| Morton Feldman's The Viola in My Life (2) is one of his shorter more conventionally constructed compositions. In this analysis, I make the case that, although Feldman is writing phrases, and sections in a traditional way, a unique impression of the form grows out of his undermining or "crippling" of these structures. Slightly varied repetitions of materials create ambiguity in the phrase structure. This ambiguity creates a temporal circling back for the listener, which I refer to as orbital form.;This paper gives a thorough analysis of The Viola in My Life (2). The approach is pragmatic and concerned with how the listener perceives the music. Both the aural perception from one moment to the next and the overall shape are considered.;There are four chapters. Chapter 1 lays out some general points about Feldman's influences and introduces critical concepts, such as sound objects, and orbital form. Chapter 2 looks closely at how sound objects relate to one another. Voice exchange is closely examined, as it is a critical way in which sound objects transform. Chapter 3 and 4 provide an in-depth look at orbital form. Chapter 3 gives an overview of the phrases and sections, and analyzes the first half of the piece. This analysis is a comprehensive read of how Feldman establishes and then destabilizes classical formal structures. The chapter also examines an alternating texture between the viola and the tutti, as well as the sound object Sustained Octave as they both support the (formally significant) gradual emergence of the second half. Chapter 4 analyzes the second half of the piece and looks at the viola line, and the entire form, from a broader perspective. |
