Persichetti

Persichetti Intervals Two and Three part writing (intervallic) - Consonant intervals - Dissonant intervals (sharp and mild) - Overtones - Chords and broken-chords (melody line counterpoint) Score:         

Phrase with several dissonant P4 followed by phrase with several consonant P4 Fast no sharp dissonance Soft with dissonant intervals Crescendos and diminuendos of intervallic tension (do not confuse with dynamic levels) Chords with equidistant intervals One consonant, one mild and one sharp dissonant (variety of spacing) Chords with mixed intervals Similar intervals in both hands, contrary motion Widely spaced consonant chords

Scales    Score:      

Melody and harmony are the same mode Dorian writing Phrygian writing Lydian writing

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Mixolydian writing Aeolian writing Locrian writing

Modal interchange (same tonal center moves to different modes) Polymodality (two or more modes on same tonal center simultaneously) Modal modulation (same mode moves to different tonal centers) Polytonality (same mode on different tonal centers simultaneously) Polymodality and polytonality (different modes on different tonal centers simultaneously) Bright/dark modes contrast

Synthetic Scales - Superlocrian - Neapolitan major - Neapolitan minor - Oriental - Double Harmonic

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Enigmatic Hungarian major Hungarian minor Major locrian Lydian minor

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Overtone Whole tone 8-note Spanish Symmetrical

Score:  Compose different melodies and harmonic progressions  Mirror scales (intervallic composition)  Polymodality; polytonality 1

Pentatonics - Major - Minor - Minor 6 - Major b6 Score:  Change mode keep tonal center  Pentatonic melody over tonal harmony  Polypentatonics (one above the other)

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Diminished Pelog Hirajoshi Kumo

Hexatonics  Six-tone symmetrical  Prometheus  Prometheus Neapolitan  Whole tone Score:  Hexatonic melody over free harmony  Hexatonic melody and harmony Variety:  Whole tone against whole tone half step below  Whole tone melody over free harmony  Diatonic melody over whole tone harmony  Whole tone combined with other scale (polytonality/modality)  Contrary motion  Alternating two scales  All six tones sounding together  Changing density and spacing  Both whole tone scales simultaneously  Whole tone passages alternated with non whole tone passages Chromatic Scale  12 tone  Chromatic harmony; diatonic melody  Chromatic melody; diatonic harmony  Chord construction as same as melody notes Chords by thirds  Diatonic melody over chromatic (free) triads (one scale harmonized with specific triads, sevenths, ninths or thirteenths: only major, minor, etc. or combined)  Diatonic bass lines under chromatic melody (free melody with specific scale or mode in bass)  Common (repeating) melody note over chromatic (free) triads  Chords moving by thirds (use different modes and scales)  Chords moving by seconds  Chords moving by fifths (triads, sevenths, ninths and thirteenths)  Dark to bright with chords (sevenths and ninths) 2

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Omit 5th (richness) or 3rd/7th (colorless) Double root/5th (solidity), 3rd/7th (density of color), 9th (tension) Ninth in the bass (no 5th) Sequence major, minor, dominant, diminished or any kind of chord quality (triads, 7ths, 9ths and13ths)

Chords by fourths  P4 (inversions)  Perfect-augmented & augmented-perfect (inversions)  Quartal harmony over pedal point  Melodies over quartal texture  Pentatonic melodies over quartal harmony  Quartal harmony with added thirds (below/above)  4-note chords (more harmonic movement with inversions)  3-note chords  Conventional scale spelled in diatonic 4th/perfect 4th  Triads combined with fourths  Fourths with any bass Added-note chords  Augmented sixth chords  Triadic harmony with added notes  Mild, sharp type added note chords  Fourths with added notes  Augmented fourths with and without added notes  Cadences, sequences and progressions with added notes  Added note on the bass (triad, tertian, quartal, etc.)  Melody (any of the triad notes) over added note bass line (slash chords) Chords by seconds  Three note chords (use of inversions and wide spacing)  Three note chords combined with fourths (inverted)  Multi-note by seconds  Clusters. Frame melody (above and below seconds in between)  Vary intervallic make-up (different instrument sections), number of chord tones, orchestration, dissonant/consonant (instrument combinations), sounding simultaneously/arpeggiated, expand/contract  Polyclusters (mini clusters of each of the chord members)  Clusters as scale (arpeggiated in context as a melody). Broken chords Polychords  Double and triple pedal below passing chords  Polyharmony/Polytonal (two key centers one above the other)  Usually works better with two triads/chords (attention to rearranging the tones)  Small intervals upper register/large intervals lower register  The closer the triads are placed together the higher the tension  Use of orchestration for each triad/chord section 3

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Others (most common):

Ma-Aug Ma-Dim Ma-Dim Mi-Aug Mi-Dim D+ D#0 Bb0 D+ G0 C C C Cm Cm Aug/Dim in the bottom are best spreaded: Aug-Ma Aug-Mi Aug-Dim Aug-Aug Dim-Ma Dim-Mi Dim-Aug Bb Db D Gm Bbm D0 F+ D+ Eb Cm G+ Bm G+ G+ G+ G+ E0 E0 E0

Dim-Dim Eb0 E0

Counterpoint works as a two-part line (outer voices as a frame) or as root for triads Tonality can be formed by the melody Ornament inner voices to produce linear variation and melody Polychordal texture combined with unison and two voice interruptions Combine polychords with other types of harmony to give a refreshing sound

Three or more triadic units  Triads built out of overtones and from members of the triad G D A 5 5/5 5/5/5 E B F# 5/5/3 3 5/3 C C C 1 1 1  

Bottom triad must be spread Used for brief period of time

Non-triadic units (seventh, ninth chords, etc.)  For a more homogeneous sound use individual units with one or more notes in common (two seventh or ninth chords with notes in common)  Use fourths (perfect and augmented) over triads (minor, major, augmented and diminished)  And triads over fourths (less resonant) darker texture  Polychordal combinations (triads/fifths under seconds/triads/seventh/fourths)

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Compound  Intervallic compound harmony (all intervals)  Intervallic combinations  Pyramidal chords (from larger intervals to small ones and viceversa)  Percussive in low registers when small intervals are employed  Use with tertian harmony as a accentuation to create interest Fused triads (one or two notes in common) flows freely in four parts: Major 6/3 – Minor Major 6/4 – Aug Minor 6/4 – Dim Minor 6/3 – Major Mirror writing  Fundamental triads (9th)  Inverted triads (polychords)  Fundamental 7th (13th)  Inverted 7th (polychords)     

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Dim 6/4 – Minor Dim 5/3 – Major

Fourths (fourths) Seconds (clusters) Polychords (polychords) Compound (compound)

Stationary tone generates reflection (same tone in the two chords) Moving tone generates reflection (same tone in the two chords) Building tone generates reflection by contrary motion (different tone in two chords – mirror in a transposing tone – a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. apart) Building tone used freely Doubled mirrored (two mirrored chords that are mirrored itself)

Mirror scales  Lydian/Locrian  Viceversa  Ionian/Phrygian  Oriental/Hungarian Minor  Mixolydian/Aeolian  Double Harmonic  Dorian  Lydian Minor/Major Locrian With specially mirror harmony in each scale degree  Reflective scales could start at different pitch levels  If strict mirror writing is desired, ornamental tones are reflective too  For more freedom in harmony, use partial reflection; outer voices mirrored and inner voices move freely (same direction different intervals)  Initial melody and its inversion use for another part Harmonic Direction  Melody lines  Texture tension  Bass line (with inversions)  Implied roots (without inversions) Strength I – V up I – IV down

Softness I – III up I – VI down

Blandness I – II up I – VII down

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Chordal movement  Succession consisting of an interchange of two or three chords (no tonal definition nor forward harmonic motion)  Any chord can return to the chords that precedes it or a progression of chords may return to an original formation  Entire passage may be stated backwards to the original chord  Unexpected chords at resolution points  Omit a chord that is expected because of previously established passage (sequence or motif)  Chords omitted or shuffled in a succession of chords Chord connection  Invert or transpose the interval containing common tones so they are not repeated in the voices  Move a voice to a note higher than the one just left by the voice above or viceversa  Shift octaves in melody or complete passage  Extreme range writing for variety  Melodic rises and dips are reinforced by successive parallel octaves and harmony  Vary number of voices in progression (increase or decrease)  Climatic harmonic point may be left vacant by rest  Voices takes turns to play the melody Dissonance  Increase and decrease consonance and dissonance (depends on context)  End phrase with dissonance/begin next phrase with the same dissonance  Diatonic melody over dissonant harmony  Common dissonant tone (can leap an octave)  Sequential dissonant harmony  Dissonant tone resolves in another voice  Dissonant tone or interval can be coupled with consonant intervals resolving in opposite direction Parallel harmony When all voices move in the same direction:  6/3 successions and 07 successions  Exact/Tonal (modulatory transitions/obscure tonality) and tonal/diatonic (preserves a modality)  It´s generated by melody and its intervallic construction (any interval is free)  Effective for accentuate a rise or fall in a melodic line or modulation. Avoid extended passages of parallel harmony. For variation:  Use contrary motion in one voice against the current parallel succession  Tonal parallel motion converted to real and viceversa  Motion of the voices changed to similar motion (different intervals/same direction)  Roots moving in opposite direction to parallel mass (descending bass against ascending melody and viceversa)  Direction and register change  Notes dropped (omitted) while parallel harmony is continued  Attention diverted by ornamentation (independent lines)  Octave change in one voice 6

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Change of instrumentation Different instruments on different notes (crossing voices) All notes raised or lowed successively until next chord is reached Combined with non-parallel harmony

Successive perfect fifths  Two-part writing  Coupled writing (all fifths)  Parallel harmony  Beginning and ending of a sequential pattern  Phrase joints  Fifths placed in the lower voices while other parts employ contrary or oblique motion  Fifth in the upper parts may be strengthen by using rhythmically agile accompanying parts  Chromatic fifths may be used freely if at least one voice moves in contrary to the fifths  Monotony can be avoided by inserting other intervals between the fifths  Used of fifths in inner parts and contrary outer parts  Fifths in upper parts are softened by placing the third of the fifth (first inversion triad) in a lower voice  Florid inner voices divert attention from fifths in outer parts (soprano and bass)  Fifths can be softened when they leap to members of the same chord Cadential devices  V – I ; III – I ; II – I Include any type of harmony (tertian, quartal, etc)  IV – I ; VI – I ; VII – I  Common unresolved tones Deceptive cadences:  Fifths relation moves a second above  Thirds relation moves up a fifth (cycles)  Seconds relation moves up a third (cycles) Rhythm  Simple chords moving at high rate of speed  Chord repetition (stationary harmony)  Two or more patterns of varying note values:  Coinciding at occasional points  Unequal length until the return of the original combination (polyrhythm)  Polymeter  Polyrhythm – polymeter  Isorhythms (same repeated rhythm pattern) - Every voice follows the same rhythm - Individual voices follow a isorhythmic pattern  Isomelos (same repeated note pattern)  Isorhythm and isomelos combination

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Percussive harmony rhythm  Repeated notes and accents  Sudden large chords (compound) with or without low clusters  Chords of outside keys  Sudden increase of parts  Smaller intervals at the bottom of the chord Pandiatonic writing  One Chord (lack of harmonic rhythm; stationary harmony) with all seven notes (any scale)  Use repeated chords, or a rhythmic motif  Bass: fifths and tenths, Upper: fourths  Barely few doublings Dynamics  A dissonant restless progression set in pianissimo explodes into a subito forte polychords  Chromatic chords blend more easily in soft passages  Combinations: - Crescendo/Growing harmonic tension - Diminuendo/Growing harmonic tension - Crescendo/Decreasing harmonic tension - Diminuendo/Decreasing harmonic tension Rest -

Use rests periodically in voices in a multi-voice passage writing so it doesn´t obscure them Rest often and widely space voices for transparency textures Put a rest as an interruption of a high-tensioned chord pattern Temporary silences in whispering diminuendos Put a rest in a establish pattern of accents progression Add a rest before a climatic chord

Embellishment - Member of a broken chord sounded by a single line (counterpoint) - Repeated chord tones and broken chord tones - Chords broken in two or more voices - Non-harmonic tones (appoggiaturas; auxiliary; skip; passing; accented or non-accented) - Anticipation and suspension - Skip to a tone common with next chord; larger formation of chord (tensions); free tone - Non-harmonic tone ornamented and combined with other ornamental tones. Can create polytonality - Non-harmonic tone converted in chords - Simple chords embellished so one chord penetrates another, creating polychords when they meet Extension and imitation - Ascending sequence add dynamic tension - Descending sequence relax dynamic tension - Sequences soften extremely dissonant passages - Diminution promotes drive 8

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Augmentation lessens movement tension Expand and contract intervals Order of segments changed Inversion, Retrograde, I – R Remove some notes Filling with ornaments Repeated notes Shift octaves Rhythmic transformation

Chromatic alteration Change of harmonic color without changing chordal function (same root or low structure/change quality or upper structure) Pedal point and ostinato - Voices move over single line pedal - Voices move over chord pedal - Polytonality (triple pedal point) - Pedal a fifth or ninth below - Line over single ostinato line (polytonal) - Multi-ostinatos (2 or more) Unison -

Opening or interrupting calls (brass section mostly) Pastoral interludes (melodic slow woodwinds) Fanfare flourishes (brass) Outlining harmonic activity with broken chords Veiled lines placed octaves apart Antiphonal answers Added string power Contrast single line with chordal mass

Tonality and modulation - Any combination of tonic and two chords that set tonality - Definite key center established by at least three chords affirming center - Pivotal modulation - Passages of second relationship modulate a third away - Passages of third relationship modulate a second away - Modulation accompanied by an octave leap in melody - Auxiliary chords for reinforce key center - Violent repetitions of new tonic with color and spacing changes - Modulation from single tonality to a polytonality (coupled triads/chords)

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Polytonality - Superimposed tonal centers (one above the other) Ex.: G/E/C each one has its own harmonic progression (tonal) - Keys are being introduced one at the time - It should bring the tritone as soon as possible to establish the tonal center - Polytonality combination: F: C G D A E (consonant) B F# Db Ab Eb Bb (dissonant) - 3 tonality combinations: F C G (5th) F G A (9th) F D B (6th) F A C# (3rd) - Larger intervals at bottom register - Polytonality (chordal) established by two or more chords in a repeating progression - Polytonality (horizontal) established by imitative writing. Real canons at different intervals - Block chords (two tonalities) against a single melody line - Mirror scale writing

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