Schoenberg's <i>"Phantasy"</i> Form

<p>Scholars have long debated the form of Schoenberg’s <em>Phantasy for Violin and Piano accompaniment</em>, Op. 47, his last instrumental work. The numerous accounts (by Rufer, Lewin, Lester, Hasty, Hyde, and others) have variously proposed a pseudo-sonata, a three-part, and a four-part form. This dissertation suggests that the piece is best thought of as a multi-layered four-part form, in which the thematic pattern ABB¹A¹ is found at every structural level, from the phrase up to the entire work. An intriguing compositional sketch found on the Schoenberg Center’s website inspired the exploration of a four-part form with elements of symmetry. Linear graphs and rectangular outlines of the form of the<em> Phantasy</em> illustrate Schoenberg’s concept of symmetry within the four-part design on every level.</p> <p>My analysis suggests that Schoenberg creates the <em>Ph</em><em>antasy</em> with the principal hexachord [F, G, A, Bb, B, C#] sc 6-21 (023468) as the <em>Grundgestalt</em> and combines it with its combinatorially related inversion to construct the prime row, P₁₀, with a micro “abba” design. Schoenberg composes four-part patterns on every level culminating in an overall ABB¹A¹formal design with elements of symmetry that create unity. The micro and macro ABB¹A¹’s mirror each other to create a paradigm of the twelve-tone system. This dissertation explores Schoenberg’s <em>Phantasy </em>as his fantasy four-part symmetrical ABB¹A¹ design within a heroic form (albeit relatively short). This ABB¹A¹ design represents a formal paradigm of the structures inherent in his twelve-tone system from the <em>Grundgestalt</em> through the overall form. Furthermore, this paper offers a rebuttal to Boulez’s “Schoenberg is Dead” proclamation.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Musical Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Tipton, Lisa A.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Joseph Straus

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Philip Lambert
• Norman Carey
• Sylvia Kahan

• Arts and Humanities
• Music
• Schoenberg
• Phantasy
• Op. 47
• Form

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2131

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-3122