# Approaches and feelings



## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

For now I leave the discussion to you.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Tonality, of course is what I listen to most of. But I do listen to all the other forms including atonality.


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

Why does modality not fall under tonality?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

RogerWaters said:


> Why does modality not fall under tonality?


The term "tonality" has two meanings. Its broad sense includes modality, but here the narrower meaning - the Western system known as common practice - is specified, along with its 20th century employment in polytonality. I do find this double meaning an annoyance and never use the term by itself when what I mean is the Western harmonic tradition. Ethnomusicologists and psychologists/neurologists use the term in its more general sense to refer to any music that exhibits tone centricity and hierarchy. Most of the world's traditional music is tonal in this sense.

I have no problem with using the term in its restricted sense when, as here, that usage is made clear.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I don't understand and if Beethoven is not represented in the list, then I also don't care.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

SixFootScowl said:


> I don't understand and if Beethoven is not represented in the list, then I also don't care.


Beethoven would fall under "tonality". :tiphat:


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

BachIsBest said:


> Beethoven would fall under "tonality". :tiphat:


which means


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

I don't listen to jargon, I listen to music.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

MatthewWeflen said:


> I don't listen to jargon, I listen to music.


"Colour lies at the heart of Messiaen's music. He believed that terms such as "tonal", "modal" and "serial" are misleading analytical conveniences. *For him there were no modal, tonal or serial compositions*, only music with or without colour. He said that Claudio Monteverdi, Mozart, Chopin, Richard Wagner, Mussorgsky and Stravinsky all wrote strongly coloured music."


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## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

I should say there is overlap between the options, for example: 

Debussy, the quintessential "Impressionist", often uses the modes (neomodality), polytonal chords, ambiguity and his signature scale is the symmetrical whole tone scale.

Stravisnky in some works like Agon, Schnittke in his polystylistic phase and Ligeti in his late works like the Piano concerto mix basically all the categories. 

Recent composers tend to forget about these subdivisions, thus the option "This poll is outdated"


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