6 Little Piano Pieces Op. 19

Op. 11 still preserves - indeed emphasizes - the techniques of thematic construction. Op. 19 written two years later dispenses even with the thematic gestures; "a-tonality" here also means "a-thematicism." The first five of these miniatures seem to have been written on a single day February 19 1911; the last was added in June. Only the first piece has a certain scope and an ongoing developmental quality in its suggestion of vocal phrase structure and four-part harmonic texture. Yet in spite of appearances there is no thematic development at all; as in the similar case of "Erwartung" (the piece is like a fragment from some unknown music drama) there is phrase structure without themes; only the controlling presence of certain intervals integrates the free intense melodic and harmonic structures. (Eric Salzman)