Jaroslav Volek
Encyclopedia
Jaroslav Volek was a Czech musicologist, semiotician who developed a theory of modal music. His theory included ideas of poly-modality and alteration of notes that he called "flex," which result in what he called the system of flexible diatonics
. He applied this theory to the work of Béla Bartók
and Leoš Janáček
. He wrote General Theory of Art based on semiotic concepts in 1968.
During his life he was blacklisted by the authorities of the communist soviet dominated government of Czechoslovakia
, who seldom allowed publication of his work. The result is a scarcity of biographical material that is contemporaneous from his homeland, with more available in German translation, or published in English after his death. Late in his life he was allowed to travel, and was a guest at American University
during the 1980s.
He is particularly cited in relation to the works of 20th century European composers, because his theory directly confronts the relationship between melodies based on speech and modal sources, with the classical music harmonic tradition of tonality
.
Jaroslav Volek New Forms of Modality in Leoš Janáček's Song Cycle "The Diary of One who Vanished" page 37. Translated Jan Vičar http://www.musicology.upol.cz/articles/thediary.html
Since music exists not only in perception, but in memory, Volek asserted that the remembering of musical events plays a powerful role in the interpretation of new perceptions. From his study of musical practice, he argued that the fundamental unit of musical remembering is the musical step - the second - and that from systems of seconds modes are constructed that allow the memory to structure the distance between two pitches. This distance is not an absolute measured by ratios of vibration, but relative, based on the mode that structures the way the pitches are remembered.
bond, and argues that the melodic bond is the most powerful. From the soundings of the melodic bond, vertical chordal bonds are remembered. This is the second function. The characteristics of a chordal bond can be deteremined from the dominant
interval
in the melodic bond, which combines the first two functions to produce the third function. From this, he argues that the mediant
and its chromatic alteration combines the first three to produce the fourth tonal function.
From this, he applied his theory to the art music of Europe (classical music
). He argued that the 12 tones of the chromatic scale
could be "colonized" (in music theory
: made reachable through melodic and harmonic means), as flexible notes in the original diatonic scale
of seven notes. He called this flexible diatonicism, and differentiated flex from chromaticism. Chromatic notes are those heard as outside the scale system. Flexed notes are heard within the modal scale system.
that individual notes have structural function.
For Volek, elements that are responsible are largely forced in their handling, whereas individual expression comes from the use of non-responsible elements. In classical music, Volek argued, harmony is the dominant tectonic force. Within this general force, individualized choices allow flexibility for individual expression.
Diatonic scale
In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note, octave-repeating musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps...
. He applied this theory to the work of Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
and Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
. He wrote General Theory of Art based on semiotic concepts in 1968.
During his life he was blacklisted by the authorities of the communist soviet dominated government of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, who seldom allowed publication of his work. The result is a scarcity of biographical material that is contemporaneous from his homeland, with more available in German translation, or published in English after his death. Late in his life he was allowed to travel, and was a guest at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
during the 1980s.
He is particularly cited in relation to the works of 20th century European composers, because his theory directly confronts the relationship between melodies based on speech and modal sources, with the classical music harmonic tradition of tonality
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
.
Summary of Volek's Musical Theory
- A flection;; is a momentary substitution of the tone that "represents," in the beginning of a musical piece or phrase, a particular note of the scale with another one pitched about a halftone lower or higher. Both tones are equivalent according to their position in the mode, i.e., in a diatonic mode they both have a diatonic character (therefore we speak here about the "diatonic flexion"). There is no chromaticism in such a microchange: both pitches represent notes in the current mode. Diatonic flexions appear also—and more frequently—in "full-modal" sections, intensifying the modal climate of the piece.
Jaroslav Volek New Forms of Modality in Leoš Janáček's Song Cycle "The Diary of One who Vanished" page 37. Translated Jan Vičar http://www.musicology.upol.cz/articles/thediary.html
Fundamental Musical Laws
Volek argues first that music is not an acoustical phenomenon, but a phenomenon of understanding and incorporating acoustical phenomenon into the psychological. From this, in a structuralist manner, he argues that the actual laws of music come from historical and social forces based on the social practice of music. He argues that musicology must, therefore, study the concrete history of musical practice to be emprical, and not merely sound. The "tangling" together of sound, practice and psychology constitutes music, and therefore the unwinding of these forces and their study constitutes musicology.Since music exists not only in perception, but in memory, Volek asserted that the remembering of musical events plays a powerful role in the interpretation of new perceptions. From his study of musical practice, he argued that the fundamental unit of musical remembering is the musical step - the second - and that from systems of seconds modes are constructed that allow the memory to structure the distance between two pitches. This distance is not an absolute measured by ratios of vibration, but relative, based on the mode that structures the way the pitches are remembered.
Hierarchy of Tonal Functions
From this he constructs a hierarchy of linear and vertical relationships that "bond" the notes to the sensations. Each bond has a tonal function. The first function is a bond that is linear, he calls it the melodicMelody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
bond, and argues that the melodic bond is the most powerful. From the soundings of the melodic bond, vertical chordal bonds are remembered. This is the second function. The characteristics of a chordal bond can be deteremined from the dominant
Dominant (music)
In music, the dominant is the fifth scale degree of the diatonic scale, called "dominant" because it is next in importance to the tonic,and a dominant chord is any chord built upon that pitch, using the notes of the same diatonic scale...
interval
Interval (music)
In music theory, an interval is a combination of two notes, or the ratio between their frequencies. Two-note combinations are also called dyads...
in the melodic bond, which combines the first two functions to produce the third function. From this, he argues that the mediant
Mediant
In music, the mediant is the third scale degree of the diatonic scale, being the note halfway between the tonic and the dominant. Similarly, the submediant is halfway between the tonic and subdominant...
and its chromatic alteration combines the first three to produce the fourth tonal function.
From this, he applied his theory to the art music of Europe (classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
). He argued that the 12 tones of the chromatic scale
Chromatic scale
The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone apart. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the half steps are the same size...
could be "colonized" (in music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
: made reachable through melodic and harmonic means), as flexible notes in the original diatonic scale
Diatonic scale
In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note, octave-repeating musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps...
of seven notes. He called this flexible diatonicism, and differentiated flex from chromaticism. Chromatic notes are those heard as outside the scale system. Flexed notes are heard within the modal scale system.
Tectonicity
The components of a piece, according to Volek, bond together to produce "tectonics," the construction of larger out of smaller. The bond, that is the tonal function, that joins two components is called the "responsible bond" and the tectonicity of a work is the structure of the bonds. What this means is that components dominate their moment, but the joining of components - notes, chords, melodic themes - produces the shape and tension in a work. This is similar to the idea in Arnold SchoenbergArnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
that individual notes have structural function.
For Volek, elements that are responsible are largely forced in their handling, whereas individual expression comes from the use of non-responsible elements. In classical music, Volek argued, harmony is the dominant tectonic force. Within this general force, individualized choices allow flexibility for individual expression.
See also
- SemioticsSemioticsSemiotics, also called semiotic studies or semiology, is the study of signs and sign processes , indication, designation, likeness, analogy, metaphor, symbolism, signification, and communication...
- Music theoryMusic theoryMusic theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
- MusicologyMusicologyMusicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
- EthnomusicologyEthnomusicologyEthnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
- Velvet revolutionVelvet RevolutionThe Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
- MarxismMarxismMarxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
- AestheticsAestheticsAesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
External links
- JAROSLAV VOLEK’S CONTRIBUTION TO MUSICOLOGY In commemoration of the tenth anniversary of his death - Jaroslav Jiránek
- Material in Czech on Volek
- CHROMATIC MEDIANTS AS THE FOURTH BASIC FUNCTION IN TRADITIONAL HARMONY Jaroslav Volek translated Judith Fiehler