Planal Analysis and the Emancipation of Timbre: Klangfarbenmelodie and Timbral Function in Mahler, Schoenberg, and Webern

Todd, R Larry

Zeller, Matthew

2020-06-10T15:19:22Z

2020-06-10T15:19:22Z

2020

Music

Arnold Schoenberg’s theory of Klangfarbenmelodie (timbre-melody) is one of the most important yet least understood compositional innovations of the twentieth century. Critical reexaminations of his writings reveal that it is a textural principle, a way to combine the homophonic and polyphonic forms of presentation. In other words, Klangfarbenmelodie is another means to accomplish what Schoenberg eventually realized in composition with twelve tones—a way forward for new music.

In many respects, the twentieth century was the era of chromaphony: timbre-based music. In addition to chronicling the emancipation of timbre, this dissertation emancipates timbre in scholarly discourse by offering a new analytical method with the flexibility to be a powerful tool for all musical parameters—planal analysis. In conjunction with auditory scene analysis and music cognition, planal analysis enables new ways of studying musical elements by placing them in separate analytical planes.

Direct precedents of Klangfarbenmelodie can be traced to Gustav Mahler, whose music had a profound influence on Schoenberg. Clarity of musical line in Mahler’s massive orchestras was often accomplished through his refined control of timbre. In his music, we begin to see timbre treated as part of the thematic material—that is, timbre developed in similar ways as pitch content. While Mahler’s practice is still pitch-oriented, his functional orchestration represents a type of proto Klangfarbenmelodie.

Schoenberg’s “Farben,” the third of the Fünf Orchesterstücke, Op. 16 (1909), predates his discussion of Klangfarbenmelodie in Theory of Harmony. Nonetheless, this music is rightfully considered a seminal moment in the development of the technique. Through close analysis and sketch studies, timbral processes are revealed as part of the musical logic alongside pitch processes.

Anton Webern took up the mantle of Klangfarbenmelodie after Schoenberg’s early experiments with it. Contrary to popular reception, Schoenberg and Webern had similar approaches to this new way of composing music with timbre. In 1911, Webern elevated Schoenberg’s theoretical declaration of timbre’s independence to a fully realized practice in his compositions. Through analyses of Webern’s Opp. 9 and 10, this dissertation shows that Webern’s aphoristic works are governed by well-formed and logical timbral processes. His chromaphonic works of 1911 display fully formed Klangfarbenmelodie in both of its definitions: (1) a timbre-melody and (2) a textural style of presentation.

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/21042

Music

Music history

Music theory

chromaphony

Klangfarbenmelodie

planal analysis

Schoenberg

timbre

Webern

Planal Analysis and the Emancipation of Timbre: Klangfarbenmelodie and Timbral Function in Mahler, Schoenberg, and Webern

Dissertation