human feelings. Ferrara makes an effort to emphasize that the analyst must retain a detached at-
titude concerning music’s expressiveness. The analyst’s subjective reactions remain a secondary
issue. He must give reasons for the report of expressed feelings in his earlier insights in musical syn-
tax and sound-in-time.
- Onto-historical world
The third level of musical representation concerns the onto-historical world of the composer. Ferrara
warns against unrelated references in the form of general cultural trends. Similar to in step six, he
insists that onto-historical insight must be grounded in observations of syntax and sound-in time in
the work under study. - Open Listenings
In the final open listenings, the analyst responds to the multiplicity of levels of musical significance of
the musical work. Steps 3, 4 and 5 consisted in separation of syntax, sound in time, and representa-
tion. In steps 6 and 7, separation ceased, as the analyst related the referential dimensions of virtual
feeling and onto-historical world to observations of syntax and sound in time.
Now the analyst is prepared to experience how the different levels of musical significance in-
teract in a multilayered dynamic whole. The understanding of this interaction is ”the ultimate purpose
of the bridging of sound, form and reference” (p. 186). - Performance Guide
On the basis of his insight in the music, the analyst can now present suggestions and advice for in-
terpretation of the work. - Meta-Critique
A final discussion and evaluation of the entire analysis and its single steps, examining theoretical
presuppositions and the strenghts and weaknesses of the different approaches to musical under-
standing.
Application of the ten-step method
Ferrara has applied his ten-step method in analyses of two works for piano, No. 3 of Bela Bartok’s
Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs Op. 20, composed 1920 (pp. 189-232), and the third
movement of David Zinn’s Spanish Sojourn, published as sheet music 1988 (pp. 235-331). Unfortu-
nately, no commercial recording of the latter work is available.
Ferrara presents an elaborate analysis of the Bartok piece, which clarifies the details, meaning, and
overall structure of the music, and demonstrates the utility of the eclectic method.
Step 1 presents a brief overview of Bartok’s historical background.
Step 2 reports the results of several open listenings. Ferrara describes the piece as yearning and
troubled, growing to a climax of distress and melancholy.
Step 3 is a score analysis of themes, harmony and form. The score indicates that the piece is based
on a Hungarian folk song, ”See there looming, a black cloud.”
Step 4 describes, in great detail, the temporal units of the piece, which combine in four temporal
structures which constitute the entire piece of music. This step integrates attentive listening and
score verification. Interestingly, the temporal units and structures are not identical with the themes