Tone affinity

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Under Tonverwandtschaft is meant in the musical relations between tones, chords or keys (or scales ) who are close to the basis of certain criteria, more or less. However, it is hardly possible to establish clarity in the field of tone relationships, since different perspectives can lead to different results.

  • One of the criteria for the relationship between chords and keys can be the number of common notes. Parallel keys, for example, are very closely related because they match in all tones. The similarly close relationship of parallel chords is based on two common tones. However, the number of common tones is unsuitable as the sole criterion. So have z. B. both the G major triad (ghd) and the E major triad (e-g sharp-h) with the C major triad (ceg) each have a common tone. Nevertheless, their relationship to the C major triad is by no means the same, as other aspects also play a role:
    • Another criterion is provided by the circle of fifths , on which the relationship between fifths is based. According to this, two keys or chords are more closely related the closer their fundamental tones are to one another in the circle of fifths. It becomes immediately clear why E major, which is four steps from C major in the circle of fifths (CGDAE), is much less related to it than its immediate neighbor G major.
    • The relationship between fifths can come into conflict with the relationship between thirds , which played an increasing role in the 19th century. Arnold Schönberg says: “The circle of fifths expresses to a certain extent the relationship between two keys. But not absolutely. [...] For example, C major and A major have a relationship through A minor that [...] is stronger than that of C major with D major. "

Paul Hindemith made an ambitious attempt to clarify the tonal relationships in his instruction in composition . With his row 1, derived from the overtone series, he postulated a clear gradation of degrees of kinship, which looks like this with regard to the C as a starting point: CGFAE-Eb-A-flat-DB-Db-B-F sharp (G flat). However, due to certain contestability of his derivation method, his theory did not find general acceptance.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Arnold Schönberg: Harmony . 3rd, increased and improved edition. Universal Edition, Vienna 1922, p. 189 .