A Study On The Passacaglia In The 20th Century

Passacaglia is a kind of dance which originated from Spain in the period of Baroque. Generally, it is in minor and a triple time, the theme of its basso Ostinato of 8 bars being repeated and extended continually according to the technique of polyphoinc variation. Depending on the cahnge of the parameters such as rhythm, dynamics, colour and compass, as well as the treatment of the means such as counterpoints, harmony and orchestration, the texture gets abundant power and development. In the later time of Baroque, the form of the basso ostinato which began in the early period of the 17th century and widely spread in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, etc, for more than one hundred years, reached the peak through endeavour of J. S. Bach and Others. The retrospect, the statements, and thing in the first chapter of this dissertation about the formation and evolution of the form undoubtedly give a historical coordinate to the Pas-sacaglia study in the 20th century.During the first stage of the 20th century, in the trend of gradually breaking up of functional system of harmony, and in the tendency of polyphony music being restored with a new outlook, Passacaglia was revived by the promotion of Expressionism and Neoclassicism. Moderncomposers are fond of the form because of its independent structure, extremely horizontal extension, concentration uniformity of material, solidity of texture, continuity of musical development and the special style. Almost all important composers in the 20th century such as Schoenburg, Webern, Berg, Hindmith, Stravinsky, Britten, Ravel, Shostakovich, Copland, Lu-toslawski, etc. Composed works in the form . In the second chupter of this dissertation the author selected nine pieces of Passacaglia from the most representative works of modern composers in different schools as the object of study, and systematically and comprehensively reserached and analyzed them one by one mainly from the point of composition technique theory. And the third chapter of the dissertation is devoted to a rather comprehensive research and statement about the development and variation of the basso ostinato, its statement style in the continuity variation, counterpoint form, the structure of harmony, the texture of orchestration, the form, etc. In doing so, the author tries to arouse the intense concern of the nusical academia over the composition of Passacaglia which, in virtue of being instilled by a new vitality, has flourished once more, and it is expected there to be a deeper understanding about the form on inheritance tradition and continuted creation. At the same time the author sincerely hopes that his reseach may serve the composition and study of the Chinese polyphonic music.