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Diagram I - The Eighteen Tones of Keyed Instruments

PART II.
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CHAPTER IV.
DIAGRAM I.—THE EIGHTEEN TONES OF KEYED INSTRUMENTS VEERING ROUND, AND ADVANCING AND RETIRING IN MUSICAL CLEF BELOW—THE TWELVE THAT DEVELOP PERFECT MAJOR HARMONIES—THE SEVEN WHITE NOTES SHOWN TO ANSWER TO THE SEVEN COLOURS.
"All, to re-flourish, fades;
As in a wheel all sinks to re-ascend."


THE five circles represent a musical clef on which the twelve notes of a keyed instrument are written. Six of the notes are shown to be double, i.e., sounding two tones, eighteen in all, including E#, which is only employed in the harmony of F#, all others being only higher or lower repetitions.

The twelve which develope twelve major harmonies are written thus

Half Note

the other six which are incapabable of developing major harmonies thus

Whole Note

without regard to musical time. The seven colours are shown to answer to the seven white notes, the other five being intermediate tones and colours. A flat marked to a note indicates that it is nearer to the tone or colour below; a sharp means that it is nearer to the tone or colour above. The notes and chasms are not written according to accurately measured degrees.

The diagram begins with C, the third space of the treble clef, as being more convenient to write than C, the lowest note in the bass clef. The life of musical sounds rising from a hidden fountain of life is shown by the chasms of keyed instruments between B and C, and E and F; their great use will be strikingly manifest as the developments proceed. The fundamental key-note C and its root F rise from the chasms. B, the twelfth key-note, and E, its root, sound the octave higher of the fountain B. The generation of harmonies is by one law a simple mode of difference. Each major major key-note and its tones embrace the eighteen tones of keyed instruments which all lie in order for use. The power and extent of each are complete in itself, rising and developing, not from any inherent property in matter, but from the life communicated to matter. In the whole process of harmony there are limits, and yet it is illimitable. Its laws compel each key-note to follow certain rules within certain bounds; each separate key-note, being the fountain of its own system, has its own point of rest, and series after series rise and enlarge, or fall and diminish infinitely.

page 22a


Hughes
The eighteen tones of keyed instruments veering round and in musical clef below, the twelve seen that develope major keys
—The seven colours answer to the seven white notes
—The use of the two chasms, the key-note C and its root F rising from them
—A major key-note complete in itself, embracing the eighteen tones
—In the whole process of harmony there is limit, every key-note having its point of rest, and yet it is illimitable, . . . 22 [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Table of Contents2 - Harmonies]

Referring to Diagram I., the 18 tones of keyed instruments are here again represented, both round the circle and in musical clef. In this diagram the 12 Minor Key-notes are written thus

Half Note

; the 7 white notes of a keyed instrument are here coloured; the five intermediate tones, as before, are left uncoloured. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Referring to Diagram I, page 33c]

See Also


eighteen tones

Created by Dale Pond. Last Modification: Sunday March 14, 2021 04:47:05 MDT by Dale Pond.