Mazzola, Guerino / Noll, Thomas / Lluis-Puebla, Emilio: Perspectives in Mathematical and Computational Music Theory

Figure 68:

Metric weight of measures 1-53

Figure 69:

Metric weight of the theme

The metric weight of the first segment in figure 68 shows a characteristic of this movement. The interplay of the instrumental parts without any caesura result in a continuous motion causing a metric weight without any clear differentiation within the highest layer²⁴

²⁴: Similar phenomena can be stated within the A sharp Major part.

. The three strong beats form the highest layer, but within this layer no differentiation can be observed. The isolated analysis of the theme in figure 69 on the other hand shows a differentiation which is divided into two parts. Within the first part of the picture the greatest metric weights are located on the first beats of the measures, whereas within the second part on the third beats of the measures due to the syncopations (see figure 70). Metric coherence can be stated.

Figure 70:

The theme in measures 26 ff.

The metric weight of the third part (measures 99-163) in figure 71 reveals in contrast to the corresponding weight of the first part a differentiation within the highest layer, due to the slowing motion towards the end of the movement. Whereas in the first part no caesura appears, we can find them in the second part at the end. For instance, onsets of notes are placed solely on the second beats of the measures 151, 155 and 160, whereas the other beats are empty. These notes’ placements cause the great metric weights on the second beats within the whole segment.

Figure 71:

Metric weight of measures 99-163

The analysis of the melody of the third segment in figure 72 on the other hand is very similar to the corresponding analysis of the first part of the movement.

Figure 72:

Metric weight of the theme of measures 99-163

4.3 Summary Third Symphony

The inner metric analysis of the first movement reveals the opposite relation between inner and outer metric structure as in the Second Symphony: despite segments of different notated time signatures the inner metric structure allows homogeneous interpretation. Concerning the theme the mentioned discrepancy between $32$ and $64$ in Frisch (1990) is confirmed by inner metric analysis. The weight of the