Late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Ostinato

beethoven op 131 trio scherzo, bars 69–76



beethoven op 131 trio scherzo, bars 69–76

beethoven reverses relationship few bars later melody in viola , cello , ostinato shared between violins:

beethoven op 131 trio scherzo, bars 93–100



beethoven op 131 trio scherzo, bars 93–100

both first , third acts of wagner’s final opera parsifal feature passage accompanying scene band of knights solemnly processes depths of forest hall of grail. “transformation music” supports change of scene dominated iterated tolling of 4 bells:

wagner, parsifal act 1, transformation music

brahms used ostinato patterns in both finale of fourth symphony , in closing section of variations on theme haydn:

brahms variations on theme haydn, final section ground bass