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The Meaning(s) of "Without": An Exploration of Liszt's Bagatelle ohne Tonart

The Meaning(s) of "Without": An Exploration of Liszt's Bagatelle ohne Tonart In this essay, I explore historical and theoretical issues germane to an understanding of an 1885 piano composition with an intriguing title: Liszt�s Bagatelle ohne Tonart --a bagatelle "without tonality" or "without a key." After briefly describing the work�s history and musical associations with other compositions by Liszt, I survey two present-day approaches that reveal ways in which the work defies tonality: octatonic interpretations via set-class examinations, and Schenker-influenced prolongational models. I then turn to focus instead on how the Bagatelle fit within the framework of nineteenth-century musical thought; how its processes were supported by contemporaneously evolving theories of chromaticism. Partly through an analysis based on the practice of Gottfried Weber (1779-1839), I demonstrate that the Bagatelle is not a piece "without tonality" as much as it is one "without the fulfillment of the tonic." It maintains harmonic tension by avoiding anticipated resolutions, as well as by preserving a sense of ambiguity as to what the actual "missing" key is. Next, I consider why Liszt was prompted to write a piece in such a manner. We know that he was a proponent of musical progress--of Zukunftsmusik ("music of the future")--but for this fact to be relevant we must confirm, first, that Liszt had definite ideas about a Zukunftsharmoniesystem; and second, that such a system is reflected in the processes exhibited by the Bagatelle. I argue that the Bagatelle�s traits are indeed in accordance with theoretical views about music�s future direction, to which Liszt subscribed. Relevant theories of Karl Friedrich Weitzmann (1808-80) and Fran�ois-Joseph F�tis (1784-1871) are assessed. Lastly, in a "Schoenbergian epilogue" I explore connections between Liszt�s operations and Schoenberg�s ideas, addressing historical associations that conjoin their views of composing "ohne Tonart." I conclude that the 1885 Bagatelle�s attenuation of tonality was part of a tradition that extended from the mid-nineteenth into the early twentieth century--one that stretched from Liszt and his contemporaries through Schoenberg and his pupils and beyond, embracing along the way the theoretical prescriptions of Weitzmann, F�tis, and Schoenberg himself. The various threads of theory and analysis explored in this article contribute to an understanding of the same strand of musical evolution: the increasing circumvention of tonality to the point that a piece could be written "ohne Tonart." http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png 19th-Century Music University of California Press

The Meaning(s) of "Without": An Exploration of Liszt's Bagatelle ohne Tonart

Berry, David
19th-Century Music , Volume 27 (3) – Apr 1, 2004
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References (9)

Publisher
University of California Press
Copyright
Copyright © by the University of California Press
ISSN
0148-2076
eISSN
1533-8606
DOI
10.1525/ncm.2004.27.3.230
Publisher site
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Abstract

In this essay, I explore historical and theoretical issues germane to an understanding of an 1885 piano composition with an intriguing title: Liszt�s Bagatelle ohne Tonart --a bagatelle "without tonality" or "without a key." After briefly describing the work�s history and musical associations with other compositions by Liszt, I survey two present-day approaches that reveal ways in which the work defies tonality: octatonic interpretations via set-class examinations, and Schenker-influenced prolongational models. I then turn to focus instead on how the Bagatelle fit within the framework of nineteenth-century musical thought; how its processes were supported by contemporaneously evolving theories of chromaticism. Partly through an analysis based on the practice of Gottfried Weber (1779-1839), I demonstrate that the Bagatelle is not a piece "without tonality" as much as it is one "without the fulfillment of the tonic." It maintains harmonic tension by avoiding anticipated resolutions, as well as by preserving a sense of ambiguity as to what the actual "missing" key is. Next, I consider why Liszt was prompted to write a piece in such a manner. We know that he was a proponent of musical progress--of Zukunftsmusik ("music of the future")--but for this fact to be relevant we must confirm, first, that Liszt had definite ideas about a Zukunftsharmoniesystem; and second, that such a system is reflected in the processes exhibited by the Bagatelle. I argue that the Bagatelle�s traits are indeed in accordance with theoretical views about music�s future direction, to which Liszt subscribed. Relevant theories of Karl Friedrich Weitzmann (1808-80) and Fran�ois-Joseph F�tis (1784-1871) are assessed. Lastly, in a "Schoenbergian epilogue" I explore connections between Liszt�s operations and Schoenberg�s ideas, addressing historical associations that conjoin their views of composing "ohne Tonart." I conclude that the 1885 Bagatelle�s attenuation of tonality was part of a tradition that extended from the mid-nineteenth into the early twentieth century--one that stretched from Liszt and his contemporaries through Schoenberg and his pupils and beyond, embracing along the way the theoretical prescriptions of Weitzmann, F�tis, and Schoenberg himself. The various threads of theory and analysis explored in this article contribute to an understanding of the same strand of musical evolution: the increasing circumvention of tonality to the point that a piece could be written "ohne Tonart."

Journal

19th-Century Music – University of California Press

Published: Apr 1, 2004

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