Rhythmic Motive 2 (R2)

Two rhythmic motives, labeled R1 and R2, are present throughout the first movement. Occurrences of R2 are displayed here:

The methods of development for the R2 motive can be summarized as follows:

Placement of the motive between the trumpet and piano right hand or left hand.
"Spelling" of the motive. Some notes are replaced by rests of equal duration, and some notes are notated by tied beats of lesser duration.
Diminution and augmentation of the motive.

The first statement of R2 is played by the trumpet, seen in mm. 7-9. A slightly delayed statement of R2 is then found in the left hand of the piano. This first variation of R2 preserves the total number of beats from the original, but uses tied sixteenth notes to replace eighth notes. This is a subtle way for Davies to present the same motive while avoiding direct repetition.

Another statement of R2 by the trumpet directly follows the first statement which concluded in m. 9. This variation of R2 would likely not be heard by the listener as the three sixteenth notes obscure the ability to hear the first two eighth notes of the motive. This variation is noticed due to Davies's notation, as the eighth note beaming in the score highlights the presence of those first two eighth notes of R2.

The eighth notes in this variation of R2 are now cut in half, split between a sixteenth rest and a sixteenth note. Otherwise, the total number of beats remains in tact from the original statement of R2. Also, this variation is in the right hand of the piano for the first time in the movement.

This variation on R2 in the left hand of the piano begins the same as the original, but then dissolves into a constant stream of sixteenth notes. Although Davies's has fully completed each R2 variation to this point, another method of variance and the avoidance of repetition is achieved through this dissolution of the motive.

Returning to the trumpet, the next occurrence of R2 is displaced by a sixteenth note, as the eight note in the second measure of this example is tied to a sixteenth note.

This statement of R2 in the trumpet is in an augmented form where the note values from the original statement of R2 have been doubled. (Please refer to Messiaen's Rhythmic Influence for the significance of this R2 statement).

Similar to its R1 counterpart, the final statement of R2 in the left hand of the piano returns to its original notation in the final two measures of the movement.

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