Does your daughter study composition? Is her focus performance? Both?

Anyway, my point was that (in modern music using 12 pitch classes) a pentachord can consist of any 5 pitch classes from 1-12. They don't have to be in sequential order as in your definition.

Georg Perle codified serial composition in the 60's. His books are easily accessible. I can't vouch for readability.

I wouldn't be suprised if she read the site you are talking about at one time. Whenever she isn't actually playing on the piano, she is reading anything on musical theory, be it Western or Eastern. I know she has Hermann Helmholtz's On the Sensations of Tone. As well as, Harry Partch's Genesis of a Music, George Perle Twelve-Tone Tonality & Serial Composition and Atonality, and a great deal more. If it is worth having, she has me get it.

She is playing Beethoven's 29th Sonata (Hammerklavier), this Saturday. As well as Monk's Four in One and Powell's Un Poco Loco.



I really would like to take credit for her abilities, but I was a hack at best. I also never bothered with actually learning any musical theory. I just played what was in front of me.

I will take credit for the taste in music.

Yo!

Good job!

When you find someone who really tries to compose...it's a little suprising in this day and age. I had to ask.

I can't resist music theory discussions. Pretty much kills any social situation, though.


If y'all live near Buffalo, let me know. Don't get to hear the Hammerklavier live much.

Re: your edit. The only reason why I stuck with it is because I met a composer (masters from Cal Arts) in my apartment building's laundry room like six years ago. He figured I was serious enough and gave me lessons. Still wish I had someone around to help me once and awhile.

I was raised with guitars around. I didn't like the limited repetory I had to work with. The sound of a classical guitar never did much for me. So I gave that up. I still play rock if the money's decent.

It's good you can relate to your daughter's musical tastes. My dad doesn't bother with "classical" or whatever we're supposed to call it.

I always thought F minor was the saddest of all keys, myself.

im sorry, what i meant by pentachords (in Bb minor) was the ACCESS to their qualities..because i am speaking of the piano, i am being ignorant to other idiomatics of other instruments..nonetheless, on the piano it is easier to facilitate these intervals because they are spaced so conveniently across the flats (sharps) of the signature. im not sure if i clarified this..but that's all i can think of right now as to how to explain the situation.

Okay, sorry. On the piano, it makes total sense.

The black keys makes for an easy pentatonic scale in Bb minor! Instant Chinese music, too.

Reminds me of that chopsticks-level piano trick where you roll across the 3 black keys (with a colsed fist, of course) and tap the C# twice, than roll back down and hit the lower D# twice...

I remember when I realized why that was a proper melody. It was as if I learned the secret to a magic trick.