Use of Melodic Sequences in Mozart’s Piano Concertos

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Use of Melodic Sequences in Mozart’s Piano Concertos by Andrew M. Hornick Even a cursory hearing of Mozart's piano concertos reveals a wealth of lively melodic development. Imaginative melodies occur as a natural fillip of Mozart's musical style, but in his piano concertos, to a greater degree than in his other works, Mozart's melodic inventiveness is enhanced by the extensive use of melodic sequences. The general concept of a melodic sequence is easily understood. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians defines a sequence as "a melodic or polyphonic idea consisting of a short figure or motif stated successively at different pitch levels, so that it moves up or down a scale by equidistant intervals...Sequences can be used in the construction of a melody or theme itself, but they usually function in the spinning out of musical material by developing a motif related to a previously stated melody". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., s.v. “melodic sequence.” The reader is invited to study Table One, a comprehensive listing of all the sequences in Mozart’s piano concertos. This table provides information about many musical aspects of the sequences, which form the basis for the discussion to follow. 2. In Table One, Modular Rhythm (Column 10) refers to the length, in number of bars, of the melodic module that repeats within each sequence. Harmonic Rhythm (Column 16) is the approximate duration, in number of bars, of harmonies within the sequence. Chronological Usage of Sequences Over 200 sequences have been identified in Table One, and the Table shows unequivocally that Mozart’s use of sequences in his piano concertos grew progressively over time, from Concertos 2-8 (2-4 sequences in each composition), to a considerably greater deployment in Concerto 10 (17 sequences). and Concerto 14 (14 sequences). Mozart adds even more sequences in later concertos. Concertos 19-22 average about 16 sequences per piece. Concerto 21, with 19 sequences identified in Table One, has the largest number of any single concerto. Interestingly, the use of sequences declines noticeably in the last three Concertos 25-27, which have, respectively, only nine, five, and four sequences in each composition. Mozart’s use of sequences is distinct from his “variation procedures”, as noted by Agawu in his article Mozart’s Art of Variation…. Variation, as its name suggests, involves a process whereby successive musical iterations change shape, often sequentially. In a sequence, by contrast, the melody moves to different harmonic planes but essentially remains unchanged throughout the course of the sequence. This almost perfect melodic mirroring, in fact, helps define a musical phrase as a sequence. Placement of Sequences in the Three Movements of the Concertos Not surprisingly, the majority of the sequences in Mozart's piano concertos (approximately 63 percent) are found in first movements. Final movements, usually in sonata-rondo form, make up 32 percent of all sequences, and the slower middle movements comprise the remaining five percent. Placement of Sequences in Sonata Form Within the concertos’ first and third movements, development sections contain a greater number of sequences than either exposition or recapitulation sections. Table One shows the following percentages: expositions: 31 percent of the total, developments: 45 percent, and recapitulations: 24 percent. This distribution underscores an obvious relationship; the diatonic and occasionally chromatic harmonies in most sequences fit well conceptually within development sections. Instrumentation of the Sequences Virtually all of the sequences identified in Table One are scored for solo piano. Only 11 sequences use a richer texture of piano and orchestra. Six other sequences eschew the piano altogether and use a purely orchestral instrumentation. One short, but special, sequence uses an instrumentation of solo bassoon (Example 1). Example 1. Mozart Piano Concerto 22/#1 In musical examples, the number after the slash, in this case, a “1”, indicates the sequence number in Table One. Measure numbers reference the following editions: Mozart Piano Concertos. (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications: Concertos Nos.1-6: 2005; Concertos Nos. 7-10 2000; Concertos Nos. 11-16: 1987; Concertos Nos. 17-22: 1978; Concertos Nos. 23-27: 1978). These publications are replicas of Serie 16 (Concerte für das Pianoforte) of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Werke, Kritisch durchgesehene Gesammtausgabe, original published by Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig, 1877-1879., mm.4-6. Unusual Scoring Of A Sequence For Solo Bassoon. Mozart's preference for placing sequences in the solo piano has a basis in the structure of concerto-allegro form, where large sections of the piece consist of solo instrumental passages. One effective way that Mozart created musical activity and harmonic interest throughout long solo piano passages was to intersperse sequences into the musical fabric. Mozart’s extensive use of sequences in the concertos also relates to a new approach to keyboard writing that developed in the late eighteenth century. In the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, an idiomatic keyboard style had not yet been fully developed, but by the late eighteenth century, this element had become integral to pianoforte composition. Because they incorporate many “pianistic”’ elements, Mozart’s concertos played a part in this development. According to Erlebach, “together with the elaboration of coloratura for the voice, virtuoso passages were becoming more varied, more free, and elastic…It is clearly keyboard music.” Erlebach, Rupert. “Style in Pianoforte Concerto Writing”. Music and Letters 17, v.2 (1936): 133. Number of Modular Iterations in the Sequences While a melodic sequence can be established with as little as two or three hearings, Mozart, in his piano concertos, usually replays the core sequence several times more. As shown in Table One, Column 13, the number of iterations of a module within single sequences ranges from two to an extraordinary 16, in both Concerto 16/#5 and Concerto 19/#2. The median number of iterations in the sequences is four, a figure that allows enough time both to establish the melodic pattern of the sequence and to initiate at least modest harmonic development. Organization of Modules in the Sequences Characteristic of Mozart's inventiveness, the length of sequences varies widely (see Column 9 in Table One). The shortest sequence, covering only two bars (in a rapid Allegro tempo), can be found in several concertos, including Concerto 8/#1 (Example 2). The longest sequence, which extends for 18 bars, can be seen in Concerto 21/#15. Between these two extremes, Mozart uses a wide variety of sequence durations in his piano concertos. Example 2. Mozart Piano Concerto 8/#1, mm.107-108. A Short, Two-Bar Sequence. Similarly, modular rhythm in the sequences (Column 10 in Table One) runs the gamut from a minimum of a half bar, seen in many concertos, to the largest continuous single sequential melody, six bars in length, in Concerto 27/#1. Overall, the median length of a module in a sequence is one bar. Within the compass of a single sequence, Mozart varies iterations of modules only minimally. An example of a typical sequence, where the motives are virtually indistinguishable one from another, is presented below in Example 3. Example 3. Mozart Piano Concerto 21/#12, mm.133-140. A Sequence Without Modular Variation. The number of modular iterations in a sequence influences harmonic development. A sequence with a small number of modular repetitions generally only achieves a small degree of harmonic movement. Longer sequences, which frequently incorporate many repeated modules, often contain substantial harmonic activity (Example 4). Example 4. Mozart Piano Concerto 17/#5, mm.185-195. Harmonic Activity In A Longer Sequence. Melodic Type in the Sequences Melodies in Mozart’s sequences adopt the form of either scales, arpeggios, or a combination of the two. Column 14 in Table One indicates that Mozart chose arpeggiated sequences more often than scalar sequences (the actual percentages are 48 percent for arpeggios, versus 36 percent for scales). Arpeggiated sequences, because they outline chords, ease the rapid harmonic transitions that characterize Mozart's sequences. 26 of the sequences combine scales and arpeggios. Even more rarely, in only 11 of the concertos, Mozart's sequences incorporate the principal Classic period "melody and accompaniment" form of melodic texture. Such sequences tend to be concentrated in the early concertos. To cite the most prevalent instances in the early works, four of the eight sequences in Concerto 9 are melodic (Example 5). Example 5. Mozart Piano Concerto 9/#5, mm.206-208. A Sequence Using A “Melody and Accompaniment” Texture. Harmonic Motion in the Sequences As shown in Table One, Column 12, harmonic motion in the sequences can be categorized by increasing harmonic activity, as follows: Range of Harmonic Motion Frequency 1. I-V 16 percent of sequences 2. V/V-V 20 percent of sequences 3. Circle of Fifths 25 percent of sequences 4. Tonicization of "Natural" Key Areas 24 percent of sequences 5. Successive Tonicization of "Altered" Key Areas A "natural" key is defined, for the purpose of this analysis, as a key (or triad) that occurs normally within the scale of the tonic. In C Major, for instance, the minor triad “e-g-b” would be "natural". Similarly, an "altered" key area involves a chromatic move away from the natural scale of the tonic. For instance, an "altered" key beginning on "e" in C major would be E major “e-g#-b”. 15 percent of sequences The simplest harmonic pattern in sequences, utilized in 16 percent of the sequences, is the alternation of tonic and dominant chords. This limited harmonic activity most often appears during sections of first and third movements that normally would emphasize the tonic key, such as the recapitulation (Example 6). Example 6. Mozart Piano Concerto 13/#6, mm.218-225. A Sequence Using Only Tonic, Subdominant, And Dominant Chords. Tonicization of the dominant key, which occurs naturally in the second part of expositions and during development sections in sonata form, accounts for 20 percent of the harmonic motion in Mozart’s piano concertos. In these sequences, to firmly establish the dominant key, Mozart often replays the V/V-V pattern several times (Example 7). Example 7. Mozart Piano Concerto 13/#1, mm.78-84. Tonicization Of The Dominant In A Sequence. Appearing most often during development sections, one quarter of the sequences utilize the circle of fifths. The circle of fifths was a standard means of harmonic movement in mid-eighteenth century instrumental compositions, and its popularity is easily explained by its effective use as a bridge between tonal areas, In addition, the predictable harmonic pattern in the circle of fifths is particularly well suited to the regular diatonic or chromatic melodic motion used in melodic sequences (Example 8). “In 1728, Heinichen discussed the harmonic circle at great length, adding various samples of modulations – true or deceptive – through the entire circle of fifths. From then on extensive modulation following the circle of fifths was a common tool of composition…Modulations containing segments of the circle of fifths abound in Mozart’s works. Descending modulations in fifths form the most frequent feature of his development sections. Obviously such modulations represented to him the easiest and most natural way of getting from one key to another. Ascending modulations in fifths are somewhat rarer and mostly less extended than the descending ones.” Hans T. David. “Mozartean Modulations” The Musical Quarterly 10, no.2 (1956): 196. Example 8. Mozart Piano Concerto 14/#8, mm.93-96. Circle of Fifths In A Sequence. Slightly more adventurous harmonic activity can be seen in the next category, encompassing another quarter of the sequences, where Mozart tonicizes “natural” keys, other than the dominant (Example 9). Example 9. Mozart Piano Concerto 18/#3, mm.202-210. Tonicization Of “Natural” Keys, Other Than The Dominant, In A Sequence. In 15 percent of the sequences, Mozart moves further afield harmonically in his sequences, to an “altered” key, particularly when the melody has chromatic elements. During these excursions, the harmony frequently moves to the flat, or subdominant, side of the circle of fifths (Example 10). Example 10. Mozart Piano Concerto 26/#4, mm.325-328. Tonicization Of “Altered” Keys In A Sequence. On occasion, Mozart moves the harmonic base in sequences far from the tonic key of the exposition. In these instances, although the harmony may transition to an “altered” key, stability often is derived from regular harmonic patterns, such as the circle of fifths, or by step-wise motion of the bass line (Example 11). “Mozart’s modulations are frequently carried by continuous bass-lines, ascending or descending diatonically, chromatically, or in mixed manner. The technique, intimately tied up with instrumental improvisation, considerably antedates the period under discussion. Heinichen referred to it, and Philipp Emanuel Bach devoted the concluding chapter of his Versuch to it, under the heading Von der Freyen Fantasie…Mozart must have been familiar with Philipp Emanuel’s book as well as his composition, and his imagination was further stimulated by the treatment of bass-lines in certain works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Handel with which he became acquainted through Baron van Swieten." David, Hans T.: 197 Example 11. Mozart Piano Concerto 17/#3, mm.120-126. Harmonic Motion To “Altered” Keys In A Sequence. In a limited number of sequences, a sense of harmonic ambiguity (at least in terms of ultimate resolution) is achieved with the introduction of consecutive diminished-ninth chords. By using these chords in tandem, Mozart has the ability to modulate to virtually any key (Example 12). Example 12. Mozart Piano Concerto 24/#5, mm.232-238. Consecutive Diminished-Ninth Chords In A Sequence. Mozart reserves sequences using “chromatic” harmonic motion for special effect. This compositional preference has been noted by Alfred Einstein, who observed that Mozart’s highly developed sense of harmonic proportion produces a greater impact, for any given degree of harmonic change, than would be the case with, for instance, Haydn: “Modulations in Mozart are closer in their relation to the main key, and every deviation is consequently more telling than in Haydn. Haydn does not hesitate, especially in his clavier sonatas and clavier trios, to use long passages with a key-signature different from the main one of the movement. He does not care if the feeling of tonality is weakened by this procedure. But this sort of thing is never found in Mozart, who believes that modulatory freedom and the expansion of the tonal domain must be treated with discretion” Einstein, Alfred. “Mozart’s Choice of Keys”. The Musical Quarterly 27, v.4 (1941): 420.. Harmonic Rhythm Two aspects of harmonic rhythm in Mozart's piano concertos, in particular, are worth noting: the length of the harmonic rhythm itself (Column 16 in Table One), and the relationship, in individual sequences, between harmonic rhythm and modular duration. The interaction between harmonic rhythm and time duration in a multi-movement work is significant. Since harmonic rhythm defines how long a given sonority, or pattern of sonorities, remains on the surface of the music, one can differentiate between time values in a fast movement versus a slow movement. For instance, since first movements of Mozart's piano concertos all carry a time signature of Allegro, they usually would be played with a metronome marking in the range of 100-120 beats per minute. A harmonic rhythm of two bars, given a metronome marking of 120, lasts four seconds. In a slower tempo, for instance, an Andante with a metronome marking of 60, a harmonic rhythm of two bars would last twice as long, approximately eight seconds. Overall, harmonic rhythm in the sequences ranges from a quarter bar, in Concerto 13/#3, to four bars, in Concerto 10/#14. The median harmonic rhythm lasts one bar, and about half of the total sequences have a harmonic rhythm of one bar, which suggests that the duration of harmonies in sequences (in an Allegro movement) is very short, one second or less. In about half of the sequences in Mozart's piano concertos, the harmonic rhythm and the modular rhythm of the sequence are the same. This arrangement provides for a concinnous alignment of harmonic and melodic change. For other sequences, melodic modules generally are longer than the underlying harmonic rhythm. In these instances, though, harmonic rhythm frequently correlates with single iterations of melodic motives (Example 13). Example 13. Mozart Piano Concerto 10/#7, mm.161-170. Rhythmic Alignment Of Harmony And Melodic Motive In A Sequence. Surface Rhythm in the Sequences Surface rhythm in Mozart's sequences tends to be very regular. Other than in the very infrequent "melodic" sequences, noted above, Mozart generally uses only one rapid surface rhythm, most often in the right hand of the piano, during the course of any one sequence. The specific surface rhythm used naturally relates to the tempo. In Allegro movements, sixteenth or eighth notes predominate, while thirty-seconds and sixteenths are used most often as the basic surface rhythm in slower movements. Conclusions To a greater extent than in his other compositional forms, Mozart enlivens his piano concertos with a large number of melodic sequences. These sequences appear most often during solo piano interludes, which adds valuable harmonic activity to a period of textural stasis, and they encompass a wide harmonic range, from simple tonic-dominant chordal exchanges to tonicization of keys outside the compass of the tonic scale. The numerous solo, virtuosic passages in Mozart’s piano concertos continue a standard compositional practice from the late Baroque and early Classic period concerto. Mozart’s consistent application of melodic sequences in the concertos, though, represents an exceptional, idiomatic stylistic adaptation of solo passage writing in the Classic period concerto of the late eighteenth century. Andrew M. Hornick received a Ph.D. in musicology from New York University in 1987. 8