polytonality

pol·y·to·nal·i·ty

P0431900 (pŏl′ē-tō-năl′ĭ-tē)n. Simultaneous use of two or more tonalities in a musical composition.

pol′y·to′nal (-tō′nəl) adj.pol′y·to′nal·ly adv.

polytonality

(ˌpɒlɪtəʊˈnælɪtɪ) or

polytonalism

n (Music, other) music the simultaneous use of more than two different keys or tonalities ˌpolyˈtonal adj ˌpolyˈtonally adv ˌpolyˈtonalist n

pol•y•to•nal•i•ty

(ˌpɒl i toʊˈnæl ɪ ti)

also pol•y•ton•al•ism

(-ˈtoʊn lˌɪz əm)

n. the simultaneous use of two or more musical tonalities. [1920–25] pol`y•ton′al•ist, n.

Thesaurus

Noun

polytonality - music that uses two or more different keys at the same timepolytonalismmusic - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner

Translations

Polytonality

in music, the simultaneous use of different tonalities or keys. Bitonality—the use of two different tonalities —is the most common type of polytonality.

In practice, two monotonal lines with independent functional systems and cadences are rarely combined. As a rule, polytonality means the simultaneous use only of the chords of different tonalities. The classic example, the “Petrushka chord” in Stravinsky’s ballet Petrushka, combines the tonic of C major and that of F sharp major. Like other chords of this type, the Petrushka chord is strongly dissonant and dramatic. It is used as the “leading harmony” with which Petrushka is identified. Polytonality, one of the elements of the contemporary modal-harmonic system, has been widely used by D. Milhaud, B. Bartok, and other 20th-century composers.

IU. N. KHOLOPOV

polytonality

pol·y·to·nal·i·ty

polytonality

polytonalism

pol•y•to•nal•i•ty

also pol•y•ton•al•ism

Polytonality

Polytonality

polytonality

Synonyms for polytonality

noun music that uses two or more different keys at the same time

Synonyms

Related Words