1. Gerald Barry Piano Quartet no 1
Modern Art Music
Gerald Barry
Piano Quartet no 1

2. Popular & Art Music
Social change in the 20th century led to the division in the development of music between the popular and music which continued the developments of the past
A division in music had existed between art and folk music and this is reflected in the nationalism of the late 19th century. As people moved further from their homelands this is refected in the music of the time
Recording techniques opened up the possibilites further

3. Rhythm and Melody Syncopation Changing time signatures
‘Tyranny of the bar line
Fragmented melodies
Built on short motifs
Atonality
Creative use of silence

4. Harmony & Tonality Dissonance more common than consonance
Intervals replacing melodies
Major
Minor
Modal
Atonal
Polytonal
Loose usage of ‘keys’

5. Texture & Timbre Polyphony most common
Unusual ways of playing instruments creating exploring new sounds
Recording techniques allowing for new timbres

6. Gerald Barry Born in Co Clare in 1952
Wide repetoire from chamber music to opera
Performed worldwide
Member of Aosdana

7. Piano Quartet no 1 Commissioned in London in 1992
Scored for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano
Standard piano quartet format
18 sections based on traditional Irish airs
Abstract music

8. This piano quartet was commissioned by the Institute of Contemporary Arts and first performed in London in 1992.
Violin, Viola, Cello and piano used
Example of Twentieth century contemporary music

9. Inspirations from traditional Irish melodies:
Sí Bheag Sí Mhór
Lord Mayo’s Delight
‘Tis the last Rose of Summer
Beidh Aonach Amárach

10. Fuses these melodies with his own individual style, extra notes added and taken away, and original melodies become almost unrecognisable.
-Boundaries of music pushed, instruments played in different styles, no tonal centre, no actual form, detailed performing directions.

11. Abstract music –
it does not tell a story 
-Instrumental line more important than instrumental colour to Barry
-Quartet begins and ends with music that is heard only once
-Section C is central dominant material, occurs 9 times, yet never exact repetition

12. Piano:
Creates contrasting textures with strings
Doubles string parts – very often
Plays one, or more, voices in canon
Introduces dissonance
Plays hand/note clusters
Solo section – “Hommage Á horowitz”

13. Instrumental techniques
Open strings
Hand clusters on piano
Harmonics – delicate wispy sound
Détaché – detached – separate bow for each note
Flautando – bow over the fingerboard

14. Form
Quartet – one movement – 18 sections
Eight different themes – (4 appear only once)
A         B1       C1       C2       B2       C3       D1       D2+D3           E1
C4       C5       E2+D3            C6       C7       F+C8              C9       G         H
Unusual form – does not fit any standard form
No recapitulation
Ends with 3 new sections – F G and H – very unusual
Unusual rondo form – because of constant recurrence of C

15. Tonality
Mainly atonal
Section A (based on Sí bheag sí mhór) is pentatonic – no 7th notes, uses only 4th in final bars
B and B1 refer to key of C with a recurring C sharp
C1 in A flat

16. Rhythmic Features
Over 330 time signature changes 
Unusual time signatures – 1/8, 5/8
Complex rhythmic patterns
Irregular rhythms and irregular patterns
Polymetry – combining different metres simultaneously
Metronome marks for tempo changes.

17. Compositional Features
Canon-eg 4 part canon on inversion of “Sí bheag sí mhór”
Retrograde-melody played backwards
Augmentation-notes values are lengthened, usually doubled eg. C8
Diminution-notes value are shortened eg. B1 notes are halved in B3
Inversion-melody turned upside down eg, “Sí Bheag Si Mhór” in section A
Counterpoint-combining 2 themes – polyphonic eg D2 and B3