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equally to the provinces of programme music and dance forms, in both
of which connexions it will be referred to later.
* * *
Mendelssohn's Rondo capriccio in E minor, op. 14, a presto
movement with a longish andante introduction in the tonic major, is free
in construction and light-footed in style as are the scherzos of his sonatas. Chopin's three rondos, which are also irregular in the organization of
their component sections, make an entirely different impression owing to
their all-pervading dance-rhythms. The first in C major, op. 1 (1825) and
the third in E flat major, op. 16 (1832) are both in duple time, but the latter is preceded by a long introduction in quadruple time. The second.
Rondo a la Mazur in F major, op. 5 (1826), written in the triple time native to the mazurka, resembles the Rondo in E flat in its construction in
two long panels with a final statement of the refrain and a coda. At the
same time, it displays stylistic features that differentiate it sharply from
both its fellows. The wistful theme of the refrain in the Lydian mode
(with the sharpened fourth degree of the scale) is woven surreptitiously,
though unmistakably, into the texture several times by the left hand. Insistence upon the distinctively modal flavour of the musical material,
and the constant repetition of short thematic figures, which is also a
characteristic of Polish lolk music, emphasize the romantically national
style of the piece and prove the strength of the sixteen-year-old composer’s affection for the folk-idiom of his homeland.
* * *
The three works in rondo form, all with fanciful titles, that
Schumann wrote in 1838-1839, are successively more complicated in
build. They are
alike in being composed of a series of independent sections,
each neatly railed off from the next by double-barlines and headed by
a specific tempo-indication. The first, the well-known Arabesque, op.
18, is the only one in clear-cut older rondo form with episodes in
contrasting keys linked to the recurrent opening section. It ends, as do
others of Schumann's piano works such as the Humoresque and
Kinderscenen, with a valedictory section in which the composer
seems to give the listener a final message to turn over in his mind. In
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the Arabesque, this section, which is much slower than any of the
preceding, is clearly marked 'Zum Schluss' (In conclusion).
Blumenstuck (Flower piece), op. 19, is divided into five
numbered sections. Schumann described the movement and its
successor Humoresque as 'variations, but not on a theme'. The
element of variation in Blumenstuck may be recognized in the
presentation of the thematic units in different keys and in the
appearance of the melodies in different threads of the texture. Section
II, which is first stated in A flat major, recurs in B flat minor and
later in D flat major, and the melodic line of section I becomes the
tenor part of section IV. The whole piece is more notable for
structural ingenuity than it is for convincing musical expressiveness.
With its monotonous figuration and narrow range of tonality it repels
rather than attracts the player.
Humoresque, op. 20, which is over three times as long and is
incomparably more intricate in musical architecture, is profoundly
interesting to performers. It demonstrates almost every distinctive
feature of Schumann's pianistic style. Long cantabile melodies in
every part of the texture, persistently lively rhythmic patterns,
paragraphs in flowing contrapuntal harmony, short canonic
imitations, outrageously difficult cross-hand passages and
picturesque colour-effects all find their place in this glowing music.
The rondo plan is only faintly apparent in the restatement of some of
the earlier sections of the piece, but the generally loose organization
of the musical substance is to some extent offset by the vividness of
the piano writing. Even so, Humoresque is far more satisfying to the
player than to the listener, who may well feel bewildered by the
superabundance of the thematic content.
From "A Handbook for Pianists "
by Kathleen Dale
C. FUGUE
A fugue is essentially a musical discussion of a subject by a
stated number of voices (instrumental parts) – generally three, four or
five – in turn and in combination. The opening section known as the
exposition adheres to an accepted formula in-the manner of
presenting the subject. In a four-part fugue, the first voice announces
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the subject in the tonic, the second answers in the dominant with the
first running against it in counterpoint. The third voice then enters to
reaffirm the subject in the tonic and the fourth joins in to repeat it in
the dominant. The four-part mechanism having been set in motion the
voices are free to proceed more independently. The central or
modulatory section is inaugurated by the entry of the subject in a
fresh key. Thereafter, the subject can be introduced by any of the
voices, in any key and any number of times. It is also allowed to rest
during short periods while fresh musical material, often derived from
it, is interpolated in paragraphs of varying length known as episodes.
The return of the subject in the original key usually marks the
opening of the final section, in which the tension of the fugal
argument is tightened by entries of the subject following one another
so closely (stretto) as to overlap. The whole fugue is brought to a
close with a coda which sometimes comprises a last statement of the
subject in a full panoply of triumphant chords.
These are the barest outlines of a type of composition which acknowledges no hard and fast rules and whose length and character are
determined largely by the subject itself. A fugue may have two, or
even three subjects, each of which may undergo separate exposition
before being combined with the other. Sometimes, as in
Mendelssohn's Fugue in E minor, the second of the two subjects may
be the melodic inversion of the first.
When there is only one subject, the opening section of the fugue
may be extended by a counter-exposition in which the voices enter in
reverse order from that of the exposition.
The fugue is a texture rather than a form; it is essentially continuous and unified in character. The learned contrapuntal devices, canon,
stretto. augmentation, diminution, inversion, and double-counterpoint,
which may be introduced severally or collectively into its texture, are of
the same kind as those we have already observed in many of the sonata
movements and sets of variations.
The writing of keyboard fugues as independent pieces, except
for didactic purposes, languished during the latter half of the
eighteenth century and the earlier part of the nineteenth owing to the
growing importance of the sonata as an art-form. Neither Haydn nor
Mozart composed fugues for piano solo except as portions of larger
works. Nor did Beethoven or Schubert. But they, and other
nineteenth-century composers showed their awareness of the
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unsurpassably telling effect that could be produced by a fugue, either
as the culminating section of a long composition or as an insertion in
a musical context completely antithetic to it in style.
The fugal Finales of Beethoven's 'Hammerklavier' Sonata and
the Sonata in A flat, op. 110 form the most perfect endings to these
profoundly expressive works by reason of the sheer contrast of their
argumentative style to all that has gone before. On the other hand, the
fugue comprising the development-section of the sonata-form Finale
of the Sonata in A major, op. 101 is little differentiated in character
from the contrapuntally wrought opening and closing sections. The
energetic fugue in the major mode which serves as the penultimate
variation of the 'Diabelli' Variations is placed to the very greatest
advantage. It stands between three extremely leisurely variations in
the minor mode, and before the concluding 'tempo di minuetto' whose
fine-spun chords and placid runs still the torrent of discussion that
was let loose in the preceding pages. The 'Eroica' Variations
culminate in a fugue whose subject is derived from the bass of the
theme. It constitutes the most fitting prelude to the ultimate Statement
of the melody of the theme which follows hard upon it and brings the
whole work to an end.
The fugue which terminates Brahms's 'Handel' Variations
gathers up all the threads of the theme and weaves them into a texture
glowing with brilliant colours. The fugato of Liszt's Sonata in B
minor is introduced at a point where its terse treatment of the motto
theme shows up most vividly against the luxuriant style of figuration
which has previously surrounded it. The five-part fugal interlude in
the Finale of Schumann's Impromptus on a Theme by Clara Wieck
effectively rehabilitates the theme which has forfeited so much of its
identity during the adjacent variations. The energetic fugue that
concludes Schubert's tremendous 'Wanderer' Fantasy not only
counteracts the meditative languor of the variations on the 'Wanderer'
theme and the light-hearted grace of the Scherzo-and-Trio. By
ultimately presenting the fugal subject in a sty le of piano writing
similar to that of the opening movement it seems to form the last arc
in a great musical circle.
It was Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Liszt, all of them
enthusiasts tor Bach's music and pioneers in its revival, who
resuscitated the independent fugue for the piano and for the organ.
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Chopin stood aloof from this movement. The one fugue still extant
under his name is thought to have been written by Cherubini.
Among Mendelssohn's Six Preludes and Fugues, op. 35, which
were written between 1832 and 1837 when he was in his twenties, the
first in E minor is the only one that is still a regular item in the
pianist's repertory. The flexible melodic line threading its way
through the ceaseless arpeggio figuration of the Prelude, the
expressive, dignified character of the Fugue, and the strong sense of
climax in both movements make them particularly rewarding to
players. The first, second, fourth, and fifth Preludes are in effect
'songs without words'. The melody running through each is
essentially vocal in type and never goes beyond a singer's compass.
The third Prelude is a typically Mendelssohnian will-o'-the-wisp
prestissimo scherzo; the sixth is weighed down by a heavy chordal
accompaniment. The six Fugues of this opus follow the main
structural outlines of the fugue according to Bach and incorporate the
contrapuntal mechanism which he perfected. A brief description of
these phenomena is appended to serve as a standard of comparison in
studying the various methods of fugal composition practised during
the nineteenth century.
From "A Handbook for Pianists "
by Kathleen Dale
Lesson Eight
IN PRAISE OF TELEVISION
by George Mikes
When I first came to England, television was still a kind of entertainment and not a national disease. During the happy war years it was
off the air altogether but afterwards it returned with a vengeance.
Television, however, has slowly conquered – in varying degree –
all layers of society and, whether we like it or not – it has come to stay.
I have watched innumerable statesmen boarding and leaving aeroplanes with heavy, meaningful faces and have always been astonished to
find that the same platitudes can be expressed in so many different ways.
During our strikes, I have listened to trade union leaders and employers
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on Mondays and was impressed to learn that no concessions could be
made in matters of principle; only to be told on Wednesdays that their
relinquishing of these principles was – on their part – victory for common sense and a true service to the community. I have heard innumerable party politicians explaining that defeat is victory. I like the Brains
Trust, too — its poets and interior decorators with the gift of the gab,
who are able to utter weighty opinions on every subject under the sun
without a moment's reflection. I am fond of watching people in Tanganyika or Madagascar catching rats, snakes and worms for pets.
The basis and main pillar of the art of television is the TELEVISION PERSONALITY. If you want to become a Television Personality,
you need a personality of some sort. It may be unattractive or simply repulsive; but a personality is indispensable.
On the whole I like television very much indeed. The reasons for
my devotion are these:
1) Television is one of the chief architects of prosperity. Certain tel-
evision personalities can give away money with great charm on the
slightest provocation. It is their habit – indeed, their second nature – to
give you a refrigerator or a motor-scooter if you happen to pass near
them. Should you chance to know what the capital of France is called, or
who our war-time Prime Minister was with the initials of W.S. C, if you
are able to scratch your left ear with your right foot while lying on the
floor blindfold and watched by ten million giggling spectators, then you
are practically certain to be sent to Majorca for a three week's holiday.
2) Television is also one of the main architects of slumps. A short
while ago Panorama made a report on the stock-exchange boom, in the
course of which one or two people made some cautious remarks about
the boom not lasting forever, and recalled the Wall Street crash when
people threw themselves out of the windows of skyscrapers. Next day
hordes of people sold their shares, thus causing a fall unknown since the
days of the Suez crisis. The bank rate had to be raised three days later
and if Dotto and a few other programmes had not rectified the country's
economic balance by giving away even more washing-machines, bubblecars and tea-sets, we would have faced utter ruin.
3) Television has united the family – by keeping the family at
home, gaping at it round the family hearth.
4) Television causes more friction in family life than any other sin-
gle factor by offering unique scope for quarrels as to which programme
to watch.
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5) Television is of great educational value. It teaches you while still
really young how to (a) kill, (b) rob, (c) shoot, (d) poison, and generally
speaking, (e) how to grow up into a Wild West outlaw or gangster by the
time you leave school.
6) Television puts a stop to crime because all the burglars and rob-
bers, instead of going to burgle and rob, sit at home watching The Lone
Ranger, Emergency Ward Ten and Dotto.
7) Television has undeniably raised the general level of culture
throughout the country. Some people allege that it has killed the habit of
reading and thinking – but there is no truth in this. I have yet to meet a
person who gave up his methodical study of, say, early Etruscan civilisation in order to be able to watch more of Sunday Night at the London
Palladium or who has stopped reading Proust or Plutarch because he
could not tear himself away from What’s My Line? or Spot the Tune.
(abridged)
VOCABULARY NOTES
the happy war years (irony) – the word happy implies that TV did
not function during the war years
it returned with a vengeance – it returned and began to play a bigger
role than before (with a vengeance – to a greater extent than could be
desired or expected, e.g. That was ill luck with a vengeance (Russ. с
лихвой, чертовски, больше чем можно было ожидать). Не was a racqueteer (gambler, crook, demagogue, etc.) with a vengeance (Russ. отъ-
явленный, да еще какой); vengeance – revenge, the return of evil for
evil (Russ. месть)
it has come to stay – it is going to be a permanent feature of modern
life
heavy faces – serious faces
platitude – a trite or flat remark, a phrase which doesn't say much,
esp. one made seriously (Russ. пошлость, тривиальность); Syn. com-
monplace; a commonplace is something obvious, easy to think of, lack-
ing originality, whereas a platitude adds to a commonplace the suggestion of flatness or triteness and often of a remark made with an air of importance or novelty
to relinquish – to give up completely, e. g. to relinquish one's control,
one's hold (post, idea, hope, etc.). Syn. to leave, to abandon; to leave is
often used colloquially instead of relinquish and may suggest various
127
motives; to abandon stresses finality and completeness, especially of intangible things, such as hopes, opinions, methods, etc.
Brains Trust – (here) television programme in which a group of
prominent people or experts discuss questions of general interest sent to
the programme by the public; Brain Trust (Am.) – a phrase coined in
1933 for a group of experts in political science and economy who advised the president
interior decorators – those who decorate the inside of the building,
give advice on how to furnish a house (flat), choose the right colour
scheme to match the furniture, etc.
the gift of the gab (colloq.) – the talent to talk well; gab – talk, esp.
idle talk
Tanganyika – country in East Africa between Lake Tanganyika and
the Indian Ocean, former British colony, later member of British Commonwealth; since 1964 united with Zanzibar as United Republic of Tanzania
Madagascar – island in the Indian Ocean off SE coast of Africa
catching rats, snakes and worms for pets (iron.) – a pet is an animal
tamed and kept as a favourite (a dog, cat, monkey, parrot, etc.); the
whole sentence is an ironical exaggeration intended to show that the television programmes are often uninteresting and sometimes ridiculous
Television Personality – a person who often appears on TV and pos-
sesses some distinctive features, habits, attitudes and the like (the phrase
may apply to a TV announcer, commentator, comedian, etc., popular
with the public)
indispensable (here used ironically) – absolutely necessary, some-
thing one cannot do without, e. g. an indispensable person, indispensa-
ble part of one's education, indispensable to life, etc. He considered himself to be indispensable; Russ. незаменимый
architect – (fig-) creator, e. g. He was often referred to as the architect
of the country's foreign policy. Man is the architect of his own happiness
(see further ". . . one of the architects of slumps")
W. S. C. – Winston Spencer Churchill
Majorca – a Spanish island
slump – a fall in prices, business, prosperity, etc.
Panorama – (here) name of a TV programme; other popular pro-
grammes mentioned in the text are Dotto, The Lone Ranger, Emergency
Ward Ten, Sunday Night at the London Palladium, What is My Line, and
Spot the Tune. They are intended to cater to various tastes depending on
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the background, age group, etc. Some of them are quizzes, testing one's
knowledge of literature, music, etc. Others are serials based on crime
stories or stories of adventure.
Wall Street crash – allusion to the stock-exchange panic in 1929
Suez crisis – an allusion to the events in July 1956 when Egypt under
President Nasser took control of the Suez Canal
bubble-car – a very small car
Etruscan – belonging or relating to ancient Etruria. The Etruscans
came to Italy about 1000 В. С; in the 6th century В. С. they conquered
the Po district
Proust Marcel (1871–1922) – famous French novelist, author of the
great novel A la recherche du temps perdu (Russ. «В поисках утраченного времени»)
Plutarch (A. D; 46?–120?)—Greek historian and biographer
EXERCISES
A. COMPREHENSION
Exercise I. Replace the italicized parts of the sentences by equivalents
from the text:
1. Television stopped functioning during the war. When the war
was over the TV craze became greater than before. 2. Little by little the
whole population of Britain got into the habit of watching television.
3. It has always surprised me that there are so many ways of saying trivial things that everybody knows. 4. If you happen to know something
that every schoolboy knows you are sure to be sent to Majorca for a holiday. 5. You can learn a lot by watching TV 6. It is obvious that owing to
television people have become more cultured. 7. It seems doubtful that
television prevents people from reading and thinking, as some people
assert.
Exercise II. Find in the text equivalents for the following:
с лихвой (с еще большей силой); все слои общества; бес-
численные государственные (политические) деятели; банальность;
идти на уступки; отказаться от принципов; победа здравого смысла;
основная опора; отталкивающий; незаменимый; по малейшему поводу; оживление на бирже; внезапнее падение цен (на акции); экономическое равновесие; разорение; вызывать трения; иметь большую об-
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щеобразовательную ценность; повысить культурный уровень; утверждать (без достаточных оснований); мне еще не доводилось встречать
(человека); бросить (какое-л. занятие)
Exercise III. Answer the following questions:
1. What was the difference between prewar and postwar television
in England?
2. Whom has the author watched on TV? What has he been aston-
ished to find?
3. What was he impressed to learn when listening to trade union
leaders?
4. What is the main pillar of the art of television?
5. What makes the author believe that television is a) one of the
main architects of prosperity, b) one of the chief architects of slumps?
6. Can you prove that television unites the family; that it causes
friction in family life?
7. What shows that TV is of great educational value?
8. In what way does television help to put a stop to crime?
9. What do you think about the role of television in raising the gen-
eral level of culture?
10. What makes the author think there is no truth in the allegation
that television has killed the habit of reading and thinking?
B. COMMUNICATION
Exercise I. Practise the pronunciation of the following words and
phrases:
entertainment, national, disease, platitude, varying, layers, innumerable, aeroplanes, relinquish, interior decorator, personality, indispensable, architect, rectify, unique, emergency, undeniably, allege, Tanganyika, Madagascar, Majorca, Suez, Etruscan, Proust, Plutarch
Exercise II.
A
a) Read and repeat,
b) Use the structures in sentences of your own:
1. I was impressed to learn that no concessions could be made in
matters of principle.
They were surprised to find out that no changes were planned.
She was delighted to learn that the show would be televized.
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