20th Century Pasachary Research

Author: Xu Mengdong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Passacaglia is a dance form originating from Spain during the Baroque period, typically in triple meter and minor mode. An 8-bar fixed bass theme is continuously repeated and developed through polyphonic variation techniques. Its polyphonic texture achieves rich dynamics and development through changes in rhythmic, melodic, timbral, and registral parameters, as well as through the arrangement of counterpoint, harmony, and orchestration. In the later Baroque period, this polyphonic variation form of the fixed bass, which emerged in the early 17th century and became widely popular in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and other countries for over a century, reached its peak with composers like Bach. This chapter reviews, presents, and reflects on the formation and development of this form, undoubtedly providing a historical framework for 20th-century Passacaglia studies. In the early 20th century, as the functional harmonic system gradually disintegrated and polyphonic music experienced a resurgence in new forms, Passacaglia was revitalized through the influence of Expressionism and Neoclassicism. Modern composers were drawn to its independent structural integrity, high horizontal development, unified material, solid texture, continuous musical progression, and distinctive stylistic charm. Nearly all influential composers of the 20th century—such as Schoenberg, Webern, Berg, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Britten, Ravel, Shostakovich, Copland, and Lu?o??rsu—have composed Passacaglias in varying quantities. The second chapter of this paper selects nine Passacaglias from these 20th-century most representative composers of different schools as subjects of study, conducting a comparative, systematic, and comprehensive analysis primarily from the perspective of compositional theory. In the third chapter, it provides a detailed examination and discussion of the development and variations in the fixed bass themes of 20th-century Passacaglias, as well as their cyclical repetition in continuous variation, contrapuntal forms, harmonic structures, orchestral textures, and formal structural developments.