A small, trivial reflection from a music listener

Dante

Member

Posts: 275

June 9, 2014, 22:06

Tchaikovsky, 5th Symphony, Finale: before the triumphant coda there is a pause on a dominant seventh chord, fortissimo, full orchestra, unmistakable, screaming at the top of its lungs "IT IS NOT OVER YET!"

Well, thunderous applause from the audience breaks out at the dominant seventh! Evidently, they thought it was over there.

Here we are. An audience (or a large part of it) that no longer even has the ability to distinguish the most elementary of tonal tensions, practically deaf. Therefore, without wanting to be picky (if the audience is happy, that's perfectly fine, of course), friends who support the "natural," innate foundation of tonal harmony, I ask you if you do not find yourselves reconsidering your very firm convictions.

Lapushka

Member

Posts: 57
City: Roma

June 9, 2014, 22:16

Even worse than those who applaud between one movement and the next...! ^^"

decidedly...

Zazza

Member

Posts: 250

June 9, 2014, 22:37

Dante wrote:
friends who support the "natural" foundation, innate to tonal harmony, I ask you if you do not believe you are reconsidering your very firm convictions.

Perhaps tonality is interesting precisely because of this

danielescarpetti

Member

Posts: 1,032
City: Castel San Pietro Terme

June 9, 2014, 23:10

Dante wrote:
Here is where we stand. An audience (or a large part of it) that no longer even has the capacity to distinguish the most elementary of tonal tensions, practically deaf. Therefore, without wanting to be picky (if the audience is happy, that's perfectly fine, of course), friends who support the "natural," innate foundation of tonal harmony, I ask you if you do not consider revising your very firm convictions.

It is very likely that the majority of listeners do not know what the most elementary of tonal tensions is, and that those who do not applaud at that point in the Symphony do so not only because they already know it from having heard it other times in other contexts.

But, aside from this particular detail, I wonder: is there still anyone who supports the "natural," innate foundation of tonal harmony?

Natan

Member

Posts: 239

June 9, 2014, 23:24

danielescarpetti wrote:
is there still anyone who supports the \"natural\", innate foundation of tonal harmony?

...I remember this topic

http://www.pianoconcerto.it/forum/index.php?/topic/2929-lee-piante-hanno-dimostrato-di-poter-emettere-alcuni-accordi-che-formano-una-sorta-di-melodia-ritmica-e-costante/

Mah?!"}

LucaCavaliere

Member

Posts: 860
City: Segrate

June 10, 2014, 13:26

Dante wrote:
An audience (or a large part of it) that no longer even has the capacity to distinguish the most elementary of tonal tensions, practically deaf.

i wouldn't say deaf but "illiterate" (illiterate... with respect to the tonal system, obviously)