By: Joseph Straus, CUNY Graduate Center
Abstract of Video:
Ruth Crawford (1901-1953) was an American composer closely allied with the so-called Ultramodern composers, grouped around Henry Cowell. The third movement of her Diaphonic Suite No. 1 (for solo flute or oboe) is arranged as what she called a “triple passacaglia.” The seven-note series for the piece is presented at three different structural levels: within each measure; from downbeat to downbeat of the 7/8 measures; and in the initial tones of the seven sections of the movement.