Palindromic Structures in the Music of Bartók and Webern: the Search for Organic Unity

Abstract

The use of symmetry, and especially palindromic structures, form a vital connection in the music of Webern and Bartók. By analyzing certain crucial musical passages, the connection by palindromes in the vertical as well as the horizontal dimension will become evident. This thesis also addresses the underlying ideology of musical organicism, which both composers seem to engage with. The essential motivation for this is the shared fascination for and inspiration of nature in music.