The Aesthetics of Minimalist Music and a Schenkerian-Oriented Analysis of the First Movement "Opening" of Philip Glass' Glassworks Page: 31
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Harmonic Loops and Its Loop Breakers in Glass' "Island" and "Opening"
According to the definition of harmonic loop above, instead of hearing a harmonic cycle
in Glass' "Island," I hear two small harmonic loops within a big harmonic loop in Glass' "Island"
(see Example 19).
Loop C
Loop A Loop B
Example 19: Harmonic Loops in Glass' "Island"
Example 19 is adapted from Jones' example in Example 17. In Example 19, the first two chords
that are repeated four times can be designated as a small harmonic loop, Loop A. The rest of the
movement can be designated as the second harmonic Loop B. Loop A is designated to execute
the two chords four times, and move on to Loop B. In other words, Loop A is broken after its
fourth iteration and proceeds to Loop B. Loop A returns when Loop B is completed. Loop C
contains the operation of Loop A and Loop B.
After introducing how harmonic loops and loop breakers function in the third movement
"Island" of Glass' Glassworks, I shall provide a brief overview of "Opening" (see the scanned
score of "Opening" in Example 20). In Example 20, the rhythmic structure consists of hemiolas
over long sustained notes in the bass. The hemiolas make each measure sounds as it were in a
6 2
time signature of 8 with two dotted quarters per measure, or a 2 time signature with two half
notes. The figuration in the right hand in "Opening" is similar to the right hand figuration in
Reich's Piano Phase. Compare Example 7 and Example 21. In Example 7, the melody for the
right hand in Segment B is shifted from the right hand melody in Segment A. In Example 21, the31
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Wu, Chia-Ying (Charles). The Aesthetics of Minimalist Music and a Schenkerian-Oriented Analysis of the First Movement "Opening" of Philip Glass' Glassworks, thesis, May 2009; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc10975/m1/38/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .