(WIP, draft version)
Introduction
Literature Review
1. General
1.1 Basic Concept of Sound
1.2 Basic Concept of Color
1.3 Conclusion
1.4 Comparison
2. Harmony
2.1 Harmony
2.2 Major Chords
2.3 Chords Extension
3. Case Study
3.1 Case Study3.2 Application
Reference
In ancient Greece, harmony plays two major roles. One is that Pythagoras’ tradition, understanding the cosmos through number and harmony in music, followers including Ptolemaeus. The other is Aristoxenus’ tradition: harmony serves as a greater science that constitutes the musician, with melody as the master of other elements.
Such a Pythagoras’ tradition had developed and later influenced scientific revolutions, until Newton. Before Newton, music had been the instrument for exploring the cosmos in natural science, as there are numbers in music, among which a harmony can be sensed and heard. After Newton, natural science is independent of music, and music itself is in the position of art.
However, it’s very interesting that between the Ancient Greeks, where the music theory developed as the foundation, and the Scientific Revolution, where music gradually became independent from science, the Medieval Period plays its particular role, in which the development of music is closely tied to the church. The sacred music in church contributes to an important part of modern music theory, in which modern chords emerged from the counterpoint in polyphony.
Decisive Moments in the history of music and color
According to Aristoxenus, “the smallest concords are four notes”. It refers to the tetrachord as a boundary. However, if based on his classification on interval divisions, which serves as the key determination for genera classification, if equal to today’s 12 equal temperament, only three notes can be played. Because it seems that their smallest interval division unit is smaller than 12 equal temperament. (?)
Notes on Harmonic Elements, written by Aristoxenus