Here for the first time is an orderly presentation of the harmonic procedures to be found in music of the first half of the twentieth-century. The author examines the nature of intervals in various contexts, discusses the modes and other scales employed in modern music, describes the formation and uses of chords by thirds, by fourths, and by seconds, of added-note chords and polychords; he deals with different types of harmonic motion, with harmonic rhythm and dynamic sand ornamentation, with harmonic behavior in tonality, polytonality, atonality and serial composition.
Author(s): Vincent Persichetti
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Year: 1961
Language: English
Pages: 287
City: New York
Front Cover
Title Page
Contents
Foreword
1. Intervals
Construction
Inversion and Spacing
Intervals in Chords
Overtone Influence
Medium
2. Scale Materials
Modes
Synthetic Scale Formations
Pentatonic and Hexatonic Scales
Chromatic Scale
3. Chords by Thirds
Triads
Seventh and Ninth Chords
Elevenths and Thirteenths
Fifteenths and Seventeenths
Twelve-Note Chords
4. Chords by Fourths
Three-Note Chords by Fourths
Four-Note Chords by Fourths
Multi-Note Chords by Fourths
5. Added-Note Chords
Augmented Sixth Chords
Other Added-Note Chords
6. Chords by Seconds
Three-Note Chords by Seconds
Multi-Note Chords by Seconds
Clusters
7. Polychords
Two Triadic Units
Three or More Triadic Units
Non-Triadic Units
8. Compound and Mirror Harmony
Compound Construction
Mirror Writing
9. Harmonic Direction
Progression
Chord Connection
Dissonance
Parallel Harmony
Successive Perfect Fifths
Cadential Devices
10. Timing and Dynamics
Rhythm
Percussive use of Harmony
Pandiationic Writing
Dynamics and Rests
11. Embellishment and Transformation
Ornamental Figuration
Extension and Imitation
Chromatic Alteration
Pedal Point and Ostinato
Unison Writing
12. Key Centers
Tonality
Modulation
Polytonality
Atonality
Serial Harmony
13. Harmonic Synthesis
Combining Textures
Theme and Form Ideas
Index of Composers
Subject Index
Back Cover
