A structural, harmonic and stylistic analysis of Gabriel Fauré's Piano Quartet in C Minor Op. 15
Master Thesis
2008
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University of Cape Town
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Faure's oeuvre presents one of the most outstanding accomplishments in the history of French music. His style, though showing the influence of late-Romantic music, is unique and comprises some of the most inventive harmonic language to be found in Western music. It is characterised by the complex integration of advanced tonal and modal procedures. The purpose of this study is to examine certain aspects of Faure's style through an analysis of the composer's First Piano Quartet in C minor Op.15.The study is divided into two sections: a structural analysis which examines the overall formal structure of the work, as well as the larger and smaller formal structures within each movement, and a harmonic analysis which examines how Faure uses certain chord structures and harmonic procedures.The main source used for the study was the score of the Piano Quartet itself. Other major sources which proved invaluable in terms of providing a background to the composer's life, work and style, include works by Charles Koechlin, Percy Suckling, Robert Orledge and Jean-Michel Nectoux. Other works by Faure as well as those of other late-Romantic composers are used to compare or establish common stylistic tendencies and to examine possible influences. The conclusions are drawn directly from the analysis and are supported by various source materials. Those on formal structure include observations on Faure's use of sonata form and ternary form, his approach to thematic development, motivic elaboration, phrasing and texture, and his use of contrapuntal and rhythmic devices. Those on harmony are primarily concerned with the influence of modality on Faure's approach to harmony and include observations on Faure's use of triads, quru1ads, quintads, sextads and ambiguous compounds, and of pedal points and other non-chord notes.
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Includes abstract.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 296-299).
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Harrisberg, S. 2008. A structural, harmonic and stylistic analysis of Gabriel Fauré's Piano Quartet in C Minor Op. 15. University of Cape Town.