Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic Sonata
The article begins with the analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata as presented in Playing with Signs by Kofi Agawu, with the intention of posing several questions concerning meaning and function of musical “topics.” In this context, attention is drawn to terminological ambigu...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
| Published: |
Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH)
2010-01-01
|
| Series: | Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://storage.gmth.de/zgmth/pdf/576 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832568945172807680 |
|---|---|
| author | Ana Stefanovic |
| author_facet | Ana Stefanovic |
| author_sort | Ana Stefanovic |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article begins with the analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata as presented in Playing with Signs by Kofi Agawu, with the intention of posing several questions concerning meaning and function of musical “topics.” In this context, attention is drawn to terminological ambiguities, i.e. to ambiguities in defining the concept of topics, especially in view of similarities and differences with the concept of topos. Subsequently, the question may be asked, “What constitutes a musical topic/topos?” If it is supposed that it represents a sign-function (Umberto Eco), what is a minimal entity that is sufficient to be referred to as a topic/topos? Consequently, what kind of relations does it establish towards style, which still shows itself to be the main referential plane (the content) of topical expression? Finally, the question arises of whether an ‘atomistic’, taxonomic approach to musical “topics” denies – contrary to the intentions of the authors using this term – the semantic aspect of music in which the topics ‘may be found,’ reducing it to the ‘play’ of formal elements, i.e. to purely ornamental function of rhetorical locus communis. Should the place of topic/topos perhaps be looked for elsewhere, in the plane of discourse and narrative structure of the musical text? |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-da3deb0373944b36960924351da52e73 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1862-6742 |
| language | deu |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie |
| spelling | doaj-art-da3deb0373944b36960924351da52e732025-02-02T23:49:14ZdeuGesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH)Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie1862-67422010-01-017331132510.31751/576576Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic SonataAna StefanovicThe article begins with the analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata as presented in Playing with Signs by Kofi Agawu, with the intention of posing several questions concerning meaning and function of musical “topics.” In this context, attention is drawn to terminological ambiguities, i.e. to ambiguities in defining the concept of topics, especially in view of similarities and differences with the concept of topos. Subsequently, the question may be asked, “What constitutes a musical topic/topos?” If it is supposed that it represents a sign-function (Umberto Eco), what is a minimal entity that is sufficient to be referred to as a topic/topos? Consequently, what kind of relations does it establish towards style, which still shows itself to be the main referential plane (the content) of topical expression? Finally, the question arises of whether an ‘atomistic’, taxonomic approach to musical “topics” denies – contrary to the intentions of the authors using this term – the semantic aspect of music in which the topics ‘may be found,’ reducing it to the ‘play’ of formal elements, i.e. to purely ornamental function of rhetorical locus communis. Should the place of topic/topos perhaps be looked for elsewhere, in the plane of discourse and narrative structure of the musical text?https://storage.gmth.de/zgmth/pdf/576Ludwig van Beethovengalanter Stilgalant styleJean-Philippe RameauKofi AgawuCarl Philipp Emanuel BachChristoph Willibald GluckJohann Sebastian BachToposEmpfindsamer StilSturm und DrangFrench overtureFranzösische OuvertüreJean-Baptiste Lullysolemn styleerhabener Stildramatic styleTheaterstiltopic |
| spellingShingle | Ana Stefanovic Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic Sonata Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie Ludwig van Beethoven galanter Stil galant style Jean-Philippe Rameau Kofi Agawu Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Christoph Willibald Gluck Johann Sebastian Bach Topos Empfindsamer Stil Sturm und Drang French overture Französische Ouvertüre Jean-Baptiste Lully solemn style erhabener Stil dramatic style Theaterstil topic |
| title | Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic Sonata |
| title_full | Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic Sonata |
| title_fullStr | Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic Sonata |
| title_full_unstemmed | Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic Sonata |
| title_short | Once more on musical topics and style analysis. A critical examination of Agawu’s analysis of the introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetic Sonata |
| title_sort | once more on musical topics and style analysis a critical examination of agawu s analysis of the introduction to beethoven s pathetic sonata |
| topic | Ludwig van Beethoven galanter Stil galant style Jean-Philippe Rameau Kofi Agawu Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Christoph Willibald Gluck Johann Sebastian Bach Topos Empfindsamer Stil Sturm und Drang French overture Französische Ouvertüre Jean-Baptiste Lully solemn style erhabener Stil dramatic style Theaterstil topic |
| url | https://storage.gmth.de/zgmth/pdf/576 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anastefanovic oncemoreonmusicaltopicsandstyleanalysisacriticalexaminationofagawusanalysisoftheintroductiontobeethovenspatheticsonata |