ORIGIN AND NATURE OF MINOR 



217 



confirms our thesis that melody and not a scale is the 

 real object of study and source of true knowledge 

 regarding music. No conceivable rhythmic arrange- 

 ment in one voice of the scale of diatonics from la to 

 la will generate and report exclusively diatonic har- 

 monies and minor consonances. To be sure this is 

 easily effected with chords arbitrarily selected for the 

 purpose, but such selective representation of harmony 

 is no test. 



The form of a minor consonance cannot be gener- 

 ated by the other two components, namely, the root 

 (mi) and the fifth (ti), save when both or either of 

 the two is associated in the same rhythmic period 

 with sol 3. This is shown in our next example from 

 the fifth measure onward. Ti alone (see second 

 measure) or ti supported by mi (see third measure) 

 always announces the minor dominant in the form 

 of the major consonance. 



1 5 



6 S 1 



^Efe^ 



§^ 



F- 



The mixed or hybrid nature of the harmonies gen- 

 erated by the diatonics of the minor mode is next 

 exemplified, and may suggest the rich and varied har- 

 monic potentiality of the minor mode to the tone-muse 

 of young composers. 



