Abstract:
In this mini-dissertation the writer analyzed Hubert du Plessis’ Drie Stukke vir Fluit en Klavier, opus 25. He researched why Du Plessis uses three shorter series of different lengths. The relationship between the series in this work was researched, as well as the characteristic applications of the series. It was found that Du Plessis uses shorter series of different lengths as his compositional tool, because they are manageable and can be manipulated for any specific requirement or need. With fewer notes in a series, if chromatic notes are avoided, the music will lean itself to an impression of tonality. It is interesting for the researcher how the feeling of tonality was portrayed through the use of different series and hence the given dissertation was researched. In true atonal music, composers usually disregard third and halftone intervals. Yet, tritones are often used in atonal music. In retrospect, Du Plessis uses more third and halftone intervals than tritones. There is only one tritone in this work (found in the second series), as opposed to the use of third and halftone intervals throughout all three series. The feeling of tonality is further enhanced through fragments of the series that one can place in a specific key. With this in mind, it is evident to get the impression of tonality as a result of fragmentation from the series. Another aspect of tonality that cannot be ignored was the composer’s use of bitonality. The serial techniques that Du Plessis used, was also researched. It was found that Du Plessis did not make use of any new innovations. All these techniques were already used by composers like Schoenberg, Berg, Webern and Dallapiccola. The most important techniques that Du Plessis used, were: <ul> <li>The use of all the forms of the series and their transpositions</li> <li>Overlapping series (that is when the last note of the series, becomes the first note of the next series)</li> <li>Combination of series (superimposition)</li> <li>The dividing of series between the instruments</li> <li>The repetition of notes in a series before all the notes have been used</li> <Li>Sometimes notes are put in a different order, thereby losing the correct order of the series.</li></ul>
