Composer's and Musicologist's
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#1 #3
Date: 062397
From: Emery Szasz
Subject: Re: Modality - Harmonic vs. Tonal Content of the Scales
To: Newsgroups
I'm glad to see that modes are to be viewed in a comparative
fashion to each other. Any one mode, in my opinion, should not stand
alone, even Ionian (major). It must be continually compared to the other
modes - to determine its validity: texture, brightness, setting. It is
probably best to alter between two modes: Lydian & Phrygian and Ionian &
Aelion and Mixolydian & Dorian. These modes are suggestive because of
their counterbalancing of the number of sharps and flats as well as
natural harmonic implications, that which indicates by means of their
inkeyness that Lydian's harmony should be secundal, Phrygian's Septal and
Ionian's tertian, Aeolian's sextal and Mixolydian's quatral, Dorian's
quintal.
If we take an overview of what we have of this - it may be
realized that there is now not one but seven tonics - or what I like to
call as `scalic'. A form of Seven Tone Tonality.
If you like to see more new concepts on modality and pandiatonics
click on the address at the end of my signature. Please, feel free to
give any comments.
Date: 30 Jun 97
From: Emery Szasz
Subj: About Modes and the sides of the `harmonic cycles' (was 'spirals of
fifths')
The two cycles you described, or at least in the way that you
described it, represent tones from different modes.
C G D A E B F# Lydian by Fifths
C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Locrian by Fourths
Cycles should not be measure by semitones but in-keeping with the modes.
And now if we take these and put them in their proper context - (using all
white keys):
F C G D A E B Lydian by Fifths
B E A D G C F Locrian by Fourths
It seems that Lydian and Locrian counterbalances each other out by
means of reversal of tone played. The following table displays all the
various manners that the mode may be divided at a focal point.
Lydian M:1 || +3 C Most concordant
Ionian M:2 || +2 F/G
Mixolydian M:3 || +1 E/Ab
Dorian M:4 || 0 Eb/A
Aeolian M:5 || -1 D/Bb
Phrygian M:6 || -2 Db/B
Locrian M:7 || -3 F# Least concordant
Focal Mode Table
Modes Harmonies
+3 +2 +1 0 -1 -2 -3
M:3 M:2 M:1 M:7 M:6 M:5 M:4 3 (Quartral)
M:4 M:3 M:2 M:1 M:7 M:6 M:5 4 (Quintal)
M:2 M:1 M:7 M:6 M:5 M:4 M:3 2 (tertian)
M:5 M:4 M:3 M:2 M:1 M:7 M:6 5 (Sextal)
M:1 M:7 M:6 M:5 M:4 M:3 M:2 1 (Secondal)
M:6 M:5 M:4 M:3 M:2 M:1 M:7 6 (Septal)
It is possible to have seven focal harmonies. To view a more
explicit explanation - see the sight at the end of my signature.
Date: 2 Jul 97
From: Emery Szasz
Subj: Using Pandiatonic harmony for Modes.
Why has tonality been geared to only tertian harmony? Why hasn't
it been developed to other possible basis that is not concerning the
harmonic series? It is evident that other systems are formable to
generate music - namely 1)pitch class sets atonality and 2)serial tones.
The first one is a system that, to which I believe, is more than just
atonal; it is rather sensing the various related vectors instead of the
listening to the tones themselves. The second is a repetition of arranged
tones and its inversion, retrograde, & RI, and their segmenting. Both of
them has nothing to do with the harmonic series yet they produce music.
Musical expression of dynamics, color, and rhythm may be better
enabled through the allowance of all extension of harmony and modes. I am
certain that another system is available for modality if one views the
relationships of all possible diatonic chords applied to appropriate
modes.
Subject: Re: Using Pandiatonic harmony for Modes.
From: Gareth McGuiness
Date: 1997/07/03
To Newsgroups
You should try and get hold of work of Dutch music theorist Peter Schaat
and his "tone-clock" system of pitch organisation.
This system explores the twelve existing triads within the chromatic
scale, including the diatonic triad (which is just one of the twelve
possibilities, which Schaat labels "hours").
Included are triad combinations which may be considered pandiatonic, but
the labelling system is more comprehensive than putting ad hoc labels on
music seeming to predominantly use one interval grouping.
From: bart2x@sprintmail.com
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 1997
Subj: Re: Using Pandiatonic harmony for Modes.
Right, an article on Schaat's clock was published in "Key Notes",
a magazine published by Donemus in Amsterdam -- vol. 17, 1983/1. Probably
a lot of new info is available by now.
Perhaps you might also be interested to read Gearge Perle's
_Twelve-Tone Tonality_ to learn about his idea of p/i "modes." He derived
the concept from his studies of symmetries in, esp, Berg's music.
--bart
bart2x@sprintmail.com
Yeshiva University Dept. of Music
Date: Jul 9, 97
From: Emery Szasz
Subj: Association of Tonal Key Changes
What is actually the determining factor for key changes in
relationship to the original key. IOW, what keys are closer in
association to the initial key of a piece. It is know that moving to a
key a fifth or a forth away is most often used, possibly because of the
harmonic series or maybe they are only one tone different from the
original scale.
There is a third suggestive implication to assume, and that is the
tones that are most harmonic to the tonic. (I am referring to
well-tempered tunning.) What I mean by this is that from tonic to tonic is
most harmonic (6/6, 100%), the 5th & the 4th is next in line as harmonic
(5/6, 83.3%), maj 3d & aug 5th is (4/6, 66.7%), min 3rd & 6th is
borderline harmonic/dissonant (3/6, 50%), maj 2d & min 7th begins the
favored dissonant sound (2/6, 33.3%), min 2d & maj 7th is (1/6, 8.3%), and
lastly dim 5th is completely dissonant (0/6, 0%).
Key Changes
From To Concordances
Tonic Tonic +3
Tonic 4th or 5th +2
Tonic maj 3rd or aug 5th +1
Tonic min 3rd or 6th 0
Tonic maj 2nd or min 7 -1
Tonic min 2nd or maj 7th -2
Tonic dim 5th -3
Rather than considering cycles or number of # and b's, I surmise
that if in each of the keys, its tonic determines the closeness by
harmonic value rendered.
Subject: Re: Association of Tonal Key Changes
From: John Ladasky
Date: 1997/07/09
To: Newsgroups
Mr. Szasz,
Check out Paul Hindemith's _Craft_of_Tonal_Composition_. He makes
conclusions very similar to yours.
Unique ID : Ladasky, John Joseph Jr.
Title : BA Biochemistry, U.C. Berkeley, 1989 (Ph.D. perhaps 1998???)
Location : Stanford University, Dept. of Structural Biology
Keywords : immunology, music, running, Green
From: Diane Wilson
Date: 10 Jul 1997
Subj: Re: Association of Tonal Key Changes
I think this would vary so much by period, composer, and composer's intent
as to be not much use. It may very well have some relationship to how
the *listener* perceives the key change, and a composer may use a discordant
key change in order achieve particular effects in the listener's mind
and feelings.
Then there is Prokofiev, whose determining factor for key changes always
seems to be, "Aha! NO ONE will expect *this* key change!" In all
seriousness, to use his Classical Symphony as an example, the key changes
are probably the biggest clue that you are listening to Prokofiev, and
not Haydn.
--
Diane Wilson | Most of my symphonies are tombstones.
anon-11149@anon.twwells.com |
http://www.lava.net/~dewilson/ |--Dmitri Shostakovich
http://www.lava.net/~dewilson/asd/ |
Date: July 17 '97
From: dmyless
Subj: Re. Association of Tonal Key Changes
Thanks for your discussion on tonal key changes. it has made me
think about composition in another way. every different angle a person can
see in music creates a better comp.
dave
Date: July 17 '97
From: Emery Szasz
Subj: Cycles for Modes
There seems to be an interesting play with chords and the manner
inwhich they may function. The use of spirals has often been adapted in
tonal music, such as fifths, fourths and thirds. Tersian harmony is
applied to the Ionian mode or Major: C E G B D F A - C. These tones are
in keeping with the scale. Spirals by fifths is the most commonly
accepted cycling where it is understood the array of the bright to dark
modes. Even if some may not adhere to this, everyone should agree that
the Locrian mode is the `Oddball' mode. What if different harmonies are
adopted to each of the modes? If we take all the spirals from 2nds to
7ths - with Locrian as common ground - we may result with the following
charts:
The tones: F=Lydian, G=Mixolydian, A=Aeolian, B=Locrian, C=Ionian,
D=Dorian, and E=Phrygian.
Spirals by:
Fifths Fourths
F Lydian----------E-------Phrygian-------------------------|
C Ionian----------A-------Aeolian------------------| |
G Mixolydian------D-------Dorian-----------| | |
D Dorian----------G-------Mixolydian-------| | |
A Aeolian---------C-------Ionian-------------------| |
E Phrygian--------F-------Lydian---------------------------|
B Locrian B Locrian
Seconds Sevenths
C Ionian A Aeolian
D Dorian G Mixolydian
E Phrygian F Lydian
F Lydian E Phrygian
G Mixolydian D Dorian
A Aeolian C Ionian
B Locrian B Locrian
Thirds Sixths
D Dorian G Mixolydian
F Lydian E Phrygian
A Aeolian C Ionian
C Ionian A Aeolian
E Phrygian F Lydian
G Mixolydian D Dorian
B Locrian B Locrian
All the cycles touch all the diatonic tones, that's obvious since
there is an odd number.
It can be noted that the modes pair off:
Ionian (major) Lydian Mixolydian
Aeolian (minor) Phrygian Dorian
Ionian and Aeolian have been working together for the longest
time, especially when using minor - where, I believe, in the upward
motion should be used Ionian (major) and in the downward motion should be
Aeolian (minor). Therefore Lydian & Phrygian and Mixolydian and Dorian
should work in coherence. Also if there are different cycles aren't
they also different harmonies? Whereby particular harmonies suit best
to each of the modes. I tend to lean towards:
Mode Harmony Cycles by
Lydian Secondal 2nds
Ionian Tersian 3rds
Mixolydian Quartral 4ths
Dorian Quintal 5ths
Aeolian Sextal 6ths
Phrygian Septal 7ths
Locrian Octal 8ths
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