Cognitive foundations of harmonic functionality

In the present exploratory study the problem of harmonic functionality levels in the tonal system is addressed. Specifically, we want to define whether it is appropriate to propose a model in which several chords can play the role of tonic, dominant or subdominant, as suggested by Yepes (2011), grouped hierarchically into four levels. For this, the methods of experimental psychology were used, seeking to establish whether the listeners perceive various levels of harmonic functionality and whether musical training affects this perception. Thus, the numerical assessments of several subjects were obtained, who evaluated how expected or unexpected the last chord of a cadence sounded. Five different types of resolution were presented: I, vi, iii and IV6, corresponding to the levels of the tonic function, and bII6, corresponding to an incorrectly used Neapolitan chord, which served as a control condition. The results suggest that listeners differentiate and hierarchically perceive the four levels of theorized functionality and that musical training increases the ability to discriminate between levels.

• Autores: Quiroga Martínez, David Ricardo
• Fecha de publicación: 2013
• Institución: Universidad EAFIT
• Repositorio: Repositorio EAFIT
• Idioma: spa
• OAI Identifier: oai:repository.eafit.edu.co:10784/15288
• Acceso en línea: http://hdl.handle.net/10784/15288
• Palabra clave: Tonal Harmony; Musical Expectations; Harmonic Functions; Levels Of Functionality; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Scheme; Armonía Tonal; Expectativas Musicales; Funciones Armónicas; Niveles De Funcionalidad; Psicología Experimental; Psicología Cognitiva; Esquema
• License: Copyright (c) 2013 David Ricardo Quiroga Martínez