University of Wisconsin, Marathon Center
Throughout the spring semester of Music Theory II, you will develop your ability to use a valuable strategy for analyzing tonal compositions. This eight-step plan moves your focus from the broad dimensions to the details and back again, starting with easily-perceived features before turning to more subtle details of structure and style. Each step begins with the identification of specific musical elements and concludes with the posing of a variety of open-ended questions.
The main goals in most tonal pieces are usually signaled by cadences, and cadences play critical roles in sectionalizing music. Identify all important cadences, and determine the relative weight or value of each cadence's corresponding goal. Changes in dynamics, texture, tonal center, or mode, strong thematic returns, and even elements of notation may be helpful in determining the individual nature and weight of each goal. Is there a logical relation or sequence which links them?
It is important to understand the means by which a piece's goals are achieved. Identify the harmonic and contrapuntal elements which are directly involved in creating the cadences you've identifiedÑthe cadential chords, essential chromatic elements (if any), and any distinctive voice-leading features. Are there any similarities in the ways the cadences are achieved, or any pattern in the degrees of closure they imply?
A composition's character, expressiveness, and unity all depend on its thematic material. Identify all statements of the main theme or themes. Are there any other special transformations or striking variations of the theme? How are the themes developed? Are there any special relations among the themes?
Themes are typically composed of smaller components called motives, and a motive may consist of a collection of pitches, rhythmic cell, harmonic unit, textural feature, or some other distinctive musical idea. Identify the smaller components of the main theme(s) which appear elsewhere, perhaps in the episodes or accompanying counterpoint. How are the motives varied and developed?
Every good piece boasts something specialÑfeatures which distinguish it, make it novel, or represent original technical developments. Identify several musical features which seem particularly unique in the composition. What particularly interests, impresses, or inspires you about the compositionÑand why?
Most pieces of music may be subdivided into smaller sections, each of which contributes something special to the whole. Identify the main parts of the composition's musical form and provide a concise statement which summarizes its function. What does each section do in the context of the whole piece?
Tonal compositions typically feature arpeggiations, step progressions, and other pitch structures which elaborate the tonic triad or other structural harmonies, often covering considerable spans of music. Identify any large-scale structural elements you can. How do their components relate to the goals you identified earlier?
Decide how you might use what you've learned about the piece's structure . How can you improve your performance of the music? Is there something you can emulate in your own creative work?
The foregoing analytical strategy will help you illuminate a composition, but your understanding of the music will continue to grow as long as you continue to analyze, play, and listen to it. Learning about a real work of art is an enjoyable process that can easily last a lifetime! Go back to the UWMC Music Page.
James Sobaskie, UWMC, February 14, 1996