Society for Music Theory

A Principle of Voice Leading in the Music of Stravinsky

Author(s): Joseph Straus
Source: Music Theory Spectrum, Vol. 4 (Spring, 1982), pp. 106-124
Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Society for Music Theory
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A Principle of Voice Leading
Music of Stravinsky
Joseph Straus
A significantbody of twentieth-centurymusic (by Stravinsky
and others) is organized aroundfunctionaltone-centersbut is
not tonal in the traditionalsense. The search for a comprehen-
sive and self-containedtheory of this music is one of the most
important tasks facing students and teachers of twentieth-
centurymusic. We need a theorywhich can accountnot only for
surfacestylistic featuresof this music but for its deep structural
organizationas well. To be successful, such a theory would
have to providea systematicand coherentview of pitch organi-
zationat all levels of structure.Specifically, the theorywe seek
mustaddresstwo principalquestions:First, whatis the natureof
the tone-centersin this music, the fundamentalsonoritiesoper-
ating at the backgroundlevel of structure?Second, what is the
means of progressionbetweenthese backgroundharmonies?In
other words, our theorymust considerboth harmonyand voice
leading.
This paper describes a prevalentfeatureof voice leading in
Stravinsky's music, one which I call "pattern-completion."
Accordingto this principle,a certainunorderedcollection or set
of notes (generally a tetrachord)is established as a structural
norm for the composition, pervadingthe surface of the music
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in the
(both melodic and harmonic)and governingthe tonal motion at
all levels of structure.Throughrepetition,this normativeunit
becomes so engrainedin the listener's consciousness that the
sounding of part of the patterncreates an expectation for the
completionof the pattern.In otherwords, when a normativeunit
of n elementshas been established,the appearanceof any subset
of that unit containingn-1 elements will create an expectation
for the single missing element. Further,this principle is also
valid for structurallyrelatedtones even if they are widely sepa-
rated in time.
The basic pattern for a certain composition might be the
tetrachordformed by the first four notes of the majorscale or
their inversion, a tetrachordlike ABC#Dor ABbCD.l Various
forms of this tetrachord-transposedor inverted-may appear
frequentlyas definablemelodic andharmonicunits. As a result,
the soundingof threenotes which might, with the additionof a
single note, createthattetrachord-type,will arousean expecta-
'This is tetrachord4-11 in Forte's nomenclature.(The Structureof Atonal
Music, New Haven:Yale UniversityPress, 1973). In this paper,this tetrachord
will be referredto as TetrachordA.
 Voice Leading in the Music of Stravinsky 107

tion for the missing note. Furthermore,the arrivalof the missing Example 1. Symphoniesof WindInstruments,5 mm. afterRehearsal1
note will bringwith it a sense of cadenceor of structuralarrival. (R1)
In the case of ourexample, the appearanceof the notes F, E, and
D would create the expectation of the arrivalof C since the C EbF G Ab = TetrachordA
alone is capable of completing an expected form of the norma-
tive unit. . J. I J LlI
By systematicuse of a single normativepatternat all levels of '[6 L J. .
I
structure,Stravinskyis able to achieve a high degreeof musical
coherence. By exploiting the need for completionof this single
unit, he is able to create directionality,cadential arrival, and, ).
bLL I t, -
ultimately, tonal centricity as well. Pattern-completionthus
consists of two fundamentalaspects: 1) establishmentof a single r r I r
T
r
collection-type or patternas the normativestructuralunit for a G Ab Bb C = TetrachordA
composition and 2) exploitationof the listener's desire for the
completion of that unit. ? Copyright1926 by EditionRusse de Musique. Copyrightassignedto Boosey
& Hawkes, Inc. Used by permission.
InSymphonies of Wind Instruments, pattern-completion is the
key to understandingthe musical organizationfrom melodic
motives to backgroundstructure.Like so many of Stravinsky's
compositions, Symphonies of Wind Instruments is highly sec-
tionalin its constructionwith distinctiveandcontrastingmusical of the same tetrachord(FPGAB)occurs on the downbeatof the
materialsstrikinglyjuxtaposed.Let us considerjust one distinc- second measure.
tive bit of musical material,the two-measuresegment shown in Althoughthe above examples consideronly a single motive,
Example 1. This motive occurs first at the startof the piece and the piece as a whole is similarly permeated with forms of
recurs, transformed,several other times. TetrachordA. Throughpervasive, explicit use, this tetrachord
As the example shows, the melody (set forthby the firstoboe) becomes the normativestructuralunit for the piece. This gives
consists of the notes Eb,F, G, andA. These fournotes comprise Stravinskythe power, throughpattern-completion,to directthe
a form of the tetrachordwhich I designatedabove as Tetrachord tonalmotiontowardspecific pitches, to createcadences, to form
A. At the melodic highpointof the phrase,the chordconsists of links between sections, and, ultimately, to unify the piece as a
the notes G, Ab, B1, and C, another version of the same tet- whole.
rachord,equivalent to the first by inversion. Let us see first of all how Stravinskyuses pattern-completion
Subsequentharmonizationsof the same melody make even to link the distinctsections of the piece. Frequently,throughout
more consistent vertical use of this tetrachord,as Example 2 one entire section of music, a prominentinstrumentalline will
shows. In Example2b, the melody in the firsttrombone(GABC use only threenotes of a tetrachord.The fourthnote, completing
= TetrachordA) is accompanieda sixth below by a parallelform the pattern,arrivesat the beginning of the subsequentsection.
of TetrachordA (BCDE) in the second trombone.A thirdform The music leadingto Rehearsal8 (R8) providesan illustrationof

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108 Music Theory Spectrum

Example 2a. One measure after R27

D E Ft G = TetrachordA Db Eb F Gb - TetrachordA

A
? Copyright1926 by EditionRusse de Musique. Copyrightassignedto Boosey
& Hawkes, Inc. Used by permission.

Example 2b. R11

EH!I I! -
Trps.,
pesante

_ GABC=
Tbns. ._ CD E

F G A B = TetrachordA

) Copyright1926 by EditionRusse de Musique. Copyrightassignedto Boosey

& Hawkes, Inc. Used by permission.

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 Voice Leadingin the Musicof Stravinsky 109

this procedure. This passage is one of the few substantially
revised by Stravinskyin preparingthe generally-known 1947
versionof this piece. In the original 1920 version, the accompa-
nying partsbetween R6 and R8 consist of generally chromatic
parallelmotion in the second and thirdflutes at the distanceof a
major seventh. The chromaticmotion ceases at the end of the
passagewhen the second flute statestwo formsof TetrachordA,
the second of which culminateson F as the subsequentsection
begins (Example 3).
Pattern-completionis even more prominently used in the
1947 edition. In the revised version of this passage (the last
measures of which are shown in Example 4), the melody re-
mains unchanged. The texture of the accompanimentis also
unchanged,with the second and thirdflutes moving in parallel
majorsevenths. The actual notes of the accompaniment,how-
ever, are substantiallyaltered.Withone briefexception, each of
the accompanyingflute parts in this passage now consists of
only three notes. In each partthe three notes form a trichordal
subset of TetrachordA and, in each part, the trichordis com-
pleted as the subsequentsection begins. In addition,the melody
at the end of the passage uses four notes--GI, Al, Bb, and
C--yet anotherform of TetrachordA. A clear sense of arrival
and connection is created by these pattern-completions.
In the same way, pattern-completionbringsaboutthe princi-
pal musical climax of the piece at Rehearsal54. At Rehearsal
51, the lowest sounding parts (bassoons 2 and 3 and tuba)
alternateBbandAK.Aftera briefinterruption,these partsresume
at Rehearsal52 with DI addedin bassoons 2 and3. The trichord
AK-Bb-DIis thus establishedandrapidlyrepeatedin these lowest
parts. The tension built up by repetitions of this trichordis

Example3. OnemeasurebeforeR8

(
a^jtj^-^, +r '"Q*? RT^
,
Lj SJ
e) -r %I, I I I

C D E F = TetrachordA

? Copyright1926 by EditionRusse de Musique. Copyrightassignedto Boosey

& Hawkes, Inc. Used by permission.

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 , . . -

110 MusicTheorySpectrum

Example 4

L
i4 _ , +s, ea 4) ,- ,
.l
Z o in =
Fl. fCLmf
DLoELn
-- I . I -i I I_ , I * J I- JI -
IDb a= )
EbEt
_- e _-
-:---- lift -- a;

''1 l I_ r - r L ' CDFLR = (

,,
?s1t i?64- f-k
F^ I. I - I I Li
rigdoice mRv,

? Copyright1926 by EditionRusse de Musique. Copyrightassignedto Boosey

& Hawkes, Inc. Revised version copyright 1952 by Boosey and Hawkes, Inc.
Used by permission.

released at Rehearsal 54, the climactic moment, when C is
introduced in the lowest parts, completing Tetrachord A. A
schematic reduction of these events is contained in Example 5.
Tetrachord A not only motivates the climax, but defines it as
well. At Rehearsal 54, the lower brass intruments state three
parallel forms of this tetrachord. The lowest of these, and the
most prominent, is the CDEF tetrachord stated by the tuba, third
trombone, fourth horn, and first and second bassoons. This is
accompanied by EFPGOAin the first and second trombones and
by CODOE#FP in the second and third trumpets. The completion of
Tetrachord A motivates the climax; saturation of the musical
surface with Tetrachord A defines the climax, as Example 5
shows.
So far we have considered only surface presentations of
Tetrachord A, as a melody or a chord or a line used to link
sections. Now let us see how pattern-completion can bring about
large-scale tonal coherence. For that purpose, let us turn again to
the motive we discussed earlier, shown as Example 1. Briefly,
the successive transpositions of this motive as the piece pro-
gresses create a sense of directed motion from F down to C, a
motion which spans the entire composition. Example 6 shows
the principal notes of the major occurrences of this motive in the
piece.
In its first occurrence at five after Rehearsal 1, the motive is
unambiguously centered on F: both the soprano and bass voices
begin and end on F. At one after Rehearsal 27, both outer
voices, particularly the bass, are centered on E. The motive is
stated again at Rehearsal 28, concluding this time with a bass
descent to D. Subsequent statements of this motive also focus on
E or D. Successive transpositions of this single motive thus
establish a large-scale bass descent from F through E to D.
Since Tetrachord A is the normative unit for this piece, these

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 Voice Leadingin the Musicof Stravinsky 111

Example5 rachordA, as Examples 1 and 2 show; the transpositionsof this

motive statea large-scaleformof the same tetrachord,culminat-
R51 R52 R54 Trump. 2,3 CCDfEgFg= (A) ing in the final chord of the piece.
^ - >_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
We have considered only the transpositionsof a single mo-
Q tt-f-? tive, butthis large-scalebass descentfromF to E to D andfinally
Tromb. 1,2 to C is confirmed by other compelling musical evidence. Ex-
EFtGCA =)
ample 7 shows the backgroundstructureof the piece with an
4):
11
intermediatearrival on C at Rehearsal 54 and the definitive
descent to C at the end of the piece.
Tuba, Bassoons2,3 Tuba, Tromb.3 EFGA )
= This backgroundstructureof a descendingfourthis not arbi-
4): l~t~;?A
trarilychosen. Rather, these notes present at the background
-= " _" I . { level a patternwhich pervadesthe piece at the surface level, a
CDEF= ) patternwe have been calling TetrachordA. The ultimatearrival
A BbCDb ( of pitch-class C completes the composing-out of this basic
pattern.In this way, the foregroundand backgroundstructures
of this piece are shown to be governed by a single musical
Example 6 principle:the principle of pattern-completion.
The pattern-completionmodel containsthe potentialfor con-
R1+3 R27+1 R28 structiveambiguity. In certaincases, a subset of the normative
patterncan be completedin eitherof two ways. If, for example,
the normativepatternis TetrachordA, the trichordCDE may be
completed by either F or B, since BCDE and CDEF are both
forms of TetrachordA. In some pieces, both of the expectations
arousedby an ambiguoussubset may be fulfilled, either simul-
taneously or at different times. The first scene of Les Noces
provides a clear example of the realizationof two expectations
aroused by the incomplete statementof the basic pattern.
threenotes are felt as incomplete;only the arrivalof pitch-class InLes Noces therecan be no doubtas to whatthe basic pattern
C will terminatethis bass motion by completing the expected is. In the first scene, and throughoutthe entire piece, melodic
formof TetrachordA. And pitch-classC is in fact attainedin the lines are generatedfrom reiterations,transpositions,and inver-
bass at the two most importantstructuralpointsin the piece, first sions of a single three-notecell first stated as BDE (set 3-7 in
at Rehearsal 54, the dramaticclimax of the piece (shown in Forte's nomenclature),which I will referto as TrichordA. This
Example5) andfinally in the last measure,as the bass note of the three-notecell is extraordinarilypervasive.A few exampleswill
final chord of the piece. The melodic motive we have been suffice here (Example 8).
discussing contains prominentsmall-scale statements of Tet- As in Symphonies of Wind Instruments, this pattern also

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112 Music Theory Spectrum
Example 7
RO R9 R26 R54 R57 R75
FEDC = TetrachordA
influences the backgroundharmonic structureand directs the
tonal motion throughpattern-completion.From the beginning
of the piece to Rehearsal9, the structurallysignificantbass notes
are D# and Bb, as Example 9 shows.
This pairof notes implies two possible continuationsin order
to complete the basic pattern.EitherCOor C will complete the
basic pattern, since both B'CD? and BbCWDI are forms of
TrichordA. Both of these possibilities are in fact realized.
The C arrives in the bass at Rehearsal 16 (and again at
Rehearsal17) at the dramaticclimax of the movement. At this
moment, the dynamicmarkingis fortissimoandthe textureis as
full as possible as the chorusand soloists must almost shout the
words, "Va, Va." At the end of the movement (before Re-
hearsal27), C#is attainedin the bass for the first time. The first
of the two implied notes is thus statedat the dramaticclimax of
the piece, the second at the end of the piece. The most important
structuralevents in the piece arethusbest understoodin termsof
pattern-completion.Example 10 summarizes these structural
motions.
There are striking points of similarity between pattern-
completion and serial theory, including the following:
1. Compositionalorganizationin both cases is governedby a
preconceivedpitch collection which may be abstractedfromthe
composition.Forserialcomposition,the governingcollection is
the tone-row; for pattern-completioncompositions, it is the
pattern.
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2. The desire to hear complete statementsof the normative
unit(the row or the pattern)is an importantelementof structural
articulation.In serialtheory, this is called aggregate-formation;
in pattern-completion,it is simply called completion.
3. The normative unit may be subjected to certain
transformations-transposition, inversion, retrograde,
rotation-without losing its identity.
The crucialdifferencebetween the two has to do with order-
ing. The normativeunit in pattern-completionis an unordered
collection. Stravinskymakeslittle or no distinctionwith respect
to the orderin which he presentsthe notes in the basic unit. The
three-note subsets of a four-note basic unit are felt as being
equally incomplete, equally in need of completion. In serial
composition, on the other hand, ordering is of fundamental
importance.The position occupied by a pitch-classin the tone-
row is the essence of its structuralrole in a serial work. A
particularsuccession of notes is precisely what defines a pitch
series.
With these similarities (and this one crucial difference) in
mind, a brief discussionof the final scenes of Agon may answer
some questions of stylistic consistency and inconsistency in
Stravinsky'smusic. If Agon (and other compositions from the
1950s) can be shown, despite their serial manifestations,to be
organized, like Symphoniesof WindInstruments,by means of
pattern-completion,a more unified view of Stravinsky'scom-
positional language may emerge.
Agon occupies a pivotal position in Stravinsky's stylistic
development, coming at a time of his growing interest in se-
rialism. He began work on it in 1953, soon after his "neo-
classical" style had reachedits apogee with The Rake's Prog-
ress. He interruptedwork on it in orderto compose In Memo-
riam Dylan Thomas (strictly serial with a five-note row) and
CanticumSacrum (incorporatingserial elements), returningto
 Voice Leadingin the Musicof Stravinsky 113

Example 8. Les Noces: Measures 1-4, R9, and last three mm.

MM. . 80.

Soprano B D E = Trichord A
Solo.
Ko -a - - b MO - R KO...
Tres - - se, tres- - se, ma

........r
: .............. H
C'
..............
.........
\'w~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)-:
PIANO.
a 2m. { (I I
^A
a
75 I 7--- --8 ' -t
sff sempre

= 120. -- - - -

C# E F# = A
hR -itp- n p -Prn^V V -
S. HeyraHb, He KJi4b_ Jie - 6e-nym - Ka, He KJHb {,BLOO
- jt
d

s. He K.wib, He KJHab_ J_e - 6e- aym - ca, He KHmib ni no - Atc

iv. Con-so - le toi, con - so-le toi, pe - tit oi seau, ne

HeKRlH1b, He KAHM'b -_ ne - te -a m - Ka, He KA'ib BILno - t

d i-. Con-so-le toi, on - so-le toi, 6e tit oi seau, ne

IItiJ sr r _ b)
ACD=
c4,i - a - - TO - Ba...
GAC =
Bleu corn- me__ mes yeux.
s..4e-T-b.LJ EGA=
fI
C)J - .I
j) r-H
- _
- cy, no - e - cy, Py - cy Ko- cy ,e - cy Hac - TiMmI rpe6neMb,pac- ie - cy.
peig-ne - ra
tresse on pei On la peig-ne - ra bien a - vec le peig-ne fin.
"
. I Tre ) ) U-_)
J)h J) ) ho b -t-

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114 Music Theory Spectrum

Example 9 after a lengthy serial section. Like other of Stravinsky's works

from the early 1950s, Agon can pose difficult problems to the
analyst who approaches it from the standpoint of orthodox serial
RO-R1 R1-R2 R2 R4 R5 R7
theory.3 The difficulties confronting serial analysis and, more
-9:r f tf :
If
important, the internal evidence of the music, suggest that the
central organizing principle of those parts of Agon which are
generally considered serial is in fact pattern-completion, which
may mimic in certain ways the appearance of twelve-tone se-
rialism.
Example 10 Tetrachord C (prime form: 0134) is the normative pattern for
Agon, particularly for the concluding quarter of the ballet (mm.
R16 R27 41 lff.) where it is extraordinarily pervasive.4 Let us consider
BbDO - C = TrichordA just the music between m. 520 and m. 561, which begins with
the only unambiguously serial passage in the entire concluding
b6rr; t
-' quarterof the ballet. Between m. 520 and m. 542, every note can
i I be accounted for as part of some row-form. Each row-form is
B1D1S- C = TrichordA stated one note at a time with almost no overlapping of forms.
The passage is thus strictly, almost naively serial (Example 11).
There are, however, numerous points of similarity between
this section and the non-serial sections which precede and fol-
low it. An imbrication of the tone-row (Example 12) shows how
and completing Agon in 1957.2 The opening of Agon, with its important a subset Tetrachord C is, or, to put it more accurately,
ostinati and short, reiterated melodic fragments, is stylistically such an imbrication shows the way in which the tone-row has
reminiscent of many earlier compositions. The latter parts of the been generated from overlapping forms of Tetrachord C. In
piece reflect Stravinsky's new compositional approach, incor- addition, the row is deployed in this section to isolate by means
porating serial procedures with varying degrees of strictness.
Agon's juxtaposition of two highly contrasting musical styles
raises a number of important theoretical and analytical ques-
3The following articlesand books show both the uses and the limitationsof
tions: In what sense isAgon a unified, coherent piece of music? serial analysis for Agon:
How are transitions made leading from one stylistic area to White, Stravinsky,pp. 449-56; David Ward-Steinmann,Serial Techniquesin
another? This last question is posed most forcefully by the the RecentMusic of Igor Stravinsky(DMA Dissertation,Universityof Illinois,
recapitulation of the opening material of the piece in mm. 561 ff. 1961);LawrenceMorton,"CurrentChronicle,"Musical Quarterly,43 (1957),
535-41.
4Thisis set 4-3 in Forte'snomenclature.The pervasive,controllinguse of this
tetrachordin this part of Agon has also been observed by Henri Pousseur in
2Eric Walter White, Stravinsky:The Composerand His Works (Berkeley: "StravinskyBy Way of Webern,"Perspectivesof New Music, 10(1972), 13-52
University of CaliforniaPress, 1966), p. 451. and 11 (1972), 112-45.

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 Voice Leadingin the Musicof Stravinsky 115

Example 11. Agon serial. From m. 542 on, the twelve-note units begin to dissolve
into smaller fragments, particularlyforms of TetrachordC. In
this context, four distinct musical lines lead to the chord in m.
The Row: C A Ab Cb Bb Di D F E E GbG
553, the arrivalof which is motivatedby pattern-completion,as
Example 14 shows.
Measure 520 523 526 529 531 534 536 539 541
Beginning in m. 549, the first trumpetstates the first eleven
Row Form pitches of RI7. The ninth, tenth, and eleventh pitches of this
Po RIo Io I0 R1o Po R1o RI7 17,RIo row-formare Gs, B, and Bb.The arrivalof G in the chordat m.
553 thus provides the twelfth and concluding element of a
row-formand completes a form of TetrachordC. Beginning in
the same place (m. 549), the second trumpetstates overlapping
forms of TetrachordC. The last three notes of this line (Bb, A,
Example12 and FO)also lead to G. The same mechanism is used in the
trombonesand stringsto lead to A and C which, along with G,
appearin the chord at m. 553. In m. 561, the recapitulationof
C A A \ C/ B \ D/ F \ E/ E G G the openingmusic of the balletbegins with a pentachordconsist-
ing of the chorddiscussed above (CEGA) with an F in the bass.
Like the notes of the CEGAchord,this F is presentedas boththe
last element in a row statement(Io)andthe completionof a form
of TetrachordC.
The entranceof the chord CEGA at m. 553 and the subse-
quententranceof the opening music of the ballet at m. 561 are
of registercertainforms of TetrachordC which arenot contigu- the most striking and dramatic musical events of the entire
ous elements in the row (Example 13).5 concluding quarterof Agon. The injection of these unexpected
At m. 553, a transitionto the diatonicopening materialof the elements into a contrasting musical context has a powerful
ballet begins with a statement(subsequentlyreiteratednumer- impact. As in Symphoniesof WindInstrumentsand countless
ous times) of the tetrachordCEGA (4-26). This chord, which is otherpieces by Stravinsky,the source of the dramastems from
of centralimportancein the diatonicopening music, has played the sharp,violentjuxtapositionof contrastingelements. InSym-
virtually no role in the serial and proto-serial music which phonies of WindInstruments,the disparatesections are linked
immediatelyprecedes it. How has the strikingintroductionof by pattern-completion,with the completingnote arrivingas the
this chord been prepared?In mm. 520-42, the music is strictly new section begins. The same is true of these two crucial
moments in Agon. The music of the recapitulationis different
from the music which precedes it, yet the two are powerfully
5Theuse of non-contiguouselementsof the row to formpitch-classsets which
are subsets of the row in the music of Schoenberg is a principaldiscovery of linked by pattern-completion.
MarthaMaclean Hyde in "The Roots of Form in Schoenberg's Sketches," The traditionalcritical view of Stravinskyduring the early
Journal of Music Theory, 24 (1980), 1-36. part of this century was that his music was antitheticalto the

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116 MusicTheorySpectrum

Example 13

?
A .4pcn-tPmnn 1 -

Viole .jp
I c'- - r
marc. ,p
620 pizz. 521 522 523 524
Violoncelli

I ma"rc.< t.t.j .r
--
Contrabassi
.piu.
I

6
Example 14

m. 549 550 551 552 553

? Copyright 1957 by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. Used by permission.

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serialismof Schoenbergandhis followers. Criticswho held that
view were naturally shocked when, later in his career,
Stravinskyadopted serial proceduresin his own music. More
recently, revisionist accountshave tried to show that the serial
music of Stravinskyactually behaves much like his pre-serial
music.6The theoryof pattern-completionattemptsto show that
the opposite is also true-that the pre-serialmusic of Stravinsky
actuallymakes use of organizationalprincipleswhich are not at
all far removed from the principles of serial composition. If
Stravinsky, throughout his career, was preoccupied by the
quasiserialmanipulationof certain normativepatternsand de-
termined pitch selection and structureon the basis of those
manipulations,then his adoptionof twelve-tone serialismneed
no longer be viewed as a dramatic stylistic change. On the
contrary,Stravinsky'sserial compositions, like his earliermu-
sic, are seen to express certaincommon organizationalproce-
dures referredto here as pattern-completion.
Let us turnnow to the Symphonyin C, concentratingon the
exposition of the first movement. This movement is clearly
modeled on a traditionalsonata-allegroform. It is in threelarge
sections: an exposition which contains two contrasting
subsections,a development,anda recapitulationwith coda. The
essence of the major-keysonata-allegroform, however, lies not
in its proportionsor thematic manipulations, but in its tonal
relations, specifically in the polarityof tonic anddominant.But
since this tonic-dominantpolarity,andtraditionaltonalrelations
in general, are mere vestiges in Stravinsky'smusic, a new tonal
logic gives new meaningto the old forms. InSymphonyin C, the
tonal logic springsfrom a tension between a triadon C and one
on E. These two triads compete for priority throughoutthe
piece; in fact, this entire movement may be seen as an expres-
sion of the polarity of the triad on C and the triad on E.
6See, for example, MartinBoykan, "Neoclassicism and Late Stravinsky,"
Perspectives of New Music, 1 (1963), 155-69.
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Voice Leadingin the Musicof Stravinsky 117
The implicationsof organizinga large movement on such a
tonal polarityare too numerousto discuss here. What concerns
us immediatelyis the question of large-scale voice leading. In
otherwords, given thatthereis a fundamentalpolaritybetweenC
and E in this piece, how is that polaritygiven expressionin the
music? How is it composed-out?Ratherthan showing the nu-
merousand prominentsurfacepresentationsof TetrachordA, I
will simply assertthat it is the basic patternfor this movement.
Using thatpattern,Stravinskyexpresses the polarityof C and E
by means of pattern-completion.
The first partof the exposition is orientedtowardpitch-class
C. The music of the first theme is shown as Example 15. The
tonal orientationof this passage is not entirely unambiguous.
The accompanimentconsists of only two notes, E and G. The
melody assures that this passage is oriented somewhat more
toward C than toward E. Nevertheless, a certain tension be-
tween C and E remains here as it does throughoutthe entire
introductionand first theme area.
A traditionalsonata-allegroexposition juxtaposes two con-
trastingtonal areas. Symphonyin C does so as well, although
herethe choice of a secondaryareais dictatedby the logic of the
C-E polaritycomposed-outby pattern-completion.The second
area centers on the F majortriad. The music is virtually static
around this triad until near the end of the exposition. The
principaltonal motion of the exposition is thus from C to F, an
intervalwhich has powerfulharmonicand voice-leading impli-
cations.
There is one significantharmonicarea which intervenesbe-
tween the C and the F, an area orientedtoward pitch-class D.
The D is particularlyprominent in the transitional passage
leading to the F-centeredsecond theme. From m. 74 to m. 93,
the music is dominatedby a figure derived from the opening
motive andfeaturinga pedalon D. Partof this figureis shown in
Example 16.
This passage might appearto be a prolongationof the domi-
nant of G major or minor and it does occur at a place in the
 _ .

118 MusicTheorySpectrum

Example 15. Symphony in C

Ob I -

Viol:I
.S ^ t |
^ .
.,f
-. .' .I .- Li L j
.V
... ,l . .I .

Viole . ?

Cb ..'
{-. rv - - -' - - : F
Vcl __ _ 4. _ _ . __$ ____ My y ,. _Z.
Cb
~ lp~-~
~ '~ - ~ ~ ' ~

Example 16. Measure 83ff.

[17
'V,ioI I I i i fff-f

f
do 1' Xd

i-s
un} di>-P -

:~_ - ' --- ry .~-~ - ,,~ ,~ ~~

? Schott& Co. Ltd., London 1948. Copyrightrenewed. Used by permissionof

EuropeanAmericanMusic DistributorsCorporation,sole U.S. agentfor Schott
& Co. Ltd.

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 Voice Leading in the Music of Stravinsky 119

movement where V of V would be expected in a traditional Example17

sonata form. The harmonic logic of Stravinsky's exposition,
however, has little to do with traditionaltonal relations;this D
leads to F not to G. The large scale harmonic motion of the
exposition up to and includingthe second theme group is sum- m.26 m.75 m.98
I
marized in Example 17.
In accordancewith the logic of pattern-completion,the tonal
v_' t- r
motion has thus been directedtowardE. With TetrachordA as
the normativestructuralunit, the C, D, andF shown in Example
17 must be completedby the arrivalof E, since CDEF is a form
of the basic tetrachord.We arethus led to expect the arrivalof E
and, ultimately, the exposition does end solidly and unambigu-
ously on E. The structureof the entireexposition is summarized
in Example 18. Example 18
The arrival on E thus both completes the basic patternand
affirms the central duality of C and E. The exposition begins
orientedtowardC. Pattern-completionthen directs the motion mm. 26 75 98 145
forwardto E.
As a final example, let us considerthe opera-oratorioOedipus
Rex. Despite the greatlengthandcomplexityof this work, many C >E
of its most significant cadences and arrivalscan be explained
with referenceto the establishmentand completion of a single
pattern. The basic patternfor Oedipus Rex is trichord3-3 in
Forte's nomenclaturewith a prime form of 014. This trichord
will be referredto here as TrichordB.
The opening chorus is particularlyrich in occurrences of
TrichordB both at the middlegroundand foregroundlevels. At Example 19. Oedipus Rex
the outset of the piece, the tonal center is clearly BK.In the
middle of the opening chorus there is a strong cadence on D'
and, at the end of the opening chorus, the music returnsto Bb. RO R9+2 R10+4 R16-2
There is one additionalstrongcadence duringthe opening cho-
rus, on pitch-classA. The structureof the openingchorusis thus
:9 b bTrichord
a composing-outof the basic pattern,TrichordB, as Example19
TrichordB
shows.
The influence of the basic patterncan be felt in the details of

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120 MusicTheorySpectrum
the opening chorus as well. The trills which embellish the
opening chordsof the piece, for example, are not merely deco-
rative. Rather, they create four different forms of the basic
patternwhich would not be presentin their absence. The basic
patternis embeddedin each of the chords. In Example 20, the
top line of the lower system shows the notes of each chordon a
single staff. The lower line shows the embeddedsubsetformsof
the basic pattern. TrichordB is, in fact, the only three-note
subset common to all of these chords.
As a final small-scale instance of TrichordB in the opening
chorus, considerthe music at threebefore Rehearsal21, shown
in Example21. Here, the chorusimploresOedipusfor the final
time to rid Thebes of the plague. They call three times for his
aid, andeach time, the melody consists of threenotes, E, F, and
D1,which constitutea formof the basicpattern.The influenceof
the basic patternis thus felt in every dimension of the opening
chorus: melodically (see Example 21); harmonically, in the
opening chords (see Example 20); and at the level of structural
motion (see Example 19).
As in Symphoniesof WindInstrumentsandAgon, the basic
patternin Oedipus Rex is used to connect disparatemusical
sections. The transitionfromOedipus'solo, "Sphynga Solvi,"
to the chorus which follows at Rehearsal 61 (after a brief
interruptionby the Speaker)is broughtabout in the following
way. A structuralC in the bass at three measures before Re-
hearsal 56 initiates a long bass descent arrivingon E1 at Re-
hearsal58. The Ebis sustaineduntilthe end of Oedipus'ariaand
throughthe brief choral utteranceand spoken monologue just
after it. At Rehearsal61, the chorusbegins on B, completinga
form of the basic pattern, as Example 22 shows.
The patternis also used to directthe tonalmotionof the entire
operathroughpattern-completion.Considerthe principaloccur-
rences of the so-called Fate Motif-the repeated minor
thirds-which occurs first at Rehearsal 2.7 In its first occur-
7Accordingto RobertCraftand Vera Stravinsky(Stravinskyin Pictures and
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rence, Bb is in the bass. The motive comes back toward the
middle of the piece transposedso thatBOratherthanBbis in the
bass. The dyad Bb-BW formed by these bass notes is an incom-
plete statementof the basic pattern.Eitherof two notes, D or G,
could serve to completethe basic patternsince bothB-Bb-Dand
B-Bb-Gareexamplesof it. In fact, bothof these implicationsare
realized in Oedipus. The G is the tonal center upon which the
piece ends. At the end of the piece, the Fate Motif comes back,
this time with G as the bass note. The transpositionsof the Fate
Motif thus outline a form of the basic pattern. Or, to put it
anotherway, this patternformsthe structuralbackgroundof the
piece, as shown in Example 23.
But the D which, like the G, was implied by the first two
occurrencesof the Fate Motif also arrives. The D arrivesat a
momentof tremendousdramaticand structuralimportance,the
momentof revelationwhen Oedipusrealizeswho he is and what
he has done. This passage (shown in Example 24) seems to
hover at first between B and D, then finally, at the end of the
passage, descends decisively to D. In this way, the dyad Bb-B
thus points aheadboth to the conclusion of the entireopera(on
G) and to the climactic dramaticmoment (on D). Example 25
summarizesthese large-scale motions.
Furthermore,it is not too far-fetchedto suggest that these
large-scale structuralarrivals have a dramatic as well as a
musical significance. The statementof Bb and B initiates an
inexorable motion first toward D and then toward G. These
arrivalssymbolize both the irresistiblefate that has Oedipus in
its graspandthe knowledgewhich comes with his acceptanceof
that fate. The most significant structuralmotions of this im-
mense work can thus be encompassed and understood in a
simple and direct way, namely the establishmentand comple-
tion of a single basic pattern.
Documents, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978, p. 264) the music at one
measureafter Rehearsal2 where the motive first appearswas the first musical
notationStravinskymade when he began work on Oedipus Rex.
 Voice Leading in the Music of Stravinsky 121

Example 20

The OpeningMusic
^ I . f
I.
Kae - - - dit nos pe -

l?
-ibbti I
8---
'Z

(S5 7~~~~- ~5 b8a ba - -

HarmonicReduction

MotivicSubsets (forms of TrichordB)

b bbb, 4A WV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
t;O

? Copyright 1927 by Edition Russe de Musique;renewed 1952

? Copyrightand renewalassigned to Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. Revised version
? 1949, 1950 by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.; renewed 1976, 1978. Used by
permission.

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122 Music Theory Spectrum

Example 21. Three measures before R 21

E F Dbt = Trichord B

!N ~'r-' r i-t-r' rr
rva -rva
nos, se nos!
se vsse
a8 I. nos, s ae 1.

liWbUbba~
~ ~j.e; . ,. ..

^ ^i ^ ---I ___ ' _ I

Example 22 Example 23

R56-3 R58 R61 R2 R61 R201

.1:-.k_g
, b.
I 1 T i "r
CE6B = TrichordB

? Copyright 1927 by Edition Russe de Musique;renewed 1952

? Copyrightand renewalassigned to Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. Revised version
? 1949, 1950 by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.; renewed 1976, 1978. Used by
permission.

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 Voice Leading in the Music of Stravinsky 123

Example 24

,.~
Flr-lrJ (exit)
(Ed.

Lux fa cta e st!

r ~r--r
- 1

) H&
PP

V J%J LJ..J H14-

8 b........

Example 25

R2 R61 R169 end

BbBD = TrichordB
I 1 > I
:): J J1 J
I 'l r
BbBG = Trichord B

? Copyright 1927 by Edition Russe de Musique;renewed 1952

? Copyrightand renewal assignedto Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. Revised version
? 1949, 1950 by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.; renewed 1976, 1978. Used by
permission.

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124 MusicTheorySpectrum

The analyses undertakenin this paper suggest that pattern- traditionalsense-it might form partof thatnew theoryfor this
completion is a consistentorganizingprinciplein Stravinsky's music which we all seek.
music. Whetherthe piece is "impressionistic"(Symphoniesof
WindInstruments), "neo-classical" (Symphonyin C), "Rus-
sian" (Les Noces), or "proto-serial" (Agon), the same princi-
ples apply:pervasiveuse of a normativepatternandexploitation
of the desirefor completestatementsof thatpattern.Irrespective
of the apparentstyle of the piece, pattern-completionshapesthe
voice leading. This sub-surfacesimilarityis achievedin partby
Stravinsky'srestrictinghimself to a small repertoireof sets to
use as basic pattern. Furthermore,the sets he does use are
protean in characterin that they can be used in a variety of
harmoniccontexts. TetrachordC (4-3), for example, is a subset
of both the octatoniccollection (frequentlyused by Stravinsky)
and of one of the tone-rows in Agon. TetrachordA (4-11) is a
subset of both the majorscale and of variousfolk-like melodies
used by Stravinsky.The deploymentof this small repertoireof
proteansets in a consistent way is a majorunifying threadin a
compositionaloeuvre disparatein so many other ways.
Perhapseven moreimportant,pattern-completiondepicts the
close relationbetween the musical foregroundand background
in Stravinsky'smusic. The ostinati and repeatedmelodic frag-
ments so characteristicof Stravinskycan now be relatedin an
organicway to the structureof the music. Thatis, patternswhich
are stated as chords or ostinati or recurringmelodic fragments
are then seen to be composed-out over large spans. In some
cases, as we have seen, the composing-outof the basic pattern
can span an entire composition.
Pattern-completionis whatappearsto be a consistentlyuseful
tool for describingboth small- and large-scale voice leading. It
is perhapsStravinsky'smost significanttechniquefor forming
cadences, directingtonal motion, and articulatingstructure.If
pattern-completionproves to be of use in analyzing an even
broader spectrum of twentieth-centurymusic-that which is
organizedaroundfunctionaltone centers but is not tonal in the

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