A method of analysing harmony, based on interval patterns or "Gestalten"
pp. 225-236
in: Marc Leman (ed), Music, Gestalt, and computing, Berlin, Springer, 1997Abstract
Although in the last decades the traditional theory of harmony in tonal music has often been sharply criticized, it is still in use and a better alternative has not yet been elaborated. Since it is used today mainly for the purpose of describing and teaching tonal harmony, a modern alternative should offer, above all, a better method of describing any succession of harmonies. Starting from a recently evolved system of encoding harmony objectively as a succession of harmonic interval combinations and melodic bass steps, a similar shorthand writing of harmonies with additional mnemonic qualities is suggested. This shorthand may be used in describing and teaching tonal harmony. Moreover, its use within the scope of a modern Gestalt theory of musical perception concentrating on the learning and recognizing of patterns of harmonic and melodic intervals is outlined.