Re: On the Grammar of Music

[Martin Braun <nombraun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Odd Torleiv Furnes wrote:

"Surely there are rules governing the types of chords and types of chord
progressions to be found within a certain style."

Reply:

There are no such rules. If there were, we could buy books which list the
chord-progression rules, ordered by all styles that ever appeared in
European music history. Such books, however, do not exist and will never be
possible.

You never find rule consistency in European music, not within one historical
period, not within one composer, and often not even within one piece of
music.

There may be one general rule, however, one that existed at all times. This
rule appears to say: "Whenever you suspect that a musical habit might
develop into a rule, break that habit - to keep your audience awake."

THAT's how our nerves work.

Martin


Martin Braun
Neuroscience of Music
Gansbyn 14
S-671 95 Klässbol
Sweden
nombraun@post.netlink.se



----- Original Message -----
From: O.T.Furnes <oddtf@imt.uio.no>
To: <AUDITORY@LISTS.MCGILL.CA>
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: On the Grammar of Music