A level,[1] also "tonality level", Gerhard Kubik's "tonal step,[2]" "tonal block,"[3] and John Blacking's "root progression,[4]" is an important melodic and harmonic progression where melodic material shifts between a whole tone above and a whole tone below the tonal center.[4] This shift can occur to both neighboring notes, in either direction, and from any point of departure.[5] The steps above and below the tonic are often called contrasting steps.[6] A new harmonic segment is created which then changes the tonality but not necessarily the key.[6]
Each level is based on one pitch, a foundation note. A melodic or harmonic-melodic third, triad (fifth) (such as in the song "Shallow Brown"), or seventh (such as in the song "Donald MacGillavry") may be built off this foundation. [1] A "change" in levels is called a shift. We see this in double-tonic tunes such as "Donald MacGillavry" (notes: A to G in bar 4 below).[1] Shifting is more emphatic than chord changes (chords: Am-G), but not as emphatic as modulations (keys: A minor to G major):[1]
"Donald MacGillavry" Play (help·info),[1] last measure each line
The foundation (root) is the most important note and accompanying chords are almost always built in root position. The fifth is next in importance, and consecutive fifths are most often emphasized.[1] The third is less important and often blue, neutral, or changing from major to minor.[1] This characteristic is common in the English virginalists music such as William Byrd's "The Woods so Wild" theme, which is an example of levels (F and G) being elaborated through cadence, melodic divergence from the accompaniment, and subsidiary chords, reaching a complete cadential phrase.[1]
Levels are commonly found in African folk music. It is believed that they originally arose out of this culture.[7] They are often combined with unresolved harmonic progression that gives music a feeling of perpetual motion without any noticeable cadence.[4] Runs and sequences often link new harmonic segments of the music to the previous ones.[2] Each new harmonic sequence is often related to the previous through the melodic line.[2] The music often ends suddenly without any musical preparation, even in the middle of a phrase. Sometimes the music descends to a "point of rest" in which the note below the tonal center gets extended to allow an ending.[4] Tonal variety and melodic unification is often achieved by repeating similar phrases on different steps of a pentatonic mode.[7] Semitonal and hemitonal root progressions can also be found.[8] Tonality levels or "root progression" are the most important structural feature found in African folk music.[4] The internal organization of this music demands occasional shifts between levels unless the music is based on a consistent drone.[9] The tonality level often shifts several times making it very hard to find a piece of African folk music without tonality levels.[6] Most often between three and five tonality levels can be found within a composition.[2] Levels can also be found in Asian, Celticfolk musics, Arab, and in European Renaissance music.[1]
Eventually, levels and other musical traits found their way into American jazz harmony and blues tonality through spirituals.[10] Levels can be compared to a traditional root progression in western music with a tonic - subdominant - dominant relationship. Levels give way to familiar classical chords and chord changes in Baroque music.[1] The harmonic practices between these cultures are so similar that urban African composers often incorporate western root progression into their local harmonic practices. As this combination traveled to America, it helped create new genres such as jazz, big band, and blues.[11] In the twentieth century, chords give way to levels in the blues, completed with the V-IV-I progression, which spread to all popular music.[12] For instance, In the blues - influenced style, the boogie-woogie bass, levels occur in shifts from primary triads rather than neighboring tones.[1] This can be directly tied to the tonality levels found in African folk music discussed earlier.[1]
A level, or "tonal step," often coincides with cross-rhythms in the melody and entries in vocal melody.[7] A new tonality level and harmonic shift is often very vague and hard to identify in a vocal texture. However, it is much easier to identify in thick instrumentation.[13]
^ abcdKubik, Gerhard (1969). "Composition Techniques in Kiganda Xylophone Music: With an Introduction into Some Kiganda Musical Concepts". African Music. 4 (3): 22–72. doi:10.21504/amj.v4i3.1437 – via JSTOR.
^ abcdeBlacking, John (1959). "Problems of Pitch, Pattern, and Harmony in the Ocarina Music of the Venda". African Music. 2 (2): 15–23. doi:10.21504/amj.v2i2.583 – via JSTOR.
^Kubik, Gerhard (1992). "Embaire Xylophone Music of Samusiri Babalanda (Uganda 1968)". The World of Music. 34: 57–84 – via JSTOR.
^ abcKubik, Gerhard (1964). "Harp Music of the Azande and Related Peoples in the Central African Republic: (Part 1 - Horizontal Harp Playing)". African Music. 3 (3): 37–76. doi:10.21504/amj.v3i3.1034 – via JSTOR.
^ abcBlacking, John (1970). "Tonal Organization in the Music of Two Venda Initiation Schools". Ethnomusicology. 14: 1–56. doi:10.2307/850292. JSTOR 850292.
^Rycroft, David (1967). "Nguni Vocal Polyphony". Journal of the International Folk Music Council. 19: 88–103. doi:10.2307/942193. JSTOR 942193.
^"Africa". {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
^Kubik, Gerhard (Spring–Fall 2005). "The African Matrix in Jazz Harmonic Practices". Black Music Research Journal. 25: 167–222 – via JSTOR.
^Kubik, Gerhard (1999). Africa and the Blues. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
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For other uses see Level For other uses see Shift string technique A level 1 also tonality level Gerhard Kubik s tonal step 2 tonal block 3 and John Blacking s root progression 4 is an important melodic and harmonic progression where melodic material shifts between a whole tone above and a whole tone below the tonal center 4 This shift can occur to both neighboring notes in either direction and from any point of departure 5 The steps above and below the tonic are often called contrasting steps 6 A new harmonic segment is created which then changes the tonality but not necessarily the key 6 Each level is based on one pitch a foundation note A melodic or harmonic melodic third triad fifth such as in the song Shallow Brown or seventh such as in the song Donald MacGillavry may be built off this foundation 1 A change in levels is called a shift We see this in double tonic tunes such as Donald MacGillavry notes A to G in bar 4 below 1 Shifting is more emphatic than chord changes chords Am G but not as emphatic as modulations keys A minor to G major 1 Donald MacGillavry Play help info 1 last measure each line The foundation root is the most important note and accompanying chords are almost always built in root position The fifth is next in importance and consecutive fifths are most often emphasized 1 The third is less important and often blue neutral or changing from major to minor 1 This characteristic is common in the English virginalists music such as William Byrd s The Woods so Wild theme which is an example of levels F and G being elaborated through cadence melodic divergence from the accompaniment and subsidiary chords reaching a complete cadential phrase 1 Levels are commonly found in African folk music It is believed that they originally arose out of this culture 7 They are often combined with unresolved harmonic progression that gives music a feeling of perpetual motion without any noticeable cadence 4 Runs and sequences often link new harmonic segments of the music to the previous ones 2 Each new harmonic sequence is often related to the previous through the melodic line 2 The music often ends suddenly without any musical preparation even in the middle of a phrase Sometimes the music descends to a point of rest in which the note below the tonal center gets extended to allow an ending 4 Tonal variety and melodic unification is often achieved by repeating similar phrases on different steps of a pentatonic mode 7 Semitonal and hemitonal root progressions can also be found 8 Tonality levels or root progression are the most important structural feature found in African folk music 4 The internal organization of this music demands occasional shifts between levels unless the music is based on a consistent drone 9 The tonality level often shifts several times making it very hard to find a piece of African folk music without tonality levels 6 Most often between three and five tonality levels can be found within a composition 2 Levels can also be found in Asian Celtic folk musics Arab and in European Renaissance music 1 Eventually levels and other musical traits found their way into American jazz harmony and blues tonality through spirituals 10 Levels can be compared to a traditional root progression in western music with a tonic subdominant dominant relationship Levels give way to familiar classical chords and chord changes in Baroque music 1 The harmonic practices between these cultures are so similar that urban African composers often incorporate western root progression into their local harmonic practices As this combination traveled to America it helped create new genres such as jazz big band and blues 11 In the twentieth century chords give way to levels in the blues completed with the V IV I progression which spread to all popular music 12 For instance In the blues influenced style the boogie woogie bass levels occur in shifts from primary triads rather than neighboring tones 1 This can be directly tied to the tonality levels found in African folk music discussed earlier 1 A level or tonal step often coincides with cross rhythms in the melody and entries in vocal melody 7 A new tonality level and harmonic shift is often very vague and hard to identify in a vocal texture However it is much easier to identify in thick instrumentation 13 See also EditPhrase modulation Theory of levelsReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l van der Merwe Peter 1989 Origins of the Popular Style The Antecedents of Twentieth Century Popular Music Oxford Clarendon Press ISBN 0 19 316121 4 a b c d Kubik Gerhard 1969 Composition Techniques in Kiganda Xylophone Music With an Introduction into Some Kiganda Musical Concepts African Music 4 3 22 72 doi 10 21504 amj v4i3 1437 via JSTOR Kubik Gerhard LIKEMBE TUNINGS OF KUFUNA KANDONGA ANGOLA African Music 70 88 a b c d e Blacking John 1959 Problems of Pitch Pattern and Harmony in the Ocarina Music of the Venda African Music 2 2 15 23 doi 10 21504 amj v2i2 583 via JSTOR Kubik Gerhard 1992 Embaire Xylophone Music of Samusiri Babalanda Uganda 1968 The World of Music 34 57 84 via JSTOR a b c Kubik Gerhard 1964 Harp Music of the Azande and Related Peoples in the Central African Republic Part 1 Horizontal Harp Playing African Music 3 3 37 76 doi 10 21504 amj v3i3 1034 via JSTOR a b c Blacking John 1970 Tonal Organization in the Music of Two Venda Initiation Schools Ethnomusicology 14 1 56 doi 10 2307 850292 JSTOR 850292 Rycroft David 1967 Nguni Vocal Polyphony Journal of the International Folk Music Council 19 88 103 doi 10 2307 942193 JSTOR 942193 Africa a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty url help Kubik Gerhard Spring Fall 2005 The African Matrix in Jazz Harmonic Practices Black Music Research Journal 25 167 222 via JSTOR Kubik Gerhard 1999 Africa and the Blues Jackson University Press of Mississippi van der Merwe 1989 pp 209 11 Kruger Jaco Fall 1989 Rediscovering the Venda Ground Bow Ethnomusicology 33 391 404 doi 10 2307 851766 JSTOR 851766 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Level music amp oldid 1083178520, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
