Sunday, November 4, 2007

Tristan und Isolde Analysis

OK...

The Motive at the begining repeats 3 times. m.1, then goes up a whole stepand does it again in m. 5 (pick up to). It happends a second time in measure 8, but is prolonged on the third note. I think just to give more of the "tension" feel to go along with his Tristen Chord. The third is followed by an echo in m. 12. After that there is a small transition from m. 14 to m.15.

After the first 16 measures, the main idea of the songs comes in in the middle of m. 17 (a-b-c) It is There that the main theme of the song apears. whole step- whole step- half step. This is the little three note pattern that keeps re occurring. The same three notes also have the same three rhythmic pattern. Eighth note- dotted eighth note- sixteenth note. This SAME PAttern occures COUNTLESS times through out the piece.

m. 37 - m. 41. is a transion into the key change from Am to c#m.

Also through out the song there is a motive that keep reoccuring. they are found in measures 35, 61, 62, 94, and a few more.

Im not exactly sure of the form, but i know where the sections are.Section 1: m.1 - m. 16. Section 2: m. 17-m. 43. Section 3: m. 45-m. 62. Section 4: m.63-m.85. Last section: m.86-END.

This piece is a WONDERFUL piece. I listend to it again and again, and was blessed evertime. I really like the first chord in m. 17. :)

Please give comment !!! this is just what i can see... there is so much more going on the the piece, I wish i had more time to really dive into it....

5 comments:

Ben said...

Hector, I agree with you on the first two motives. I'm aware that the piece begins in a minor, but perhaps the tonality has already changed even before mm. 37. For instance, mm.32-36 show signs of A Major with F#,G#, and C#. The C#m I'm unsure of.
I agree, the second motive is seen a lot more than the other motives and so I think it's fair to call it the "main idea". However, the rhythm you provided is not complete... check out motive #2 in the discussion on page 344. An augmented sixth drop completes this motive resembling "death". Don't see the motive you're talking about in mm.93, but I do see it in the other locations you provided.
Ending begins halfway through mm.85 (dim).
Where did you find the audio of this piece?
Nice work Mister. By the way, music sounded great Thursday night.

atty said...

Mister, I think you did a pretty good job of analysing this piece. I think you need to specify what the tristan chord is though, and where it is found. The first tristan chord is found in measure two, the half notes. According to an article i read the tristan chord is spelled F,B,D#,G# specifically, but it can also be any chord that is spelled from the bottom up: aug4th/Maj3rd/Perfect4th. Some places where the chord are found are in measures 2, 86, 102. To me the tristan chord seems just like a viio7th chord if you analyze the beginning of the prelude in Am, but it's hard to specify the key of this prelude at times

Kevin Strehlow said...

I agree with ryan, I think you did a good job mister. What do you mean by Tristan Chord Ryan? I like the catch on the little themes like in 35, there's another in 49-50. Im not sure, but the book kind of hints that some sections may be atonal. Maybe that's why we cant figure out the key in areas Ryan.

Ben said...

I take back my note about the second motive resembling "death" I was confusing it with the fourth motive, and in fact, the second motive resembles a "look or glance". The drop is not an augmented sixth, but a seventh.

François Sarhan said...

why don't you have a look on that :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_chord