Review of Heather Platt and Peter H. Smith, eds.,Expressive Intersections in Brahms: Essays in Analysis and Meaning(Indiana University Press, 2012)

Abstract

[1] Expressive Intersections in Brahms: Essays in Analysis and Meaning, edited by Heather Platt and Peter H. Smith, is a thought-provoking collection of essays. According editors, book concentrates on elucidating interactions between structure and expression; in their words, musico-dramatic associations that, on one hand, grow out of illuminating abundant compositional craft. . .without losing sight of music's sensual beauty, and, on other, of considering how engage a musical language that, while not strictly referential, nevertheless possesses deep (3). The essays address this interaction between structure and meaning through close readings that intertwine technical analysis with hermeneutic interpretation. The hermeneutic layer is not understood as directly programmatic, apart from some instances of vocal music; rather, authors address expression and musical drama at a more general level.[2] The book divides into three parts: first is introductory, second discusses vocal music, and third instrumental music. The essays also feature other organizing principles that overlap with this division, such as methodology (several of essays apply Schenkerian analysis, for example) or genre (e.g., large-scale works vs. miniatures). As expression is book's main theme, alongside structural analysis, I will organize this review around individual essays' approach expression. In addition, I will briefly comment on technical features of music under discussion, demonstrate how each writer sees structure as a foundation for music's expressive effect. Many contributions include considerations of several expressive layers, but, owing space limitations, I mainly concentrate on only one for each essay.[3] In addition structural analysis and expressive interpretation, there is a third layer that unifies all essays, namely, historical contextualization: each essay situates work or works it analyzes in a historical context. The authors combine modern analytical tools with views and perspectives derived from Brahms's time (or earlier periods), hence attempting overcome distinction described by Thomas Christensen (1993), between the presentist's myopia (11-19), where music of past is studied in light of modern norms and methodologies only, and the historicist's naivety (19-26) where any historical object is studied solely in terms of its own time.[4] In several essays such a historical context functions as a starting point for expressive and structural interpretations. The coexistence of modern analytical methodology and emphasis on historical context is clearly evident in James Hepokoski's essay on opening movement of Piano Concerto in D minor, op. 15, no. 1. Hepokoski applies his idea of dialogic form elucidate how Brahms intended Piano Concerto's first movement to 'make sense' within contexts of its cultural traditions (220).(1) This dialogue between work and its generic conventions largely provides foundation for Hepokoski's interpretation of its musical expression. He argues that movement is a proclamation of solidarity with Beethovenian concerto tradition (221)-and that Brahms chose disregard, at least some extent, concerto conventions of mid-nineteenth century and instead follow those of earlier generation.[5] Hepokoski applies principles of his and Warren Darcy's Sonata Theory (Hepokoski & Darcy 2006), using, in particular, terminology associated with Type 5 sonata, Mozartean concerto form. One of intriguing aspects of Hepokoski's essay is see how he applies Sonata Theory in an analysis of an extended instrumental work, rather than in discussions of shorter musical excerpts as in Hepokoski and Darcy (2006). At times his application of apparatus of Sonata Theory seems quite free. To take but one example, I will consider his reading of medial caesura (MC) and ensuing onset of secondary-theme zone (S) in opening ritornello (a reading that affects interpretation of movement's later sections as well). …