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Modern harmony.lts expla"3'(,9,'l,,?,"'3,,,?J?,P,'|!

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MODERN HARMONY

Augener's Edition No. 10118

MODERN HARMONYITS EXPLANATION AND APPLICATION

BY

A. EAGLEFIELD HULLMus.Doc. (OxoN.)~

AUGENER LTD.LONDON

BOSTON MUSIC CO., BOSTONt.v-

The relation of quantities is the principle of all things.

Plato.

Pbimtbd m ENaLMn>

PEEFATOEY NOTE

The present work is intended, not to supplant, but to sup-plement the existing harmony books. Whilst Ouseley, Stainer,

Prout, Jadassohn and Riemann theorized right up to the art

of their day, the harmony books written since then have

avowedly been founded largely on their predecessors. During

the last fifteen years immense developments in the tonal art

have taken place, and a formidable hiatus between musical

theory and modern practice has been created. It is the aim

of the present book to fill in this gulf as far as possible.

In order to make the book interesting to the general reader,

as w^ell as useful to the student, a Glossary of Technical Terms

has been supplied for the convenience of the former, whilst

the practical student may like to try his hand (and Muse) in

the working out of some of the Exercises in Appendix I.

The musical examples have been drawn from as wide a field

as possible, always from the view of the appropriateness of

the illustration, and therefore they are not necessarily typical

of any particular composer. In all cases where possible, the

reader should play over these passages (or better still, have

them played to him), and not be satisfied with hearing them

mentally.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author's beat thanks are due to the following publishers

for their kind permission to produce extracts from their

copyright works: Messrs. Jos. Aibl and Co. ("Universal

Edition"), Augener Ltd., Breitkopf and Hartel, Bote and

Bock, Blkin and Co., Ltd., Durand et Cie, R. Forberg,

E. Fromont, J. Hamelle, A. Hammond and Co., Harmonie

(Berlin), P. Jurgenson, Fr. Kistner, Lauterbach and Kuhn,

Laudy and Co., A. Leduc, A. Lengnick and Co., F. E. C. Leuckart

and Co., NoveUo and Co., Ltd., C. F. Peters, J. Rieter-

Biedermann, Schott and Co., Carl Simon, Stainer and Bell,

and the Vincent Music Company, Ltd. (G. Schirmer, Ltd.).

PAQB

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTORY

First glance at modern musicMethod in modernityNoseparation, but legitimate growthNumberless predic-tions in the older worksSome faults in present harmonicsystemsThe inadequacies of notationThe four widestdivergencies of the later tendenciesThe thought andits expressionGreater elasticityGeneral advice to thestudent

CHAPTER II

GREATER FREEDOM ON THE OLD LINES

Consecutive fifths"Exposed" or "hidden" fifthsSecondInversionsFreer progressionsOn "doubling" notes

Wider claims for the chromatic notesFreer tonal rela-tionsThe root in the inversions of the chord of theninthCollisions in part-writingA greater laxity innotationThe temperamental question . - -

CHAPTER III

SCALES(a) modal INFLUENCES

Threefold basis of musicEvidences of a feeling of straitnessin the major and minor scalesNo one permanent scale

Rediscovery of the modesThree usesThe pure use

QuotationMelodic useA mere modal feelingModalcadences - - - 24

CONTENTS

CHAPTER IV

(b) the duodecuple (or twelve-note) scale

The divisions of the octaveTemperamental timingsThe

combined use of the two systemsComparison with the

chromatic viewInadequacies of the old notationSome

diagramsThe two distinct applications of the duodecuple

A TONAL CENTBEEqualityComparison with the dia-tonic j/enus-Major thirds and sixths in succession

The enlarged possibilities of harmonic colourThe aban-

donment of the old DominantSome substitutions^ ew

chordsThe "tonal" scale included in the duodecuple.

No TONAL CENTRE Temporary suspension of TonicAbolishment of key-signaturesEric Satie and Sehon-

bergAbsolute pitch 33

CHAPTER V

(C) THE "WHOLE-TONE" OR "TONAJL" SCALE

Its chordal originLimited melodic value of systemNo newthingEqually divided chordsOnly two tonal series

Limitations in reproduction of chordsGreat varieties ofcombinationProgression of partsCombination of thetwo tonal seriesIts modulatory powersPassing notes

Not entirely of French originIts melodic application

Its limitationsIts real valueThe "added note" andappoggiatura views ... - 53

CHAPTER VI

(D) SOME OTHER SCALES

The desire for modificationThe call of the East in music-Modal likenessesThe feeling of effeteness of the olddiatonic major and minorScriabine's experimentsThegenesis of his scaleHis method of using itComparisonwith "tonal" systemThe inversions of his chord-Temperamental arguments againReversion toDominantsupremacyOther selections from the harmonic seriesHis Seventh SonataPossible absorption of his choi-ds intothe general practice - - - 64

CONTENTS xi

CHAPTER VIIALTERED NOTES AND ADDED NOTES

PAGE

The chromatic scale is not a modeChromatic alterations ofchordsThe four applicationsPassing chordsAlterednotes in common chordsIn chords of seventh, ninth, etc.Altered chords freely attackedAltered notes freelyresolved"Escaped" chords neither prepared nor re-solvedAltered passing notes"Added note" chords

The augmented sixth chordsChromatically altered chordstructures by thirds Enharmony Schonberg's har-monyThe purposes of alterations and additions - - 78

CHAPTER VIIINEW METHODS OP CHORD-STRUCTURE

The two great principlesThe Natural Law and the EmpiricpracticeThe origin of the minor triadUnequal divisionsof the octaveInversions of the chord of ninthThecharacteristics and limitations of the equal structuresTheir transmutation properties Mixed structures

Special chords from horizontal methods^An unsophisti-cated chordOne in two planesBeethoven's compre-hensive chord - - - 90

CHAPTER IXRESOLUTIONS, ELISIONS, AND CADENCES

Resolution in generalThe liberation of certain notesTheprocedure of the other noteTransference of the discordReturn to the " approach " chordA favourite device

The influence of the phrasingNecessity for harmonicelisionsA Beethoven elisionRelieving the cadences

On feminine endingsElisions in melodic outlineSup-positionResolution by evaporationOn final cadences

Some examples of finely woven tone-colour - - - 105

CHAPTER XIMPRESSIONISTIC METHODS

Definition of ImpressionismTechniqueThe chief harmonicdeviceOn consecutive fifthsThe emotional powers ofthe open fifthIts infinitude-Its diablerieIts scintil-lance in the higher registersCommon chords in similar

CONTENTS

motion Equal and unequal chords" Six-threes "

Second inversionsChords of the seventhAnalysis ofdiminished seventhsChord progressionChords of the

ninth in successionIts inversionsOther chordsSomeexceptionsAbsorption of Impressionistic methods into

modern techniqueThe art of Maurice Ravel H*

CHAPTER XIHORIZONTAL METHODS

On definitely expressed designIndependent melodic lines

The aui-al processLines and streamsTwo or more har-monic streamsCombined tonalitiesNew chords derivedhorizontallyThe "mirroring" deviceRelative aural

focussingPedal chords-Pedal figures - 131

CHAPTER XIILATER HARMONIC TENDENCIES

Widely differing viewsRealismFurther cult of the sens-uousEconomy of notesSimplicityDiscord in theabstractThe minor second in harmonyDoubling theoutlines

ChiaroscuroDoubling in sixthsIn fifthsBycommon chordsIn sevenths and ninths"Escaped"chords 154

CHAPTER XIIIMODERN MELODY

Difficulty of melodic analysisThe characteristics of inter-valsMelodic predictions of modern harmonyModernmelodic characteristicsGreater breadth and range^AC6sar Pranck exampleMusical rhetoric"Duodecuple"melodySome melodic " pointillism " " Whole-tone "melody - - - - 16S

CHAPTER XIVMODERN RHYTHM

The vagueness of the term "rhythm"Musical analysis

Notational inadequacies Combined movement Lessregular divisions of pulseThe quintupletQuintupletimesLess usual signaturesCombined time-movementsEarless musicCombined complex rhythmsElasticityof phrasingInfluence of rhythm on harmonic thought 170

CONTENTS xiii

CHAPTER XVMODERN FORM

PAGi':

The unnecessary limitation of many terms in musicFormshould be synonymous with coherenceUndue promi-nence of "sonata" formProgramme musicLiszt'sSymphonisehe-Dichtungen The leit-motiv Metamor-phosis of themesModern multiplicity of themes

What the listener must bring to the music^The balancebetween the literary and musical value of themesAbso-lute musicC6sar Franck's formsHis String QuartetSchonberg's Kammer-SymphonieSeriabine's "Pro-metheus "Monothematic formsForm with the Impres-sionistsDebussy's " L'Apr6s-midi d'un Faune"ThePhantasy-Trio"The Harmonic StudyMiniatures andPastels - 181

CHAPTER XVICONCLUSION

Composition cannot be taughtTechnique can and must belearntAll styles should be practisedThe purpose ofthe ExercisesThe perception of styleThe fallacy ofRealismAconsiderationofImpressionismTheenormousinfluence of tone-colour on harmonyPianoforte ver