JAVS Fall 1997

22

FIGURE 3· Britten's setting of the first strain of"IfMy Complaints" in the Introduction II I .. j I I I ~ - > > > > > v > • > c: y7+I ii 07N vii 07N y7+i iv

~

>

V 7/iv (=I)

.. ... -.1'-.:J- ~:d .

::J- -,1 .. ... .._, ::J-::J-~ :d·

::J- ..

Variation 1 is divided into two roughly equal parts. The first-which requires an almost bumpkinish rubato-consists of two phrases: the motivic derivation of the first of these is diagrammed in Figure 4 (top staff). A fragment of the second phrase of the Theme appears (with one note omitted), and the tonic and dominant harmonies that were combined in the harmonization of the Theme are juxtaposed at the end. The second phrase is a varied repeti tion, starting an octave higher. The piano echoes the last three viola notes of each of these phrases, harmonizing them to end in each case on the tonic harmony of C minor. The second, faster part begins with a dialogue-question and answer being passed from viola to piano based mostly upon motives x and x' in various versions (the first question and answer are shown in Figure 4, bottom staff). This part ends with roles reversed, the viola answering the piano; the final tonic harmony (with a Picardy third) is approached by way of the subdominant, just as in the Theme.

FIGURE 4- Motivic derivation of two phrases in Variation 1

ornamented repetition of ~ x' ---------~

(first note transposed one octave) ~~--x'----, i· ~ ~- ·#· . . . #• q.:&· ~- ·~- .

Mm.l-8

~)· #• • #• • • #• • • -~-

liB I·~~

• -~- •

L----------X' ________.J inverted (first note transposed one octave)

L________ y' ------.____]

L._ second phrase _j

fragment

inverted

retrograde of

retrograde of r---.--r------x'~

Mm. 19-22 (with anacrusis)

c____x inverted

c____x inverted

c____x retrograde

Variation 2 embeds the first strain of the Theme within a running patter of pizzicato six teenth notes (Figure 5). At first it seems to be in G minor, but A~ makes it plain that we have not left C minor. The first phrase of the Theme ends once on F#, the leading tone of the domi nant, and again on D#, an enharmonic spelling of the third of C minor. The second phrase of the Theme first appears in truncated form, once ending on B~, the leading tone of C minor, and once on G, its dominant. Its final, complete appearance returns to its original pitch level to end on C. In all but the penultimate cadence, the piano's one-chord response to this flurry of notes takes the last viola note as root; in that cadence, two chords appear, both of which harmonize the final viola note. The final cadence cannot seem to decide: should the viola's minor triad prevail, or the piano's Picardy third?