LCC and Contemporary Music:
Analysis of Beat Furrer’s Voicelessness: The Snow has no Voice using
George Russell’s Lydian Chromatic Concept
Ryan w Garvey
Nov 2020
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Introduction
“Organic Music Theory is not a substitute for traditional Western music theory,
although it does place traditional music theory in a different perspective. The basic
premise is on of identifying musical elements as differentiated from musical
practices. Musical elements exist separate from their employment in musical works
that they themselves do not create the music – they simply supply the materials.” –
Ben Schwendener1
George Russell is considered one of the first Jazz music Theorists who created and
researched the Lydian Chromatic Concept for the better part of 50 years, this theory has been
incorporated into many people’s music such as Toru Takemitsu, who in a Swing Journal Interview
stated, “The Lydian Chromatic Concept is one of the two most splendid books about music; the
other is My Musical Language by Messiaen. Though I’m considered a contemporary music
composer, if I dare categorize myself as an artist, I've been strongly influenced by the Lydian
Concept, which is not simply a musical method--we might call it a philosophy of music, or we might
call it poetry.” In this paper I will demonstrate the relevance of the Lydian Chromatic Concept as a
compositional and theoretical tool relevant to Contemporary Classical Music. I will focus on the
entirety of Beat Furrer’s piece from 1986, Voicelessness: The Snow has no voice and show the prevailing
Levels of tonal Gravity, Primary Modal Genre, Tonal order, and discuss the overall implied tonic
station. This piece is an interesting addition to the 20th century with its usage of harmony per system
adjusting to its natural vertical tendencies.
In Lydian Chromatic Concept terms, I applied a Multidimensional Interpretive Analysis of
Beat Furrer’s “Voicelessness: The Snow has no Voice”. In this approach, I analyze the manifestation
1 Schwendener, Ben. Preface. In Organic Music Theory. Arlington, MA: The Pumping Station, 2017.
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of levels of Tonal Gravity which relates to applied modal analysis (AMA). Meaning, how does the
piece communicate tonic stations and chord modes? On the Vertical level of gravity (VTG), I
analyze each chord in its occurrence, how does it relate to a prevailing Primary Modal Genre? On
the level of Horizontal Tonal Gravity, I analyze the relationship between the prevailing Vertical
elements. Lastly, Supra-Vertical Tonal Gravity exists on the level of the tonal organization of the
entire piece or section to a perceptible or conceptual overall Lydian Chromatic Scale. This then
makes it multidimensional, the term interpretive analysis comes from not knowing the full harmonic
and melodic intention of Beat Furrer at the time he produced this composition, all I can do is
analyze the piece based off the harmonic resources placed in front of me. Russell explains that the
prevailing chord mode on the level of vertical gravity creates uniformity with the Lydian Scale where
a vertical chord based melody is created to sound a chord, an example could be Coltrane’s Giant
Steps where each note is meant to harmonize a
chord scale. More examples might be Bach’s
Chromatic Fantasy and fugue, or Ravel’s Forlane.2
Things to note3 – The Lydian Chromatic
Concept structuralizes theory around Lydian
and defining it no longer as a mode but a
scale. In the same light, we talk about Figure 1, Order of Tonal Gravity3
harmony in a similar structure, where chords are now scales, such as the Lydian Augmented major
chord FAugMaj 13 +11 as an example of covering the whole scale.
2
Russell, George. “Chapter V: Determining the Parent Scale.” Pg 102. In George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal
Organization Volume One, The Art and Science of Tonal Gravity ed. Vol. Volume One. Brookline, MA: Concept
Publishing, 2001.
3 George Russell, “The Lydian Chromatic Order of Tonal Gravity” in George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal
Organization, The Art and Science of Tonal Gravity, vol. Volume One (Brookline, MA: Concept Publishing,
2001).
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Analysis: Levels of Tonal Gravity
Things to keep in mind while analyzing using the Lydian Chromatic Concept, is at all levels
of Tonal gravity always exist, but the prevailing level comes down to the composer’s melodic
intention. Is melodically, harmonically, or modally drive? In this section I will be addressing Tonal
orders (TO) and Primary Modal Genres (PMG). Tonal order refers to figure 1, how far out do the
pitches relate to the tonic and does it sound that tonic. Primary Modal Genre or Tonic relates to
how pitch relates to the seven degrees of the Lydian scale (PMT), or the eight unique chords built
off of the degrees of the unique Lydian principal scales.
Although the
composition contains
elements of all three levels
of tonal gravity, as does any
composition, its primary
level is vertical, this is due
to the dominant melodic
Figure 3, Voicelessness, system 1
lines sounding a
progression of chord-
modes. An example
would be system 1,
where the color of the
system is quite ingoing, Figure 2, Chart A Lydian Augmented
the furthest out pitch would be the Augmented Fifth, each pitch fits perfectly into the E 8 - Tone
order scale, Lydian Augmented. I concluded the intention of this system was to express the sonority
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and Primary Modal Genre of the Lydian Augmented chord
E Maj7 +5 while comparing chordal possibilities associated
to the Lydian Augmented Chart A in figure 24. (the
challenge would be – educate and simplify what and
Figure 4, system 2
whoever is going to be reading this. Starting off with the
vertical premise of harmony in simple way write so that it explains it from the beginning)
Interestingly, the second system moves two degrees in a flat direction to the same Lydian
Principal Scale of G Lydian Augmented, however, instead of treating it as G Lydian Augmented it
plays around with E Harmonic Minor Horizontal, or VI H.
When the third system arrives, you discover now the most outgoing chord scale that we have
seen yet, D 11- Tone Order the PMT related sounds D
Phrygian on the 11TO which introduces the natural 4 into
the vertical pitch set. This makes room for some very
interesting colors that appear, this includes the very
interesting sus chord presented in the first beat that he uses
Figure 6, Chart A Aux. Dim.
as a conceptual tonic, the D Maj sus,
b5 /C# the I + AD/ VII5. Due to the
harmonic complexity of this section, it
also could be interpreted to express a
Figure 5, System 3
4George Russell, “Chart A, Lydian Augmented” in George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, The Art
and Science of Tonal Gravity, vol. Volume One (Brookline, MA: Concept Publishing, 2001).
5George Russell, “Chart A, Aux. Dim” in George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, The Art and
Science of Tonal Gravity, vol. Volume One (Brookline, MA: Concept Publishing, 2001).
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secondary modal genre of the G 12TO, we reduce to the lowest order when possible (depending
how your ear works in finding the tonic station).
Both system four and five express pretty
ingoing qualities, they both focus on conceptual
horizontal centers on the V chord of A Lydian
(figure 6) and then Lydian augmented (8TO). The
most striking feature of these two systems is how
Beat Furrer uses the Vertical Aeolian scale in relation
Figure 8, system 4
to and containing the A Lydian tonic, implying a III/V
aeolian quality.
System 6 highlights the chord scale of
Lydian Diminished, Emphasizing the tonality
around the D-Maj7 chord against the bass note
of F#, typically half steps are regarded as a
secondary modal genre, but due to its vertical
tendencies, it sound the chord scale of Lydian
Figure 7, system 6
Diminished. The weight and harmony pulls it
back to the I/IIIB.
System 7 stays in the Tonal Gravity of D, however the Tonal Order and Parent Scale
introduces the flat 7th, creating the Lydian Flat 7 Scale. He then treats the system with a PMG of
Dorian b9 with a pretty outgoing 10 tone order.
System 8 introduces some of the most outgoing and interesting elements available
throughout the entire piece. It slowly starts to hint at the Supra-Vertical Tonal Gravity of the C
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Lydian Chromatic scale quite heavily by introducing a brief moment of C Lydian PMT which then
rotated to the 12-tone order in the second half of the system. This is the first moment that C was
introduced as a
tonic station, and
it is the first time
in this piece that
there is a second
Modal Genre Figure 9, System 8
introduced in the middle of a system. It feels like no accident that this happens on system 8/17,
almost marking the direct middle point of the piece where from this point forward there are only
two Lydian tonics, C and Db.
Following the peak of system 8 and the level of outgoing tonal order that it achieves, he
seems to reign in the vertical outgoing timbres by focusing in on the newly achieved PMT of C
Lydian. In
system 9,
there is one
of the only
examples in
Figure 10, system 9
the piece that are
more focused on chord progression than verticallity over a system. From systems 10-12, the piece
plays around C Lydian a bit more but with only two pitches represented, the PMT and the Seventh
degree the notes C and B. Although these systems are not riddled with the harmonic density and
interesting parent scales of the LCC, these systems do introduce the more pedal based material that
contributes to the overlying level of SVTG being the C Lydian Chromatic Scale.
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On the arrival of the 13th system, we reach a territory that rotates 5 degrees flat from the
previous Lydian tonic, landing us into the realm of Db Lydian. Although it only occurs for two
systems it marks
the arrival of
the end, but this
twist of Db
Lydian is used
Figure 11, system 13
as
developmental material to color the C 9Lydian material that was previously implied. This chord
progression is continued on system 14 but with a bit more drama being derived from the third staff
being added into the piano part with some very quiet octave Cs to contrast the block chords. (on the
horizontal level we hear that level of tonal gravity exists even though the melody doesn’t show that,
HTG deals with relationship between vertical elements)
The final three systems rotate through the theme of alternating between I and I/VII, the
battle between the notes C and B, ultimately marking the resolution into C Lydian Chromatic Scale.
Although we
do not have
anything other
than the two
pitches, the
Lydian Figure 12, system 17
Chromatic concept will deduce C as the PMT. As the ending substantiates IT could be agued that
on the level of Supra-Vertical Tonal Gravity the conceptual Lydian tonic is C. With the
acknowledgement that the level of SVTG is in existence, this could be represented geometrically.
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This would show how the piece starts on the level of very sharp, moving to a closely related flat key
then resolving to the C Lydian Tonic. This type of form on a Supra-Vertical level is a perspective of
understanding on how the elements behave using the Lydian Chromatic Concept, not on how we
generate.
Conclusion
My multidimensional interpretive analysis of Voicelessness: The Snow has no Voice concludes
that this piece expresses all three prevailing levels of Gravity, VTG manifesting HTG manifesting
SVTG, with the vertical expression as its primary focus. This is due to how the overall piece
resolves, showing the end intention of eventually resolving to the C LCS. What I find most
intriguing is how the piece rotates through different tonal centers than what one would expect
through traditional classical theory, ignoring the rules of traditional harmony and treating each chord
and system as a Scale so you can focus on the overall intent of the framework. This piece expresses
each level of tonal gravity in interesting and not typical ways that you see LCC analysis typically
work through, giving interesting insight to how harmony and color can work even when just using
one element of the LCC. The Lydian Chromatic Concept can function as a tool for analysis through
Contemporary New Music very easily by focusing on the natural order of relationships to the
harmonic series actualized in 12TET theory.
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Bibliography
George Russell, George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, The Art and Science of
Tonal Gravity, vol. Volume One (Brookline, MA: Concept Publishing, 2001).
Ben Schwendener, “Organic Music Theory,” Organic Music Theory (Arlington, MA: The Pumping
Station, 2017).
