Conference Report: “Fifth International Schenker Symposium”

Abstract

is living motion of tones in nature-given space (Heinrich Schenker)(1)[1] Three intense days of theory, analysis, and history marked Fifth International Schenker Symposium, held at Mannes School of Music and The New School between March 15 and 17, 2013. As symposium revealed, field of Schenker studies not only provides a technical basis for understanding tonal music and an analytical approach to a broad range of musical repertoires; it also engages areas of musical scholarship such as analysis and performance, historical and cultural studies, contemporary theories of form, and sketch studies. To be sure, Fifth International Schenker Symposium attested to vitality of Schenker studies today.[2] Thirteen sessions took place over course of weekend-six were devoted to a specific composer or genre, four to strictly theoretical matters, two to history, and one to a special tribute-with a total of 34 presentations (the full conference program can be found in Appendix). The composer- and genre-oriented sessions included approaches to Brahms, Chopin, Schumann, modal/folk music, and music of Classical and Romantic eras.[3] Of these sessions, one devoted to Brahms deserves special mention, as all three speakers delivered superb presentations. Edward Klorman offered a perceptive analysis of second movement from Clarinet Sonata in F minor, op. 120, no.1. While constructing a possible derivation of ambiguous opening and comparing his reading to an unpublished analysis by Frank Samarotto, he went on to stress use of whole tone progressions and major third cycles in B section of movement, in contrast with Diatonie that prevails in flanking A sections. Klorman even gave a touch of extra-musical meaning to such symmetrical writing, suggesting a magical, almost heavenly, transformation during retransition from B section to A' section (measures 41-48). He observed, At precisely this moment, as major-thirds cycle begins, piano is untethered from its normal tessitura and floats up to its highest register, while clarinet stays below-again suggesting a glimpse of heaven, as viewed from earth-an image that accords wonderfully with 'suspension of tonal gravity' that Felix Salzer and Carl Schachter hear in such equal-intervallic cycles.(2)[4] Ryan McClelland, second speaker of session, discussed role of half-diminished seventh chord in three of Brahms's Lieder: Nachtigallen schwingen, op. 6, no. 6; Die Liebende schreibt, op. 47, no. 5; and Die Schale der Vergessenheit, op. 46, no. 3. Above all, he aimed to show structural potential of chord in these songs, and demonstrated how the initial half-diminished seventh is readily interpreted as an event belonging only to foreground, but in each case this striking launch is not without larger impact. The third and final speaker, Eric Wen, provided a deep reading of Adagio Mesto from Horn Trio in E-flat major, op. 40. Like Klorman, Wen not only probed depths of form and tonal structure through derived progressions and detailed graphs-particularly through a discussion of structural role of Phrygian II-he also offered a programmatic reading in connection with death of Brahms's mother in 1865.[5] Along with analytical papers, a number of scholars gave attention to technical issues in Schenkerian theory, including role of subdominant (Wayne Petty and Frank Samarotto), Quintteiler (Allen Cadwallader and David Gagne), sequence (Stephen Slottow), and various problems relating to linear progressions and reaching over (Peter Franck and Nicolas Meeus, respectively). One session was devoted to Schenker and contemporary theories of form, with contributions from William Marvin, Joyce Yip, and Peter Smith. Since resurgence of Formenlehre studies in 1990s (see Caplin 1998 and Hepokoski and Darcy 2006), scholars continue to produce ever-refined thinking around Schenkerian and formal approaches to tonal music; papers presented in this symposium are no exception. …