[Smt-talk] Semitonal voice leading

[Seth Monahan]

Dear colleagues:

Can anyone direct me to a theoretical discussion of 19th-century chromaticism that (1) addresses the kinds of creeping, semitonal chord-connections that inspired Kurth’s conceit of “leading-tone energies,” but which (2) argues that their apparent purposiveness is less a matter of intrinsic striving "within" the notes themselves than a function of retrospective hearing—i.e., that many or even most motions by semitone can be heard as “directed” or “purposeful” after the fact?

Surely someone has argued this; any leads would be greatly appreciated! (Off-list replies are welcome, of course.)

With thanks in advance,

-Seth


-----------------------------------------------------------
Seth Monahan
Assistant Professor of Music Theory
Managing Editor, Theory and Practice
Eastman School of Music
26 Gibbs St.
Rochester, NY, 14604
(585) 274-1556
smonahan at esm.rochester.edu
www.sethmonahan.com






-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.societymusictheory.org/pipermail/smt-talk-societymusictheory.org/attachments/20130507/e6d6bf25/attachment-0002.htm>