214 KANSAS CI TV REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



admits of the normal notes of the key in which a musical passage is cast, that is 

 to say notes that accord with the signature of each key in modern music. 



Through inflection or change by sharps or fiats, notes bear the same rela- 

 tionship to their key-note. Thus, for example, the sharps which characterize the 

 key of E or the flats that distinguish the key of E flat cause the notes of these 

 keys to be brought into the same relationship with their key-note as do the natural 

 notes to the key of C. Sharps or flats then, may exist in the Diatonic genus, 

 but those only which belong to the signature of the key. In order to elucidate 

 my subject more clearly, I may here endeavor to explain the term Diatonic, 

 which is derived from two Greek words, dia signifying through, and tonos a tone 

 or a sound, therefore this compound word signifies, literally, through the tones or 

 sounds, and a Diatonic scale may be defined as a series of eight notes, which 

 proceed alphabetically from any note to its octave, by five tones and two semi- 

 tones, this scale is divisible into two sections known as Tetrachords; this again 

 has a Greek origin teira signifying four, and chorde a string, and if we take the 

 natural scale of C we find it to be constituted of two perfect fourths, C to F, form- 

 ing the first tetrachord, and G to C the second, which, taken together form the 

 Diatonic scale. Two scales which have a tetrachord in common are termed rela- 

 tive scales. Every tetrachord belongs to two major scales, every major scale 

 having one tetrachord in common with the scale which precedes it in the series 

 of scales, and another tetrachord in common in that which succeeds it. 



The ancient, strict, or contrapuntal style of harmony may be termed, or 

 designated Diatonic, because in it no notes are employed which do not belong to 

 the diatonic scale of the key» major or minor, which may for the time prevail. 

 This admits of diatonic notes only, subjects every note of the scale to the same 

 laws, allows the 4th to the bass to be employed in no way but as a discord, ad- 

 mits of no unprepared discords except passing notes, and allows not passing notes 

 to be approached by leap. Diatonic therefore consists of notes according to the 

 signature of the key. The leading-note of the minor key, though indicated by 

 an accidental sharp or natural, is diatonic, so also are the major 6th and minor 

 7th of the arbitrary minor scale. 



When modulation occurs, the accidentals that denote the change of key are 

 to be regarded as belonging to the signature of the new key, and thus are diatonic 

 in the key to which the modulation is made. For example, a passage commences 

 in the key of C and we wish to modulate into the key of G; the F sharp which 

 induces such modulation is to be regarded as belonging to the signature of the 

 new key, and thus is diatonic in the key of G. The modern, free or chromatic 

 style of harmony admits of chromatic as well as diatonic notes; admits of excep- 

 tional treatment of certain notes, allows the fourth to the base to be employed as 

 a concord, admits of fundamental discords, and allows passing notes to be 

 approached by leap. It may also be well in this place to give a brief definition 

 of fundamental discords. They are formed of the notes generated according to 

 the natural system of harmonics ; they are all derived from the dominant, the 

 supertonic, and the tonic. Those belonging to the last two roots are all chro- 



