dodecaphony
Greek era
Definition
A 20th-century compositional technique in which all twelve pitches of the chromatic scale are treated as equally important and arranged into a tone row used as the basis for the entire work. Pärt explored this technique in his early period (1960–1968) before abandoning it for tintinnabuli.
Interpretive Guidance
Early Pärt dodecaphonic works (such as the Partita, Op. 2) require precise voicing and a clear awareness of interval relationships within the row. Avoid romanticising; let the structure speak.