Aggregates and Quasi-Aggregates: A Study of Dodecaphony in Schnittke’s Music

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Abstract After practicing Schoenbergian dodecaphony for a short period of time, Alfred Schnittke began to employ the pitch-class aggregate in a free and personal way. In his music, aggregates occur melodically, harmonically, and in a combination of the two, and are often unrelated by traditional row transformations. While Schnittke’s approach to the aggregate changes throughout his oeuvre, three features remain consistent: symmetry, chromatic motions, and diatonic/tertian elements. In addition to an in-depth study of these properties, the uses of interval classes 1, 2, 3, and 5 will be examined in relation to the three features. Moreover, the concept of quasi-aggregates will be studied in relation to complete aggregates. The examples in this article were chosen from analyses of 100 passages taken from 54 works in all genres, spanning over 30 years of Schnittke’s mature oeuvre. Finally, an analysis of the first movement of the Piano Sonata No. 1 will examine aggregates in a broader context.