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IJMSTA - Vol. 1 - Issue 2 - September 2019
ISSN 2612-2146
Pages: 7
A Mathematical Insight into Balakirev's Orientalism in Islamey
Authors: Nikita Mamedov
Categories: Journal
Abstract - Balakirev's piano work Islamey, composed in 1869 and revised in 1902, consists of three sections. This research will look at the A-section from perspective of form and structure by focusing on motivic segmentation. In the A-section of this composition, each phrase is a combination of variations and fragmentations of the three motives (labelled a, b, and c). A set of four or five motives produces a sole group. The opening section of Islamey contains ten separate groups, all unique in their musical construction. By integrating mathematics and music theory, it is evident that Balakirev produces three types of group structures in this work. These include: (1) groups that contain mot. a and mot. b, which utilize prime, variation, and fragmentation forms; (2) groups that only contain mot. c, which use the variation form; (3) groups that only contain mot. b, which use the fragmentation form.
Keywords: Balakirev, music analysis, music and mathematics, music form
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