Greatest Harmonic Twists

[snyprrr]

Sometimes I hear a sequence of music that sounds so cool, so strange, so... so... indescribably awesome that I can't imagine that it was created with actual notes. Much that passes for 'cool' really isn't, but some things are extraordinary.

My first example would be what I call the 'revealing' chords, the chords they seem to ALWAYS play in the movies when they open the crypt, reveal the secret forest, show the mermaids, etc.,... This is achieved with PARALLEL minor chords, perhaps with a major second. As far as I know, Debussy is responsible for this and many other of the effects that we now take for granted. You will find it in EVERY Spielberg movie!

Another one, Gurn would approve, is the cool little twist that Haydn puts into the slow movement of his String Quartet in f# minor, Op.50 No.4. This is a twist that I believe I've also heard in other, post-Haydn, music. There is a similar type twist in the first movement of Schoenberg's String Quartet No.4.

It also seems like the Avant-Garde have created new worlds of harmonic information with their simultaneous musics playing at the same time.


I am curious,... if you were given a plain C major chord, what would be the NEXT chord that you would rock the world with? Maybe that's not the way I want to put it,... but, I... I... I...

[Cato]

B-Eb-Ab-D would be fun!

Greatest Harmonic Twists: one name!

GESUALDO!!!

[Karl Henning]

Let's twist again, like we did last summer...

[TheGSMoeller]

Greatest Harmonic Twists: one name!

GESUALDO!!!

This.

I am curious,... if you were given a plain C major chord, what would be the NEXT chord that you would rock the world with?

Cluster.

[Brian]

Gothic symphony - full symphony orchestra, double percussion, and organ - three successive chords in the vivace: C major, F sharp major, D minor!

[snyprrr]

B-Eb-Ab-D would be fun!

Greatest Harmonic Twists: one name!

GESUALDO!!!

I like it! And yea, Gesualdo... great choice!!

Gothic symphony - full symphony orchestra, double percussion, and organ - three successive chords in the vivace: C major, F sharp major, D minor!

Another interesting sequence.



I have been splicing chords together, say, an A minor and a G# major, or whatever,... nice, hazy effects...

I'd loooove to hear some more.

[Cato]

You might know that eventually Cato would suggest this, given my personal musical history:

Greatest Harmonic Twist: go from C major to a A^3/4 - C ^1/4 - F - G^1/4     and then to B minor!

[mahler10th]

You might know that eventually Cato would suggest this, given my personal musical history:

Greatest Harmonic Twist: go from C major to a A^3/4 - C ^1/4 - F - G^1/4     and then to B minor!

Thank God there are people here who know what they are talking about.  I thought the post was greatest harmonic TWITS, so I thought WTF (?) and came to investigate.  Turns out it is me who is the twit.

SNYPRRR:  Sometimes I hear a sequence of music that sounds so cool, so strange, so... so... indescribably awesome that I can't imagine that it was created with actual notes. Much that passes for 'cool' really isn't, but some things are extraordinary.

Aye, the adagio to Shostys 5th has moments that transfer me to another dimension, when it is played mysterioso.  Lutoslawski does it all the time to me.  He's always been a real mystery brain transfer agent.   

[Cato]

Thank God there are people here who know what they are talking about.  I thought the post was greatest harmonic TWITS...

Hey!  That also works as a topic!   

Classical composer-wannabe Paul McCartney comes to mind!   

[snyprrr]

You might know that eventually Cato would suggest this, given my personal musical history:

Greatest Harmonic Twist: go from C major to a A^3/4 - C ^1/4 - F - G^1/4     and then to B minor!

Maybe the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet, but I'm not deciphering the fractions ,... otherwise it sounds... vaguely... familar ...

Hey!  That also works as a topic!   

Classical composer-wannabe Paul McCartney comes to mind!   

mm


I'm really drawn to the parallel chords like Debussy would use in the Indiana Jones way of 'Discovery of the Mysterious Tomb' sound, or the 'Mermaid on the Rocks' sound.

A 4/9 to C# 4/9 to F 4/9

and so on



Oh, I CAN'T be on the computer all day, aye, I've just eaten up the morning between here,... and... uh... the dating site ...

or is it just  ?? I hope not!!

[Sergeant Rock]

Gothic symphony - full symphony orchestra, double percussion, and organ - three successive chords in the vivace: C major, F sharp major, D minor!

You beat me to it. I was going to mention that. I've listened to that movement well over a hundred times and that chord progression still has the power to startle.

"It is the sensational juxtaposition of C and F sharp that is so exhilarating [and terrifying]. Brian has discovered his full powers. He can stride from one end of the tonal universe to the other in a split second; he can make a single cadence bear the dramatic weight of an entire movement."  --Malcolm MacDonald, The Symphonies of Havergal Brian

Sarge

[snyprrr]

B-A-C-H

D-S-C-H

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

[Cato]

Maybe the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet, but I'm not deciphering the fractions ,... otherwise it sounds... vaguely... familar ...

Quarter-tones, dude!  The sound halfway between e.g. B and C or C and C# !   0:)

Third-tones would work too!   

[ibanezmonster]

Cluster.

So Schnittke and reverse Penderecki at the same time.