Kovács Ilona

In Ernõ Dohnányi’s Workshop
Starting the Composition
Ilona Kovács

The in-depth examination of Dohnányi’s sketches, miscellaneous jottings and rough drafts reveals that he had few problems to sketch the beginning of the works – compared to the second themes, which have several corrections and even complete re-writings. In general, we can say the same about the closing. Furthermore, when he started composing the main ideas were more or less elaborated in his head and therefore we rarely find ‘concept sketches’ among his manuscripts. That is why some sketches of the 1^st movement of the Sextet in B-flat major (without opus number) and the 3^rd movement of the Quartet in A major (op. 7) are so remarkable and extraordinary and worth a closer look. These types of sketches are non-typical in Dohnányi’s oeuvre since they enable us to participate in the compositional process from the very beginning. With the help of these surviving sketches we can follow the composer’s hesitation while creating the main themes in the above mentioned compositions.

In Ernõ Dohnányi’s Workshop – The Compositional Process of Movement I. of the String Quartet No. 1 (Op. 7)
Ilona Kovács

Ernõ Dohnányi very rarely spoke or wrote about his music and – not like many of his colleagues – he never gave any detailed explanation of his work and compositional methods. In his opinion “…words can never explain music. Music is a language of ideas, which cannot be expressed by words.” According to his contemporaries, he composed easily thanks to his legendary improvisation capabilities and the fact that he worked out a lot of details in his mind in advance. However, if we study the few remained Dohnányi-sketches in-depth we can have a glimpse into his workshop and get first hand information about his method of composing. Although the manuscripts do not undermine the image of “the easily composing Dohnányi”, fine-tune of our perception about his creative work.
The source of this study are two manuscripts of the National Széchényi Library: the continuity draft (Ms. Mus. 3.275) and the fair copy (Ms. Mus. 2.980) of the quartet. With the help of these documents the study attempts to reconstruate the compositional process of Movement I. of Dohnányi’s First Quartet. The investigation is supported by a historical background, a description of the sources, a detailed paper study of the five different papers used by Dohnányi in this composition and the reception of the work.

A Hybrid Form: The Second Movement of Ernst von Dohnányi’s String Quartet in A Major (Op. 7)
Ilona Kovács

The form of the second movement of the String Quartet in A major, original not only in Dohnányi’s oeuvre but in music history in general, as well. This new musical idea is a fusion of two traditional forms: a variation and a ternary form. The theme of the movement is followed by four variations, but at the end of the second one there is an unexpected break: a contrasting Trio-like section comes in between and the flow of variations continues only after it finishes. This unique structure is analysed in detail for the first time in present study. Relying on analyses of Dohnányi’s compositions, this study traces similar formal characteristics in other works of the composer too. Finally, the article provides with an example for this hybrid form in one of its three closest relatives: the second movement of the Piano Quintet in E flat minor, Op. 26.

Sketches and Their Characteristics in Ernő Dohnányi's Manuscripts
Ilona Kovács

In many cases sketch-studies are like deciphering a difficult puzzle. To solve these riddles by reconstructing the compositional process one needs a big amount of patience and practise. No doubt, however, it is worth devoting time to sketch research, because as Nietzsche put it in his Untimely Meditations: "To understand the picture one must divine the painter."
The first half of the study focuses on general description of Dohnányi's sketches that can be found on single sketch leaves or in bundles of bifolios, and more rarely in sketchbooks. It also provides with a detailed list of musical symbols and other signs in these manuscripts that were frequently used by the composer.
Since nobody researched Dohnányi's sketches so far, the second half of present study attempts to sort out the main types of them. Not only distinguishes the major types of sketch items, but gives clear illustrations, as well. The aim of this study is to provide a basis for further research that would contribute to a better understanding of Dohnányi's compositional process.