Peter Lundin wrote:

>Mark finds a bridge (Mimi calls it 'Arch' form) structure (ABCBA) in
>Bartoks fourth string quartet.  This I belive is one of Bartoks "tricks"
>of the trade, I first noticied it in his 'music for strings.  Percussion
>and Celesta', and since in many other of his works, acctuly in many other
>composers works as well, the compositional trait ABC, turning backwards
>mid C and going BA ending up where You started has been used since the
>Renaissance.

Not only does he use the "arch" form, with the first part done in
retrograde in the second part, his works are filled with the mathematical
proportions of the Golden Mean and the Fibonacci series - even more
amazing!  The climax of the 1st mvt of the "Music for Strings, Percussion
and Celeste" occurs exactly at the very measure representing the Golden
Mean - after that, the fugue subject is inverted, and voices are subtracted
in almost the same way they were added in the 1st half.  His work for
two pianos and percussion has the Fibonacci series and the Golden Mean
operating on incredible micro levels through-out.  So incredible and so
wonderful - because none of it sounds contrived.

Hello to old MCML friends!

Best regards,

Kathie Faricy