- Library Home /
- Search Collections /
- Open Collections /
- Browse Collections /
- UBC Theses and Dissertations /
- Tonical ambiguity in three pieces by Sergei Prokofiev
Open Collections
UBC Theses and Dissertations
UBC Theses and Dissertations
Tonical ambiguity in three pieces by Sergei Prokofiev Stratkauskas, David Vincent Edwin
Abstract
There is much that is traditional in the compositional style of Sergei Prokofiev, invoking the stylistic spirit of the preceding two hundred years. One familiar element is the harmonic vocabulary, as evidenced by the frequent use of simple triadic sonorities, but these seemingly simple sonorities are frequently instilled with a sense of multiple meaning, and help to facilitate a tonal style which differs from the classical norm. In this style, the conditions of monotonality do not necessarily apply; there is often a sense of the coexistence of several "tonical" possibilities. An examination of three pieces shows varying applications of Prokofiev's ambiguous tonal style. In the Pensee, op. 62 no. 2, tonical ambiguity pervades the entire piece. In the "Promenade," op. 59 no. 1, an initial suggestion of monotonality leads to a state of multiple tonics. In the last movement of the Sonata for Violin and Piano, op. 80, areas of ambiguous tonal focus are, in a more traditional fashion, subservient to a strong overall tonic. Because Prokofiev does not employ a classical tonal style, traditional methods of analysis only provide a limited basis of understanding. In this thesis, Schoenberg's concepts of "fluctuating tonality," Peter Deane Roberts's ideas about "polymodality," and Richard Bass's "chromatic shadows" provide starting points for an examination of this music.
Item Metadata
Title |
Tonical ambiguity in three pieces by Sergei Prokofiev
|
Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
|
Date Issued |
1996
|
Description |
There is much that is traditional in the compositional style of Sergei Prokofiev,
invoking the stylistic spirit of the preceding two hundred years. One familiar element is the
harmonic vocabulary, as evidenced by the frequent use of simple triadic sonorities, but
these seemingly simple sonorities are frequently instilled with a sense of multiple meaning,
and help to facilitate a tonal style which differs from the classical norm. In this style, the
conditions of monotonality do not necessarily apply; there is often a sense of the
coexistence of several "tonical" possibilities. An examination of three pieces shows
varying applications of Prokofiev's ambiguous tonal style. In the Pensee, op. 62 no. 2,
tonical ambiguity pervades the entire piece. In the "Promenade," op. 59 no. 1, an initial
suggestion of monotonality leads to a state of multiple tonics. In the last movement of the
Sonata for Violin and Piano, op. 80, areas of ambiguous tonal focus are, in a more
traditional fashion, subservient to a strong overall tonic. Because Prokofiev does not
employ a classical tonal style, traditional methods of analysis only provide a limited basis
of understanding. In this thesis, Schoenberg's concepts of "fluctuating tonality," Peter
Deane Roberts's ideas about "polymodality," and Richard Bass's "chromatic shadows"
provide starting points for an examination of this music.
|
Extent |
3608158 bytes
|
Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
|
Language |
eng
|
Date Available |
2009-03-16
|
Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
|
Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
|
DOI |
10.14288/1.0087804
|
URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
|
Graduation Date |
1996-11
|
Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
|
Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.