The article presents different aspects, more importantly the functionality
of it in regard to its pitch class invariants. Babbitt
goes into brief detail the possibilities of the twelve-tone row that
had yet to be realized (at least put into regular practice) at the time
of the article. Babbitt's purpose is to point out the growth and expansion
of this phase of twelve tone activity as it pertains to its place in the
work being done in the United States, where, in Babbitt's view, twelve-tone
composers and compositions have not gotten the attention and appreciation
that is entirely deserved.
The bulk of the article presents aspects of the row concerning the technique of combinatoriality and how different permutations of the twelve-tone row, either in trichords, tetrachords, and hexachords, can be used compositionally to create aggregates in many different ways. Babbitt also points at that the different processes performed on the notes themselves can also be applied to non-pitch components, such as rhythm, meter, dynamics, etc. Examples from the literature used for illustration are Schoenberg's String Fourth String Quartet, Schoenberg's Suite, op.29, and Webern's Concerto for Nine Instruments.
(Michael W. Toler, 1997)
This article explores more aspects of the properties of invariance within the various sets of the twelve-tone row. Babbitt states outright that twelve-tone music should take no back seat to the musical systems of the "past" since there are obvious and relevant processes that are involved in the creation of twelve-tone music. The main thrust of the article, however, deals with early realizations of invariant properties of the row. He presents these through the operations of transposition and inversion only, and limits discussion of invariants to dyadic relationships formed under these operations.
Musical examples include Schoenberg's Third String Quartet and Webern’s Variations for Piano. Only the initial prime rows and their immediately successive alterations (transpositions, inversions) are used, as Babbitt has simply chosen to use existing musical examples (well known, perhaps) rather than create new rows for the basis of his functional explanations of properties of invariance.
(Michael W. Toler, 1997)
Lake makes a proposal that the music of Milton Babbitt can be listened to and understood not only by specialists of his music, but by an audience with a basic understanding of what to listen for over the larger spans of one of his works. As with understanding form in common-practice music, listening for form in Babbitt's music only requires a minor restructuring of listening habits. With a few essential definitions dealing with twelve-tone music, Lake takes the reader/listener through eight works by Babbitt, guiding him/her through aspects of instrumentation, timber, register, and pitch events that can mark distinct ends and beginnings of different twelve-tone events. The works used are About Time, Arie da Capo, Composition for Four Instruments, The Head of the Bed, The Joy of More Sextets, Paraphrases, and String Quartet No.2. Lake also provides specific recordings and timings for the listener to follow along and determine these large-scale forms on his or her own.
(Michael W. Toler, 1997)
Mead's article is a moderately detailed insight into three developments in the music of Milton Babbitt that have come about in the dozen or so years before the article's publishing. However, Mead begins with a statement of common misunderstanding and misinterpretations of Babbitt's music and supplies the general framework of twelve-tone techniques used by Babbitt in his music, as well as supplying some general twelve-tone term definitions, such as the array, all-partition arrays, and lynes, with brief examples from Babbitt's work to clarify these definitions.
The second part of the article deals specifically with the three developments,
these being the "weighted aggregate", the use of
all-trichordal set classes, and the superarray. Each of these is thoroughly
defined with references to and examples from Babbitt's music, including
the String Quartets, Arie da Capo, My Compliments to Roger, and Relata
I.
The article concludes with a brief analysis of Babbitt's Paraphrases (1979), a work that exemplifies these compositional developments in Babbitt's music. Mead's desire is to make clear the importance of Babbitt as a composer whose music is meant to be heard and enjoyed, and not to be avoided because of a misunderstanding of Babbitt's intentions.
(Michael W. Toler, 1997)
Andrew Mead's book provides a detailed insight into the works of a central figure in contemporary American music. Concise and up-to-date, Mead discusses Babbitt's compositional processes and techniques encompassing his entire life, for the most part avoiding professional and technical jargon, thus allowing for ease of reading and understanding.
Divided into four main sections, Mead begins with a thorough explantation
of the twelve-tone system and the terminology and
techniques involved and how Babbitt expanded Schoenberg's creation
in his own unique ways, applying the twelve-tone system not only to pitch
but to rhythm and other musical aspects as well. Part Two deals with the
use of trichordal relationships and their use in Babbitt's music, specifically
in Composition for Four Instruments (1948). Part Three introduces the inception
of the all-partition array in Babbitt's compositional world, and Part Four
closes with a "grand synthesis" of his music, introducing the superarray
and its use with all other elements of his compositional processes.
Included at the end of the book is a complete catalog of Babbitt's compositions, a listing of the all-partition arrays, and a comprehensive discography and bibliography.
(Michael W. Toler, 1997)