Movement 4: Marche Au Supplice - Structure

General Overview of Movement 4: Marche au Supplice

• Title: Marche au Supplice ("March to the Scaffold").
• Mood: Dark, foreboding, and macabre, depicting the protagonist's march to his execution.
• Form: Modified sonata form with elements of march form.
• Key: G minor.
• Time Signature: 4/4, reinforcing the steady, relentless rhythm of a march.

Structural Breakdown

Introduction (Bars 1–24)

• Mood: Quiet and ominous, setting the scene for the march.
• Features:
  • Low strings and bassoons play a descending scale, suggesting heavy, plodding footsteps.
  • A sombre and eerie atmosphere is created through dynamic swells and sparse orchestration.

First Theme (Bars 25–78)

• Theme: A menacing and determined march theme, first introduced by the low strings and brass.
• Features:
  • Strong, accented rhythms drive the relentless forward motion of the march.
  • Woodwinds and horns join, adding layers of tension and anticipation.
  • The theme is bold and militaristic, reflecting the protagonist's grim journey.

Second Theme (Bars 79–144)

• Mood: Lighter and more delicate, providing contrast to the heavy first theme.
• Theme: Played by the clarinet, this theme is graceful and almost ironic, reflecting the protagonist's fleeting thoughts of his beloved.
• Orchestration:
  • Harp arpeggios and pizzicato strings soften the texture.
  • The idée fixe appears briefly, interrupting the march with a dreamlike reminder of the protagonist's obsession.

Development (Bars 145–199)

• Mood: Intensifies the drama, with fragmented motifs from the first theme.
• Features:
  • The orchestra builds tension through dynamic contrasts and rapid exchanges between instruments.
  • Dissonance and chromaticism heighten the sense of chaos and inevitability.

Recapitulation (Bars 200–232)

• Return of the First Theme: The march theme reappears with greater force, played by the full orchestra.
• Features:
  • Brass and percussion dominate, creating a sense of finality.
  • The relentless rhythm mirrors the protagonist's steady approach to the scaffold.

Coda (Bars 233–260)

• Conclusion: A sudden, dramatic ending.
• Features:
  • The idée fixe is cut off abruptly by a loud, crashing chord, symbolising the protagonist's execution.
  • Brass and percussion deliver a powerful, ominous conclusion, leaving the audience in shock.

Key Structural Features

• Modified Sonata Form: Combines the structure of sonata form with the narrative drive of a march.
• Idée Fixe: Appears briefly in the second theme, symbolising the protagonist's fleeting memory of his beloved.
• March Rhythm: A steady 4/4 pulse drives the movement, evoking the protagonist's grim procession.
• Orchestration:
  • Heavy use of low strings, brass, and percussion to convey weight and inevitability.
  • Contrasts between bold, militaristic themes and fleeting moments of delicate beauty enhance the narrative.