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Journals / Online Journal of Music Sciences / 2026 / Cilt: 11 Sayı: 3

Row partitioning and tetrachordal transformation in Ernst Krenek’s Nocturne, Op. 110, No. 5

Ernst Krenek’in Nocturne, Op. 110, No. 5 eserinde dizi bölümlenmesi ve tetrakordal dönüşüm

Mehmet Güneş Açıkgöz(Inönü University, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Department of Musicology, Malatya, Türkiye.)0000-0002-4174-3818
Recep Çakmak(Inönü University, Institute of Social Sciences, Malatya, Türkiye.)0000-0002-6467-6240
Pages
904–919
Publication Date
2026-07-31
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal that, whilst the work bears similarities to a two-part song form, it employs the twelve-tone technique flexibly and distinguishes itself from traditional serial approaches by utilising four-note pitch groups (tetrachords), canon and counterpoint techniques.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Ernst Krenek is widely regarded as one of the most important composers of the twentieth century.
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Key Findings & Data:This study examines Krenek’s work titled Eight Piano Pieces, Op. 110, No. 5, “Nocturne”, analysing its structural, aesthetic and technical characteristics in terms of both its relationship to the traditional nocturne genre and the innovations it presents within the context of the composer’s modernist and serialist approaches.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal that, whilst the work bears similarities to a two-part song form, it employs the twelve-tone technique flexibly and distinguishes itself from traditional serial approaches by utilising four-note pitch groups (tetrachords), canon and counterpoint techniques.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Ernst Krenek · noktürn · modernizm

Abstract

Ernst Krenek is widely regarded as one of the most important composers of the twentieth century. This study examines Krenek’s work titled Eight Piano Pieces, Op. 110, No. 5, “Nocturne”, analysing its structural, aesthetic and technical characteristics in terms of both its relationship to the traditional nocturne genre and the innovations it presents within the context of the composer’s modernist and serialist approaches. During the analysis process, content analysis was employed alongside the multimodal data analysis approach proposed by Bauer and Gaskell. Furthermore, the prime sequence was redefined based on Morris’s (MOF) “Multiple Order Function” theory. The findings reveal that, whilst the work bears similarities to a two-part song form, it employs the twelve-tone technique flexibly and distinguishes itself from traditional serial approaches by utilising four-note pitch groups (tetrachords), canon and counterpoint techniques. Despite the absence of a tonal centre, the melodic structure offers a consistent and inward-looking lyrical narrative. Consequently, Krenek’s Nocturne reveals the development of an expressive musical language that transcends serialism’s tendency towards rigid systematisation. This work presents a unique musical language by bringing together technical and aesthetic approaches. This language interprets serialism not as a break with tradition, but as a transformative process.

Özet

Ernst Krenek, yirminci yüzyılın en önemli bestecilerinden biri olarak yaygın biçimde kabul edilmektedir. Bu çalışma, Krenek’in Eight Piano Pieces, Op. 110, No. 5, “Nocturne” başlıklı yapıtını; yapısal, estetik ve teknik özellikleri bakımından hem geleneksel noktürn türüne yönelik ilişkisi hem de bestecinin modernist ve seriyalist yaklaşımları bağlamında ortaya koyduğu yenilikleri incelemektedir. Analiz sürecinde, Bauer ve Gaskell tarafından önerilen multimodal veri analizi yaklaşımıyla birlikte içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Aynı zamanda Morris’in (MOF) “Multiple Order Function” teorisinden hareketle prime dizisinin yeniden belirlenmesi sağlanmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular ile, eserin iki bölümlü şarkı formuna benzerlikler taşıması ile birlikte, on iki ton tekniğini esnek bir biçimde kullandığını ve dört-sesli perde gruplamaları (tetrakordlar), kanon ve kontrpuan tekniklerinden yararlanarak geleneksel dizisel yaklaşımlardan ayrıldığını ortaya koymaktadır. Tonal bir merkezin yokluğuna rağmen, melodik yapı tutarlı ve içsel yönelimli bir lirik anlatım sunmaktadır. Sonuç olarak Krenek’in Nocturne’ü, diziselciliğin katı sistemleştirme eğilimini aşan dışavurumcu bir müzik dilinin gelişimini gözler önüne sermektedir. Bu eser, teknik ve estetik yaklaşımları bir araya getirerek benzersiz bir müzik dilini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu dil, diziselciliği gelenekten bir kopuş olarak değil, dönüştürücü bir süreç olarak yorumlamaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Açıkgöz, M. G., Çakmak, R. (2026). Row partitioning and tetrachordal transformation in Ernst Krenek’s Nocturne, Op. 110, No. 5. Online Journal of Music Sciences, Cilt: 11 Sayı: 3, 904–919. https://doi.org/10.31811/ojomus.1897349

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