"Symphonies."

Stravinsky

The piece begins with clarinet in the high register. The first two notes sol, and the short duration leaves a space inbetween them definite enough to constitute a rest. The high pitch combined with the sort of off beat umph of the rest establishes a stict, quarky motive, but appealing because of it is followed with a consequent answer. The next measure establishes a one by using steps to create a motion. The rhythm is two sixteenths and an eighth, to two quarters on one. The two sixteenths sort of whip into one, giving it an emphasis. This concludes one whole subphrase, and begins an asymetrical one with the brass. Another one of the aspects of this piece that give it a more unusual sound is its tonality. It is difficult for the listener to immediately establish any stability because the parts are jumping around so much, especially in the bass. The textures don't blend to really create one core sound. The next phrase beginning with the brass, although on a held do, still sounds foreign because of the lack of stability in the first phrase. The phrase proceeds to be evasive, and also incorporates some syncopation. The syncopation creates a sort of rushed continuence. The phrase is again repeated with some elaboration, making an asymetrical parrellel period. The next phrase is very long, and transistional. It switches to a softer dynamic, and to softer wind sounds. The tonality is even more evasive, with some kind of dissonant intervals in the bass. The rhythms are also very repetitive, and center around an eighth note rhythm accentuated by syncopations. The next phrase is a restatement of the motive, the first phrase. It then enters a very long transisitonal function similar to the earlier one. It eventually develops with the previous transistional function into its own continuous section. The developmental function transistions abruptly back to the theme, and key of the A section, which concluded with the transistional function to the developmental function. After a one phrase statement of the expository function, it enters another transistional function back to the B section, and again briefly states the motive, then the developmental function, and the motive again. A new section is then introduce in the brass, more up beat, with more off-beat metric accent. It then enters, a quieter, more subdued theme, the degree of contrast between the new section theme and this one paraelled with the one between section A and B. One of the biggest contrast between each paired theme is in the textures. The softer, more subdued themes had a lot of paraelle motion, with closer steps, less metric accent. The ending doesn't build up or anything, it just gives the impression of stopping. I really wasn't sure of the structure. I looked at it in four parts, two themes varied twice. The themes are in complete contrast with each other, and create an antecedent, consequent tension. They both maintain the context of the piece by establishing a very evasive tonality, several HC. Overall, I liked the first theme the best. I also liked a lot of the dissonant tonality and how the rhythms depended on one another.