Shostakovich - String Quartet 8

Question 1

20th Century Features:

(8 points)

Answer 1

• Parallelism
• Frequent passages of ambiguous tonality
• Ending on sharpened dominant
• All 12 notes of the chromatic scale occur in the introduction
• Non-functional harmony
• Arch form (not a traditional form)
• Unrelated harmonies are frequently used in succession.
• Modulations to unrelated keys (C major, A minor)

Question 2

Texture:

(7 points)

Answer 2

• Contrapuntal opening with fugal entries (tonic, dominant, tonic, subdominant) based in DSCH motif.
• Two-part counterpoint in quotation from first symphony (both A sections)
• Four-part free counterpoint (bars 92-94)
• Parallelism is occasionally used (after the fugal entries the violins and cello move in double octaves around the viola pedal.
• 3 homophonic statements of DSCH in A, C, and A’ sections.
• For the majority of the B section, there are extended tonic and dominant drones.
• In the C section, there is a counter-melody in the first violin.

Question 3

Structure:

(8 points)

Answer 3

• The structure is arch form (ABCB’A’)
• The homophonic DSCH statements mark significant points in the piece: the end of the A and C sections, and the end of the movement.
• The piece begins with an introduction of fugal DSCH entries.
• The A section consists of the DSCH parallelism, a quotation from the opening of the first symphony, and finally the first homophonic statement.
• The B section consists of a chromatic melody in violin I over a tonic-dominant double drone.
• The C section consists of a new melody in violin II and a countermelody in violin I, followed by the second homophonic statement.
• The B’ is a very varied version of the B section, with the melody in the cello.
• The A’ is very similar to the A section, but the homophonic section occurs halfway through it, and it ends on a sharpened dominant, to link it to the second movement.

Question 4

Tonality:

(7 points)

Answer 4

• The piece is in C minor
• There are a number of sections of ambiguous tonality, such as the quotation from the first symphony.
• The introduction contains all 12 notes of the chromatic scale.
• Many sections with no third so could be major or minor.
• The countermelody in the C section has E naturals, which implies a key of C major.
• The B’ section begins in A minor, before modulating briefly to C major, and reaching C minor for the A’ passage.
• The A’ is firmly in C minor, but ends on a sharpened dominant (G#) to prepare for the second movement.

Question 5

Harmony:

(3 points)

Answer 5

• The harmony is non-functional
• There are many dissonances and suspensions
• Unrelated harmonies are frequently used in succession.

Question 6

Melody:

(5 points)

Answer 6

• All instruments have a very low tessitura in this piece.
• Most melodies are predominantly conjunct and scalic.
• Chromatic scalic passages occur frequently (B section)
• There is a lot of repetition and sequential repetition
• The A and A’ sections contain a quotation from the first symphony

Question 7

Rhythm and Metre:

(6 points)

Answer 7

• 4/4 time.
• Most rhythms are simple
• Syncopation occurs occasionally at cadences.
• The quotation from the first symphony contains a dotted rhythm.
• There is rhythmic augmentation in the second homophonic statement.
• There are very long drones in the lower parts of sections B and C