Eclectic Analysis: Barcarolla from Out of Doors (1926)- Bela Bartok

Historical Background

Bela Victor Janos Bartok was born March 25, 1881 in Nagyszentmiklos, Austria-Hungary (now Sannicolau Mare, Romania). Supposedly able to differentiate different dance rhythms before he could speak, Bartok had a repertoire of 40 songs by the age of 4. At the age of 5, Bartok began formal lessons from his mother on the piano. After his father suddenly died when Bartok was 7, his mother moved him and his sister around Europe, before settling in Pozsony, Germany (today Bratislava, Slovakia). It was here that Bartok gave his first public recital, at the age of 11. He received good reviews, and debuted his first piece, “The Course of the Danube.”

From 1899 until 1903, Bartok studied at the Royal Academy of Music, in Budapest, under pianist Istvan Thoman and composer Janos Koessler. It was here that he met Zoltan Kodaly—who would become Bartok’s lifelong friend and colleague.

Early in his career, Bartok’s music was heavily influenced by Claude Debussy, Johannes Brahms, and Richard Strauss—especially his large orchestral works. However, even early in his career, Bartok became fascinated with folk melodies. Around 1908, he and Kodaly traveled to the Hungarian countryside to study the music of Magyars. Bartok would incorporate these folk melodies into his own compositions, often verbatim but in different keys. Such focus on folk melodies placed Bartok as a leader in two trends that greatly changed the sound of music in the 20^th Century: the abandoning of diatonic harmony and the nationalist revival.

After World War I, and the subsequent break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bartok was no longer allowed into regions that had been severed from Hungary. Bartok took it upon himself to inject new ideas into folk melodies he had already accumulated, creating the seminal pieces Eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs (1920), and Dance Suite (1923).

The piece being analyzed, Barcarolla, is the second movement of his solo piano piece Out of Doors was composed in 1926. It was written around the same time as his Sonata and Nine Little Pieces, both for solo piano. All three were written in preparation for his First Piano Concerto, which he used to tour Europe and America.

Upon fleeing Hungary during the outbreak of World War II, Bartok reluctantly settled in New York City. By this time around 1940, Bartok’s health had begin to fade, and in 1944 he was diagnosed with leukemia. Though he was not a member and by no means was he extremely wealthy, the ASCAP Corporation paid for all of his medical bills. Though with the prospects of his death looming, Bartok found a new vigor for writing. One that had escaped him since moving to New York City. He composed his String Quartet No. 6, Concerto for Orchestra and Piano Concerto No. 3 all in the last couple years of his life. Upon the time of his death, he was in the middle of finishing his Viola Concerto. He died September 26, 1945 at the age of 64.

Open Listenings

The piece has a medium tempo—not too fast, not too slow. It starts with wide intervals played by both hands. After the introduction, the left hand plays a moving line under a long held note played by the right hand. Random hits are played during this portion as well. The hits do not seem like notes, but rather a hammer hitting a nail. The piece seems to spiral into chaos as the piece moves along. Just as the piece seems to go out of control, it simmers down and the wide intervals that were heard in the introduction return. But this is brief as the piece returns to the swirling feeling from before. The piece ends with a long held note and the light hammer strikes.

Syntax

Barcarolla is the second movement of Bartok’s solo piano piece Out of Doors. The piece is marked Andante, dotted quarter note equals 96-88. The piece can either be seen as in C or in no specific key. The piece starts out in 6/8, but switches among many other time signatures (7/8, 5/8, 3/4, 4/8, 3/8, 9/8, 2/8). The form of the piece is Intro AB Interlude C.

The Intro begins by emphasizing fourths. The first three notes go up in fourths, the fourth note is then up a half step and then down in fourths. The second measure is then up the first three notes again, then down a half step and then down again in fourths. Notice that Bartok spells his notes as sharps when the second three notes are up a half step, and flats when the second three notes are down a half step.

The A section moves away from the 4ths sound and to a whole-tone dominated sound. Also the A section is given a sort of tonal center in G. Not G major, or minor, just the general idea and note of G. The left hand starts on G, then moves up a 9^th and then in hole steps to C#, from the C#, the left hand moves down to a C and then down in whole steps to an Ab. This pattern is repeated 4 extra times, with the 3^rd repeat augmented by an F# after the C#. The right hand holds octave G’s, while softly hitting an F# four times. Normally thought of as the leading tone, the F# is hit enough so that the F natural in the fourth bar of the A section becomes the leading tone. While the left hand plays whole-tone scales, the right hand plays G Phrygian—noticeably played starting on the 9^th bar.

The B section moves into a D key by way of a more rapid switching of whole-tone scales that lands on a low D. This section begins in the same fashion as the A section switching between whole-tone scales in the left hand while holding octave D’s in the right hand—except the right hand does not have any misleading tones such as the F# and F natural in G. The most notable change comes in the 49^th bar of the piece, when the right and left hands switch roles. However by measure 61, both hands are moving in a sort of c minor sound in the right hand and a D sound in the left hand. In measure 75, the right hand plays in F# minor while the left hand plays in B Major.

The 79^th bar marks the interlude between the B and C sections. For this, the fourths patterns originally heard in the introduction return, though now with pedal notes underneath—first a pedal F and then a pedal A. The A is a lead into the C section—in the key of A—which begins on measure 88. This sections picks up with the right hand playing eighth notes and the left hand holding a low A. But after 3 measures, the hands revert to their original roles. This section behaves in the exact same fashion as the A section—whole-tone scales in the left hand, octaves in the right hand, misleading leading tones. In measure 99, the right hand begins playing in a D key, while the left hand remains in the whole-tone A key. In measure 108, the Right hand plays octave D’s while lightly hitting a C# until the end. The left hand remains in A until the last two measures when it finally resolves to the G.

The piece is marked with bi-tonalities between the right hand and the left hand. Throughout the piece, the most notable intervals are 4ths and whole steps. This is reflected between each section, as the key centers go from G to D to A—the keys move down in fourths.

Sound and Time

Barcarolla begins with a three note pattern played up and down almost exclusively in 4ths. When the pattern is played up and down, using both hands, this is seen as one exchange. In the introduction, there are a total of ten exchanges. During the sixth exchange, the right hand removes itself from the pattern and plays a high note very softly—this happens during the eighth and ninth exchange as well. Also, during the sixth exchange, the intervals between the notes in the pattern begin to shrink. The sound begins to change as it moves toward the A section.

The A section begins on measure 11 with the theme of the piece in the right hand and rolling eighth notes in the left hand. The theme is a long note coupled with little almost percussive hits that seem to accent certain notes in the left hand. The theme is played again almost verbatim, directly after it is first played. Meanwhile, the left hand remains in the same vain as when the section starts.

After playing the theme again, the right hand moves away from the theme and begins moving in a similar fashion as the left hand. This occurs from measure 19 up until measure 23. Once measure 24 occurs, the right hand returns to the theme, though not verbatim as new notes are being played. This is the B section. The left hand remains in a similar fashion, keeping the same shape that it has maintained from the A section. Though new notes are being played, this version is repeated almost verbatim as well.

The right hand then moves the theme to new notes in measure 32, and like the themes played before, the theme is repeated directly after, almost verbatim. In measure 41, the right hand breaks away from the theme—like it did in measure 19. But by measure 44, the theme has returned with a new set of notes. Though unlike times before, this theme is not repeated in the right hand. Instead, in measure 49, the left hand takes hold of the melody, and the right hand assumes the role that the left hand had occupied.

The left hand plays the theme much shorter than what the right hand played—the theme is played only from measures 49 and 50 before being switched to a different note in measure 51. The theme is played even shorter in measure 53, and continues to shorten until measure 62 as the left hand returns to the familiar territory that it began occupying at the start of the A section. Although, the right hand remains in the same space as it has occupied since the hands switched roles. The left and right hand remain in the same space until measure 78.

In measure 79, the piece returns to the up and down exchanges that occurred during the intro. However, in measure 79 there is a very low pedal note underneath the exchange—happening again in measure 81 and measure 83. During this round, there are only 9 exchanges, rather than 10.

Measure 88 marks the beginning of the C section. For the first three measures, the right and left hand are in role reversal, with the right hand playing the rolling line, and the left hand holding a long note. However the roles switch back in measure 91, as the right hand assumes the theme and the left takes hold of the rolling line. The theme is repeated verbatim in measure 94 before the right hand briefly moves away from the theme in measures 97 and 98. In measure 99, the right hand plays the theme again with a new set of notes, and repeats this again in measure 102. Measure 106 marks the last time the right hand moves away from the theme—playing in the same territory as the left hand. The last statement of the theme occurs in measure 108, as the left hand has still maintained the rolling eighth notes. The left hand moves away from the rolling line in measure 113, playing a long held note for two measures. The piece ends here, with the right and left hand simultaneously occupying a long held note for the first time.

Representation

A Barcarolle is a folk song or style by Venetian gondoliers. The rhythm of the piece is supposed to imitate a gondolier’s stroke in a medium-tempo 6/8 meter. Due to the lack of lyrics, there is no other textual representation that can be presented.

Virtual Feeling

The running up and down of 4ths in the introduction gives a very ominous feeling to the piece. Because of the chromaticism of the 4ths and the subsequent loss of any tonal center, there is a sense of uneasiness, as if a storm is brewing. The rapid up and down nature of the 4ths feels like waves rocking back and forth, while the high F’s seem to signal this impending danger. The changing time signature furthers the notion of waves rocking in a violent manner.

Measure 11 marks the change to whole-tone scales in the left hand, and a Phrygian sound in the right hand. The rolling left hand clashes against the stagnant right hand as the waves rock the normally steady ship. When the right hand moves against the left hand starting in measure 19, it remains separated by highlighting the Phrygian sound and by moving in contrary motion. The ship and the ocean waves are not the same entities.

This storm grows as the pieces moves forward. Both hands remain in contrary motion, and by measure 62, the storm that has been building moves to another level, keeping a sense of bi-tonality while lengthening the amount of contrary motion between the two hands. When the 4ths come back in during measure 79, the ship has reached the eye of the storm, and we are left yet again without any clear tonalities.

After the return of the 4ths, things begin to slow down. The right and left hand only display two points of contrary motion. The storm has almost past. The right hand stays mostly steady, holding out long octaves. When the left hand holds the low G in the last two measures, it is finally certain that the storm has passed, and the ship is safe.

Onto-historical World

This piece is a struggle. It is the struggle between two states of being—the right versus the left hand. In the intro and the interlude, they exist as one state of being. But during sections A, B and C, they exist in separate ontological worlds. While the right hand is stagnant the left hand Plays a line of eighth notes up and down. As the left hand plays in dream-like sea of sound, the right hand plays in a more rigid and stagnant block of sound. And even when the right and left hand happen to be playing eighth notes, the two hands never move in the same direction.

Throughout most of the piece the left hand plays creates a sort of atmosphere—a bed on which the right hand melody can lie. Though while there is this relationship between the left and right hand, a third voice is always poking its head into the piece. Starting in measure 11 and recurring almost whenever the right hand holds out a long note, this third voice pops out like a faint bell, almost like bumps where the right hand truly feels the clash of the left hand.

Whenever the right hand plays eighth notes along with the left hand, the struggle is heightened. These are not two hands moving side-by-side. These are two entities ramming into each other. The right hand tries to lie on a moving bed, and must wrestle it to keep it from moving. At measure 60, this wrestling really takes flight and goes on until measure 70. It is the last note of measure 70 that the highest note of the piece is violently struck by the right hand, as if to announce victory (this also happens to be the supposed Golden Mean of the piece). After the right hands victorious strike, the two hands spiral down until they move into a renewed sense of togetherness—the same that is heard in the introduction.

Even after the renewed togetherness, the left and right hand renew their feud in measure 88. Again they play against one another—the same bed being lied upon. Though the left hand seems to know that the end is almost near. It is running out of gas by measure 108. And by 113, the left hand has given up and holds a long note along with the right hand—the final togetherness.

Open Listenings

The piece now takes on an entirely new meaning from the first Open Listening section. The creepy ominous feeling that the opening fourths bring chills the spine. The piece seems to roll and roll down a hill. Back and forth it sways, until it is unsure how much more the mind can take.

Now all of the contrary motion between the left and right hand is filled with so much meaning. The bi-tonalities—such as in the A section from measure 11 through measure 23—serve a purpose to the composer as well as to the listener. The Phrygian sound is stable; it has a sense of tonality. While the whole-tone sound is instable; it lacks a sense of tonality. This truly heightens the idea of a solid ship wrestling against the waves of the ocean.

Also, the high notes seem to strike a new chord. So much emphasis seems to have been placed on every other aspect of the piece, that the large leaps that the right hand often makes have gone unnoticed until now. These leaps are so percussive, and harsh. The seem less like notes and more like high pitched screams. Sounds of panic and terror.

The last two measures of the piece are such a release. For almost the entirety of the piece, the ears have been tormented by the left hand’s incessant rolling eighth notes. If the listener were actually on this boat, he would most likely acquire motion sickness. But once the left hand plays the long note at the end, the listener is able to relax. It is a deep sigh of relief.

Performance Guide

The piece should not be played too fast nor too slow. The introduction should creep in, as if a storm is brewing out of a misty night. Also, the introduction should be played as one continuous idea. Each exchange should sound as if one hand is playing all six notes. The eighth notes should have an almost lopsided feel to them—almost as if they rush half way going up, slow down, and then rush again half way going down. Imagine being on a roller coaster and the cart speeds up and slows down depending on whether it climbs or whether it drops.

Starting at measure 11, the right hand must be solid. It should feel as if the eighth notes in the left hand are going up against a rock that does not move very easily. As the right hand plays eighth notes, the dynamic should grow louder. This portrays the ship’s movement as the waves grow stronger. It would make sense then to have the dynamics shrink when the right hand returns to the held “theme” of the piece.

At measure 49, both hands should be incredibly soft, as this is the moment when the left and right hand switch roles. This seems to be a moment when the ship senses a brief moment in time, and tries desperately to escape the impending brutality of the storm. Slowly from measure 53, the left hand should grow in volume and intensity. As the length of the notes in the left hand diminish, the right hand should feel a sense of angst. By measure 62, the left hand has caught up with the right hand, and the forces should collide violently. The right hand ascends while the left and descends, and vice versa. Between measures 62 and 70, the volume and intensify should increase dramatically. The high notes on the last eighth note of measures 67 and 70 should be struck with immense force. The tone of the notes does not matter as much as the force and feeling behind the notes. The final eighth note on measure 70 is the climax of the piece and should be played accordingly.

Both hands begin to spiral out of the control at measure 71. The volume should decrease, but the tempo should slightly speed up until measure 78. At measure 79, the atmosphere of the piece should open up. The end of the storm seems to be in sight. When the theme returns in the right hand, there should be a feeling that the piece is losing steam. The storm is leaving, and the boat has survived a brutal pounding. All the energy from measure 62 until measure 78 is now gone. The very last 4 measure should slow down immensely. The ocean is now very calm, the storm is gone, and the ship can sail away in peace.

Meta-critique

This analysis seems to cover every aspect of Bartok’s Barcarolle from Out of Doors. New ideas and sounds would pop out as each analytical method was processed. By separating each method and philosophical idea, each method is able to build upon the last method’s idea while also diverting the analysis to a completely new idea. For long analyses, it helps to break up the different sections with titles. A reader may only want to read a certain section of the analysis, and the title gives an idea as to what the section will be analyzing.

It was difficult to sick to any one particular method at any given time. While writing Sound and Time, an idea that had to do with Syntax or Onto-historical World would appear. Though actually starting and finishing any individual method is important. It forces the mind to pull as much from that method as possible.

In all, this analysis should encompass the bare essence of the piece, and will help shed light for many listeners. Analyzing a piece in this manner takes an incredible amount of work and stamina. Work in that the ear must listen very intently and differently for each different method. Stamina because there is a wide breadth of methods being implemented to give meaning to the piece. So much information can come from a very concentrated length of music. Barcarolla clocks at around 2 minutes, and is comprised of only 114 measures. But the information that is transferred to the listener is boundless.