Die Nebensonnen by Brian Hanson

Die Nebensonnen A Schenkerian Approach Brian Hanson

Die Nebensonnen: A Schenkerian Approach

Die Nebensonnen is the penultimate song of Schubert’s song cycle Winterreise, first published in 1828,

the year of the composer’s death. The text in Winterreise is from a cycle of poems by German poet, Wilhelm Müller. The story of Winterreise follows the narrative of a heartsick man as he wanders secretly out of town in the winter night, leaving his beloved who has fallen for someone else. The bitter coldness and darkness of the desolate winter countryside is a reflection of the wanderer’s inner emotional state. In Die Nebensonnen, the wanderer visualizes three suns in the sky. Some people suggest the wanderer hallucinates the “false” suns, while others say Müller was suggesting the astronomical phenomenon, parhelion, or “sundog.” Parhelion is an optical phenomenon caused by the reflection of sunlight by ice crystals that compose cirrus clouds that are common on fair, winter days. This creates the image of two bright circular spots on each side of the sun, which could be seen as an illusion of three suns. After the wanderer sees these three suns, he proclaims, “You are not my suns!” The wanderer then shares that he once had three suns, but the best two have left him. The two suns that left him were the eyes of his beloved. In the final stanza, the wanderer wishes the final sun would set so he can be left in darkness and solitude. Die Nebensonnen is in a simple ternary form (ABA) with a modulation to the parallel minor of the tonic in the B section. The first A section is composed of two phrases with a piano introduction and a sectional codetta. The first phrase is identical to the piano introduction. For this reason, only one graph of foreground analysis is needed to represent the first 8 measures, and discussion of the first phrase will also pertain to the introduction.

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Figure 1: m.1 - 4 (piano introduction) and m. 5 - 8 ^3

EEE G EEE

B 10

5 B

5 5

5 10

!5 5

5N 5 5

5 10

5 5 V7

55 I

Figure 1 is a foreground analysis of the first phrase. The first 2 bars of the first phrase (and piano introduction) is a prolongation of the tonic harmony, A. This prolongation is executed by a series of 10ths between the bass and soprano. Each 10th outlines the root and third of tonic harmony. The head tone appears immediately in the entrance of the voice on C# in measure 4. The prolongation of ^3 (C#), on a background level, will last until the end of the B section, but on the foreground level, it is prolonged for the first 2 bars of the first phrase, until the appearance of dominant harmony in measure 7. In the voice (doubled by piano), C# is repeated frequently with a change to B (over V) and D (over IV). Nonharmonically, the B is acting as a lower neighbor, while the D is acting as an upper neighbor to C#. The prolongation of ^3 further reinforces the prolongation of tonic harmony in the first 2 bars of the first phrase, with IV and V harmony acting as neighbors in between. In measure 7, the urlinie descends to ^2 supported by dominant V7 harmony. The C# on the downbeat of measure 7 (in the top voice) is just a suspension from the I chord in the previous measure. The C# does resolve down a step to B, as it should in a 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 suspension. On beat 2 of measure 7, the urlinie descends to ^1 supported by root position tonic harmony. In figure 1, the ^2 and ^1 noteheads of the urlinie are colored in to represent the foreground descent to ^1. On a structural deeper level, ^3 is prolonged to the end of the B section. In this first phrase,

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there is a descending stepwise line in the tenor voice of the piano. It starts on A on the top bass clef in measure 4, and it descends to C# (a 3rd above the root) on beat 2 of measure 7 on the arrival of tonic harmony. The first and last notes of this descending scale outline the root and third of tonic harmony, just like the series of 10ths that supported the prolongation of tonic harmony in the first two bars of the phrase. The chromatic note, G natural (in measure 5), of this descending line is the 7th of an A7 chord, which is functioning as a V7/IV; it does resolve to IV on the downbeat of measure 6.

Figure 2: m. 9 - 13

EEE G EEE

B 5 f#: i vi

5 E5 5 5

5 5

iv6----------------iv

5 5

5 E5

V6/5

!5 V7

5 I

There is a temporary modulation to the relative minor (F#) in the second phrase of the A section starting at measure 9. Figure 2 above is a foreground analysis of the second phrase. In the first 3 bars of this phrase, there is a prolongation of F# minor harmony (vi) similar to the prolongation of tonic harmony in the first 2 bars of the first phrase. C# (^3 of the urlinie) is prolonged for the first 3 bars of the second phrase, with the support of relative minor harmony. On beat 2 of measure of 10, there is a small extension of iv harmony (in the key of the relative minor F#) as it moves from first inversion to root position. This extension of iv is supported by a voice crossing that occurs between the top voice (which ascends B, C#, D) and the bass voice (which descends D, C#, B). A Passing I6/4 is used to connect the first inversion iv chord to its root position. On the downbeat of measure 11, the D in the upper voice is still acting as an upper

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neighbor to C# (^3 of the urlinie), just as it did in the first phrase. Starting at measure 12, there appears to be a foreground descent in the urlinie to ^1, but this descent is not supported by tonic harmony. There is an imperfect authentic cadence on F# minor. The fact that this cadence is imperfect is significant. First of all, since it is an imperfect authentic cadence, it is unlikely that it will support the foreground descent to ^1. Also, since it is imperfect, the V6/5(of F# minor) is in first inversion, which means an E# is in the bass. When the real foreground descent (which is appropriately supported by a perfect authentic cadence) starts in measure 13, ^2 is supported by a root position V7 chord of tonic harmony. The root of the V7 chord is E natural. The final result is this chromatic bass motion from E# on the downbeat of measure 12 (which supports the imperfect authentic cadence on F# minor) to E natural on the downbeat of measure 13 (which supports the perfect authentic cadence on A). Schubert uses this chromatic movement to return to the tonic from the relative minor. In the B section, Schubert will use a similar chromatic alteration to move to the relative major (C) of A minor (the parallel minor of the tonic).

Figure 3: m. 13 - 15 ^3

EEE G EEE

5 6 -

V6/vi

5 I

5 V7

5 I

Figure 3 is a foreground analysis of the sectional codetta of the A section. The sectional codetta has no structural importance, but it reinforces the chromatic bass movement from E# to E natural. This time the E# (which supports the V6/vi) moves directly to E natural (which supports a root position V7 chord),

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without the resolution to F# minor. This chromatic shift interrupts the expectation of the F# minor resolution and sets up the perfect authentic cadence in the tonic. As previously stated, in the B section, Schubert will use this chromatic alteration technique again to deny expectation of the resolution in one key and move to another key.

Figure 4: m.15 - 25

! ^3 EEE !B !5 5 5 G EEE

! ^3

^2 ^1

!B !5 5 5 5 !5 5 5 5 ! 5

5 5

3 - prg.

E5 !5 !5 5 !!55 5 !55 5 !!55 B5 5 5 55 ! 5 !5 !5 E5 10 10 10

C: iii PV4/3 I

V V/IV IV

V6/5

6-5

55 !I

B Â&#x2014; !5 5 5 5 !5 5

5 !5 !5 5 ! 5 5 5 ! 5B !VI

Figure 4 above is a foreground analysis of the B section, which moves to the parallel minor. Just as in the A section, ^3 is prolonged throughout the B section, until the final half cadence, but ^3 is now chromatically shifted to C natural because of the modulation to the parallel minor. The first few bars of the B section alternate between i and V, and on each harmonic change the piano and voice exchange rhythms. Up until this point, the voice and piano have been sharing the same rhythms, and the vocal line has been doubled in the piano. The break from this pattern is heard as a sharp contrast from prior events, and it helps aurally delineate the sections of the piece.

Figure 4. 1: Rhythm Exchange (m.16 - 17)

Voice

Piano

¯ =

B A

. *

° ¯

= ¯

At measure 19, there is a move to V, as expected from the established pattern of alternating i’s and V’s of the previous 3 bars. If the pattern were to continue, a move back to the tonic of A minor would be expected, but this expectation is denied by a sudden modulation to C major (the relative major). The process by which Schubert executes this modulation is similar to the chromatic movement from E# to E natural at the end of the A section. This time, Schubert chromatically alters the third of the V chord (G#) to a G natural, which creates an E minor chord, which is the mediant harmony in the new key of C major. Mediant harmony usually acts as a substitute for tonic harmony in first inversion, and this E minor chord is a perfect example of this functioning substitution. The E minor chord (iii), functioning as a I6, moves to a root position C major chord, with a passing V4/3 as the connecting chord. The parallel 10ths further reinforce this extension of C major. The key of C major is fully established in measure 20, which starts the climatic event of the piece. This is the moment where the wanderer laments that he too had three suns, but the best two have set (a reference to the eyes of his beloved). The first 2 bars of this climax (m. 20 – 21) is an exact copy of the first 2 bars of the first phrase transposed to the key of C major. Consequently, there is a prolongation of ^3 and a descent to ^1 in the key of C major, just as there is in the first phrase in the tonic key of A major. This is graphed in Figure 4 as a 3 – progression, with stemmed-down brackets to emphasize its secondary importance to the prolongation of C (^3 in A minor). The 3 – progression descends to ^1 (in C) at

measure 22, but it is deceivably supported by A minor harmony, which shatters the expectation of a cadence in the key of C major. This cadence at measure 22 is not strong. It is an imperfect authentic cadence with a V6/5 going to i (in A minor), and C (^3 in A minor) is still being prolonged. The real foreground descent to ^1 takes place in measure 22, but it is deceivably supported by a V7 – VI deceptive cadence. These denied expectations and deceptions help avoid over emphasizing any tonal center that is not the tonic, A major. After the deceptive cadence in measure 23, there is further alternation of V and VI until the half cadence on V at measure 25, which concludes the B section. Up until this point, discussion on the descent of the urlinie has pertained to the foreground level of analysis, but on a structurally deeper level, ^3 has been prolonged throughout the entirety of sections A and B. At measure 25, the urlinie descends to an implied ^2, which is supported by the half cadence on V. Since ^2 occurs on a half cadence (and there is no decent to ^1 that follows), there is an interruption (indicated by the parallel vertical lines in Figure 4) in the descending line. With the return of A, the urlinie “starts over” on ^3 (C#). The B section contains an excellent example of Bassbrechung, where each chord tone of the tonic harmony is linearly represented over the course of the composition. The B section starts out in the key of A minor (the root of A minor), then in measures 19 - 20 there is a modulation to the key of C major (the third of A minor). On the downbeat of 25, the B section ends with a half cadence on E (the fifth of A minor). As a result, each chord tone of A minor is linearly presented over the course of the B section.

Figure 5: m. 25 - 29 ^3

EEE G EEE

B 10

5 B

5 10

5 !5 5 5

5 N

5 5

5 5 55

55 E5 E5

V6/vi

5 5

6 - 5

!55 !B

Figure 5 represents the foreground analysis of the fourth phrase (the return of the A section). After the interruption at measure 25 on the half cadence, the urlinie returns to C# (^3), and it is prolonged until the final structural descent to ^1 at measure 29. ^2 appears on the downbeat of measure 29 (the C# is suspended from the previous measure), and it is supported by root position V7 harmony. The descent to ^1 is finalized on beat 2 of measure 29, and it is appropriately supported by root position tonic harmony. This fourth phrase (the return of A) is almost identical to the first phrase. The vocal line is unchanged, but the supporting harmony of the third bar of the fourth phrase at measure 28 is entirely different. Instead of repeating V7 to I twice, as Schubert does in the final 2 bars of the first phrase, he substitutes the V7 to I, with a tonicization of the relative minor by means of an imperfect authentic cadence (V6/vi – vi) or (V6 – I ‘in A minor’). Schubert has this slight change for two possible reasons. First of all, Schubert denies the expectation of a V7 to I motion that was previously used in the same position of the first phrase. Secondly, this deception creates a greater expectation of a V7 to I motion, since it was omitted in the previous bar. This heightened expectation makes the final tonic resolution and final decent to ^1 more satisfying and complete. A strict repetition of the first phrase might aurally be perceived as an ambiguous ending.

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Figure 6: m. 29 - 32 (codetta) ^3

EEE G EEE

5 6

E5 !5

V6/vi V7

5 I

B V7

B I

Figure 6 is foreground analysis of the codetta that follows the final descent to ^1 that takes place in measure 29. For all analytical purposes, the piece is complete after the final descent to ^1 on the perfect authentic cadence in measure 29. The codetta is of no structural importance, and it will not be discussed in great detail. There is, however, one detail of aurally perceptive significance. This codetta is an exact copy of the sectional codetta at end of the first A section, with one small exception. In the final codetta, there is an added repeat of the V7 to I perfect authentic cadence. This one extra repeat gives the listener a complete sense of closure and completeness. At the end of the final codetta, there are no further expectations, and the piece ends with a complete sense of resolution absent of ambiguity.

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Figure 7: Background Reduction

EEE G EEE

! ^3

5 !5

Bassbrechung

Â&#x2014;

B I

Figure 7 is a background reduction of the entire piece. Only the major structural events are displayed in this graph. The vertical dotted lines delineate the sections of the simple ternary form. To summarize the entire piece on a structurally deep level, ^3 (the head tone of the urlinie) and tonic harmony are prolonged through sections A and B until the arrival of the half cadence on V at end of section B, with an implied ^2 in the urlinie. In section B, tonic harmony is linearlized in the bass (Bassbrechung) by starting in A minor, modulating to C major, and ending on a half cadence on E major. At this point, there is an interruption in the urlinie, and it starts again on ^3 at the return of the A section. Tonic harmony and ^3 are prolonged once again until the final appearance of dominant harmony (V7), at measure 29, which supports ^2. The descent to ^1 immediately follows, with a perfect authentic cadence on tonic harmony. The text that accompanies the final moments of the piece is ostensibly paradoxical to the mood portrayed by the music. At the return of the A section, there is a euphonious feeling of tranquility, due to the shift back to the tonic, A major, after the dramatic B section in the parallel minor. Even further, in the B section, C natural is prolonged in the voice until the half cadence on V. At the return of the A section, the voice chromatically shifts to C# (the third of A major); this intensifies the feeling of sweetness. These perceived feelings that the listener may feel, however, do not reflect the degree of anguish and lament

expressed in the text, in which the wanderer states, “If only the third would set! I will feel better in the dark”. Perhaps, Schubert was creating this paradox of moods for a specific compositional purpose. Perhaps, the paradox of moods parallels or even compliments the paradox of the text itself, in which the wanderer proclaims that he would feel better in darkness, only if the third sun would set. It is at this point in the journey that the wanderer accepts the permanence of darkness and misery. The next song of the cycle, the final song, Der Leiermann, concludes the journey with the wanderer coming across an old hurdygurdy player with an empty beggar’s cup performing in complete isolation with no one around to listen. The wanderer admires the old man and has a revelation - that the desolation and melancholy of life can be sublimated in music. The song cycle ends with an invitation, as the wanderer asks, “Shall I go with you? Will you grind away on your hurdy-gurdy to my songs?”