QUANTUM DISSONANCE An Alternative Approach to Contemporary Harmony Preface The beginnings of this book lie back in 1979 about the time I was graduating college. My wile Ellen and I became interested in the phenomenon of dissonance, particularly as it was being used in 20" century music. We were initially surprised to find that there was no exact way to measure dissonance. I was also surprised to find that there was no exact system for understanding contemporary harmony — something comparable to tonality, but applied to 20" century music. In 1980, I moved to New York City to make it big as a jazz musician. Predictably, I ended up Griving a cab for a couple of years in Queens. Most of this text was written in a cab or limousine while waiting for passengers. It was a fantastic and surreal counterpoint to the other events unfolding around me at the time. | finished the entire text in 1986 while driving limousines in Manhattan and Westchester County. thas languished in a drawer until now. The catalyst for my renewed interest in it was the oceasion of teaching my 16-year-old son jazz harmony at the piano. We rapidly came to the end of jazz harmony (with all its pluses and minuses) and began to talk about polytonality, bitonality, serialism, ete. Without realizing it, | began to teach him my system for understanding, dissonant harmony. We talked about “first level” chords made from eight day, I heard my son play a series of first and second level chords at the piano. now had a grasp of harmony many people never attain, even after completing an undergraduate music degree It seemed imperative that I should make this text available to everyone. The wonderful thing about itis that nowadays, we have the Internet and computerized music typesetting so self- publishing is much easier than it was in 1980. Thaven’t changed much of the original text except to delete a couple of sentences that seemed superfluous. They were little opinionated asides, which nobody wants to hear. Most of the material I still agree with, even after 20 years. I believe I did find a good system for measuring dissonance, and I also found a new way of looking at contemporary harmony. I think I did find a new organizing principle for the harmony in the “Rite of Spring.” And finally, I believe I have found a new relationship between what I refer to as “absolute dissonance” and “perceived tension.” In the book, it describes in detail this new relationship between harmony and many other technical aspects of the music being studied, This material can be rather dry reading at times, but at least the entire piece is short! Good luck!Forward This paper is the result of several years of part-time research in 20" century music. My original motivation was to devise a system by which T would be able to understand and codify the higher levels of dissonance found in contemporary music—not necessarily by way of relating each harmony to a single note or key, but by quantifying the exact amount of dissonance in any combination of notes. It appears that much 20" century music is unified not only because of centric or tonal organization (although in most cases this is present), but by a carefully controlled level of harmonic tension. It is my belief that a unified and consistent harmonic texture (in which the level of dissonance stays the same or changes very slowly) is one of the factors that makes abstract tonal organization possible. Chords’ that have very distant or abstract tonal relationships may be grouped together by the level of tension present in them. If the level of dissonance is perceived as being equal or similar, then these chords will have an audible relationship. It was my intention to attempt to classify all possible levels of dissonance so that various levels of harmonic tension could be more accurately described, and a change in harmonic texture could be more easily perceived. Ithas been tried before. Two noteworthy examples are contained in Vincent Persichetti’s Twentieth Century Harmony and Paul Hindemith’s The Craft of Musical Composition. When it comes to high levels of dissonance, chords are classified according to intervalic content in the following manner: Hindemith ‘Chords that contain a tritone and: [cross that contain no titone and: A B A B One sharp dissonance | One soft dissonance (a || One sharp dissonance | One soft dissonance (a 1/2 step ot one of | whole step or one of its inversions) its inversions) | ersich ‘Chords that contain one sharp dissonance and: || Chords that contain no sharp dissonance and: A B A B A.tritone No tritone Atritone No tritone "This word may be read as arpeggiated form, jimultaneities” or any combination of notes sounding together, even if they appear in‘The two composers are at odds insofar as the major classifications of dissonant types are concerned. The tritone and half-step provide the major categories of chord types, while the whole-step and its inversions have secondary importance, In Hindemith's book, highly dissonant sonorities (polytonal, atonal) are lumped together in one category, and no further sub- classifications are given. In Persichetti’s book, there is a much more comprehensive breakdown of dissonant harmonies according to intervalic content. The half-step is assigned a value of 2, and the whole-step a value of 1. These values are not affected by inversion or octave displacement. All other intervals have a value of 0 Analysis of a given chord proceeds as follows: Step One: __Isolate all intervals present and assign values. ce = 2.0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 Step Two: Add the values to find quantitative dissonance. 2 0 0) 1 0 0 0 2 0 A 6 Although this approach has its good points, several problems can be seen immediately 1. Only two intervals affect the level of tension—no provision is made for the quantitative effect of other intervals in the chord. 2. The role of the tritone and perfect fourth is not clearly defined, 3. Simple addition may not be the best mathem: complex phenomena such as dissonance. | procedure to use when describing 4. In many cases, results are inconsistent with aural perception.In regards to the fourth problem, consider the following two chords: A B Sa Value: 8 Value: 6 Why does the chord in B sound more dissonant than the A chord even though its value is smaller? Also, consider the following two chords: A B oe Both chords contain two half-steps and both have an equal dissonance rating (4). To most eat chord B sounds more dissonant than chord A. In addition, the chords have very distinct qua that are left unexplained or unnoticed. ties Over the years there have been attempts to analyze dissonance according to various mathematical models that utilize the frequencies of notes, or intervalic ratios, or overtone analysis, etc. The earliest proponent of this line of inquiry was Helmholtz in the late 1890s. His work in this area was inconclusive, and other endeavors in this area have been largely unfruitiul. Recent scientific advances (spectrography, oscilloscopy) will undoubtedly enable us to describe dissonance with a numerical rating of relative strength in the near future. This monograph will be largely unconcemned with the scientific approach; the emphasis will be more on a practical, working system that rose out of existing music theory. At present, there are shortcomings in the way we describe dissonance. Hopefilly, this paper will enable the reader to describe dissonant types of chords more accurately. Certain problems in composition and analysis will also be discussed: 1. Why does one chord or note sound out of context in a given harmonic setting? 2. When has a significant change in harmonic texture occurred? 3. What is the difference between chord types that we classify uncer the broad heading of “Polytonality”? 4. Whats the dividing line between tonality (or modality) and atonality? 5. Why does a piece like the “Rite of Spring” sound unified even though the melodic and harmonic materials are highly varied? (In many cases, the level of dissonance is carefully controlled.) Finally, it is sincerely hoped that these discussions will open up a new way of hearing contemporary harmony (ie., by sensitizing the ear to subtle changes and enabling the listener todetect relationships heretofore unnoticed). Iti, after all, the ear that makes the ultimate judgement of any theory of music. A Note on Classification of Interval Types Intervals are classified into three basic types: Dissonant Perfect imperfect Half-steps, whole-steps, Fifths, unisons, octaves, Thirds and sixths tritone fourths Some theorists would further subdivide categories by deciding which inversions are more or less dissonant than other inversions. It could be argued, for example, that a minor ninth is more dissonant than a major seventh. Also, intervals separated by register seem to be less dissonant than those that are closer together. For purposes of Chapter One of this book, all inversions of a given dissonant interval will be considered equal. In Chapter Two, special consideration is given to the problems of inversion and registration, and other problems as well. Robert D. Weller Summer, 1986CHAPTER 1 urement me wv onan The system for measuring chords of high tension is based upon a hierarchy of six basic levels. These levels are determined by deriving a “scale” from which the chord can be built. The scale is derived according to the following directions: 1, It must contain only half-steps and whole-steps. No larger intervals are permitted. 2. It must be within the compass of one octave. Tt must use the Jeast number of notes possible, given Rules 1 and 2. Only 4 [such] scales are used in this type of analysis. They are the simplest scales that follow all the rules listed above Lydian Lydian-Augmented ve — 8 Tone Diminished ‘Whole Tone Since we are concemed mainly with measurement of dissonance, all “modes” [permutations] based on these scales are considered equal, and we won't, for the most part, be concerned with possible chord or scale roots. These 4 scales are the only ones necessary for the purposes of this, system. All other scale types will be subclassifications under one of these 4 basic types. The 6 major classifications of dissonance are as follows (some subclassifications are omitted to avoid unnecessary confusion at this point): LevelO: Chords in this category may be built from the simple Lydian, Lydian-augmented or whole-tone scales without the addition of any “extra” notes, Level 1: Chords that are built from: 1 8-tone diminished scales; 2. 7-tone Lydian or Lydian-augmented scales plus 1 extra note; 3, 6-tone whole-tone scales with ] extra note.Level 2: Chords that are built from: lL Diminished scales with 1 extra note; 2. Lydian or Lydian-augmented scales plus 2 extra notes; 3. Whole-tone scales with 2 extra notes. Level 3: Chords that are built from: 1. Diminished scales with 2 extra notes; Lydian or Lydian-augmented scales plus 3 extra notes; whole-tone scales with 3 extra notes. Level4: A chromatic scale minus | note Level 5: A chromatic scale complete Analysis of a given chord proceeds as follows: n = Reduce chord to smallest inversion (within one octave). Make an incomplete scale by adding notes that will not create additional 1/2 steps. Ina case such as this, there is no need to distinguish between a choice of Bb or A as either one will yield the same analysis of dissonance, In an analysis of a piece, it might be desirable to determine which note is more probable as a part of the harmonic setting. Keep in mind, however, that as chords become more complex this problem occurs with less frequency—or at least is delayed until step three. Add the minimum number of notes necessary to complete the seale according to the rules for scale building on page 6. Avoid groups of two consecutive 1/2 steps. ——— = oro Notice that as in step two there were several possible choices—all of which are adequate for an analysis of dissonance as long as none of the scale building ruleson page 6 are broken, As for this exampl and the original chord is on level zero. a = is part of a seven-tone simple scale, Let’s take another example: 1, Smallest inversion: 2. Add notes that don’t create any 1/2 steps (they create whole steps): 3. Add 1/2 steps avoiding two consecutive 1/2 steps: a Analysis of this chord reveals that it is formed from an eight-tone diminished scale, and is therefore a first level chord. We'll now move to a type of chord that cannot be formed from a simple scale. The scale from which it is derived will need to have two consecutive 1/2 steps in order to comply with the rules previously stated for these scales. The analysis requires a fourth step: 1. Smallest inversion: oa Ss ‘Add whole steps:Add 1/2 steps, avoiding two consecutive 1/2 steps: ‘Notice that a minor third gap occurs between Df and F4. Fill in any gaps that are lefl. This will create @ group of three consecutive 1/2 steps. In this case, and in many others, there will be two choices (in this example the notes E or F). Ina situation such as the above in which a single chord is heing analyzed, either note is acceptable and will yield the same measurement of dissonance (level one). There is no absolute criteria for establishing which note is more desirable. If other notes are present they will usually enable the analyst to establish priority of one note over the other. In regards to this, consider the following well-known example: Rite of Spring Dance of the Adolescents Tempogiuso | = 56 Smallest inversion: Ses Add whole steps (step two not possible in this example because there is nowhere to add a note without creating a 1/2 step). Add 1/2 steps avoiding two consecutive 1/2 steps (step three is not possible in this example because there is no place to add a note without creating two consecutive 1/2 steps). Fill in any gaps. In this case the gap between E and G may be filled in with either F or F4. Without further information no priority of one note over the other could be established. Again, either choice will yield the same degree of dissonance (level one),10 ‘There is however, further musical information available. In the next few bars a new melody enters (notice the Fé present in this melody): Ea ‘The phrase is repeated numerous times and used in imitative fashion at the same pitch level. This, plus the additional fact that an F# occurs nowhere in this passage, establishes a clear F* priority. ‘The final scale is: It is an cight tone scale containing one group of three consecutive 1/2 steps: a Lydian-augmented scale starting on B with an added E. Notice that according to the rules laid down already, no other scale interpretation is possible. As stated before, there may be several choices; however in this case there is only one. When this occurs we refer to the original chord as being “locked in”. In this example, the chord is locked into Lydian-augmented with an extra note. The final scale has two consecutive 1/2 steps in it, while the original chord does not. When this situation ocours, the original chord is said to have a “hidden dissonance.” This refers to the 1/2 step that occurs in the final scale, but not in the original chord. The hidden dissonance is another increment of tension within levels 1 through 3. It indicates a slight lessening of dissonance. One hidden dissonance is possible on level one; two are possible on level two; and one is possible on level three. None are possible on levels four and five. The hidden dissonance occurs only in chords that are constructed from Lydian or Lydian-augmented scales. They do not occur in whole-tone or diminished types—the symmetrical construction of these scales prohibits the necessary interval combinations (i.e., two 1/2 steps separated by the interval of a minor 3rd). Chords that contain hidden dissonanees have a certain aesthetic appeal because of their clarity and economy. They have a lot in common with diminished scale types such as the following: = which accomplish a moderately high degree of tension with a minimum of notes. In fact, theM1 removal of any chord tone will drastically alter the level of tension produced. These chords are highly flexible and useful in many diverse textural situations Itis true that level zero constitutes a very large category—in fact it may be the largest of all. It would be fallacious to say that all combinations of notes in this category sound the same, or that they have exactly the same levels of dissonance. In regard to the increments of dissonance on level zero, please refer to the Forward of this book. The writings of Hindemith and Persichetti are very helpful in this respect. Persichetti's system for measuring dissonance (described in the Forward) works quite well on level zero. ‘The fact that one system of measurement is insufficient to measure all levels of dissonance has to be important. There seems to be a definite discontinuity between level zero and level one; a sort, of break between what might be called tonality/atonality or consonance/dissonance. It has been observed thatthe crossing of this line is one of the most difficult technical problems facing the 20" century composer. Frequent crossings may create textural inconsistency. A composition that establishes level zero at the beginning and then goes to level one or two somewhere in the middle is often perceived as lacking in compositional or textural unity, When the reverse occurs (level one to level zero), the listener may lose interest unless other compositional devices attenuate the loss of tension. The transition from level zero to level one (or higher) is probably the most important transition that will be uncovered in any analysis of harmonic texture.12 CHAPTER TWO Absolute Dissonance and Perceived Tension Modifications Affecting the Level of Perceived Tension Absolute dissonance is the main subject of this paper. It is the amount of dissonance we measure according to the pitches that are heard, not taking into account other tension-producing devices. Perceived tension is the combinatorial result of the following factors: Pitch content (Absolute dissonance) Dynamics Instrumentation Registration Intonation Timbre . Effect of surrounding material (high contrast) 8. Arpeggiation in struck or plucked instruments 9. Interval types 10. Rhythm Absolute dissonance has an obvious effect on perceived tension. As absolute dissonance increases, so does perceived tension. Dynamics also have an obvious effect on perceived tension. Increased loudness results in a heightened perception of dissonance and tension, Although this is a simplistic way of looking at the relationship, it is true as a general rule of thumb. There are many notable exceptions to this rule, particularly in regards to the effect of surrounding material. High contrast can cause mildly distorted perceptions of dissonance; for example, if'a heavy dissonant brass passage is followed by a cluster of high strings playing very quietly, the intersection of these contrasting textures will be heard as a place of very high tension, even iffa number of factors make the strings appear to be less dissonant than brass. The effect will tend to diminish with time, and the harmonies will tend to gravitate towards less perceived tension ‘Most composers are also competent (if not virtuoso) pianists. Many early compositions are created by them at the piano. It is a very common experience, when writing for an instrumental ensemble, for the composer to discover that the effect of dissonance is greatly reduced by certain instrumental combinations. In fact, a harmonic idea that was very dramatic at the piano seems to be almost bland when heard in the ensemble. Several phenomena are observed consistently: 1. In most cases, harmonies sound more tense at the piano, 2. Combinations of like instruments produce more tension than combinations of unlike instruments.13 Extreme registration increases tension. 4, Bowed string instruments have an extreme range of tension producing sounds (low and high), but in many cases they reduce tension, 5. Wind instruments produce more tension than sting instruments. 6. Percussion keyboard instruments produce nearly as much tension as the piano with one exception—marimba, when played in the usual manner with yarn mallets, is a very mellow instrument. Struck, plucked string instruments and percussion fall into like categories. Combinations produce an infinite variety of color and tension, For this reason many first rate composers find it necessary to revamp orchestration from time to time, and a really creative orchestration will usually produce a few surprises (both good and bad). Octave displacement has a definite effect on perceived tension. In essence, the farther two notes are separated by register, the less dissonant they will sound. For example, this interval; | has more tension than this interval: even though the absolute dissonance stays the same. In complex chords this also holds true. For example, compare these chords with the same pitch content for tension produced: ‘Tension decreases as the intervals become more widely spaced. Good intonation is naturally the most desirable kind, Intonation affects absolute dissonance, hence perceived tension. There are many varieties of intonation, especially in different orchestras and countries. In fact, intonation is partially a subjective experience. What sounds good to one culture sounds bad to another. The precise effect of intonation on perceived dissonance is difficult to measure. It is possible that it could be accomplished by spectroscopic analysis as was mentioned at the end of the Forward.14 Different timbres are produced by altering the set of overtones of the instrument. Overtones may be added or deleted, or certain partials may be emphasized. In general, strong overtones produce a desirable effect (a “musical” sound) while a lack of overtones produces a drier, less musical timbre. Tension appears to increase as the overtones disappear. A pure fundamental with no overtones is a very irritating sound—more like a buzzing noise than a musical note Arpeggiation in percussion instruments greatly reduces relative tension when compared to the same notes struck simultaneously. This could aecount for the popularity of certain compositional techniques in this century that tend to mediate tension, especially contrapuntal piano pieces, and styles of accompaniment. It should be noted that this observation does not apply to instruments that sustain tones with no diminuendo. Obviously the sound of a string or metal bar diminishing is the key; the diminuendo in other sustaining instruments has little effect. Interval types used in chord construction are a very important factor in determining the level of perceived tension. Chords built in fourths and fifths are generally more unstable and produce more tension than chords built in thirds and sixths. Naturally there are many varieties of chord construction, and this rule of thumb is not always applicable. It does hold true however, in many cases such as: Thirds Fourths Seconds bb bawe Compare these three chords with identical pitch content for tension produced. Half steps and whole steps (plus inversions) will add tension to any of these structures. It should also be mentioned that a texture created primarily from fourths and fifths (possibly modal) will be interrupted by a chord containing primarily thirds and sixths (possibly tonal). The reverse of this is also true. The interruption will be perceived regardless of the level of dissonance. It is most noticeable at low levels of tension, particularly when modal and tonal textures are mixed. Insofar as rhythm is concerned, disjunet or highly irregular rhythms will increase the level of perceived tension, Naturally a faster rhythm is perceived as being tenser than slow rhythm. It ‘must be said, however, that any rhythm fast or slow will tend to lose its tension producing capability after a certain number of repetitions. One of the most interesting discoveries thal have been made using the techniques described in this book concems the relationship between absolute dissonance and perceived tension. The pattern in many 20" century compositions is similar; when the level of absolute dissonance changes, the effect of this change is often mitigated by other factors affecting the level of perceived tension. If the harmonic texture becomes more dissonant, other musical factors will act to temper this increased tension, The converse is also true—a drop in dissonance may signal a change in other parameters that will tend to increase perceived tension. The relationship might be thought of asfollows: Pecozved tension Absolute dissonance “Musical devices which temper ‘changes in absolute dissonance. ‘Asa general rule, every composition has a basic level of harmonic tension that is sustained through most of the piece. When this basic level changes, other musical devices combine to itigate the change. This makes variety and contrast possible while at the same time providing compositional unity16 ppendix 1 Number of Note Choices Possible When Filling in Gaps in a Chord Whenever there are a lot of hidden dissonances present, or when the notes of the chord cluster at one end of the scale, it may be necessary to add notes to the scale in order to determine the dissonant level of the original chord. This problem was discussed in Chapter Two. To review, note choices are made according to the following criteria: 1. The presence of the missing note(s) near to the chord being analyzed. 2) ‘The perceived importance of one note over the other in the context of the whole composition. Sometimes there is very little to go on, and a choice must be made without enough information. Even if this occurs, the resulting final measurement of dissonance will be the same, and a decision is always subject to change once new information has been uncovered. The simplest explanation is usually the best. ‘The highest number of choices possible for each level is as follows: Level One: up to nine notes Level Two: up to seven notes Level Three: up to four notes Level Four: no choices possible Level Five: no choices possible7 Appendix I Number of Scale Interpretations Possible Once a ‘Complete Seale has been Formed from the Original Chord After a selection of notes has been made, a number of possible interpretations of the scale still exist. The number of interpretations possible for each level is as follows: Level One: up to 2 choices Level Two: up to 3 choices Level Three: up to $ choices Level Four: up to 25 choices Level Five: up to 29 choices Combining this information with the information in Appendix [tells us that a large number of ultimate interpretations are possible for a given chord. The examples presented here are cases in which the least possible amount of information about the chord is given while still establishing it as a member of one of the six categories (levels 0-5) of dissonance. Fortunately, in practice we usually get a litle more information than what was given in these examples.Appendix III Gradations of Dissonance Within Each Level ‘The increments of tension within each level are very small. It is almost impossible to verify some of these measurements by ear, especially when perceived tension is increased by elements other than the absolute dissonance. Therefore, this list is somewhat tentative. Several concepts stand out as being verifiable by means other than hearing: 1. Chords, based on diminished scales and hidden dissonances, are at the lowest end of the tension-producing spectrum in each level. Chords with no hidden dissonances, based on seven tone Lydian or Lydian-augmented scales, are more dissonant than non-hidden types. 3. Since no hidden dissonances are possible in whole tone scales, they may be the most likely candidates for most dissonant types within each level. ‘The eight-tone diminished scale is included in level one mainly because it has been observed that chords built from this scale interact with other level one chords without causing an appreciable change in dissonance. When diminished types interact with level zero chords, a definite increase in tension can be perceived. For example, witness the occurrence of fully diminished seventh chords (level one) in Mozart, or the occurrence of the so-called plus nine or flat nine types (als both level one) in pop music. We also occasionally see a triad with a root that is one-half step or a tritone away from the root of the triad. These diminished types all produce a marked increase in tension and many occur at cadential or structural points in the music. Finally, the diminished scale types produce the characteristic sound of each level, but in many cases do so utilizing one less 1/2 step in the original chord than all the other scale types in the same category. For these reasons, diminished types are placed at the lowest end of the spectrum in each level Based on all of the above assumptions, the list is as follows (in order of increasing dissonance): Level Zero: A. Lydian or Lydian-augmented B. Whole tone A. Diminished B. Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus one note with one hidden dissonance C. Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus one note with no hidden dissonances D. Whole tone plus one note19 Level Two: A. Diminished plus one note B. Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus two notes with 3 hidden dissonances C. Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus two notes with 2 hidden dissonances D. Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus two notes with | hidden dissonances E, Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus two notes with no hidden dissonances E, Whole tone plus two notes Level Three: A, Diminished plus two notes B. Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus three notes with 2 hidden dissonances C. Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus three notes with | hidden dissonances D. _ Lydian or Lydian-augmented, plus three notes with no hidden dissonances E. Whole tone plus three notes Level Four: A. No gradations Level Five: A. No gradations Notice that there are no transitions from one level to the next—each major and minor category of the list is a discrete unit, This resembles the quantum view of atomic particles—when the energy level in an atom changes, it does so by a discrete unit of strength, not gradually. There is no transition from one level to the next. Fortunately in music, the resemblance only extends to absolute dissonance, Other musical devices create an infinite variety of tension and color. The behavior of groups of particles can be predicted very accurately by quantum theory even though the prediction is statistical in nature, since it is impossible to predict the behavior of a single particle. This has a certain resemblance to the probablistic nature of approaches in this book (ie., we can always determine the exact dissonant level of any chord, but we cannot always say whieh notes are the best choices with which to fill in the scale during analysis). A number of choices are possible (as noted in Apprentices I and II), even though the end result is the same.Appendix IV Some Examples of Hidden Dissonances First Level None Hidden 1 Higdon Socond Level 3Hidéen —«-2Hidden 1 Hidden None Hidden be "Third Level 2Hidéen | Hiden None Hidden21 Appendix V Analysis of First Movement of Bell Tones by Bruce Stark ‘The number of notes present in each harmony is one of the reasons this analysis comes before the Rite of Spring, Less choices are possible, which greatly reduces the amount of work. The harmonic consistency is largely due to the fact that almost every harmony is on the first level. In addition, every harmony is clearly separated from surrounding material. Bell Tones was the first piece to be analyzed according to principles in this book—it was the inspiration for the book itself. I felt it should be included for this reason, and also because it lends itself so easily to analysis Bell Tones |Adagi, poco rubato22 See ee ee : = Some notes: m3: Level two occurs briefly, but does not recur until later. Whole tone interpretations are. omitted here because most of the piece is based on seven tone scales. m,5: A hidden dissonance occurs here—there is a minor third gap in the scale between F# and A m.7; Notice how as absolute dissonance decreases, other factors help to increase perceived tension:23 a. harmonic rhythm becomes faster b. crescendo into cadential zero level chord with accent c. dissonant voicing of second F-lag chord (D on top of F#), 3rd eighth note in measure. A long cadence occurs as the tension of the initial chords is released upon reaching level zero. m. 11: In the final harmony, G is chosen over G# because G is a part of the previous chord. m, 12: Compare the Gb-lag chord to its counterpart in m. 5. Notice that B? is missing in m. 12. This opens up another possible interpretation of the m. 12 chord. It could be constructed from a diminished scale as well as Gh-lag with an extra note. Diminished is not chosen here since the two chords are virtually identical and lend themselves to the same interpretation. Also, there have been no other diminished types so far, m, 13: Frequently the composer uses one or more notes from the previous harmony to lead into m, 15-16: . 18-25: the next (see m. 2 and m. 6). This is another reason why the harmonies sound connected and the composition pulls itself along. Whole tone and diminished types are not listed with any predisposition as to a note of origin—the symmetrical construction of these types makes the choice open to debate. Here the harmonic rhythm is getting faster until the small climax at m. 22. From m, 2 to m. 25, the absolute dissonance moves from level one to level two. The change in tension is once again softened by the decrescendo and ritardando into the final F-lyd [Db, A>] cadence. This is an example of the same phenomenon observed in m, 7, except in reverse. In m. 7, absolute dissonance decreases while other factors create more tension. In mm. 22-25, absolute dissonance increases while other musical devices, particularly dynamics, lessen perceived tension.24 Appendix VI Some Notes on the Rite of Spring One of the main harmonic devices of the Rite of Spring is the simultaneous usage of major and minor thirds of the triad (a first level idea), and there are many examples of it. ‘The first few bars contain the melody: Lemto = 50 es with variations to m, 13. ‘The first note of accompaniment to this A minor melody is C4. Throughout the work, we see over and over the free combination of major and minor modes. Sometimes the major/minor approach is seen melodically: From Introduction, eas a r . Tt appears in many vertical forms: From Introduction Augers of Spring Dance of the Adolescents, Tempo giusto J = 5625 Introduction to the Sacrifice cea = op z FOG Mysterious Circles of The Adolescents Andante con moto J = 60 Another characteristic of the Rite of Spring is the use of diatonic folk melodies in non-traditional dissonant hammonie settings. According to Stravinsky, all of these melodies are original compositions, but that is (according to Robert Craft) highly unlikely. It is known that Stravinsky ordered several songbooks from Russia while he was at work on the Rite of Spring.Following are some examples of diatonic melodies that oceur in first level harmonic settings: Spring Rounds Game of Rivals BeIntroduction to the Sacrifice ee —— WEE fe Mysterious Circles of the Adolescents Andantecon moto 1=60 sempreptace P‘Mysterious Circles of the Adolescents = This melody is developed extensively in the first few pages of Part II Sometimes the melodies are very repetitive: It appears that the idea of diatonic melodies in exotic harmonic settings is one of the fundamental unifying aspects of the Rite of Spring. In addition, most of these melodies oceur in a very narrow range and exhibit extensive repetition and rhythmic vitality. The sound is reminiscent of primitive religious or tribal rituals that are the subject of the story. There was, in artistic circles, a great deal of interest in “Primitivism” at this time in Paris. Most of the Rite of Spring is on the first level—another important unifying element. The beginning of each main section establishes the first level sound almost immediately. Dance of the Adolescents “Tempo gusto J=56Game of Abduction Presto |= 192 # Game of Rival Tribes Molto wllegro J = 108 St Cortege Du Sage Adoration of the EarthIntroduction to Part II: The Sacrifice Tango J=48 Bye Mysterious Cireles of the Adolescents Andante con moto 1= 60 semprftecee p Glorification of the Chosen 30Evocation of the Ancestors fen) Sacrificial Dance32 In The Adoration of the Earth, Stravinsky uses this interesting 2nd level chord: This is the only spot in the Rite which has an exposed 2nd level chord, one which is not just a temporary intersection of moving harmonies. Several musical devices are used to attenuate the increased dissonance: 1. ppp dynamic —the only place in the Rite where this occurs. 2, Cessation of rhythmic activity. 3. Wide interval spacing (almost five octaves total) 4. ‘Use of consonant intervals (3rds and 6ths, Sths and octaves). It’s almost as if Stravinsky felt compelled to use every possible device available in order to compensate for the increased dissonance. Also of interest is the fact that the composer uses a relatively mild 2nd level harmony that has two hidden dissonances. ‘The relationship between absolute dissonance and perceived tension is critically important in a passage like this one. Try to imagine what it would sound like if the chord was orchestrated as a full tutti with ffF dynamic. The effect would be absurd, mainly because it would overdramatize the increase of tension from level 1 to level 2 The Rite of Spring is a product of the cultural/intellectual exposition that took place in Europe (especially Paris) at the start of the 20" century. The development of the three early ballets of Stravinsky (Firebird, Petrouchka, and the Rite of Spring) parallels developments in other areas, particularly the visual arts. Stravinsky and Picasso knew cach other, and Stravinsky was familiar with the Cubist aesthetic: The Cubists created a system by which they could reveal visually the interlocking, of phenomena And thus they created the possibility in art of revealing processes33 instead of static states of being. Cubism is an art entirely concerned with interaction: the interaction between different aspects; the interaction between structure and movement; the interaction between solids and the space around them; the interaction between the unambiguous signs made on the surface of the picture and the changing reality which they stand in for. It is an art of dynamic liberation from all static categories (from The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger). ‘The major/minor idea so clearly defined in the Rite of Spring may be a musical analogy to the concept of simultaneity in Cubism. One of the aims of Cubism was to represent two or more sides of an object simultaneously on a two-dimensional surface. One might view the major and minor modes as different aspects of one pitch level. They occur together or in juxtaposition with one another as if trying to reconcile mutually exclusive viewpoints. The only possible reconciliation must take place in the mind of the listener.34 Appendix VII A Note on Analysis of Serial Music Serial music is difficult to analyze for several reasons: 1. The point at which one harmony changes to another is not always clear. 2. Pointillism may cause the analyst to think that the piece has dropped down to level zero when it really hasn't, 3. The linear conception of serial music is not in line with a chordal or homophonic analysis. 4, The labels “Lydian,” “Lydian-augmented,” “whole tone” and “diminished” harken back to a system (Lonality) which most serial composers intentionally avoid. When looking for a point where a harmony changes to the next, itis always best to work from the outside in, find the obvious places first, and then subdivide the remaining sections. I's usually best to attempt to use the longest possible interpretation for each change of harmony Pointillism may make it seem as if the piece is on level zero (each note constituting a separate harmony). Technically, this is true and itis also true that a change in absolute dissonance has occurred. But most musicians would agree that the ear retains pitches and attempts to make sense out of melodic lines, no matter how disjunct they are. In most serial compositions, tonality is systematically avoided and this means that if the notes in a line are grouped together, they shouldn't form a tonally recognizable scale or chord. One could determine how chromatic a pointillistic line is by observing how many adjacent notes could be played together before a first level chord is produced. Also, keep in mind that pointillism in the visual arts produces a complete picture (ie., at first the viewer does not see thousands of tiny dots of color because the mind attempts to make sense of them as they relate to the whole picture). thas become my habit since formulating the techniques in this book to omit many seale names in analysis. Sometimes it is enough to know the harmonic level without alluding to a point of origin tor the pitches. In serial music, this is especially true since a tone center or mode is specifically avoided. Keep in mind that the theories in this book are designed primarily to determine a level of dissonance, not tonal or centric organizationAfterword In its largest sense, this book is an attempt to understand some of the innate tendencies in music. Ifwe assume (as many visual artists do) that the most perfect designs are to be found in nature, then we can understand the need to know something about natural tendencies in music (or in the perception of it). I hope that I have succeeded in revealing a small part of this mystery, and also hope that it may enable some of us to hear and understand the harmonic idiom of contemporary music.36 Apel, Willi, Harvard Dictionary of Music. Harvard University Press, 1958, Berger, Arthur. “Problems of Pitch Organization in Stravinsky.” In Perspectives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky, revised edition, W.W. Norton. Berger, John. The Success and Failure of Picasso. Pantheon Books, 1980. Cone, Edward T. “Stravinsky: The Progress of a Method.” In Perspeetives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky, revised edition, W.W. Norton. Green, David M. An Introduction to Hearing. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1976, Hall, Donald E. Musical Acoustics. Wadsworth, 1980, Hindemith, Paul. The Craft of Musical Composition. Associated Music Publishers. Mathews, Max V. and John Pierce. “Harmony and Nonharmonic Partials.” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 68 (1980): 1252-1257. Persichetti, Vincent. Twentieth Century Harmony. W.W. Norton, Plomp, R. and W.J.M. Levelt. “Tonal Consonance and Critical Bandwidth.” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 38(1965): 548-560, Rameau, Jean Phillipe. Treatise on Harmony. Dover, 1971. Stravinsky, Vera and Robert Craft. Stravinsky in Pictures and Documents. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978. Terhardt, Ernst. “Pitch, Consonance, and Harmony.” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, $5(1974): 1061-1069.