Retrograde music example

In twelve-tone music, retrograde treatment of pitch is a commonplace, but rhythmic retrogrades are comparatively rare. Examples of rhythmic retrogrades occur in the music of Alban Berg, for example in the operas Wozzeck and Lulu, and in the Chamber Concerto.

1. What does retrograde mean in music?
2. What is the difference between retrograde and inversion?
3. How do you write a retrograde?

What does retrograde mean in music?

Retrograde inversion is a musical term that literally means "backwards and upside down": "The inverse of the series is sounded in reverse order." Retrograde reverses the order of the motif's pitches: what was the first pitch becomes the last, and vice versa.

What is the difference between retrograde and inversion?

The retrograde is the prime form backward. The inversion is the original row with all intervals in the row inverted (going in the opposite direction of the original).

How do you write a retrograde?

Write the retrograde by reversing the order of the pitch class numbers. Write the retrograde-inversion by reversing the order of pitch class numbers in the inversion. The reference pitch of the original and inversion forms is always the first note.