Twelve-Tone Methods

Key Terms

Josef Matthias Hauer

Aggregate

Hexachord

12-tone method

Row

Retrograde

Inversion

Partitioning

Transposition

Serialism

Second Viennese School

Anton Webern (left)

Arnold Schoenberg (right)

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)

String Quartet No. 4, Op.

37, 1936, I. Allegro molto, energico

(sonata-allegro form)

EXPOSITION

Theme 1, m. 1- vln I

D C# A Bb F Eb E C Ab G F# B basic row

Theme 2, m. 66- partitioned in vla, vcl

A G# E F C A# B G D# D C# F# transposition: perfect 5th

DEVELOPMENT

Theme 1, m. 95- vcl

F F# Bb A D E Eb G B C C# G# inversion, transposition: minor 3rd

Theme 3, m. 116- vla (“EPISODE”)

E Eb G F F# D G# C# B C Bb A transposition: major 2nd

RECAP I

Theme 1, m. 165- vln I

Ab G Eb E B A A# F# D C# C F transposition: tritone

RECAP II

Theme 3, m. 239- vcl, vln I, vcl…

D C# A Bb F Eb basic row hexachord, transpositions…

Schoenbergian notation

Hauptstimme Nebenstimme

“Main voice” “Subsidiary voice”

Anton Webern (1883-1945)

Symphony, Op. 21, 1928, II: Sehr ruhig

(theme & variations form)

Instrumentation: clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 French horn, harp, string quartet

BASIC ROW: F Ab G F# Bb A Eb E C C# D B