A MODIFIED CHROMATIC SYSTEM

As recounted in the previous chapter, the line of inquiry in tonal transformation theory seems to be shifting its focus of late from theory of harmony per se toward models based on voice-leading and economy of transformations. Without question this approach is providing considerable insight into aspects of organization in nineteenth-century music. But concomitant with this shift is a turning away of attention from the idea that the tonal harmonic system itself might possess greater complexity than is inherent in common practice. Instead, the argument is that some chord relations beyond the diatonic must be the result of nonharmonic processes. In many cases this is most certainly true, but in others a notion of chromatic function seems appropriate. The foregoing review of nineteenth-century theory, along with my presentation of the nature of common-tone tonal harmony, argue strongly for the recognition and inclusion of chromatic common-tone relations in a comprehensive model of the appropriate musical subject. Thus I would like to propose a transformational system based on common-tone tonality. From the perspective of common-tone tonality it would be beneficial to conceive of every type of fifth relation, and every type of third relation, as unary harmonic processes. From a harmonic point of view, a plain fifth relation is more basic than two diatonic third relations, even though it may be divided into them on the musical surface or reduced to them in theory.