Symmetrical Partitioning

.
of the Row In

Schoenberg's Wind Quintet, Ope 26

JOHN MAXWELL

Schoenberg completed his Wind Quintet, Ope 26, in August

1924, after having worked on the manuscript since April
1923. It is one of his earliest twelve-tone compositions.
Felix Greissle stated that it was "the first large work in
which Schoenberg has substantiated the laws of compositions
with twelve tones."l The first performance was on September
16, 1924.
The Wind Quintet is in four movements: an opening sonata
form, a scherzo and trio, a slow movement, and a concluding
rondo. The third movement is a broad ternary form with a
substantial coda section. The entire quintet is based on
the following tone row:

A B c* C Bb D E F* G# F
6 8 10 9 7 11 1 352

As can be noted quickly from the pitch class numbers, the

two hexachords of the row each contain five notes of a whole
tone scale plus one note not in the scale. From the matrix
formed by this row (see Example 1), it is evident that every
row form is divided into hexachords of primarily odd or even

lArnold Schoenberg, Quintett fuer Floete, Oboe, Klari-

nette, Horn und Fagott, Ops 26, introductory notes by Felix
Greissle (Vienna: Universal-Edition, 1925), p. ii.
2 INDIANA THEORY REVIEW

Example 1. Matrix of Row for Quintet, Ope 26.

0 4 6 8 10 9 7 11 1 3 5 2
A B
8 0 2 4 6 5 3 7 9 11 1 10

6 10 D 0 2 4 3 1 5 7 9 11 8
C
4 8 10 0 2 1 11 3 5 7 9 6

2 6 8 10 0 11 9 1 3 5 7 4

3 7 9 11 1 0 10 2 4 6 8 5

5 9 11 1 3 2 0 4 6 8 10 7
A
1 5 7 9 11 10 8 0 2 4 6 3

6 10 0 2 4 1
11 3 5 c 7 9 8
D
9 1 3 5 7 6 4 8 10 0 2 11

7 11 1 3 5 4 2 6 8 10 0 9
B
10 2 4 6 8 7 5 9 11 1 3 0

pitch class numbers, corresponding to the whole tone

structure of the hexachords. Although Schoenberg does not
make use of its semi-combinatorial properties, the row is
hexachordally combinatorial at Po and Ill' PI and IO' etc.
The row is not prime combinatorial (that is, no transposi-
tion of the first hexachord of Po will produce its second
hexachord) There are other invariant aspects of the row,
however, that result from the fact that the first five notes
of each hexachord (the five whole-tone scale notes) are
transpositionally equivalent. Notes of order numbers 0-4 of
Po can be found as order numbers 6-10 of P 6 , 6-10 of Po can
be found as 0-4 of P7 , etc. Example 2 shows the number of
invariants to be expected under transposed inversion. The
semi-combinatoriality of the row is evidenced by the lack of
invariants at Ill" Five invariants are found at I4 and I 6
Because of the transpositional equivalence of the first five
notes of each of the two hexachords of the row, five-note
segments of corresponding prime forms and five-note segments
of corresponding I forms retain the same order. Examples of
these invariant orderings have been marked with brackets in
 SCHOENBERG, OPe 26 3

Example 2. Inversional Invariants.

Transpositional Level of Inversion (Set Type 0 234 6 8)

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 1 III
10
4 2 4 2 5 2 5 2 4 2 4 0

Number of Invariants

the matrix of Example 1.

Schoenberg exploits this invariant ordering in mm. 48-50
in the oboe line (see Example 3). In m. 48 the oboe takes

Example 3. Quintet, III, mm. 48-50.

Copy tight 1925 by Universal Edition;

copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.

up a linear presentation of 16 begun previously by the

clarinet in m. 46. Upon completing the five-note segment
D-Bb-Ab-Gb-E (11 7 5 3 1) that 16 holds in common with III
(see Example 1), the oboe continues with notes from Ill: F-
G-Eb-C*-B-A-C (2 4 0 10 8 6 9), thus using the invariant
segment to shift smoothly from one row form to another.
The whole tone differentiation or "odd-even" dichotomy of
the hexachords is not used often by Schoenberg in this move-
ment to produce explicit statements of the whole tone scale.
However, such linear statements do appear in other movements
of the Quintet, such as in the horn and flute lines from the
scherzo shown in Example 4.
4 INDIANA THEORY REVIEW

Example 4. Quintet, II, mm. 400-405.

(p.) ~r
0 I ___________
( P3) ~",J...qt_t.~t.
'I.. al!. It,.,
'L t' ~t
. , .
T ~,,~
if
~o~ 0

., ....
.b Ill ...
" t. 0 ~--- .IM.I -------- .ILl
0
,
,.I.
""",~C-
~----------- ~.f'

Copyright 1925 by Universal Edition;

copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.

The final chord of the third movement is a whole tone

structure containing the last five notes of RO (The final
three measures are, in fact, constructed to form an inter-
esting alternation of "even" and "odd" whole tone collec-
tions. This can be seen in Example 5, in which the voice

Example 5. PO-R O Voice-leading, Final Chord.

flute 0 )

oboe 8--11 8
clarinet 10--1--@-1--10 )

horn 4--7-3 7--4 )

bassoon 6--9-5 9--6 ,.

leading of the final cadence is graphed. The central neigh-

bor note 2 is the pivotal note ending Po and beginning RO.
 SCHOENBERG, OPe 26 5

Although each hexachord of the row contains only five

members of a whole tone scale, the "extra" note in each
hexachord is positioned in the row so that repeated state-
ments of any given row form will produce an overlapping se-
quence of hexachords having all six notes of each whole tone
scale in succession. For example, beginning with pitch
class number 9 in Po (see the matrix in Example 1), by
repeating the row, we obtain the succession
9 7 11 1 3 5 2 0 4 6 8 10 and so on. This property allows
for an even stronger dichotomy of pitch content based on the
complementary whole tone scales, an example of which can be
observed in the canonic passage for oboe and clarinet, mm.
40-41 (see Example 6). Note how the transpositional

Example 6. Mm. 40-41.

Etwas flieJ3ender
'n 40 41
Fl
:R! H"~~ I~~.. ~1 ';~ if ~.~ :ii: 4(':
Ob

Kl
I"
~ ~
p-== ==-
H".---.. -== ~
-= h
~=--

Hr
IV -::II:
1\

v
RIll
~--==~
ioo~:t I~~n;~ }
bY' b~
'_1
~
~J;:ei:
~
p~ l r
Fg ""
---=

Copyright 1925 by Universal Edition;

copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.

equivalence of the two hexachords of the row allows for

strict canon between segments of the same row form (RIO).
Another example of whole tone division occurs at the begin-
ning of the canon between oboe and horn at mm. 61-62. The
two canonic voices divide a statement of R6 (see Example 7).
The row forms employed in the movement have been graphed
in Example 8. There are some strong relationships Between
the row forms used and the form of the movement. The A or
main theme section (mm. 1-33) consists entirely of the four
basic row forms PO' IO' RO' and RIO' with the addition of I5
in mm. 8-15. There are' two short sections of freer con-
struction in which the pitch material is not clearly derived
from any row form (mm. 20-21 and mm. 32-33). These areas
6 INDIANA THEORY REVIEW

Example 7. Oboe and Horn Canon.

,....
fL
~.A

-..
II
lL

~
...
4
:..
{

:p''''.,
-... -

e. ~
li.
~
........
iII'':'
L:..!a
...
l""
iii

j( II q CI
I I I 3 3
'I ';I lot ... \
Of
-f .,
III~". IIi> ...
,,!"" Dill

f1II111 III
.,.
~
sfP

, ,
".
r

.., -
':a

lIoo. .oi!I.
loI'
..
JIo

1:1.
~

I....
... 11:
!I III

bT ...
i
-
\~i ;''
1 ,
"'~
II 'i :t () 10
,
II

. ,_
loI'-
.;;,
;II , fill,.'
.... Dill
.....,;/
.....
.,. g.-7
...!:LIB

7 4~~
...,

ifp ,.........alii .., /"~

bn
..,
... \I _ -"-,..
,- ""
'..., trJI
,. .4 iii" MIlA'. ..L
IL
" ...
t

"'

Copyright 1925 by Universal Edition;

copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.

act as dividing or cadential sections. The B section (mm.

34-81) utilizes mainly Ill' RIll' P 6 , R6 , and I 6 " These row
forms are used in a less straightforward manner than those
used in the A section. In the B section, Schoenberg does
not hesitate to begin in the middle of a row form. Where
this occurs it has been indicated in the chart of Example 8
by placing the order number of the first pitch in
parenthesis (see for example the oboe in m. 40, where RIll
begins with order number 9). Schoenberg also divides the
row forms into trichords and presents the trichords in a
similar way: beginning in the middle of the row, as with R6
in mm. 53-60. The second A section beginning at m. 82 and
the coda at m. 114 return to the row forms used at the
beginning. The second A section also contains an extended
"free" area in m. 103 that serves, like the corresponding
 SCHOENBERG, OPe 26 7

measures in the first A section (mm. 20-21), as a sort of

half cadence between statements of the principal theme. The
gradual exclusion of all other row forms besides Po and RO
in the coda seems to indicate that Schoenberg regarded the
original form of the row, and indeed the opening five-note
segment of PO' as a reference point that ought to be reached
at the conclusion in order to attain a sense of closure.
And finally it is interesting that although Schoenberg did
not use Po and III combinatorially, III dominates the B sec-
tion. Perhaps he was aware of the relationship, even though
he did not use it to control vertical content.
Inspection of the graph in Example 8 reveals that row
forms often appear three times in succession. This
threefold repetition of rows is characteristic of the
principal theme of the movement and also in the B section
where the principal theme is absent (for example, see mm.
40-46, 53-60, and 61-68). The intitial presentation of the
principal theme is stated by the horn in mm. 1-8 accompanied
by the bassoon (see Example 9). There are three statements
of Po divided between the two instruments in these measures.
Schoenberg has used a systematic process to partition the
horn theme out of the three statements, thereby producing a
new twelve-note series that is not related to the original
row by transposition or inversion. Example lOa shows Po and
this horn theme in pitch class notation, with brackets sup-
plied in Po to show the partitioning procedure that produces
the horn theme. Four notes are partitioned out of each
statement of PO' and each four-note group consists of two
parts of symmetrically arranged notes of the two hexachords.
The numbering of the brackets in Example 9 indicates the
order in which the pairs appear.
When the main theme is restated in the course of the
movement, a similar symmetrical partitioning procedure is
employed. The themes and the row forms out of which they
have been partitioned are shown in Example 10. There are
some interesting relationships between statements of the
theme partitioned from different row forms. The recapitula-
tion at m. 82 and the flute line at m. 22 (Example lOc and
10e) form the same series of pitch classes and are both
partitioned from the RO form of the row. Instead of being
the actual retrograde of the horn melody in mm. 1-8,
however, they present retrograde ordering only within each
tetrachord (in the first tetrachord, for example, compare
o 9 7 2 in the horn, Example lOa, with 2 7 9 0 in the flute,
Example 10c). This is because the same symmetrical pairs of
notes have been extracted from corresponding repetitions of
the respective row forms. The same relationship exists
between th RIO-derived flute theme in m. 90 (Example 10f)
and the IO-derived theme in m. 104 (Example 10h). A true
retrograde relationship can be seen between the flute line
in mm. 22-26 (Example 10c) and its continuation (partitioned
 00

Example 8. Graph of Row Forms, Op. 26~

[E]
(mm. ) 11 8 15 19 20 22 27 28 .30 .32 ..,4
3 x Po 3 x IS 3 x P Po free? 3 x R 3 x P
f.I,ob ob,Pg flJg f1,P g
quartal sYl1uuetrical symmetrical
principal 3 x I 3 x I 3 x RIO 10 P
chords---->partit ioning partitioning
theme c1Jn c1Jn ob ob c1,Ob
3 x I 3 x RIO H H
c1Jn c1,hn ~,fg :z:
principal t1
theme I H
::t>'
:z:
::t>'
~ 0-3
::c:
(mm. ) ,34 ,40 .46 48 51 .53 .57 .59 .61 tx.l
o
2 x I ------------- ::0
(canonic) fl 6 t<
III trichords 3 x HIll (9) I (9)------)1
6 6
= 2 x I 11 (4)------- H6 trichords R (9)
6
R6 trichorcls ::0
ob C1 0b 3-4-1-2-3 3-1-2 tx.l
2 x III 3 x RIll (3) P (9)---------P6(3)
6
16 <:
H
fg c1 c.I 1 c.I,hn
tx.l
3 x R 2 x I (9)----------------- :E:
hn,g hn 11 3 x R6
I 11 (9)-----RI 11 --------------
fg f9

61 68 78 81 82
1 1
3 x R (6) 3 x RIb1
6
f.I,c1,fg f1,o Po or RIll I RO trichorcls
3 x R (imitative)
Ha-b-a
obJn 3 x RIll (6)
ob,hn
(canonic)
 [KJ
(mm.) ,82 .89 90 97 101 .102 104 110 111 112 .114
principal principal 3 x 1 0 (9) 1,/9(6) free? 3 x 10 H 2 x ItO Ul
theme theme fl,cl I 1,ob quartal--}symmetrical f1,c1 91,Ob f1,ob ()
3 x R
ob,9g
I 10 3 x RIO
f1,hn
3 X P9(9~1
hn, gl
chords partitioning 3 x P
hn}g
III 11 2 x P
c1,~n,fg
;:I:
o
tri- tx:l
3 x 10 3 x III principal
cl ob,cl,fg theme
chords Z
O:J
tx:l
Xl
Q
[CoJ~ I
o
(mm. ) 118 122 125 127 131 '133 135 138 139 '"0

I
1114
10
f1,ob R91 10 Po HO
fl,cl,fg
1 Po r 10 3 x Po 1 ItO 1 PO--RO N
0'1
Po RO RIO
c1,fg ob,hn,fg ob,hn
(imi ta ti ve) UIn'1tative)

w
 10 INDIANA THEORY REVIEW

Example 9. Mm. 1-7.

Etwas langsam (Poco Adagio)d.::.32

~
1 2 3
FI -t!-
Ob t
.v_~
Kl

--
"-::i:: tf .., -.I ",. 1---,, .:J IV
Hr
,,--
-- .::: ~~~~
~o 'yo
D-.:t:. -I

Po N"b
----
~

;:::::: -~
--C 0 1<>'
Fg
p-= ==--.
immer zart und gesrrflgvoll -== =- / p --==::=- -==::=-
5 6 7
FI
Ob
~ l:l.
Kl
-:a::

Hr
~ J' ;J 110 -.:r_~ I .3 -

-----
-
1'(
'-":;:=- ~~~ =<I: -~. ~---Y
~

rilD Ii- I~ Pf; t--, >...:::::::::::: ~

Fg
<>
:;:;:~ ~
'''-- . 'e.
. . .-= l!U~o -=:-==--=-
o

Copyright 1925 by Universal Edition;

copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.

from PO) in mm. 27-30 (Example 10d). In this case the order
in which the symmetrically arranged pairs are extracted is
reversed, in addition to the retrograde relationship of the
parent rows from which the two themes are derived.
At m. 104 the same partitioning process is activated to
produce bpth the main theme in the horn at its original
level (from PO) and the flute counter subject from 10 (Exam-
ple lOa and 10h). Consequently, a strict inversional rela-
tionship exists between the two instrumental lines. It is
the consistency of the derivational process that creates
this relationship. The simple use of P and I forms does not
assure such an inversional correspondence.
The partitioning pattern of the clarinet theme in mm.
8-14 (Example lOb) is somewhat different than that found in
other statements of the principal theme. Had the usual pat-
tern been followed, the clarinet would have sounded the
pitch classes 0 3 5 10 8 2 instead of 8 3 5 10 0 2. The
clarinet is forced into a slightly different partitioning of
 SCHOENBERG, OPe 26 11

Example 10. Partitioning of Statements of Main Theme

from Row Forms.

A. Horn, mm. 1-8: 0 9 7 2/4 10 11 5 /6 8 1 3

1,
Derivation, PO: 0
~I
4
3.ar---r
6 8 10 9
I Ihl 7
2b,
11
.3Ior---t
1 3 5 2

B. Clarinet, m. 8 : 8 3 5 10/0 2 1 7 / 6 4 11 9
lClI 1\)1
10.1 :1~1 n,--,
Derivation, IO: 0
3or---14 3
8 6 2 5 1 11 9 7 10

C. Flute, m. 22 : 2 7 9 o / 5 11 10 4 / 3 1 8 6
Ib
10.1
Derivation, RO: 2
l-
I
5
~
3 1 11 7
l
9
lb,
10
3IIr-----t
8 6 4 0

D. Flute, m. 27 : 6 8 1 3/4 10 11 5 / 0 9 7 2

Derivation, PO:
lo.
I
0
9.0- ,
4
Icr.,...--,
6 8 10
I
9
3,
7
)0,
11
Ib~
1 3 5 2

E. Oboe, m. 82. Same line and derivation from RO as Flute, m. 22.

F. Flute, m. 90 : 10 5 3 0 7 1 2 8 9 11 4 6
I~ I :1G1
1 3",.----.
1"1 ?-b, 3br-'l
Derivation, RIO: 10 7 9 11 1 5 3 2 4 6 8 0

G. Horn, m. 104, same line and derivation from Po as mm. I.

H. Flute, m. 104: 0 3 5 10 8 2 1 7 6 4 11 9

Ibl
Derivation, IO:
''I
0
'lo.,
8
~
6 4 2 3 5
lb I
1
310 ..----,
11 9 7 10

I. Bassoon, m. 15: 8 1 3 6 10 11 5 4 9 7 2 0
CNebenstimme)

Derivation, PO:
"\
0
"I4
1\ 'I
6 8
31
10
5,---,
9 7 11 1 3
II
5 2
12 INDIANA THEORY REVIEW

IO in this case because the Eb (pitch class 0) is already

sounding in m. 8 in the bassoon.
A rather distinctive derivational pattern is in evidence
in the bassoon, mm. 15-19 (Example 10i). This line is not
the principal theme, but a Nebenstimme. It is, however,
partitioned from three statements of PO' taking four notes
from each statement. The symmetry shown in Example 10i is
striking.
The process of creating thematic lines from symmetrically
arranged note pairings can shed some light on the free
cadential areas found in the A and AI sections. Example 11
illustrates one of these sections, mm. 31-34. When the
notes are taken in the order of their appearance, they form
pairs that show a symmetrical structure when mapped onto the
original row (PO). The notes encircled in Example 12 and
marked "A" are part of a similar free passage, mm. 20-21.
The flute line obviously contains adjacencies not possible
in any row form. When mapped onto IO in a manner similar to
Example 11, however, another symmetrical pattern emerges.
Example 13 shows the same procedure applied to the passage
at m. 103. The same pairings of notes from Po are used in
all three of the encircled sections, but in each the order
and registral deployment of the pairs is unique.
Admittedly, symmetrical partitioning does not explain
every note of these free sections. The quartal chords in m.
20 and mm. 102-3 defy analysis except that any four-note
chord consisting of three adjacent perfect fourths can be
mapped symmetrically onto one row form as the beginning and
ending notes fo the two hexachords of the row. In m. 20
(see Example 12) the chord 0 9 2 7 can be mapped in this
manner onto Po or RO' the chord 3 6 8 1 onto I3 or RI 3 , and
the chord 3 0 10 5 onto P 3 or R3
From the foregoing analysis, it is clear that symmetrical
partitioning of the row plays an important role in this
movement. Every statement of the principal theme emerges by
this process, and the structure of several free, seemingly
non-serial sections becomes evident through its application.
Symmetrical partitioning is clear evidence that Schoenberg
was investigating symmetry as a technique for em~loying the
twelve-tone row in his early serial compositions.

2For an example of a different sort of symmetry in early

serial works by Schoenberg, see Robert Schallenberg,
"Aspects of Pitch Emphasis in Some Twelve-Tone Works of
Arnold Schoenberg," (D.M.A. dissertation, University of Il-
linois at Urbana-Champaign, 1963), pp. 35-39. Schallenberg
demonstrates rather striking temporal and registral sym-
metries in cadential areas of the Suite, Ope 25.
 SCHOENBERG, OPe 26 13

Example 11. "Free" Section, mm. 32-34, and Derivation

from PO.

~
.. Ij ..'

'+ ~"',
... ., ,
-
--u- ~ an I
I: .. I:
~ ::;;;;iii """"1\11{"

.,
---
TIC} If

7
. . , --"I'

~+ ~ --
,.. 9
1~
~~
....-
10 \ "-
I\~
q..
;ii:.,

II

--
-:;or
-..r -.;:
It
... - -.;;;::
....
~

..L.
-g
"-7
. ....
....
-,

" ...,--
'"
--
10' A
~ I: rIO
1
\ ~ "'"...I; 3 r
3

0
I 'I
Lt 6
s,
8
6i

10 9 7 11 1 3
I I
5 2
I I I I
2.

Copyright 1925 by Universal Edition;

copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.
14 INDIANA THEORY REVIEW

Example 12. "Free" Section, mm. 20-21, and Derivation

from IO.

.c4_ 2O p ;-:;-~
? 1:.-I~ ./ frei, .., , , .... ... ' I

F= ./. -lljo'
.-'
Ifb....~. /~ 1'= l-:'\~f'2 t1 ~ ---'it.L3. ~t";",
Ob
,oJ
.,= ==-'\.: l:f :"'-. . l' J. t::;,-!. -~ 1":\
Kl
.~ ~ 1 ' - ~ IJp::,.. p~':;.
I~ ~ _0 ;;1":\
H-r
~

tt I~ I~' Po r-

--
--, 1-:'\ 1":\
Fg
1= jp:=-
"\ p~
l'
-----

5
l/

I
0
2.-

8
I ,..
L~ 2 3
I
5
3

1
I
0 11 9 7 10

Copyright 1925 by Universal Edition;

copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.
 SCHOENBERG, OPe 26 15

Example 13 "Free" Section, m. 103, and Derivations

from PO.

~ r!h~nO 1 ,;.,
~il. .. ~ .. ~ I
Fl
'M--
103 . colla parte
It..,,,
I':\~ ~
accel t::'
"]l
'~~I!-.I~ ..
....
I
3'-::-'" ,-
I"
1\
{rei
1':\ 0:. = - I':\q
.~"/1 0 -41':\
-~'
1':\-=> ~>

Ob
-~ ~.
I" ~~ ~7
1':\ .:!"~ ,;::::--- ,.. I I~'v
1':\
1\"
Kl
1\ ~~~~ y'!? 1110 If II 'S
';f,:J' ~1 r:)..-...... ~"1 !
Hr
" L 1':\ ,~#a. D --.. """ 1':\ I
Fg
pl...;:j~
;t

I
3 ;t
- ~5

111
I

~I 4r-\
~ r-I---'
I: o 6 8 10 9 7 1 3 5 2

~I
II: o
I I
4
Li ' - 1- - .

6 8 10
I
9
f
7
5,,..---.
1 3 5 2

51
\ "II I
5 2
111:0 4 6 8 10 9 7 11 1 3

I
3
1
J
Copyright 1925 by Universal Edition;
copyright renewed 1952 by Gertrude Schoenberg.
Used by permission of Belmont Music Publishers,
Los Angeles, CA 90049.