slow rubato tempo , but in recordings that move a little quicker it is more audible.Berg also used unordered pitch sets to create strong harmonies in the song. One important unordered pitch set that dominates the end of the piece from measure 22 to the end is {B , F# , Eflat , A , D} or {-25 , -18 , -9 , -3 , 2}. (ex16) This chord sounds six times in the last four measures. This repetition creates a center around B , just like the focus of the first section was around C. Overall this can be seen as an overall movement from C to B. Once again the half -step reappears. The piano also has some important motives. One interesting motive occurs in the right hand of the piano part from measures 13 to 15.(ex17) The motive begins on a C and goes up to an F# to from a tritone. This repeats four times except each time the extra note on top goes up by a half step. Overall it forms the tritone progression of [016] to [026] to [036] and finally [026]. This motive with the expanding top adds to the build up to the climax of the piece. It also emphasizes the importance of the tritone. The tritone sounds each time. This motive leads into another interesting section of the piano part. In measure 15 there is an interesting black and white key run.(ex18) The black keys ascend in a pentatonic scale while the white keys descend down in a G mixolydian scale. The most interesting aspect of the runs is what notes they star and end on. The black key run begins on an A# and ascends two octaves to A# again. The white key run descends two octaves from a B to a B. Once again a half-step is formed. It is also important to note that every single pitch in the chromatic scale is represented in the second half of beat one. These runs with all the chromatic notes suggest the breaking point for the girl in the poem. There are to many notes to handle , just like her friend not showing up was to much to handle.When discussing high and low points of ...
