Chapter 8 Twelve-Tone Music IT: Invariance, Symmetry, and Combinatoriality “After studying the basie principles of twelve-tone musie in Chapter 7, we are ready (0 ‘explore some of the more complex aspects of twelve-tone theory and composition. In this chapter we will particularly focus on invariance, symmetry, and combinatoriality, especially as found in the works of Webern and Schoenberg. INVARIANCE In general, the term invariance refers to the preservation of some aspect of a row under transposition or inversion.! Some features of a row are always preserved under trans- position (T) or inversion (I). We know that the intervallic structure of a row (the AIS) is always preserved under T, and it becomes a succession of its complementary intervals under I. The subset structure of a row, on the other hand, is preserved under both T and I. Think, for instance, of the derived row from Webern's Concerto, op. 24, that we discussed in Example 7.6. All four discrete trichords are members ofthe (O14) set class, ‘and they remain so in all forty-eight forms of this row. ‘A more particular type of invariance, however, is the preservation of one oF more segments of a set (in an ordered or unordered form) under T or I Figure 8.1 illustrates the case of a row transformation that maps a subset of the row onto itself. In Chapter 3 (in the section titled “Symmetry,” which you may now want to review) we learned that ‘a symmetrical set is a set that can map onto itself under transposition or inversion, and ‘we learned the procedure to determine what exact T, ot Ty] operations map a set onto itself. Thus, to figute out which row transformations will map a subset onto itself (and ‘will thus provide subset invariance), we determine which T,, and/or T,| transformations map the subset onto itself. ee eee ‘Am esenta source on invariance is Babbit' atile "TwelveTone Invariants a Compositional Deter taats sited Chapter 7 Tootnte |The fllowing two artes at also recommended: Davi Lewin," “Theory of Segmental Asocation in Twelve-Tone Musics" Perspectives of New Music U1 (1962) 89-1 Jind Davi Beach Segmental Invariance andthe Twelve-Tone System," Journal of Masi Theory 20 (1976 157-84Pere tte ‘Twelve-Tone Musie I: Invariance, Symmetry, and Combinatorility Po: C GD Db B Ab EF A Bb E FR bi DGC Dy BIE BA F E BAS ‘Mignre 8.1 Tavariantterachords under inversion in the row for Schoenber’s Klaviersric, op, 33a Pr OE 7 83127 6549 Is 56T 924378 018 Figure 8.2 Mapping of subsets onto each other under inversion in the rv for Schoenbor’s Sting Quart no. 4 The following is a bri reminder of the procedures to determine the T, or ,] opera. tions that map a set onto itself. (I) A set is transpositionally symmetrical if the vector contains an entry equal fo the number of pitch classes in the set (or half that number in the case of ic 6). The set will map onto itself atthe transpositional levels provided by the interval classes for which there is an entry equal to the number of pes in the set. 2) An inversionally symmetrical set always has at least one ordering of its ele. ‘menis whose interval series is its own retrograde. For each such ordering, the set will ‘map onto itself under Tf, where n equals the sum of the first and last members of that ordering. ‘The opening tetrachord in the row for Schoenberg's Klavierstiick, op. 33a, is (012,71 in normat order: [0,1,2,7] is an inversionally symmetrical set that maps onto itself under Tal, hence it is left invariant in the row under I. The other invariant seg- ‘ment between these two row forms, the tetrachord formed by pitch classes F, A, Bh, and &, or 14,5.9.7] in normal onder, is also an inversionally symmetrical set that also maps ‘onto itself under TI, and hence is also left invariant inthe row under [ In Figure 8.2, on the other hand, you can see an example of a row transformation ‘that maps a subset of the row onto another subset with identical intervallic content. In {his case, the row is from Schoenber's String Quartet no. 4. Two nondlseretetrichonds in this row, 0, E, 7 and'T, 6, 5, are of the same set class, (015). This means that 0, B,7 will map onto T, 6, 5 under some T or TI transformation. If we compare both sets in their normal order, (7, E, 0] and (5,6, T], we can see that they are inversionally equiva lent by Tl (heir AIS are <4,1> and <1,4>, respectively, and the sum of the first and last elements is 5), $o 0, B, 7 will map onto T, 6, 5 under Tsl, and vice versa (that is, T, 6, 5 vill also mep onto 0, B, 7 under Ts! because the inversion operation goes both ways), ‘This is shown in Figure 8.2. ee 7 183184 (CHAPTER 8 BEBE shccnber, string Quartet no 4,1, mm. 27-28 nao 2) 2a) aol 801 Daal paar Tso) 'A musical rendition of these two row forms will show these invariant segments in context. Example 8.1 shows two measures from the first movement of Schoenberg's String Quartet no. 4 (1936). In m, 27, the two violins feature a complete statement of Pay ‘while the viola and cello are based on I, The two row forms are reversed in m. 28, where ‘ee hear I in the violins, and P, in viola and cello. Notice that the relationship between , and Iy isthe same as between Pp and 1, (both pairs ate related by Ty. The fegments that exchange postions in Py-1, are, in normal order, 9,12) and {78,0} In this bret pas- sage we hear four statements ofthe [91,2}-[7850] pair of trichords, in such a way that very time we hear [91,2] we also hear a simultaneous 7.8.0), and vice versa | ‘Now try calculating a couple of invariant segments on your own: In the ow from | ‘Schoenberg's String Quartet no. 4 listed in Figure 8.2, the segment 2, T, 6 emains in- variant (maps onto itself) under three operations, Which are they’? And under which T Speration will the dyad 8 3 i the same row map onto the dyad 4, 9 and viee versa? Tnvariance in Webern takes on a particular character. Because ofthe very tight mo- tivie and subset unity of some of Webern's derived rows, invariance may involve each bf the four trichords or even complete hexachords. Consider, for instance, the row from the Concerto, op. 24, which we already discussed in Example 7.6. Example 8.2 shows 7 Pa for this row, and shows the four discrete trichords and the exact relationship of each ‘of them to the original trichord. A consequence of this relationship among trichords‘Twelve-Tone Music I: Invariance, Symmetry, and Combinatoriality BE The row for Webern’s Concerto for Nine Instruments, op. 24 Po Po Rh Re Trichordal and hexachordal invariance in Weber's op. 24 row AILPe-Rlp OF Iy-Ryoit Al Pr-Rlast OF To-Ryss that all four trichords are preserved with exact pitch-class content, but in retrograde form, in al pairs of rows related as P,-RI,, (for instance, Py-RL,) oF T,-Ry yy (OF instance, Ig-R,,). This invariance is shown in Example 83a, In yet another row relationship in Webern's op. 24 row, both hexachords in two row forms are exchanged and thei exact pitch content and order are preserved (he first hhexachord of the original row becomes the second hexachord ofthe second row, and the second hexachord of the original row becomes the frst hexachord of the second ‘ow). This invariance takes place in row forms related as in Py-Rl (for instance, Po-RIp) oF ly Ryys (uch as Fy-R,), as shown in Example 8.36, ‘The typeof invariance in which ll four trchord are preserved (asin Example 8.3) appears in the opening measures ofthe concerto, reproduced in Example 8. (Allin, struments in this score are notated at concert pitch) The row opens with P, followed by Rly (hat is a case of P, and RI.) The row presentation onthe actual music sur face clearly features the four trichords: in mm. 1-3, each trichord is slated by a differs ent instrument, and in mm. 4-5 the grouping and articulation outline a segmentation ofthe row into trichords. What we are hearing in mm. 4-5 isan RI version of the row we fist heard in a P form, but because ofthe Py-RI,, relationship, we are actully186 CHAPTER 8 PERRET «csc, concerto for Nine Instruments, op. 24 1m. hearing four trchords withthe same pitch-lass content asthe original four trichonds Tn fact every tichord in mm. 4-5 is anexact retrograde of the corresponding trichord in mam, 1-3. Thus, not only are we hearing set (014) eight times in these measures (as ‘yell as every time we hear atrichord throughout this piece), but the four tichords in vam, 4-3 are at the same pitch level as the four trichords in mm. 1-3 because of the invariance properties of this row. Both ofthese Facts contribute tothe high level of mo- tivic and pitch coherence in this passage.Twelve-Tone Music I: Invariance, Symmetry, and Combinatorility AO. AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS Figure 8.3 A two-dimensional Latin palindrome ‘Some other aspects of these measures are worth mentioning. Webern thought of this row as a musical representation of the ancient Latin palindrome reproduced in Figure 8.3, and which can be translated as “the sower Arepo keeps the works turning." A palindrome is a word or sentence that reads the same forward or backward (such as “Madam, I'm Adam”). The palindrome in Figure 8,3 is a two-dimensional one that can be read in four different directions (asin a 5X 5 matrix!), How do you think this palin- «drome is related to the row for the Concerto, op. 24? How is it related to mm. 1-5? In mm. 13-17 (reproduced with annotations in Example 8.5), on the other hand, ‘we observe applications of the type of invariance in which the two hexachords of two ‘ow forms are exchanged, preserving the exact pitch-class content and onder. The pas- sage features Ry beginning with the oboe and horn (mm. 13-14). The second hexa- chord of R,,in the violin and viola, i also the first hexachord of I, The second hexachord of 1), which we hear again in the oboe and horn (mm, 16-17), is identical with the first hexachord of R that we heard in mm. 13-14. The remaining row overlaps in this section that are due fo hexachordal invariance are in the piano part and involve I, and R,,. Verify these on the score. The rows overlapping in mm., 13-17, I,-R on the one hand, and Tg-Rj, on the other, are related as I,-R, 4s, the row relationship we saw in Example 8.3b. In our analysis of Webern's Variations op. 27, I, later in this chapter, we discuss ‘one final type of invariance that involves vertical dyads in pairs of row forms related by inversion, WEBERN AND ROW SYMMETRY Besides derived rows and invariance, we also often find symmetrical rows in Webern's twelve-tone music. Consider, for instance, the row shown in Example 8.6, from We. bern's Symphonie, op. 21 (1928). The first hexachord (H,) is symmetrical with the sec- ond hexachord (H,) in such a way that Hy is the retrograde of H, transposed at Ty. a relationship that we can express as Hy = R,(H,). All symmetrical rows can be read forward or backward and the intervals will be exactly preserved (that is, symmetrical rows are palindromic). In this ease, the row can be read forward as P, and backward, 187a 188 (CHAPTER 8 PERERETISE cse. concerto onsite tsirumens op. 24-1: BT 8 Bn Webern's Symphonie, op. 21, Po aa HyRet, — sTRoPo ofcourse, as Ry, But because ofthe retrograde ritone relationship berween both Bex Shords, any willbe the same asthe P form a titone away. oF Paag Tn this ease, Bo seihe vame as, (and, of course, reversing the formula, Po wil be the same as Ry) In + pr words in symmetrical row, every ow form can be identified with (wo row-form Abels A mtr for asymmetrical row will then inelude only twenty-four, in contrast to forty-eight, different row forms.EEE EE oo Twelve-Tone Music I: Invariance, Symmetty, and Combinatorial ‘The symmetrical properties of this row are particularly brought out in the second movement of the Symphonie, a theme with variations. The two row forms used ia the Thema (mm. 1-11 of the second movement) are shown in Example &7, and the theme itself (mm. 1-11 of movement Il) is reproduced in Example 8.8 (where all instruments fate notated at concert pitch)? The row form in the clarinet is I, The same as P, is den. tical to Rugg (and vice versa, R, dential to PI, i also identical to RI, and Rl, 's dential to 1), This means tht the retrograde of the clarinet row, Rls the same as I. This is precisely the row form stated by the rest of the instruments ia the Thema (harp and two horns), This choice of tow forms creates a multiplicity of tritone relationships throughout the Thema, First is the immediate 7, transposition between I, and I,,. This is heard directly in the music only at the beginning and end of the phrase (B-F and F-B tritones inanm. 1 and 11) and in m6, the middle point (F.~A and A-Ea tritones). As we already Know, both lexachords of each row are related by R, (that is, a tettograde reading of T). This means that at the middle point (the axis of symmetry in m. 6) the hexachords between Is and 1, are literally reversed among themselves, while in each row the pitch lasses symmetrical around the axis (order numbers 5-6, 4-7, 3-8, and so on) are lated by titone, As a result of the exchange of hexachords between I, and ly, more over, these two row forms feature only six different dyads, all related by tritone: the six vertical tritones in the combined first hexachords of both rows ate the same as the six vertical tritones in the combined second hexachords, only that in the second hexachords their vertical (contrapuntal) and horizontal (melodic) orders are reversed with respect to the frst hexachord, Not surprisingly, in a piece in which pitch structure is saturated with symmetri- cal and palindromic relationships, Webern also created a multiplicity of other musical symmetrical relationships. Examine the score for the Thema, reproduced in Exam Ple 8.8. What other musical parameters are composed symmetrically? Investigate and Comment on the following elements: rhythm, orchestration, articulation, and dynamics. An analytical end pedagogical discussion ofthe Dhoma canbe found in John Ras Base Atonal The ors 4-17, 189190 (CHAPTER 8 BE Webern, Symphonie, op. 21,11, Thema ‘Thema Birmnigd-=90 a tn Example 87 we looked at pitch clases. But onthe score 1 ‘can examine the lines in pitch space and comment on exact interalie relationships (you can do this par tiealarly with the clarinet Fine). Is there intervallic Symmetry? And how about register symmetry? Pan composers after World War Il looked back at Webern their point of de- partue. This applies especialy to youns compose ‘and particularly to those, such as rary Stockhatsen, Nono, Berio, and others, who practice! ‘what we know as mult vn te serialization of ober musical parameters besides, and along with, pitch). ‘Why do you think compositions such as the Concenoy 24, and the Symphonie, op. 21, would have been particularly influential among such composers? ANALYSIS 8.1: WEBERN, PIANO VARIATIONS, op. 27, 11 (ANTHOLOGY NO. 22) inten to Weber's Piano Variations, op. 27, Th, of 1935-36 (Anthology no. 22). First, Liste Tron the style ofthis piece Ts there any trace of exPresiOSS ppostromanticism coms mnisie? Why and how is this piece o “modern,” that is, 50 forward looking,