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GENERATIONS structure

section mp3s
a musical map of the form of Generations

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Generations was developed from a single eight-measure phrase which contains the themes for each of the first four movements. 

The first violin plays its theme in the key of A major. This theme is developed in the third movement of Generations, and appears at the top of the four voices in the single eight-measure phrase. Below that, in the key of B major, is the second violin, which plays the theme that opens the first movement of Generations. The third voice in the single eight-measure phrase is the electric guitar, which states its themes in the key of Db major in movement four. The violin cello holds down the bass in the key of Eb major, and develops its themes in movement two. 

The mp3 that begins this segment is actually the beginning of the fifth and final movement. The themes are stated in the sequence of ascending keys, starting with the first violin in A from mvt. III, then the second violin in B from mvt. I, the electric guitar in Db from mvt. IV, and the violin cello in Eb from mvt. II. They are then stated in the original single eight-measure phrase, and the development continues from there.

Each of the four themes has a counter-theme which is played once the movement theme has been stated. In the musical mp3 example, the other two instruments play freely developed lines based on the stylistic development of the movement. Each instrument pairing is unique and reciprocal, and no instrument plays two counter-themes. 

The harmony, measured at each eighth note, that results from the intersection of the four melodies, forms the chord progression which is used in the electric guitar solo in movement four.

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The first movement of Generations begins with the theme in B major which is played by the second violin.

The first violin plays the counter-theme for the second violin. This movement uses ideas and techniques from the early modal period of European harmony. Since now is not really the time of the ancient Gregorian Monks, modal use and rhythmic pulse is extended beyond the historical style. The principal form of development in this movement is melodic. 

The development begins with a change into 3/4 time, portrayed in the guitar. The second violin plays the melody while the first violin and cello play an accent pattern in a 7 eighth-note cycle, each using pizzicato. The first presentation is in F# Locrian, followed by E Aeolian. Click to listen. hi fi [64kbps]  lo fi / stream [16kbps]

Returning to 4/4 time, the melody is stated in unison / octave by the violins and cello, while the guitar states the root and fifth of D# Phrygian. Following this, the cello takes the melody, with the two violins playing a countermelody in fourths. The guitar continues the pedal, but with a single D#. The pedal tone is then passed to the cello and moved to C#, while the second violin plays a melodic embellishment of the countermelody in Dorian. Click to listen. hi fi [64kbps]  lo fi / stream [16kbps]

The guitar sounds a return to the B tonal center, with the second violin playing a more elaborate embellishment of the melody, first in Lydian, then in Ionian. During the Lydian section, the first violin states the original melody while the cello plays the countermelody in pizzicato. At the return to Ionian, the first violin takes the countermelody while the cello harmonizes a fourth below. Click to listen. hi fi [64kbps]  lo fi / stream [16kbps]

The original melody is restated in 7/8 time, sounded in the two violins, while the cello plays pizzicato accents on the fourth eighth note of each measure. An antiphonal section follows, with the guitar and cello answering the melodic fragments played by the violins. The guitar and cello remain paired for a melodic augmentation, with the cello playing the melody and the guitar playing the countermelody. The second violin embellishes the melody in a 12/8 rhythm, while the first violin plays a simple harmony line above. Click to listen. hi fi [64kbps]  lo fi / stream [16kbps]

A brief transitional section returns to the original melodic statement with the counter-theme, with the guitar and cello playing harmonizations below. A plagel cadence brings the first movement to a close.

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The second movement of Generations begins with the theme in Eb major which is played by the violin cello.

The electric guitar plays the counter-theme for the violin cello.

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The third movement of Generations begins with the theme in A major which is played by the first violin.

The second violin plays the counter-theme for the first violin.

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The fourth movement of Generations begins with the theme in Db major which is played by the electric guitar.

The violin cello plays the counter-theme for the electric guitar.