"At first the attempt to remember, and then remembrance itself:" A Phenomenological Study of Alfred Schnittke's Piano Quartet

Phenomenology, in its etymological sense, is the activity of giving an account of the way things appear. Thus, a phenomenology of time attempts to account for the way things appear to us as temporal or how we experience time. Alfred Schnittke’s Piano Quartet lends itself well to phenomenological analysis due to the anachronistic placement of Gustav Mahler’s unfinished, G-minor scherzo sketch into the subjective, intentional realm of time-consciousness. Schnittke’s meticulous manipulation of Mahler’s theme intentionally creates multi-dimensional objects in time and sound that suggest both small- and large-scale circular-patterns of memory, a musical epitaph for both Mahler and himself.In order to identify intentionality in Schnittke’s realization of Mahler’s unfinished sketch, the Piano Quartet is explored through the philosophical lens of affect theory, defined as an impingement or extrusion of a momentary or sometimes more sustained state of relation.¹ Specifically, this thesis explores how Schnittke intentionally manipulates both time and space to create these momentary or sustained states of relation. I begin by providing a brief account of biographical information over Mahler’s Piano Quartet (and sketch), the relationship between Schnittke and Mahler, and Schnittke’s background. I then reviewing three texts that investigate Schnittke’s Piano Quartet, and define and codify the analytical concepts utilized in this analysis. I provide an analysis of Schnittke’s Piano Quartet utilizing modern analytical techniques that reveal the intentionality and central structure of experience, including Schenkerian and Contour analysis. Finally, I summarize my findings by establishing a narrative for future endeavors in the melding of musical analysis and philosophy.¹ Marie Thompson and Ian Biddle, Sound, Music, Affect: Theorizing Sonic Experience (New York: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), 6.