Author Question: Define harmony, chord, and harmonic rhythm. What is unique about European harmony and harmonic ... (Read 58 times)

fahad · **on:** Jul 25, 2018

Define harmony, chord, and harmonic rhythm. What is unique about European harmony and harmonic rhythm?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

In European music, which scale tones tend to be emphasized? (Put your answer in order of weight of emphasisstrongest to weakest.) Why is the combination of these scale degrees important? How do Joy to the World and A Mighty Fortress illustrate the emphasis of certain scale tones?

What will be an ideal response?

Hdosisshsbshs · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Harmony or chords refer to the simultaneous sounding of different pitches.

Harmonic rhythm refers to the rhythm of the changes of harmony/chords in a piece of music. E. g., do the chords change on every beat or on every four beats? (See WOM TR. 5-5 to understand the harmonic rhythm of Joy to the World.)

While Europe is not the only area to develop harmony, its development of harmony as meaningful combinations of different pitches independent of melody is a unique contribution in world music.

Answer to Question 2

The pitch do, or the first and eighth scale degrees, is also called the tonic. This scale degree tends to have the greatest emphasis in any European melody

The fifth scale degree sol, also called the dominant, receives the next greatest emphasis.

Both Joy to the World and A Mighty Fortress tend to emphasize the first and fifth scale degrees (do and sol respectively), which is typical of most European music.