Harmonic major scale
The harmonic major scale is major scale with a lowered sixth. Its upper tetrachord is the same as that of the harmonic minor scale.
Harmonic major scales are commonly used in jazz and have corollaries in Indian ragas.
Background
[edit]Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov considered four scales to be the "basis of harmony": the natural minor and major, and the harmonic minor and major. The harmonic major scale is a major scale with the a lowered sixth degree. American musicologist Richard Taruskin polled his colleagues about the scale and found most of them had never heard of it. At least one of Rimsky-Korsakov's peers thought he invented the scale. Anatoly Lyadov helped Rimsky-Korsakov formulate his harmonic pedagogy, and Lyadov's method was derived from his teacher Yuliy Ivanovich Iogansen.[1]: 222–6
The scale is commonly found in Claude Debussy's music.[2] Toru Takemitsu used the harmonic major scale in compositions like Coral Island and Rain Tree Sketch II. The latter was dedicated to Olivier Messiaen, whose analysis of scales was a major influence. Takemitsu's concept of the scale might have been derived from George Russell's ideas about scales where the harmonic major scale was configured as a "Lydian diminished scale".[3]
In Hindustani and Carnatic music, the harmonic major scale respectively corresponds to the Raag Nat Bhairav and Raga Sarasangi.[4]
Construction
[edit]
The scale is simply a major scale with a lowered sixth.[5] It is also the harmonic minor scale with a raised third. The chief value of this synthetic scale are the voice leading possibilities it generates. Jazz soloists often rely on its various modes.[6]
The lowered sixth provides entry to progressions that are not governed by the circle of fifths.[1]: 231ff Composers can use it to create more symmetrical harmonies.[2] In addition to the scale's minor subdominant chord, the triad built on the sixth scale degree is an augmented chord.[7]: 7
References
[edit]- ^ a b Taruskin, Richard. "Rimsky-Korsakov Catches Up", Musical Lives and Times Examined: Keynotes and Clippings, 2006–2019. University of California Press, 2023. 222.
- ^ a b Tymoczko, DMitri (2004). "Scale Networks and Debussy". Journal of Music Theory. 48 (2): 245. doi:10.1215/00222909-48-2-219.
- ^ Burt, Peter (2001). The Music of Toru Takemitsu. Cambridge University Press. p. 101, 231. ISBN 0-521-78220-1.
- ^ Iyer, Radhika. Elements of Indian Music: The Melakarta System. Mel Bay Publications, 2018. 28.
- ^ Haunschild, Frank (2000). The New Harmony Book. AMA-Verlag. p. 122. ISBN 9783927190689.
- ^ Lawn, Richard; Hellmer, Jeffrey L. (1996). Jazz: theory and practice. Alfred Publishing Company. pp. 43ff. ISBN 0-88284-722-8..
- ^ Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai (1943). Practical Manual of Harmony. Carl Fischer, LLC. ISBN 978-0-8258-5699-0.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
Further reading
[edit]- Coulombe, Adam. "Harmonic Major: Part I — Arranging Blackbird". Canadian Musician Magazine. No. July/August 2015. p. 27.
- Haerle, Dan (September 1, 1982). The Jazz Language: A Theory Text for Jazz Composition and Improvisation. Alfred Music. ISBN 978-0760400142.
- Hewitt, Michael (2013). Musical Scales of the World. The Note Tree. ISBN 978-0957547001.
- Riley, Matthew. "The 'Harmonic Major' Mode in Nineteenth-Century Theory and Practice." Music Analysis, 2004.
- Slonimsky, Nicolas (1947). Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns (First ed.). Music Sales America. p. 152, 159. ISBN 978-0-8256-1449-1.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - Willmott, Bret (1994). Mel Bay's Complete Book of Harmony Theory and Voicing. Mel Bay Publications. ISBN 1-56222-994-X.
- Yamaguchi, Masaya (2006). The Complete Thesaurus of Musical Scales (Revised ed.). New York: Masaya Music Service. ISBN 0-9676353-0-6.