Analysis

To analyze Drei Lieder no. 1, I will explore the 12-tone nature of the piece. I will figure out how each pitch in the piece fits into the matrix and the different motives and pitch class sets that are present throughout the piece. I will finally explore the interplay between the piano and vocal lines to try to find how the two interact.

The piece is based on this 12-tone row:

G E D# F# C# F D B Bb C A G#

Here is the Matrix based on that row.

The piece begins with one plus measure piano introduction, during which the piano plays the retrograde inverse of the prime form. With the first three notes, F# F D, we see the beginning of a common theme in the piece, the 0 1 4 pitch class set. Here, as it is throughout the piece, the idea is played in a 16th triplet. In m. 2 through the first beat of m. 3, the piano plays the prime form of the row. We again see the 16th triplet 0 1 4 set to begin and end the prime form, first with the pitches G E D# and C A G# (both in retrograde form of the 0 1 4 idea). This idea is present throughout the piece as I will highlight on the score. From there, the piano plays the retrograde of the prime form from beat two of m. 3 through the end of m. 4. Here we have a transition between sections and it behooves us to examine the vocal line in the first half of the song.

The vocal line begins after the two bar piano introduction and sings through the prime form of the row. It does so beginning in m 2 and ends in m 4. With a pick up into measure 4. and for the first beat of m. 5, the vocal line sings the first four pitches of the prime form which is then completed in the piano line for the remainder of the bar. Here we see two repeated pitches, the F# in the vocal line is repeated in the chord that follows in the piano line and the D in that same chord is repeated in the first note of the 16th note triplet that comes after (another retrograde 0 1 4, D Bb B). The next bar (m. 6) in the piano is spells the inverse of the prime form, as do the three in the vocal line (m. 6-8). M. 7 to the first beat of m. 10 in the piano highlight the retrograde of the prime form and then plays the retrograde inverse from the last half of m. 10 through m. 11. During the second playing of the retrograde form and the retrograde inverse in the piano, the vocal line is singing the prime form. This prime form takes us to the end of the piece. In the last measure of the piece, the piano places the Inverse of the prime form.

By using the retrograde of the inverse to begin the piece and the inverse to end the piece in the piano, Webern uses a palindrome as book ends of the piece. This is especially highlighted in the 16th note triplets that begin and end the piece, the first being F# F D and the last being D F F#.

The vocal line throughout the first half of the piece has a graded register. It begins low, gets higher, than comes back down. This creates a flow to the first half of the piece that is absent from the second, which has a much more abrasive vocal organization. It tends to jump from high to low and back without very many pitches in between.

In the piano, we see two main motives, the 16th note triplet and tetrachords. The 16th note triplets, as I said, are mostly variations of the 0 1 4 pitch class set. The tetrachords, on the other hand are mostly combinations of m2 intervals and m3 intervals. Again, many of these are groups of that frequent semitone and minor 3rd intervals that create the 16th note triplets.

Dynamically, the piece changes very abruptly, switching between F and P. Even within a 12 measure piece, Webern manages to create a complete dynamic landscape with the changes. The way that the piece is performed by the singer, the P sections have a very whispery tone to while the F sections have a very pointed and clear tone. All of these contrasts help give the listener the impression that the piece is much longer than 12 bars and that it is a very complete work despite the short length.