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Teisutis Makacinas Organ Sonata No. 5

April 1, 2003
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The present article complements a longer article written for The Diapason (August, 1993, pp. 12-13) on the four organ sonatas of Teisutis Makacinas.

In November 1995 I again visited the GAIDA festival of contemporary music held in Vilnius, Lithuania. During this visit the composer informed me that he had written another organ sonata. Dated 1992, the fifth organ sonata is dedicated to the memory of the composer's mother and is based on the Gregorian chant "Pacem relinquo vobis, pacem meam do vobis, dicit Dominus meus." ("Peace I leave you, My peace I give you, says Our Lord.")

In general terms, the sonata evidences the following structure: presentation of the chant - canon - fugue -

postlude. The longest and most intense of these sections is the fugue, which occupies a major portion of the sonata. The preceding sections can be seen to prepare for the fugue, while the postlude returns to the texture and atmosphere of the opening. It should be noted that Makacinas has chosen a formula-like chant with many repeated notes. This emphasis on repeated notes is reflected in all the motives of the sonata, thus making this a monothematic work. Stylistically, the sonata employs simple textures and rather straight-forward rhythms. The composition's interest results from the implied polytonality and increasingly dissonant counterpoint. Both in the canon and the fugue, the entries are controlled by the circle of fifths, thus creating polytonal implications. This sonata, the most austere of the five, avoids standard patterns of organ virtuosity. Its outstanding feature is a pervasive use of the Gregorian chant mentioned above, presented at the outset of the sonata in parallel octaves. (Example  1) The emphasis on the fifth at the beginning of each phrase as well as the parallelism of the voices creates an organum-like atmosphere. This presentation of the chant is followed by the canon which varies the subject somewhat freely, although following the outlines of the chant. The first voices to enter are the bass and tenor on F and C. The alto enters yet a fifth higher on G, creating polytonal dissonance against the lower parts. (Example 2) The cycle of ascending fifths continues with entries on D and A, thereby increasing polytonal implications because of the retention of the scale forms associated with each beginning pitch. At the end of the canon, however, the chant is presented in unisons ending on G, thus preparing for the fugue.

As mentioned above, the fugue stands as the central portion of the sonata. While the canon was in an Andante Moderato tempo, the fugue increases the tempo to dotted half = 64. Like the canon, the fugue presents the thematic entries in a spiral of fifths: G-D-A-E. A strong structural-textural bond between the canon and fugue is created by their common use of this technique. The middle portion of the fugue is marked by fourths and fifths in contrary motion and simultaneous cross-relations. (Example 3) Double notes are heard against entries on E and Bb in the two lower voices. This emphasis on the tritone contrasts with the previous quintal arrangement of the voices. The texture continues to become more dense as a sustained C concludes the climactic entry of the subject. (Example 4) An E-Bb tritone is pitted against an A-E in the lower voices, as the fugue concludes with a short interlude ending on B.

The postlude begins with dissonant harmonies based on stacked fifths. Fragments of the chant are echoed in the manuals. (Example 5)

A final statement of the chant with its Lydian implication emphasized appears in parallel fifths and leads to the final cadence on C. (Example 6)

This sonata may remind some readers of Hindemith because of the neo-classicism, the quintal-quartal harmonies, and the dissonant counterpoint. The continuous emphasis on a chant to generate the large-scale design results in monothematicism similar to that found in the variation canzonas of Frescobaldi. Although Makacinas avoids standard virtuosity, the cumulative tension and expressive nuance of this sonata make it a valuable contribution to the organ repertory. For further information on the five organ sonatas, contact: Teisutis Makacinas, Traideniu 36-2, Vilnius 2004, Lithuania.

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