Second Movement
1
Basically this movement consists of two halves.
The first half is formed by measures 1-31 and is chromatic.
The second half goes from m.32 to m.54 and is tonal.
The tempo of the first half is quarter=100 throughout.
The tempo in the second movement changes: quarter=60 in m.32-37
(with a ritenuto in the last three bars) and quarter=40 in
m.38-54
The six measures 32-37 are a preparation for the last section.
Subdivision
of the (chromatic) first half
NB: It is hard to make divisions between sections most of
the time since there are no clear cuts. Previous sections
already hold material from the following ones in it. Double
lines often mark important section changes.
m.1-11
Measures are all in 4/4. The concentration here in general
is horizontal. From m.10 the first violin, later taken over
by the second, starts a repetetive element which becomes a
regular, (vertical) pulse in m.11 with an ascending scale-ostinato
quintuplet (in m.12-13 becoming sixtuplet) in the viola and
cello.
m.12-16
the regular pulse continues. The viola and cello continue
the scale ostinato but are both joining the violins in m.14
with fast triplet figures on every half beat. They play in
octavated unison.
The violins change their triplet pulse in m.15.
Bar 15 marks a clear ending with a Bn-unison (triplet in first
vl.) moving to a D-major chord on the last beat, reached by
a rit. which indicates the end of this section.
m.17
a tempo and in 3/4. This one-bar section is there to emphasize
character change. It leaves the impression behind of chaos.
The rhythm is quasi two-by-two contrapuntal. On the last eighth
beat the second violin starts a 32nd note-motive which is
continued in the next section.
m.18-22
Horizontal character, longer lines. Note material (residues)
from the first nine bars.
m.23-27 (first
beat)
there is more movement here because of repetetive, scale-like
figures. The violins play a melody in sixths in m.23 (last
beat) until they come together on a fifth-second chord (as
in the Zwischenspiel). There are more cluster-like chords
in m.26-27 first beat.
m.27-31
all is quietly played here; triple p. Repetetive elements
of the four instruments are getting completely together in
the last bar. A consonant, diatonic chord occurs in m.29 (C-G-E-A).
The second violin plays a slow trill of the G chord-note
with its leading tone, a minor second, below that (F-sharp).
Summary of the section as a whole is:
repetetive elements creating a (vertical) pulsating drive,
here and there accentuated with chords or clusters (see m.12-16
and 23-31).
horizontal features as it occurs in m.1-9 (11) and 18-22.
Accentuations are made by dynamics and chords.
