NONTONALITY Meaning and
Definition
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Nontonality, sometimes referred to as atonality, is a concept used in music theory and composition to describe a style or approach that rejects tonal centers or traditional harmonic structures. It refers to the absence of a clear key or tonal center, resulting in the exploration of musical sounds outside the traditional major or minor scales. Nontonality emerged in the early 20th century as a reaction against the constraints and expectations of traditional tonal Western music.
In nontonal music, there is no hierarchy of pitches, and the organization of notes is not based on tonal relationships. Composers working within the realm of nontonality sought to break free from the conventional rules of melody and harmony, experimenting with dissonance, atypical chord progressions, and unconventional scales. The absence of tonality in nontonal music gives rise to a sense of ambiguity, tension, and lack of resolution that can evoke emotional and intellectual responses in the listener.
Nontonality has been explored by various composers throughout history, most notably Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern, who developed the twelve-tone technique as a means of organizing pitch material within a nontonal context. This approach became a significant development within nontonal music, as it provided a systematic way to ensure the absence of tonal hierarchies.
Nontonality represents a departure from traditional Western music practices and challenges assumptions about how music should be structured, thus expanding the boundaries of musical expression and opening new avenues for artistic exploration.
Common Misspellings for NONTONALITY
- bontonality
- montonality
- jontonality
- hontonality
- nintonality
- nkntonality
- nlntonality
- npntonality
- n0ntonality
- n9ntonality
- nobtonality
- nomtonality
- nojtonality
- nohtonality
- nonronality
- nonfonality
- nongonality
- nonyonality
- non6onality
- non5onality
Etymology of NONTONALITY
The term "nontonality" is derived from the combination of two words: "non-" and "tonality".
The prefix "non-" is derived from the Latin word "non", meaning "not" or "no". It is used in English to convey negation, absence, or opposition.
The word "tonality" is derived from the Latin word "tonus", meaning "tone" or "sound", and the suffix "-ality", which indicates the quality or state of something. Tonality refers to the principle of organizing music around a central tone or key.
Therefore, "nontonality" is a word created by combining "non" and "tonality" to indicate the absence or negation of a tonal center or the rejection of traditional tonal principles in music. It is often associated with atonal or dissonant music that lacks a clear tonal hierarchy.
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