symbols used in music analysis

8/9/2019 Symbols Used in Music Analysis

1/7

ncil for Research in Music Education

mbols Used in Music Analysishor(s): George Thaddeus Jonesrce: Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, No. 9 (Spring, 1967), pp

ished by: University of Illinois Presson behalf of the Council for Research in Music Educationle URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40317152

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2/7

SYMBOLS

USED

IN

MUSIC

ANALYSIS

george

thaddeus

jones

In

the second

issue

of

the

Bulletin,

published

in

the winter

of

1964,

this

author

gave

an interim

report

on

a

study

then in

progress

sponsored

by

the

Cooperative

Research

Branch

of

the

U.S.

Office

of

Education.

In the

intervening

two

years

the

study

has

been

completed,

the

final

report

has

been

printed

and

limited distribution made

through-

out the United States. Since numerous requests for a copy of the final

report

have been received

from

throughout

the

United States

and from

at least

seven

foreign

countries

it

may

be

useful

to

the

scholarly

community

to

make

a

final

report

of

this

study

and

to

summarize the

conclusions.

A

brief

recapitulation

of the

chronology

of the entire

project

will

be

made

for the benefit

of new

readers.

In

June

1963,

a

grant

was

received from the

Cooperative

Research

Program

of the

Health,

Education

and

Welfare

Department

to

study symbols

currently

being

used

in music

analysis

and to

make

some

recommendations

toward

the

standardization

of these

symbols.

A

questionnaire

was

sent

to 262 schools which were then members of the National Association of

Schools

of

Music

and

from the

replies

received

a

list

of

43

representa-

tive

textbooks

on

music

theory

was

assembled for

study.

In

addition,

12

commercial

publishers

of

popular

sheet

music contributed

samplings

in that

field

so

the

chord

symbols

could be studied

and

compared

with

those

used

in

theory

textbooks.

The

research

procedure

which was followed in

the

study

was

explained

somewhat

in detail

in

the

earlier

article in

the Bulletin

and will

not

be

repeated

here.

However,

since

the

study

was

not

complete

when the

first

article

was

written,

it would seem

useful

to

review,

in

a

very

general way, the results of the study and the ensuing recommendations.

The

details

of

the

project

and

the

documentation and

reasons for

each

conclusion

can be

found

only

in the

full

report.


3/7

-24-

The

two most

basic

conclusions

which

seem

evident

from

the

study

are

(1)

that

the differences

in

symbolization

are not as

great

as

they

first

appeared

to

be

and,

therefore,

(2)

it is

entirely

within the realm

of

possibility

that

analytic

symbols

could

be

standardized if some

authoritative

agency

could

be

persuaded

to take the

initiative

in

seek-

ing

a

real

consensus

within

the

music

profession.

To

deal more in detail

with the first conclusion it is necessary to separately discuss each of

the

three

basic

areas

of

symbolization:

1.

Figured

Bass,

2.

Chord

Symbol,

3.

Nonharmonic

Tones.

1.

Figured

Bass.

In

this

area

there

is better

agreement among

the various

authors

of

theory

textbooks

than

in

the other two.

Possibly,

this is

because

figured

bass is the

oldest

system

of

musical

shorthand

and

because

it

benefits from certain

authoritative

works such as the

C.P.E.

Bach

flVersuch.fl

The

main

points

to be

reconciled are

these:

a. Placement of the figures (above or below the bass line).

b.

The

use

of abbreviations such as the

slanting

stroke

and

the

accidental alone.

c. Placement

of the

accidental

in

relation

to the

Arabic

numeral;

i.e.,

before

or

after.

d.

Nonharmonic

tones in the

bass

line itself.

Recommendations

:

a.

The

figures

should

be

placed

below

the

bass

line,

rather

than

above it.

b.

The

slanting

stroke

to

indicate

a

raised

figure

and

the

accidental

alone,

which

refers

to the third

above

the

given

bass

note,

are

well

established

abbreviations

and should

be

used.

c.

The accidental

should

precede

the

figure.

d. A nonharmonic tone in the bass line must be shown by the

actual

figures

of

the

tones

sounding

above

it

(preferred),

or

by

a dash

indicating

the continuation

of

the

previous

figure.

2.

Chord

Symbol.

It

is

in this

area that

the

greatest discrepancies

among

authors

occur.

The

principal

points

to

be considered

are:

a.

Should

all

triads be

symbolized

by large

Roman

numerals

(I,

II,

III, VII),

or should the

quality

of

the triad be

shown

(I,

ii, III+,

vii)?


4/7

-25-

b.

How

should

seventh

chords be

indicated?

c.

Should the

chord

symbol

indicate the

actual

inversion

of

the

chord?

d. How should altered tones

and

modulation be treated?

Recommendations for

this

area

have taken into consideration

not

only

the

preferences

shown

by

the

greatest

number

of

authors

but

also

what seems

to

offer the

clearest,

most

succinct

and

unambiguous

symbol.

a.

All

triads,

regardless

of

quality,

indicated

by

large

Roman

numerals

(I,

II,

III,

VII).

b. Seventh

(and ninth,

etc.)

chords

indicated

by placing

the

Arabic numeral

at

the

upper right

of the

Roman

numeral (I7 , V^) .

c. Most

authors

agree

that

the

chord

symbol

should

show

the

exact

inversion

of

the chord.

While

there

have been

several

different

methods

invented

to show

this,

we

already

have

the well

understood

numerals

from

figured

bass.

Therefore,

the recommendation

is

to

combine, exactly,

the

accidentals

and

Arabic

numerals

from

figured

bass

with

the Roman

numeral.

This

allows

the

chord

symbol

to show

the

chord

function

in

its

correct

inversion

with

any

alterations

which

occur.

The

numerals

and accidentals

are

placed

to

the upper right, or to the right, of the Roman numeral

(V7,

V|>

V

bfe

},

d.

To

show

altered

tones

in the

chord

symbol,

certain

situations

need

to be

clarified.

If

the

root

of

a root

position

is

altered,

the

accidental

is

placed

before

the

Roman

numeral

(bll>

IV,

rVI^5).

Other

altered

tones,

with the

exception

discussed

below,

should

be shown

by

the

figured

bass

numerals.

However,

in the interest of clarify, no abbreviations (such as

accidental

alone,

or

the

slanting

stroke)

should

be used

in

connection

with

the

chord

symbol:

HJg

not

IX|>

nor

^J*

The

exception

occurs

when

the bass

tone

of

an inverted

chord

is

altered.

Since

figured

bass

only

shows

alterations

to

the

upper

parts,

this

alteration

would

not

normally

be

included.

This alteration

may

be shown

by

the

numeral

one

(1)

preceded

by

the

proper

accidental

r^j

A


5/7

-26-

ln

all cases

the real

accidental used

in

the music

is

used

in

the

chord

symbol.

For

example:

V*p

in

the

key

of

C

minor,

but

Vl/rj

n che

key

of

D

minor.

All

analyses

are

begun by

showing

the

key

to

which the

enord

symbols

relate.

Large

letters

indicate

major

keys

(C, Bb, F ) ; small letters indicate minor keys (c , bb, f )

This covers

all

cases

except

those

occurring

in

a

modula-

cin.

A

common

chord modulation

shows

a dual

interpretation

of the

common

chord;

in

a

direct

modulation,

where

a

new

phrase

begins

directly

in

a

new

key,

and in

a chromatic

modulation

the

common

chord will

normally

not

receive

a

double

interpretation.

Common

hord:

G

I

IV

V^

I6

D: IV6 l\ V*3 I

Chromatic

or direct:

G:

I

IV

D:

V5

I

and

so

forth.

1

All altered

tones

which

occur

during

a

modulation

are

symbolized

in relation

to the

printed

key

signature.

That

is,

the

altered

tones,

even

though

diatonic

notes

in the

new

key,

are shown

as

alterations

in

the

first

key,

just

as

they

are

in

figured

bass.

For

example,

in the

two

progressions

given

above

for

modulation,

the

next-

to-

last chord in each progression would contain the note C

sharp,

which,

while

a

diatonic

note

in

D

major,

requires

an

accidental,

since this

is

a

modulation

within the

more

important

tonic

key

of

G

major.

3.

Nonharmonic

Tones.

The definitions

of

nonchord

tones

explain

how the

dissonant

tone is

related

to

its

adjacent

chord tone

(or tones);

this

is

commonly

done

by

defining

how the

dissonant

tone is

approached

and left

and/or

whether

it

is

accented

or

unaccented.

It is recommended that each nonharmonic device be defined

primarily

according

to the

spatial

relationship

it exhibits

with the

chord

tones

around

it,

and

only

secondarily

be

cataloged

according

to its

relative

accent.

The

rhythmic

syntax

of thirteenth

and

twentieth

century

music is

quite

different

from

that

of

the

eighteenth

century

and,

if the

definitions

do not

depend

upon

having

to

determine

the

relative

accents

involved,

then

they

will fit music of

widely

different

periods

and

styles.

(It

is more succinct

to

show

these devices

in

notes,

but

since

this article

does not include

the

possibility

of

using

staff-notation

word definitions are

attempted . )


6/7

-27-

a.

Passing

tone-

stands between two

chord

tones,

approached

and

left

by

step

in

the

same

direction.

fa.

Neighboring

tone-stands

between

two

statements

of the

same

chord

tone,

approached

by

step

in

one

direction,

returning

by step

in

the

opposite

direction.

c.

Changing

tones-

a

skip

from

upper

to

lower

neighboring

tone,

or vice

versa,

before

returning

to the

chord tone.

d.

Suspension-prolonged

into the

next

chord and

resolving

by step

up

or

down

to

a chord tone

(may

be

tied

or

reiterated)

e.

Anticipation-

anticipates

a tone from the next

chord;

it

may

be

approached

by

step

or

skip

and

may

be

tied

or

repeated.

f.

Appoggiatura-

-approached

by

skip

and

resolved

by step

to

a chord

tone.

g.

Escape

tone-

approached

by

step

and left

by

skip.

h.

Pedal-

a held

tone

or

reiterated

note

or

figure;

it should

begin

and

end

as

a

chord

tone.

i.

Free

tone

-

approached

and

left

by skip.

These basic concepts may be combined as, for example, an appogitura

to

a

neighboring

tone,

and

so

forth.

Jazz

chord

symbols

are

fairly

well

standardized

among publishers

of

popular

music, though

some

discrepancies

were

found.

The

two

weaknesses

of

the

system

are

the

difficulty

of

showing

the

correct

bass

note

when

this

is

not

the

root

of

the

chord

and

the

difficulty

of

coping

with

nontriadic

sonorities,

such

as

chords

built

in

fourths,

and

so

forth.

Finally,

we must

discuss

briefly

the

feasibility

of

reaching

some

consensus within our profession. While it is undeniable that we would

profit

from

a

standardized

set

of

terms

and

symbols,

it must

be

admitted

that

there

is

little

enthusiasm

among

eminent

musicians

to

pursue

the

tedious

road

that

would

be

necessary

to reach

such

agreement.

This

is

especially

true

of

the

more

creative

musicians,

whether

composers,

performers

or

musicologists;

for

seeking

such

agreement

at

the

basic

theory

level

is much

less

exciting

and much

less

interesting

than

solving

a

problem

in

composition

or research.


7/7

-28-

Perhaps

it is the

theory

teacher,

particularly

the

college

theory

teacher,

who

will

have

to

take

the initiative

if

any

progress

is

to

be

made. For

he is the musician

who

is

most

directly

involved

with this

problem.

At

any

rate,

the

first

step

is to obtain

some

general

discussion,

and

to

allow

as

many

people

as

possible

to

be

heard.

Panel discussions such as the one conducted at the 1967 MTNA

Convention

provide

an

opportunity

on

the

national

level

for

an

explora-

tion of the

problem,

and

perhaps

from

these can discover

what the

next

steps might

be

toward

a

standardized

symbolization.

The

emphasis

is

made that

in no

case

should

these

recommendations

be

adopted

without

serious

scrutiny.

The

problem

is

worthy

of consideration

by

a

national

commission,

composed

of

distinguished

men

in the field

of music

theory.

The

research

reported

herein

was

supported by

the

Cooperative

Research

Program

of

the

Office

of

Education,

U.S.

Department

of

Health,

Education,

and

Welfare .

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