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Ramsay - The immense variety of Chromatic Resolutions

PLATES XVII. & XVIII.


     These two plates show the chromatic chord resolving into the twelve major and twelve minor tonic chords of the twenty-four scales. There seems to be twenty-five, but that arises from making G? and F# in the major two scales, whereas they are really only one; and the same in the minor series, E? and D# are really one scale. C in the major and A in the minor, which occur in the middle of the series, when both sharps and flats are employed in the signatures, are placed below and outside of the circular stave to give them prominence as the types of the scale; and the first chromatic chord is seen with them in its major and minor form, and its typical manner of resolving - the major form rising to the root, and falling to the top and middle; the minor form falling to the top, and rising to the root and middle. The signatures of the keys are given under the stave.

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     This is an illustration of the chromatic chord resolving by two semitonic progressions and one note in common into four key-notes, which are shown in different positions and inversions; for example F A C F, A C F A, C F A C. Like a universal joint, the chromatic chord turns to each in a suitable form for resolution.

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     This plate illustrates how the chromatic chord resolves into four key-notes, in different positions, by one semitonic progression and two notes in common; for example, G B D G, B D G B, D G B D. In a pianissimo and slow passage this resolution has a subtle, soft effect; like a snake in the grass.

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THE TWENTY-FOUR SCALES WITH THEIR SIGNATURES IN SHARPS AND FLATS.


     The scales in this plate advance by semitones, not in their normal way by fifths; but their normal progress by fifths is shown by the spiral-ellipse line winding round under the stave and touching the ellipses containing the scales by semitonic advance; the scales being read to the right for the majors inside, and to the right for the minors outside. In each of the modes the scales are written in ?s and #s, as is usual in signatures; and since the scales

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Created by Dale Pond. Last Modification: Saturday January 2, 2021 03:39:43 MST by Dale Pond.