Alois Hába’s Microtonal Systems and Their Practical Use in Selected String Quartets
Alois Hába’s Microtonal Systems and Their Practical Use in Selected String Quartets

Summary/Abstract: Alois Haba (1893–1973) was one of the most important composers developing the microtonal music in the early 20th century. The list of his works contains many pieces that were composed in quarter-, 1/5- and 1/6-tone systems. In 1927 he published the book titled Neue Harmonielehre,in which he described the innovative harmonic systems using 1/3, 1/4, 1/6 and 1/12 part of tone.The article briefly presents Haba’s life and work and focuses on the composer’s harmonic ideas from Neue Harmonielehre. The theory of microtonality is confronted with the compositional technique through the analysis of four Haba’s string quartets: 2nd Op. 7, 11th Op. 87, 14th Op. 94 and 16th Op. 98. The analysis focuses on the aspects of microtonality: notation, vertical and horizontal use of new microtonal intervals and texture.

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