Ivan Wyschnegradsky's Microtonal Music

Ivan Wyschnegradsky was a Russian composer and a pioneer of microtonality in Western music. He created the Manual of Quarter-Tone Harmony in 1932, which includes a quarter-tone harmonic syntax, acoustic basis of the 24-TET system, artificial quarter-tone scales, quarter-tone atonality and polytonality. The initial set of 24 preludes written in 1934 rigidly adhered to the 13-tone scale, but Wyschnegradsky wrote a revised set in the 1960s and 70s that includes quarter tones outside the 13-tone scale.

13-Tone Scale

Wyschnegradsky invented diatonicized chromaticism, and the 24 Preludes are based on the “chromatic scale diatonicized to 13 tones.” The 13-tone scale is constructed of two connected heptachords, and each heptachord follows a ½ – ½ – ½ – ½ – ½ – ¼ step interval pattern. He uses a circle of major fourths with the 13-tone scale in the 24-TET, similar to the circle of fifths with the diatonic scale in the 12-TET. Each prelude uses a different 13-tone scale, and they move clockwise on the circle.

Extended Tonal Features in Wyschnegradsky's 24 Preludes

Wyschnegradsky explored a new ultrachromatic soundscape, and he weaved quarter-tones with traditional Western harmony. His music evokes a sense of tonality with the 24-TET tuning system. According to Dmitri Tymoczko's Geometry of Music, there are five features that contribute to a sense of tonality which are present in a wide range of genres in Western and non-Western music: conjunct melodic motion, acoustic consonance, harmonic consistency, limited macroharmony, centricity. Wyschnegradsky’s preludes exhibit all five features of tonality described by Tymoczko while using a tuning system that contains twice as many notes as the 12-TET tuning system.

While Wyschnegradsky uses the 13-tone scale to exhibit tonality, it is interesting to note that the number of perfect fifths in the scale is scarce and instead there are more major fourths (a quarter-tone larger than a perfect fourth) and minor fifths (a quarter-tone smaller than the perfect fifth). As a result of this scarcity of perfect fifths, it is impossible to create any conventional harmonies (major or minor triads, seventh chords, etc.) using the 13-tone scale. The perfect fifth is the most consonant interval other than the unison and the octave and it contributes to acoustic consonance, so why did Wyschnegradsky craft a quarter tone scale that lacks this interval? The answer lies within the 13-tone scale’s structural similarities to the diatonic scale and the acoustic consonance of the major fourth and minor fifth.

The construction of the 13-tone scale is structurally similar to the diatonic scale, and the two heptachords of the 13-tone scale are analogous to the two tetrachords of the diatonic scale. In fact, the term “diatonicized chromaticism” comes from 13-tone scale’s relationship to the diatonic and chromatic scales. The acoustic consonance of the major fourth and minor fifth help fill the perfect fifth scarcity. The major fourth ratio is 11:8, the minor fifth is 16:11, and both ratios closely approximate the 11th harmonic of the overtone series. The representation of the 11th harmonic has been made possible through the 24-TET. Minor fifths can be used in the harmony instead of perfect fifth, as it retains acoustic consonance and functional identity of chord (major triad, minor triad).

Ubiquitous Features in the 24 Preludes

• Expressive unisons and expressive octaves provide different “colors”

• Pedal points and inverted pedal points establish centricity; quarter-tonal lines against the pedal build tension and act as a driver of harmonic motion

• Altered seventh chords and diminished seventh chords are commonplace, as the abundance of major fourths and minor fifths in 13-tone scale makes it easy to construct these chords

• Superimpositions of chords are also commonly used, and some chords have up to five parts

Common Chord Progressions

The following Roman numerals are encased in quotes to signify that these are altered chords.

• “V” – “i”

• “i” – “VI”, “VI” – “i”

• “i” – “bII”, “bII” – “i”

• “i” – “iv”, “iv” – “i”

• “III” – “i”

• “III” – “VI”

• “Seventh chords” – “i”

Common Resolutions

• “V” – “i”

• “bII” – “i”

• Pedal on “i”

• “iv” – “i”

• “III+” – “i”, “III+7” – “i”

• “vii” – “i”

Read more about Ivan Wyschnegradsky's work on the official website. 24 Preludes score is available at SheetMusicPlus.