Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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EELATrON RELATION 61
third and minor ninth are not in the diatonic tonalities as part of the musical structure, on
series.
the one hand ; and on contrast of character and
A further illustration of the relations of style in the idea on the other ;
which between
chords is afforded by those of the Dominant and them establish the balance of proportion. The
Tonic. They are connected by their roots being relation of the second main division—the working-out
'
section—to the first part of the move-
'
a fifth apart, which is the simplest interval,
except the octave, in music ; but their other ment is that of greater complexity and freedom
components are entirely distinct, as is the compound
tone of the roots, since none of their musical structure, and fanciful discussion of
in contrast to regularity and definiteness of
lower and more characteristic harmonics are characteristic portions of the main subjects in
coincident. They thus represent the strongest contrast to formal exposition of complete ideas ;
contrast in the diatonic series of a key, and and the final section completes the cycle by
when taken together define the tonality more returning to regularity in the recapitulation.
clearly than any other pair of chords in its The relations of the various movements of a
range.
large work to one another are of similar nature.
The relations of keys are traced in a similar The earliest masters who wrote Suites and Senate
manner ; as, for instance, by the tonic and perfect
fifth of one being in the diatonic series of and undeveloped sense of the relative contrasts
da Camera or da Chiesa had but a rudimentary
another, or by the number of notes which are of keys ; consequently they contented themselves
common to both. The relations of the keys of with connecting the movements by putting them
the minor third and minor sixth to the major all in the same key, and obtained their contrasts
by alternating quick and slow movements
mode (as of E|> and Ab with reference to 0) are
rendered intelligible through the minor mode ;
or dances, and by varying the degrees of their
but the converse does not hold good, for the seriousness or liveliness : but the main outlines
relations of keys of the major mediant or submediant
to the minor mode (as of E minor and respects curiously similar to the order adopted
of the distribution of contrasts are in these
A minor with relerence to minor) are decidedly in the average modern Sonata or Symphony;
remote, and direct transition to them is not Thus they placed an allegro of a serious or solid
easy to follow. In fact the modulatory tendency character at or near the beginning of the work,
of the minor mode is towards the connections as typified by the Allemande ; the slow or
of its relative major rather than to those of its solemn movement came in the middle, as typified
actual major, while the outlook of the major by the Sarabande ; and the conclusion was a
mode is free on both sides. The relation of the light and gay quick movement, as typified by
key of the Dominant to an original Tonic is the Gigue. And further, the manner in which
explicable on much the same grounds as that a Courante usually followed the Allemande, and
of the chords of those notes. The Dominant a Gavotte or Bourree or Passepied, or some such
key is generally held to be a very satisfactory dance, preceded the final Gigue, has its counterpart
in the Minuet or Scherzo of a modem
complementary or contrast in the construction
of a piece of music of any sort, but it is not of work, which occupies an analogous position
universal cogency. For instance, at the very with respect either to the slow or last movement.
outset of any movement it is almost inevitable In modem works the force of additional contrast
that the Dominant harmony should early and is obtained by putting central movements in
emphatically present itself ; hence when a fresh different but allied keys to that of the first
section is reached it is sometimes desirable to and last movements ; the slow movement most
find another contrast to avoid tautology. With frequently being in the key of the Subdominant,
some such purpose the keys of the mediant or At the same time additional bonds of connection
are sometimes obtained, both by making
submediant have at times been chosen, both of
which afford interesting phases of contrast and the movements pass without complete break
connection ; the connection being mainly the from one to another, and in some cases (illustrated
by Beethoven and Schumann especially)
characteristic major third of the original tonic,
and the contrast being emphasised by the by using the same characteristic features or
sharpening of the Dominant in the first case, figures in different movements.
and of the Tonic in the second. The key of The more subtle relations of proportion, both
the subdominant is avoided in such cases because in the matter of the actual length of the various
the contrast afforded by it is not sufficiently movements and their several sections, and in
strong to have force in the total impression of the breadth of their style ; in the congruity of
the movement.
their forms of expression and of the qualify of
The relations of the parts of any artistic the emotions they appeal to ; in the distribution
work are in a similar manner those of contrast of the qualities of tone, and even of the groups
within limits of proportion and tonality. For of harmony and rhythm, are all of equal importance,
though less easy either to appreciate
instance, those of the first and second section
in what is called ' first movement ' or ' sonata or to effect, as they demand higher degrees of
form are based on the contrast of complementary artistic power and perception ; and the proper