In my research, I stumbled upon an analysis essay written about 11 years ago by a doctoral candidate, Bonnie S. Jacobi. While Jacobi's analysis was very thorough, focused and informative, I found that we had different approaches to the piece. While she looked into the structure of the tone rows and hexachords within the piece--concerning herself mainly with just the music, I found myself compelled to pay more attention to the relationship between Stravinsky and Balanchine as well as the relationship between the dance and the music itself. Nevertheless, Jacobi's findings within the theory realm of this piece are in line with that of mine and I would like to include these in my blog as well as add to them. I will arrange this post in terms of subject matter of Jacobi's essay.
Meter/Metrical Patterns:
"As Balanchine strayed from the traditional French court dance style in his choreography, Stravinsky also created new paths in his musical score. One example is Stravinsky's selection of meter for the Bransles. Traditionally, the Bransle simple and the Bransle double were written in duple meter, while the Bransle gay was written in triple meter. In Agon,the Bransle simple is in duple meter as expected. However, the meter of the Bransle double fluctuates between triple and duple throughout the piece. Each time, the new meter is sustained for fewer measures."
Jacobi then goes on to analyze the Bransle gay and its meter...
"It is the Bransle gay in which Stravinsky most successfully departs from tradition to achieve his own style. While retaining the expected triple meter in the castanets throughout (3/8), Stravinsky juxtaposes this 3/8 meter with irregular subdivisions such as 7/16 and 5/16 meters in the harp, flute, bassoon, clarinet and strings. Metrically, these instruments are treated as a group, moving together in time against the ostinato of the castanets."
I feel that Stravinsky's choices in effect give the dance and dancers more character and more to work with--as I will discuss in later entries, Stravinsky's choices are well complimented by Balanchine's interpretive choreography and these Bransles (and their interesting meter and feel) are no exception.
Instrumentation and Concept:
It is said that the ballet has no "story" or "plot" yet their is a consistent feeling and theme of competition throughout the piece. Stravinsky displays this well in his choices of instrumentation generally representing the women with Woodwinds and the men with the brass.
Jacobi elaborates on this:
" For example, the Bransle gay, which is a movement written for a solo female dancer, does not contain any brass instruments but rather flutes, clarinet and bassoon."
And although there is a large contrast between the timbres of the two families of instruments, Jacobi reminds us (and I agree) that there is a certain "balance" maintained.
The tone rows/hexachords:
Jacobi focuses her "harmonic" analysis on the three Bransles, the Double Pas de Quarte, and the Coda (the former and latter being the most serial movements of the ballet). Jacobi gives us specific figurations of Tone rows to look at (including some derived from other theorists).
The First is the row of the Double Pas de Quarte:
It is interesting and important to note that the Double Pas de Quarte is NOT categorized as a serial movement-- Serial elements are involved and this tone row is implied very subtly.
The Second is the row of the Coda:
This row is fully developed and employed within this movement.
The Third is are the Hexachords that make up the structure of the Bransles:
The Fourth is the combination of H1 and H2 (not pictured) to make up the row for the Bransle Double:
Jacobi's thoughts on the Bransle Double and its structure and complexity:
"Not only is the Bransle double the most complex of the three movements, but it can also be viewed as a culmination of the three. Its complexity stems from extensive use of counterpoint, greater interaction between the instruments and an increase in the length of the movement. It is summative in that it includes both the duple and triple meter of the previous Bransles, it includes all of the instruments used in the Bransles up until this point (except the castanets) and all of the various permutations of H1 as well as the complete twelve-tone row, not to mention several rhythmic motives which were heard previously (such as the grace-note rhythm from the Bransle gay)."
I must be honest when I say that Hexachords weren't even on my mind when analyzing this piece--but now that they are the serialism of the Bransles' in particular makes a little more sense and I have a better approach for comprehension and understanding.
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