Description
Book SynopsisWith their insistence that form is a dialectical process in the music of Beethoven, Theodor Adorno and Carl Dahlhaus emerge as the guardians of a long-standing critical tradition in which Hegelian concepts have been brought to bear on the question of musical form. Janet Schmalfeldt''s ground-breaking account of the development of this Beethoven-Hegelian tradition restores to the term form some of its philosophical associations in the early nineteenth century, when profound cultural changes were yielding new relationships between composers and their listeners, and when music itself-in particular, instrumental music-became a topic for renewed philosophical investigation. Precedents for Adorno''s and Dahlhaus''s concept of form as process arise in the Athenäum Fragments of Friedrich Schlegel and in the Encyclopaedia Logic of Hegel. The metaphor common to all these sources is the notion of becoming; it is the idea of form coming into being that this study explores in respect to music by Be
Trade ReviewWinner of the Wallace Berry Award, Society for Music Theory Winner, ASCAP Deems Taylor Award
It is hard to imagine a more generously inclusive approach to the various doings of composers, performers, analysts, and music-minded philosophers. Vivid strands of modern musical thought are brilliantly reflected and refracted throughout Janet Schmalfeldt's much awaited book. Upon reaching her moving final chapter, we realize that In the Process of Becoming has from the outset enacted a gratifying homecoming for both its subjects and its readers."-Scott Burnham, Princeton University
What stands out for me in reading Janet Schmalfeldt's In the Process of Becoming is the pleasure of experiencing canonic piece after canonic piece through the exceptionally insightful and musical mind of a seasoned musician - one who has lived with, pondered, taught, and in many cases, played these pieces for years."-Patrick McCreless, Yale University
Will make for a rewarding study, and one that brings us into intimate contact with the many wonders of nineteenth-century musical form and its expressive powers. * Society of Music Theory *
Schmalfeldt's book is a glorious example of how to write animated analytical prose...the range of topics throughout the book is a profound statement about how early nineteenth-century music continues to ignite far-reaching questions in music theory. * Music Theory Spectrum *
Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 Introduction: The Idea of Musical Form as Process Chapter 2 The Beethoven-Hegelian Tradition and the "Tempest" Sonata - Formation of the Tradition - Dahlhaus and the "Tempest" Sonata - Post-Dahlhausian Critiques - The question of a secondary theme - Introduction or main theme - ST2 and the final cadence of the exposition Chapter 3 The Processual Legacy of the Late Eighteenth Century - Haydn-String Quartet in C Major, Op. 33, No. 3 (Hob. III:39), first movement - Haydn-Piano Trio in C Major (Hob. XV:27), finale - Clementi-Piano Sonata in F Minor, Op. 13, No. 6, first movement - Mozart-Le nozze di Figaro, Act I, No. 7, Trio in B-flat Chapter 4 Beethoven's "Bridgetower" Sonata, Op. 47 Chapter 5 On Performance, Analysis, and Schubert - Schubert-Piano Sonata in A Minor, Op. 42, D. 845 Chapter 6 Music that Turns Inward: New Roles for Interior Movements and Secondary Themes - Schubert-Allegro in A Minor for Four Hands, "Lebensstürme," D. 947 - Schubert-Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 100, D. 929 Chapter 7 Mendelssohn the "Mozartean" - String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 13: opening of the finale - The Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 49, first movement: opening of the exposition - The Octet, Op. 20 - The finale - The opening of the first movement - More on Mendelssohn's codas: Overture to Midsummer Night's Dream and the Scherzo of the D-minor Piano Trio Chapter 8 sed non eodem modo: Chopin's Ascending-Thirds Progression and his Cello Sonata, Op. 65 - Overview with respect to Chopin's genres - First movement of the Cello Sonata: Allegro moderato -Third movement of the Cello Sonata: Largo Chapter 9 Coming Home - Robert Schumann-"Mondnacht," from Liederkreis, Op. 39 - Robert Schumann-"Widmung," from Myrthen, Op. 25 - Clara Schumann-"Die stille Lotosblume," Op. 13, No. 6 - Robert Schumann-Arabeske, Op. 18 - Robert Schumann-Fantasie, Op. 17 Notes Bibliography Index
