Kelly HalpinMusic History 242
→ These are the selected excerpts which will be highlighted and performed by the string quartet. The purpose of each excerpt is mentioned both in the formal essay and as a brief description of the music here.
1) Joseph Haydn, Quartet in C Major, OP. 76, No. 3 “Emperor,” mvmt 1● Excerpt #1: Galant style melody in first violin, with light accompaniment in the other
three voices.
● Excerpt #2: Embedded Phrase Model in Theme 1 presenting the functional IV-V-I chord
progression in tonic.
● Excerpt #3: New sub-theme in E-flat Major, the flat three chord of the tonic.
● Excerpt #4: Folk-like variation of opening with pedal E/B fifths in cello line.
2) Claude Debussy, String Quartet in G minor, Op.1, mvmt. 1
● Excerpt #5: Opening melody in G Phygian mode, featuring an arabesque-like triplet rhythm that leads to the following downbeat in the first violin. The first two bars also, are in unison.
● Excerpt #6: Chromatic sixteenth notes accompanying an ethereal melody that is passed
from violin one to cello.
Bela Bartok, String Quartet No. 4, mvmt 1
● Excerpt #7: Germ-motif beginning in cello and expanded and extracted throughout the development.
● Excerpt #8: Sixteenth notes in octatonic scales, reminiscent of harmonies and rhythmic
patterns utilized by Debussy.
