DOCSLIB.ORG

Tonal Schemas: Evidence Obtained by Probing Distorted Musical Scales

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Tonal Schemas: Evidence Obtained by Probing Distorted Musical Scales Perception & Psychophysics 1987, 41 (6), 489-504 Tonal schemas: Evidence obtained by probing distorted musical scales DANIEL S. JORDAN Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, California and ROGER N. SHEPARD Stanford University, Stanford, California Listeners were presented with a normal major diatonic scale or with a distortion of that scale obtained either by stretching or by equalizing its intervals. The scale was followed by a test tone, selected from a series of quarter tones spanning the range of the scale, and listeners rated how well the test tone fit in with the scale. The pattern of ratings indicated that listeners interpreted the successive tones of each scale by means of a template-like tonal schema tuned to the usual spacing of the major diatonic scale. For the scale obtained by stretching the major scale to span a semitone more than an octave, the schema evidently shifted monotonically in pitch to accom­ modate each successive tone. For the scale obtained by making all seven intervals in the scale equal, the schema tended to impose its tonal structure despite the absence of the unequal spac­ ing expected by the schema, and led to illusory impressions that the (usually smaller) third and seventh intervals, though now equal, were larger than the other intervals. The characterization of musical tones solely in terms octave, namely, the pattern 2,2, 1,2,2,2,1, where each oftheir physical attributes, such as frequency, amplitude, successive integer indicates the number ofsemitone steps and duration, is not sufficient to explain the experience between adjacent tones of the scale. (A semitone step is, of those tones in a musical context. A musical context on a physical scale of log frequency, 1/12 of an octave tends to activate, within a listener, a particular cognitive and on a piano keyboard corresponds to the interval be­ schema or mental framework with respect to which en­ tween two adjacent keys-for example, between the white suing tones are perceptually interpreted. Different con­ key C and the next black key C=.) A fundamental property texts, inducing different tonal schemas, may lead to quite that the major diatonic scale shares with most musical different interpretations of the same physical tone. scales is that the pattern of its successive intervals is asym­ The musical scales on which the prevailing music of metric in the sense that as we rigidly shift the whole pat­ a particular culture is based provide perhaps the most tern up or down in pitch, it comes into congruence with powerful such schemas. In the case of Western listeners, itself only after a shift of an integral number of octaves, the preeminent such scale is the familiar major diatonic which, in the case of the Western diatonic system, is a scale, whose successive tones are named do, re, mi, fa, shift of some multiple of 12 semitone steps. sol, la, ti, do, where the eighth tone, though given the By virtue of this asymmetry, each tone in the scale is same name as the first (do), is an octave above it. (Physi­ distinguished by a unique set of musical intervals to the cally, an octave corresponds to a doubling of the fun­ other tones in the scale. Hence, even though the scale damental frequency of the tone. The term octave, repeats indefinitely over successive octaves (so that an ar­ however, is not based on a physical property but on the bitrarily selected portion of successive intervals might ex­ musical schema. Within the diatonic musical scale, it is hibit, for example, the pattern ... 2, 1,2,2, 1,2,2,2, the eighth tone that corresponds to the doubling of fre­ 1,2,2, 1,2, ., .), we can always determine where a given quency.) tone is within the scale from the pattern of intervals that The major diatonic scale is characterized by the pat­ separates it from neighboring tones in the scale. tern of intervals between its successive tones within each For example, the tone do, called the tonic tone of the scale and regarded as the most important or stable tone This research was supported by the first author's National Institute of Mental Health Traineeship (MH-15157-06) at Stanford University (on which pieces of music traditionally end), is unique and by the second author's National Science Foundation Research Grants in that the 3 succeeding tones above it move up by a whole BNS 80-05517 and BNS 85-11685, also at Stanford University. We tone, a whole tone, and a semitone (i.e., in the pattern thank Eddie Kessler for assistance in generating the tone sequences. Cor­ 2,2, 1), whereas the tone immediately preceding it in the respondence concerning this paper should be sent to Daniel S. Jordan, Intelligent Systems Laboratory, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, 3333 scale is 1 semitone below. Similarly, the tone sol, called Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, or to Roger N. Shepard, Depart­ the dominant of the scale and generally considered to be ment of Psychology, Building 420, Stanford, CA 94305. the next most stable tone, has the different unique struc- 489 Copyright 1987 Psychonomic Society, Inc. 490 JORDAN AND SHEPARD tural property that although the 3 succeeding tones above rated highest, other relatively stable tones such as the it again move up in the pattern 2, 2, 1, the tone immedi­ dominant and mediant were rated next highest, less sta­ ately preceding it in the scale is 2 semitones (i.e., a whole ble tones of the scale (including the leading tone) were tone) below. rated lower, and tones not included in the scale (the chro­ Every other tone in the scale has a unique such pattern matic tones between the 7 scale tones) were rated lowest of relations with its neighbors, including tones that are of all. The hierarchy of tonal functions as thus quantified heard as quite unstable and as having a tendency to resolve by the probe-tone method is quite robust, having now been to a neighboring more stable tone. For example, the tone replicated in many different studies reported, particularly ti, which is called the leading tone because it is heard as by Krumhansl, Shepard, and their collaborators (e.g., having a strong tendency to resolve to the neighboring Kessler, Hansen, & Shepard, 1984; Krumhansl, 1985; tone (do), is the only tone that is preceded in the scale Krumhansl, 1987; Krumhansl & Kessler, 1982; Krum­ by 3 successive whole-tone steps (2, 2, 2). The unique hansl & Shepard, 1979). structural relations that characterize each tone of a scale In the series of experiments reported here, we further are invariant under changes of key. Regardless of whether explored the idea that the perception of musical tones is the scale begins on, say, C, on F, or on Ep(as when we mediated by a tonal schema with the properties of a tem­ are in the major keys of C, F, or Ep, respectively), the plate that can be rigidly shifted in pitch to achieve a fit leading tone, ti (which would then be B, E, or D, respec­ with the incoming tones. Ordinarily, we are not aware tively), will always have the unique property of being of the role of the hypothesized schema. When music preceded by 3 whole-tone steps in the scale of that key. matches the schema-as the preponderance of popular, We have previously proposed that the principal cogni­ classical, and folk music in the Western world will-the tive schema by means of which Western listeners inter­ schema operates so automatically that it is effectively pret tonal music is a kind of pitch template (Shepard & "transparent" (cf. Shepard, 1981, for visual analogs). Jordan, 1984). The template, being tuned to the pattern The operation of the schema is likely to become evident of intervals of the major diatonic scale (2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, only when the incoming tones depart from the pattern to 1), can be shifted up and down in pitch until it comes into which the template is tuned. In this case, the effect of the register with the pitches of incoming tones. (Often, a schema will be to induce some systematic distortions in default interpretation of the first-presentedtone as the tonic the relations among the physically presented tones, as they will be correct.) When a position is found such that the are perceived or remembered. We have explored two dis­ incoming tones sufficiently match the pitches to which the tortions of the familiar major diatonic scale. shifted template is tuned, the tones are categorically as­ One distortion that we investigated is a uniform stretch­ signed their unique tonal functions (tonic, dominant, lead­ ing of the major scale in which the relational pattern (2, ing tone, etc.) in accordance with their positions in the 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1) of the semitone intervals remains un­ template. The categorical nature of this interpretive changed but the absolute sizes of the intervals are linearly process is, we suggest, why listeners are often quite in­ expanded (on the log-frequency scale) by the ratio 13/12. sensitive to small mistunings (e.g., Bums & Ward, 1978; Hence, the 8th tone of this stretched diatonic scale reaches Siegel & Siegel, 1977; Zatorre & Halpern, 1979). not just to an octave above its first tone but to a minor In our graphical depiction of the template, we 9th above its first tone (i.e., to a semitone beyond the oc­ represented the hierarchy of tonal functions by attaching, tave). If our notion of the tonal schema as a template is to each position in the template, a bar whose length is correct, we might expect a slight, and perhaps unnoticed, proportional to the importance or stability of that tone (as upward adjustment of the template with each successive, specified, qualitatively, by music theory or, quantitatively, slightly sharper tone, in order to maintain registration of by experimental measurements about to be described).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Harmonic Structures and Their Relation to Temporal Proportion in Two String Quartets of Béla Bartók
    Harmonic structures and their relation to temporal proportion in two string quartets of Béla Bartók Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Kissler, John Michael Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 02/10/2021 22:08:34 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/557861 HARMONIC STRUCTURES AND THEIR RELATION TO TEMPORAL PROPORTION IN TWO STRING QUARTETS OF BELA BARTOK by John Michael Kissler A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of . MASTER OF MUSIC In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 8 1 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript.in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author.
    [Show full text]
  • Andrián Pertout
    Andrián Pertout Three Microtonal Compositions: The Utilization of Tuning Systems in Modern Composition Volume 1 Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Produced on acid-free paper Faculty of Music The University of Melbourne March, 2007 Abstract Three Microtonal Compositions: The Utilization of Tuning Systems in Modern Composition encompasses the work undertaken by Lou Harrison (widely regarded as one of America’s most influential and original composers) with regards to just intonation, and tuning and scale systems from around the globe – also taking into account the influential work of Alain Daniélou (Introduction to the Study of Musical Scales), Harry Partch (Genesis of a Music), and Ben Johnston (Scalar Order as a Compositional Resource). The essence of the project being to reveal the compositional applications of a selection of Persian, Indonesian, and Japanese musical scales utilized in three very distinct systems: theory versus performance practice and the ‘Scale of Fifths’, or cyclic division of the octave; the equally-tempered division of the octave; and the ‘Scale of Proportions’, or harmonic division of the octave championed by Harrison, among others – outlining their theoretical and aesthetic rationale, as well as their historical foundations. The project begins with the creation of three new microtonal works tailored to address some of the compositional issues of each system, and ending with an articulated exposition; obtained via the investigation of written sources, disclosure
    [Show full text]
  • Musical Elements in the Discrete-Time Representation of Sound
    0 Musical elements in the discrete-time representation of sound RENATO FABBRI, University of Sao˜ Paulo VILSON VIEIRA DA SILVA JUNIOR, Cod.ai ANTONIOˆ CARLOS SILVANO PESSOTTI, Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba DEBORA´ CRISTINA CORREA,ˆ University of Western Australia OSVALDO N. OLIVEIRA JR., University of Sao˜ Paulo e representation of basic elements of music in terms of discrete audio signals is oen used in soware for musical creation and design. Nevertheless, there is no unied approach that relates these elements to the discrete samples of digitized sound. In this article, each musical element is related by equations and algorithms to the discrete-time samples of sounds, and each of these relations are implemented in scripts within a soware toolbox, referred to as MASS (Music and Audio in Sample Sequences). e fundamental element, the musical note with duration, volume, pitch and timbre, is related quantitatively to characteristics of the digital signal. Internal variations of a note, such as tremolos, vibratos and spectral uctuations, are also considered, which enables the synthesis of notes inspired by real instruments and new sonorities. With this representation of notes, resources are provided for the generation of higher scale musical structures, such as rhythmic meter, pitch intervals and cycles. is framework enables precise and trustful scientic experiments, data sonication and is useful for education and art. e ecacy of MASS is conrmed by the synthesis of small musical pieces using basic notes, elaborated notes and notes in music, which reects the organization of the toolbox and thus of this article. It is possible to synthesize whole albums through collage of the scripts and seings specied by the user.
    [Show full text]
  • In Search of the Perfect Musical Scale
    In Search of the Perfect Musical Scale J. N. Hooker Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA [email protected] May 2017 Abstract We analyze results of a search for alternative musical scales that share the main advantages of classical scales: pitch frequencies that bear simple ratios to each other, and multiple keys based on an un- derlying chromatic scale with tempered tuning. The search is based on combinatorics and a constraint programming model that assigns frequency ratios to intervals. We find that certain 11-note scales on a 19-note chromatic stand out as superior to all others. These scales enjoy harmonic and structural possibilities that go significantly beyond what is available in classical scales and therefore provide a possible medium for innovative musical composition. 1 Introduction The classical major and minor scales of Western music have two attractive characteristics: pitch frequencies that bear simple ratios to each other, and multiple keys based on an underlying chromatic scale with tempered tuning. Simple ratios allow for rich and intelligible harmonies, while multiple keys greatly expand possibilities for complex musical structure. While these tra- ditional scales have provided the basis for a fabulous outpouring of musical creativity over several centuries, one might ask whether they provide the natural or inevitable framework for music. Perhaps there are alternative scales with the same favorable characteristics|simple ratios and multiple keys|that could unleash even greater creativity. This paper summarizes the results of a recent study [8] that undertook a systematic search for musically appealing alternative scales. The search 1 restricts itself to diatonic scales, whose adjacent notes are separated by a whole tone or semitone.
    [Show full text]
  • Mto.95.1.4.Cuciurean
    Volume 1, Number 4, July 1995 Copyright © 1995 Society for Music Theory John D. Cuciurean KEYWORDS: scale, interval, equal temperament, mean-tone temperament, Pythagorean tuning, group theory, diatonic scale, music cognition ABSTRACT: In Mathematical Models of Musical Scales, Mark Lindley and Ronald Turner-Smith attempt to model scales by rejecting traditional Pythagorean ideas and applying modern algebraic techniques of group theory. In a recent MTO collaboration, the same authors summarize their work with less emphasis on the mathematical apparatus. This review complements that article, discussing sections of the book the article ignores and examining unique aspects of their models. [1] From the earliest known music-theoretical writings of the ancient Greeks, mathematics has played a crucial role in the development of our understanding of the mechanics of music. Mathematics not only proves useful as a tool for defining the physical characteristics of sound, but abstractly underlies many of the current methods of analysis. Following Pythagorean models, theorists from the middle ages to the present day who are concerned with intonation and tuning use proportions and ratios as the primary language in their music-theoretic discourse. However, few theorists in dealing with scales have incorporated abstract algebraic concepts in as systematic a manner as the recent collaboration between music scholar Mark Lindley and mathematician Ronald Turner-Smith.(1) In their new treatise, Mathematical Models of Musical Scales: A New Approach, the authors “reject the ancient Pythagorean idea that music somehow &lsquois’ number, and . show how to design mathematical models for musical scales and systems according to some more modern principles” (7).
    [Show full text]
  • Musical Techniques
    Musical Techniques Musical Techniques Frequencies and Harmony Dominique Paret Serge Sibony First published 2017 in Great Britain and the United States by ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licenses issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address: ISTE Ltd John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 27-37 St George’s Road 111 River Street London SW19 4EU Hoboken, NJ 07030 UK USA www.iste.co.uk www.wiley.com © ISTE Ltd 2017 The rights of Dominique Paret and Serge Sibony to be identified as the authors of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Library of Congress Control Number: 2016960997 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978-1-78630-058-4 Contents Preface ........................................... xiii Introduction ........................................ xv Part 1. Laying the Foundations ............................ 1 Introduction to Part 1 .................................. 3 Chapter 1. Sounds, Creation and Generation of Notes ................................... 5 1.1. Physical and physiological notions of a sound .................. 5 1.1.1. Auditory apparatus ............................... 5 1.1.2. Physical concepts of a sound .......................... 7 1.1.3.
    [Show full text]
  • The Consecutive-Semitone Constraint on Scalar Structure: a Link Between Impressionism and Jazz1
    The Consecutive-Semitone Constraint on Scalar Structure: A Link Between Impressionism and Jazz1 Dmitri Tymoczko The diatonic scale, considered as a subset of the twelve chromatic pitch classes, possesses some remarkable mathematical properties. It is, for example, a "deep scale," containing each of the six diatonic intervals a unique number of times; it represents a "maximally even" division of the octave into seven nearly-equal parts; it is capable of participating in a "maximally smooth" cycle of transpositions that differ only by the shift of a single pitch by a single semitone; and it has "Myhill's property," in the sense that every distinct two-note diatonic interval (e.g., a third) comes in exactly two distinct chromatic varieties (e.g., major and minor). Many theorists have used these properties to describe and even explain the role of the diatonic scale in traditional tonal music.2 Tonal music, however, is not exclusively diatonic, and the two nondiatonic minor scales possess none of the properties mentioned above. Thus, to the extent that we emphasize the mathematical uniqueness of the diatonic scale, we must downplay the musical significance of the other scales, for example by treating the melodic and harmonic minor scales merely as modifications of the natural minor. The difficulty is compounded when we consider the music of the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries, in which composers expanded their musical vocabularies to include new scales (for instance, the whole-tone and the octatonic) which again shared few of the diatonic scale's interesting characteristics. This suggests that many of the features *I would like to thank David Lewin, John Thow, and Robert Wason for their assistance in preparing this article.
    [Show full text]
  • An Access-Dictionary of Internationalist High Tech Latinate English
    An Access-Dictionary of Internationalist High Tech Latinate English Excerpted from Word Power, Public Speaking Confidence, and Dictionary-Based Learning, Copyright © 2007 by Robert Oliphant, columnist, Education News Author of The Latin-Old English Glossary in British Museum MS 3376 (Mouton, 1966) and A Piano for Mrs. Cimino (Prentice Hall, 1980) INTRODUCTION Strictly speaking, this is simply a list of technical terms: 30,680 of them presented in an alphabetical sequence of 52 professional subject fields ranging from Aeronautics to Zoology. Practically considered, though, every item on the list can be quickly accessed in the Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary (RHU), updated second edition of 2007, or in its CD – ROM WordGenius® version. So what’s here is actually an in-depth learning tool for mastering the basic vocabularies of what today can fairly be called American-Pronunciation Internationalist High Tech Latinate English. Dictionary authority. This list, by virtue of its dictionary link, has far more authority than a conventional professional-subject glossary, even the one offered online by the University of Maryland Medical Center. American dictionaries, after all, have always assigned their technical terms to professional experts in specific fields, identified those experts in print, and in effect held them responsible for the accuracy and comprehensiveness of each entry. Even more important, the entries themselves offer learners a complete sketch of each target word (headword). Memorization. For professionals, memorization is a basic career requirement. Any physician will tell you how much of it is called for in medical school and how hard it is, thanks to thousands of strange, exotic shapes like <myocardium> that have to be taken apart in the mind and reassembled like pieces of an unpronounceable jigsaw puzzle.
    [Show full text]
  • Brecker's Blues
    BRECKER’S BLUES: TRANSCRIPTION AND THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF SIX SELECTED IMPROVISED BLUES SOLOS BY JAZZ SAXOPHONIST MICHAEL BRECKER DOCUMENT Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By David Rawlings Freedy, M.M. ***** The Ohio State University 2003 Document Committee: James Akins, Advisor Joseph Duchi Dr. Russel Mikkelson ABSTRACT The following is an analysis of selected musical improvisations of tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker. The improvisations span the years 1987-99 and are all characterized by a shared underlying 12-bar chord structure commonly known as “Blues.” The improvisations at hand were chosen by the author by means of six necessary characteristics: 1. Performance over a 12- bar Blues (major or minor) harmonic progression; 2. Profundity or “specialness” of the improvisation as determined by the author; 3. Theoretical complexity of the improvisation sufficient to warrant an extended analysis as determined by the author; 4. Historical placement of the improvisations from 1987 to the year of Document submission; 5. Commercial availability of Compact Disc recordings of all of the improvisations; 6. Lack of availability of other transcriptions of the improvisations from either commercial or academic sources. It is the author’s contention that the transcriptions and analyses of the selected improvisations will help illustrate Mr. Brecker’s approach to the Blues as well as identify the theoretical underpinnings upon which these improvisations rest. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank my advisor, Professor James Akins, for his patience, support, and encouragement throughout my entire Doctoral degree program at Ohio State University.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 3 Delineation of the Meta-Theoretical Framework
    University of Pretoria etd – Murphy, R (2007) Chapter 3 Delineation of the meta-theoretical framework 3.1 Introduction To mindfully place dynamic assessment and intelligence into an explored meta-theoretical framework, meta-theory as a concept and received view of theorising will now be considered. owever, before meta-theorising can commence, surety is sought about the meanings inherent in the concept of theory and so down the hierarchical scale through to models and frameworks. These all have as a basic point of departure some sort of theory-laden assumptions of what it is these frameworks, theories and models seek to investigate. Theories, models and frameworks pervade all areas of human understanding, and are not relegated to only the natural and social sciences1 but to the arts and humanities alike. Theory development progresses through each school of knowledge in disparate ways often resulting in heated debates between CopposingD schools of knowledge-procurement. As disciplines differ in their areas of knowledge gathering, so to do their methodologies. Once theories coalesce into more meaningful units of known facts within any discipline, meta-theory may serve as foundation upon which newer theories are anchored. ,t is to these issues that focus is now turned, initially as pertains to the sub:ect matter of the history and philosophy of science and social science and then more specially as it pertains to dynamic assessment and intelligence within psychology. Whether it is accurate or not to state that dynamic assessment finds itself in a state of crises regarding underlying aims, theory and model development, it is maintained that it is doubtful whether this field can rise to greater prominence without re-evaluation of its basic philosophical stance on a number of issues ( ughes, 1980).
    [Show full text]
  • Intervals Scales Tuning*
    7 INTERVALS SCALES AND TUNING* EDWARD M. BURNS Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences University of Washington Seattle, Washington !. INTRODUCTION In the vast majority of musical cultures, collections of discrete pitch relation- shipsmmusical scales--are used as a framework for composition and improvisa- tion. In this chapter, the possible origins and bases of scales are discussed, includ- ing those aspects of scales that may be universal across musical cultures. The perception of the basic unit of melodies and scales, the musical interval, is also addressed. The topic of tuningmthe exact relationships of the frequencies of the tones composing the intervals and/or scales~is inherent in both discussions. In addition, musical interval perception is examined as to its compliance with some general "laws" of perception and in light of its relationship to the second most important aspect of auditory perception, speech perception. !!. WHY ARE SCALES NECESSARY? The two right-most columns of Table I give the frequency ratios, and their val- ues in the logarithmic "cent" metric, for the musical intervals that are contained in the scale that constitutes the standard tonal material on which virtually all Western music is based: the 12-tone chromatic scale of equal temperament. A number of assumptions are inherent in the structure of this scale. The first is that of octave equivalence, or pitch class. The scale is defined only over a region of one octave; tones separated by an octave are assumed to be in some respects musically equiva- lent and are given the same letter notation (Table I, column 3). The second is that pitch is scaled as a logarithmic function of frequency.
    [Show full text]
  • Multicultural Influences in Debussy's Piano Music
    Multicultural Influences in Debussy’s Piano Music By © 2019 Tharach Wuthiwan Submitted to the graduate degree program in Music and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. Chair: Jack Winerock Scott McBride Smith Michael Kirkendoll Ketty Wong Jane Zhao Date Defended: 21 November 2019 ii The dissertation committee for Tharach Wuthiwan certifies that this is the approved version of the following doctoral document: Multicultural Influences in Debussy’s Piano Music Chair: Jack Winerock Date Approved: 21 November 2019 iii Abstract Debussy has been known for integrating different subjects into his music such as pictures, scenes of nature, poems, and elements from other cultures that leave the listener with the impression that Debussy tries to capture in his music. This paper focuses on multicultural influences on Debussy’s Estampes, a suite published in 1903 that contains references to three different cultures: Javanese, Spanish, and French cultures. The first piece, Pagodes, evokes the musical culture of the Javanese Gamelan of Indonesia, which Debussy first encountered in a performance he saw at the Paris Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in 1889. Debussy uses pentatonic, pedal-tone, and polyphonic texture to imitate the sound of the Javanese gamelan instruments. Besides Pagodes, Debussy uses similar techniques in Prelude from Pour Le Piano and Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut from Images Book 2. La soirée dans Grenade evokes the musical character of Granada in Andalusia, Spain by using the habanera dance rhythm, melodies inspired by the Moorish heritage of Spain, and the rolled chords that imitate the strumming gesture of the Spanish guitar.
    [Show full text]