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Click when you hear a new section. Use the pull-down menus to label the section. Use the prime notation if arefrain is transformed in some way.
The first refrain of the A-section is literal. The only change is that, this time, the melody is played only onceand then proceeds directly into the C-section, rendering the connection more impulsive.
The C-section is characterized by a new, faster underlying rhythm. When the A-section once again returns, theaccompaniment does not revert to its earlier speed as expected. Instead, the C-section's fasterrhythm continues , blurring the distinction between the two sections. Instead of revertingto the original A-section, Beethoven's ending is gently progressive .
Click whenever you hear a return to the opening passage. Has time had an effect?
The first refrain of the A-section is literal and complete. The second begins identically, but then a hauntingtransformation takes place: The theme, which had been continuous, is broken up into fragments, separated bysilences.
Time has had an effect! Where do the silences come from? Compare the starting and stopping nature of theA′-section with this passage from earlier in the work:
Mozart never returns to the original A-section: The fragmented version is the last one we hear.
Click whenever you hear a return to the opening passage. Has time had an effect?
At the first refrain, time does have an effect. The opening rhythmic patterns return only in the lower strings,juxtaposed against a lyrical melody in the first violin. As the section is prolonged, the rhythmic patterns and melodicfragments circulate among the instruments.
At the final refrain, time does not have an effect. The ending is a literal restatement of the opening passage. Itis, however, cut short and ends unexpectedly in the middle of a phrase. If you chose that "time does have aneffect" for this reason, then you have a valid argument.
The second half of this movement is filled with fragmentary refrains of earlier passages. These fragments are relativelyequal in length; the final refrain of the A-section fits the expected proportion. So, although it is abbreviated, thefinal refrain is not shockingly short: The music has never offered a complete restatement; it has taught us to expectonly excerpts. In all other respects, the final refrain's identity is secure. That is why, in myopinion, the listener will consider that time has not had an effect--or has had a negligible one--at themovement's close. Nevertheless, the movement ends suspensively, preparing the way for the quartet to continue.
FURTHER LISTENING: Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" is a seminal example of time strengthening the material. The piece consists of the same melody repeated over and over, each time with heavier orchestration. Alvin Lucier's "I Am Sitting In A Room" is an experimental example of time weakening the material. The composer recorded himself reading a brief text. He then broadcast the recording into a room and recorded it. He took that recording, broadcast it and recorded it. As he repeated this circular process, the fidelity of the recording gradually degraded, until all that was left was the resonance frequency of the room vibrating with the rhythm of his voice.
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