Schenker’s Concept(s) of Melody

1. The Tonic Triad as Matrix Notes of the tonic triad are the most stable and form a compositional grid/matrix. Others generally less stable (e.g. LT, upper LT; ^4 often functions as N or PT) 2. Melodic descent: falling motion is the most natural, providing closure/completion. 3. Melodic fluency = stepwise or predominantly stepwise motion 4. Melodic prolongation: tones in melodically fluent lines can remain active in the ear even when they are not sounding Bach Chorale 198: Christus, der uns selig macht

Beethoven, Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 27, no. 1 (III) 5. In great music, structural tones connect to form melodically fluent lines.

6. Structure vs. ornament: Schenker theory distinguishes structural tones \ from ornamental tones; works therefore have structural levels/layers. 7. A dissonant note is never a structurally important tone (and is generally incapable of further prolongation). Beethoven Sonata in A-flat Major, Op. 26

8. Melodic Prolongation: structural tones can be prolonged (aural retention of a tone) techniques = (NN), linear progressions, (stepwise lines leading into or away from the structural note), et al. Bach: Subject from WTC I, C# minor Fugue 9. Compound or Polyphonic Melody: Leaps often suggest two (or more) melodically fluent voices in different registers. 10. Horizontalization: Melodies can horizontalize chords: ^5 ^5 PT ^3 PT ^1 11. Composing-Out: Structural lines often horizontalize (compose out) the tonic triad.

Schubert, Impromptu in B-flat Major 13. Å compound melody dominated by leaps can often suggest two underlying fluent melodic lines. 12. Compound melody or polyphonic melody often suggests long-range voice-leading connections between nonadjacent tones. 14. To Schenker, a melodic leap is often not a mere skip, but a temporary switch to an inner voice. ^3 ^2 ^1 15. Upward leaps can therefore mean that an inner voice has been “flipped” or transferred above the structural melody. S S A A

Schubert, Impromptu in B-flat Major 16. Interruption: Antecedant/Consequent Structures often suggest two melodic descents, one incomplete, breaking off at ^2, the descending leading tone, the other a complete descent to ^1. ^4 =NN ^3 ^2 ^3 ^4 =NN ^3 ^2 ^1 ^3 17. Substitution. Schenker sometimes infers a note that is not prominent or even present. ??

Mozart, Sonata in F Major

^5 prolonged by chordal skips ^5 prolonged by NN ^5 prolonged by filling in ^5-^3 (linear progresson) Melodically fluent structural Melody ^5-^4-^3-^2-^1 ^2 prolonged by choral skips I ________________________ Parallel 6ths connect V7 I I to II6 (interm) smoothly Phrase 1 Phrase 2 ß