Progression and Development of Melodies

PROGRESSION OF MELODIES

            Melodies in different culture’s music develop in ways entirely different within their corresponding pieces. For instance, Asian music’s melodies a lot of times are developed strictly through improvisation in order to develop motifs and main ideas of the piece. This can be seen especially in the piece Midare as there was originally no sheet music to compose the piece, and much of it was played and decided before ever being written down on paper. Western influence, however, creates melodies based on strictly followed guidelines and structures of melodies (Kamien, 611). Western music sounds seem well practiced and every note and movement or change in meter is put in the music in order to further the piece, and the use of improvisation is almost obsolete as the music is often well thought out and changed on paper in order to get it right. However, the development of the melodies in each of the pieces, Pagodes and Midare, are linked through the pentatonic scale rather than by way of that culture’s designated method of melodic method. The pentatonic scale (Solfege of Do, Mi, Sol, and La) is used mainly in Asian pieces as it creates the tone we often refer to as an “oriental sound”.

            Japanese koto music is linked to the pentatonic scale because, like many Asian instruments, the koto is already naturally tuned to fit the pentatonic scale. However, in Debussy’s piano piece, Pagodes, he uses the B major pentatonic scale (C#, D#, F#, G#, A#), which adds to the feel of an Asian influence for this piece since the pentatonic scale is primarily used as the typical scale in traditional Asian music.

            Since Debussy used an “Asian” scale as the tonal center for this piece the question of Asian influence within his compositions can be raised to explain his use of copious dissonances, glissandos, and the scale used.

            Non-resolving dissonances and phrases ending with descending and ascending glissandos are also a main factor within the melodies of these two pieces. Each of these pieces contain clashing notes which are a major factor in traditional Asian pieces. In the piece, Midare, we can see both of these aspects within a focal section of the music. From the link provided above, the clip from 1:19 – 1:50 in the Zumi-Kai piece contains notes that seem out of place but in reality, these notes serve the purpose of creating a sense of individuality and personal touch for the composer to add in harsh emotions. “An unstable tone combination is a dissonance; its tension demands an onward motion to a stable chord. Thus dissonant chords are ‘active’; traditionally they have been considered harsh and have expressed pain, grief, and conflict” (Kamien, 41). The dissonances presented in the clip above are not resolved quickly and many more clashes stem from the one before creating a possible motif of harshness or unresolved feelings. Some of these dissonances come as a sharp staccato note which creates even more of a harsh tone as the shortness of an unpleasant chord can be piercing to one’s ears. In Debussy’s piece, the dissonances heard are often long and legato phrases, but do not end in resolution either. In the section 0:19 – 0:24 from the link to Debussy’s Pagodes, his use of dissonances is apparent. In the video we can see the sheet music, and within the music you can see the frequent use of the same dissonant chords (F and G being played together) repeating over and over within the measures shown.

            Ascending and descending glissandos, or musical runs, are used within both of these pieces as well. It is seen in the Debussy piece from 1:18 – 1:30, and in the Zumi-Kai piece in the time frame 1:19 – 1:50.

             In Debussy’s piece, the motif of this melody is established first in the first measure and is the repeated again in the third measure of this piece, and this descending glissando presents the piece with another dissonant quality of the tri-tone which establishes an uncomfortable, eerie feeling right at the start of the piece. This is also seen at the end of the piece in measures 58 and 60. Debussy sets off with a descending melody and ascending accompaniment (left hand piano part) in measure 58, which is followed by a separate measure, which is then followed by the same motif as in measure 58 in measure 60, and this motif is the same one used at the very beginning of the piece in measures 1 and 3.

            This idea of using glissandos to introduce melodies beforehand is also prominent in Zumi-Kai’s piece. We can see that glissandos are used as well as dissonances in the focal section of this piece. Though Debussy also uses this method to develop his melodies, Zumi-Kai’s use of glissandos serve a separate purpose. Instead of using this musical element to introduce something that will be repeated, it is rather introducing a new section of the music, or ending the old section of the piece. Each time throughout the piece that was are presented with a major glissando there is a big shift in the tonal qualities of the piece, as well as the tempo.