The Study Of The Themes' Polyphonic Form And Technique In Bruckner's Symphonies

This thesis takes Anton Bruckner's nine symphonies, who is the representative composer in the late Romantic music period, as the object of study, mainly probes into the polyphony texture form and counterpoint techniques presented in these works, and analysis them more comprehensively and systematically. In accordance with the general characteristics of the use of counterpoint techniques in Bruckner's symphonies, focusing on the different shapes of themes during its exposition, development and recapitulation. From which, we could explore the rules and principles about the thinking of polyphony in his symphony music.This dissertation consists of five chapters and one conclusion.The first chapter contains two parts:one is a brief description of Bruckner's life and composition experience, especially his learning of counterpoint experience (historical facts); the other is an overview of the composing conceptions and features about Bruckner's symphonies.The main part of this thesis is chapter two, three, four and five. The second, the third, the fourth chapters are in-depth discussion about the usage of counterpoint techniques and embodies of polyphony thinking during the symphony theme's exposition, development and recapitulation.In chapter two, we are talking about the theme often presented in four ways and morphologies:the combination of theme and ostinato is like line and shape; the polyphony thinking is reflected in different thematic groups; the motivations included in the theme are combined in different ways; using contrast thinking to constitute theme etc.In the third chapter, around the development of the theme, the author summarized and put forward that Bruckner often use comparison and imitation to develop themes, which are two kinds of polyphonic texture structure. Sometimes he uses counterpoint to do motivational development.In the fourth chapter, the author believe that the composer often use the deformation techniques, such as reflection to constitute theme recapitulation; or presented multi-parts contrast texture form to do developmental recapitulation; or make different themes integrated together in the final.In chapter five, we discuss the structure significance and embodied way of tonal confrontation that inherent in Bruckner's symphony themes. Besides, it's about the polyphony genre, the usage and innovation of Fugato.The conclusion part is a review and summary about the counterpoint techniques and thinking that used in Bruckner's symphony music. We believe that this period as a transition from Classic, Romantic music period to the20th century stage, Bruckner and other composers in the late Romantic music period, played and important and historic role by developing the counterpoint techniques, passing and inherit the polyphonic artistic sprit.