinsky’s aesthetic/style. Some sections are more diatonic than others (Section 4, for example).

Question 10

(Harmony/Tonality) Are there any significant moments of modulation?

Answer 10

Stravinsky utilises RM28 to modulate to the key of the next movement F Major.

RM means Rehearsal Mark

Question 11

(Harmony/Tonality) What does Stravinsky utilise to move keys quickly?

Answer 11

The fugue utilises several minor keys in succession – c minor, f minor, Eb minor, Ab minor and Bb minor.

Question 12

(Harmony/Tonality) Are there any significant extended chords that are used?

Answer 12

There’s use of a Bb13 at RM2, with open voicing (3 upper notes a 5th apart)

Question 13

**(Melody) **What is the primary melodic material for Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 13

This piece is primary build upon a 3-note motif and derivations of it. As a whole, the entire movement is rather fragmentary in nature with each section having a motif/fugal subject developed during over the course of it.

Question 14

(Melody) What are some of the ways Stravinsky develops melody?

Answer 14

The main motif is further developed at RM5 where it undergoes a transformation by lowering the intervallic span of the motif from a P4 to a m2 over multiple bars.

Question 15

(Melody) How does Stravinsky use melodic ideas later in the piece?

Answer 15

Stravinsky utilises an accompanying contrapuntal idea at RM6 (earlier in the piece) as a precursor to the fugal material to begin at RM13.

Question 16

(Melody) How does Stravinsky use melodic material towards the end of the movement?

Answer 16

In the coda to the piece, Stravinsky utilises material from earlier in the piece in order to bring the piece to a close (rather traditional in style)

Question 17

(Rhythm/Metre) How does Stravinsky use metre/rhythm?

Answer 17

The metre is a combination of modernist in style with traditional. Stravinsky employs metrical regularity in places but then chooses to frequently change time signature in order to develop his fragmentary ideas.

Question 18

(Rhythm/Metre) How does Stravinsky use time signature in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 18

The regular change in time signature often throws off the metrical pulse of the work and creates an additional level of tension.

Question 19

(Rhythm and Metre) How does Stravinsky change features of metre to his advantage?

Answer 19

When Stravinsky wants to lower the amount of tension and give the listener a sense of reprise, he slows down the rate of time signature change (Example RM7)

Question 20

(Rhythm/Metre) Aside from tension building, what does Stravinsky use of time signatures allow him to do?

Answer 20

The advantage of changing time signature regularly is that he can engage in motivic diminution and augmentation (adding/removing notes from a motivic idea).

Question 21

(Texture/Sonority) What is the predominant texture in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 21

This work is largely polyphonic/contrapuntal in nature. This owes to his love of Baroque music.

Question 22

(Texture/Sonority) How does Stravinsky use sonority in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 22

He regularly reorchestrates sections, such as RM4, in order to provide variety in the presentation of his motivic ideas.

Question 23

(Texture/Sonority) How does Stravinsky use sonority to create tension?

Answer 23

In moments of high tension, he increases the tessitura of the instruments to cover a wider range (compare RM9 with a mostly, mid-lower range with the high register sections starting 2 bars before RM11).

Question 24

(Texture/Sonority) What other notable textures feature in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 24

In Section 3, he utilises a fugal texture to develop his material introduced in RM6.

Question 25

(Texture/Sonority) How does Stravinsky support the homophonic passages in Dumbarton Oaks?

Answer 25

Throughout the work, he tends to favour conjunct motion or pedal notes in his bass instruments, lower strings + bassoon to support more homophonic passages.