Analysis of Stabat Mater

This is a living document that I will update as I do more analysis. Comments/edits are welcome and encouraged. An analysis of Julia Perry’s Stabat Mater using serialist methodology This paper explores Julia Perry’s use of serialist techniques in her 1951 composition Stabat Mater. The analysis of her work through the lens of set theory demonstrates Perry’s interest in and use of serialism even before she began her studies with the renowned Italian serialist Luigi Dallapiccola later that year. By providing a set theory analysis of Stabat Mater, this paper positions Perry within the American serialist tradition and is the first extended set theory analysis of her work. The piece opens with a rising eight-note segment in the cello and bass: <1 2 7 6 e t 4 3>. This segment is immediately imitated in the viola, transposed up 3 semitones. In measure 6 the segment is presented in violin II, transposed up 2 semitones (relative to the original segment). Then, in m. 10, violin I presents the segment, transposed down 7 semitones. Parts I, III, and VII all begin similarly, with a clear statement of segment. Part of IX (mm. 258–269) also contains clear statements of the segment toward the end of the movement. The formal design of the piece is largely communicated by texture. RANDOM THOUGHTS TO BE FLESHED OUT: Think more about true symmetry of some of the motives (like the one on IV) P: 1 2 7 6 e t 4 3 / C# D G F# B A# E D# I: 1 0 7 8 3 4 t e / C# C G G# D# E A# B R: 3 4 t e 6 7 2 1 / D# E A# B F# G D C# RI: e t 4 3 8 7 0 1 / B A# E D# G# G C C# I. No key signature. mm. 1¬¬–14: Section A presentation of 8-note motive (row?) that follows pattern half step followed by 4th/5th: m. 1 cellos/basses: 1 2 7 6 e t 4 3 m. 2 viola: 4 6 7 9 e 0 6 2 m. 6 vln II: 3 4 9 8 1 0 5 4 m. 10 vln I: 8 9 2 1 6 5 e t 3 4 mm. 15–26: Section B m. 17 vocalist: 7 2 4 5 9 t 0 m. 21 cellos: 1 2 7 6 e t 4 3 ←exact repeat of m. 1 m. 22 viola: 4 6 7 9 e 2 0 ←slightly varied repeat of m. 2 m. 25 cellos: t 8 9 7 4 5 3 mm. 27–35: Section C G-sharp drone for first five measures mm. 36–43 (end): Section D last four measures are transition to II, accompaniment uses E G Bflat Dsharp <4 7 t 3>, same pitch collection used in final two systems of piece II. No key signature. mm. 44–56: Section A distorted lullaby motive in m. 44, transformed in vocal entrance, vocal entrance repeated exactly in violin in mm. 53–54; quartal/quintal accompaniment mm. 57–69: Section B III. No key signature. (similar to I. in that line-focused section A is followed by sparse simultaneous quartal/quintal accompaniment in section B) mm. 70–79: Section A opening theme in all instruments at beginning and again in cello two measures later mm. 80–98: Section B quartal/quintal accompaniment 32nd note rhythmic motive found at end (and in transition in IV), similar to opening of VIII IV. No key signature. mm. 99–100: Transition from III vln I line descending then ascending fourths mm. 101¬–118: Section A repeating six-note pattern (related to sextuplets in VIII and IX?): 7 2 9 t 3 8 mm. 119–130: Section B (or just a coda?) chords, first four are m3-P4: G-Bflat-Csharp-Fsharp / B-D-G-C / Csharp-E-A-D / Dsharp-Fsharp-B-E / E-D-A-D-G / E-D-G-E V. No key signature. mm. 131–140: Section A Staggered hymn style (call and response?); first motive seems very similar to opening theme in its juxtaposition of seconds and fourths mm. 141–156: Section B VI. Two flats in key signature. Ground bass, rising g minor four-note scale, starting in cellos/bass, moving to viola in m. 168; imitation of ground bass in other instruments VII. Two sharps in key signature. mm. 180–198: Section A Opening theme repeated several times, played by all instruments at beginning, then sung by vocalist starting in m. 183 (is this the first time vocalist sings the row?), cellos in m. 190 repeated four times, m. 191 violas repeat it twice mm. 199–210: Section B six-note ascending motive: Bflat C D E Fsharp Gsharp lullaby theme heard at end? It’s the same four notes in the same register as the second measure of II VIII. No key signature. mm. 211–225: Section A quartal quasi drone on viola E-A repeating motive Bflat-E-A, 32nd note rhythmic motive similar to III new motive repeated downward through orch, starting on E, B, Fsharp mm. 225–234: Section B C drone in basses final measure introduces sextuplet motive that begins IX. IX. No key signature. mm. 235–246: Section A repeating sextuplet motive: 4 6 8 t 0 2 up, 0 t 8 6 4 2 down → whole tone scale two-note motives also moving in whole tones: t 8 4 2, e 9 mm. 247–257: Section B mm. 258–270: Section C Opening theme stated in cellos, then viola, vln II, vln I, viola, cellos/basses Ostinato mm. 260–267 (Fsharp Csharp) mm. 271–288: Section D Asharp-Csharp-Fsharp in accomp mm. 271–277 Csharp-Gsharp-Fsharp-B-E / B-Fsharp-E-A-D / A-E-D-G-C mm. 278–280 last two measures transition to X X. No key signature. mm. 289–294: Section A Csharp-B-E-Fsharp mm. 295–306: Section B C-sharp drone mm. 307–317: Coda E G Bflat Dsharp (see pitch collection at end of I)