SMT 2016
Encounters with the Music of Milton Babbitt:
A Centennial Celebration
Octave Doubling in Babbitt’s Swan Song No. 1
Joseph N. Straus (Graduate Center, CUNY)
Example 1. Instrumental groupings define the 62 sections of the work. There are 63 possible combinations (6 solos; 15 duets;
20 trios; 15 quartets; 6 quintets; 1 sextet), but Babbitt omits the violin solo. The 62nd and final group is the unique sextet,
where all six instruments play together for the first and only time in the piece.
1
Fl
Ob
Man
Gui X
Vln
Cel
2
3
4
5
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
24
Fl
Ob
X
Man X
Gui X
Vln
Cel
25
26
27
X
X
X
X
X
X
47
Fl
X
Ob
X
Man X
Gui
Vln
Cel
48
X
X
X
X
X
49
X
X
50
X
X
X
X
X
28
X
X
X
X
X
51
X
X
X
X
X
6
X
X
7
X
X
8
X
X
X
X
29
X
30
X
X
31
9
X
X
X
X
10
X
X
X
32
33
X
34
X
X
X
X
13
X
14
15
X
X
X
35
X
X
X
X
X
X
52
53
54
55
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
56
X
X
X
36
X
X
37
X
X
X
X
X
X
57
X
58
X
X
59
60
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
17
X
X
18
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
16
X
X
38
X
X
X
12
X
X
X
X
X
11
X
X
61
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
39
X
X
X
62
X
X
X
X
X
X
19
X
X
X
X
20
X
21
X
X
X
X
X
X
22
X
X
X
X
40
X
X
X
X
41
X
X
X
X
X
42
43
44
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
23
X
45
X
46
X
X
X
X
Example 2. Array chart for Section 62.
Instrument
Flute (high)
Pitch classes
7-8-6
10-9-11
Flute (low)
3-1-0
2-4-5
Oboe (high)
9-10-(6)
8-7-11
Oboe (low)
2-4-0
3-1-5
Mandolin (high) 2-4-0
9-7-11
Mandolin (low) 5-10-8
6-1-3
Guitar (high)
11-9-1
6-8-4
Guitar (low)
7-3-0
10-2-5
Violin (high)
8-9-11
7-6-4
Violin (low)
5-0-2
10-3-1
Cello (high)
11-10-8
0-1-3
Cello (low)
4-2-6
7-9-5
Trichord
<1, 10>
(012)
<1, 2>
(013)
<1, 8>
(014)
<2, 8>
(024)
<2, 8>
(024)
<2, 7>
(025)
<2, 8>
(024)
<3, 4>
(037)
<1, 2>
(013)
<2, 7>
(025)
<1, 2>
(013)
<2, 8>
(024)
Hexachord
A (012345)
A
A
A
C (024579)
C
C
C
B (023457)
B
B
B
Example 3. Swan Song No. 1, 62nd and final section. The underlying four-part trichordal array is shown above each
instrumental line. Circles around pitch-classes indicate octave doublings.
List of performers on recording: David Fulmer, conductor; Cyrus Beroukhin, violin; Christopher Gross, cello; Arthur Sato, oboe;
Barry Crawford, flute; William Anderson, mandolin; Oren Fader, guitar