Key Implications of Ascending Fourth and Descending Fifth Openings

Abstract

Substantial evidence is reported in support of the rule that, if a Western tonal composition opens melodically with an ascending fourth or a descending fifth ("4/5 opening"), then the second tone is the tonic of the composition's key, and the first tone its dominant. The evidence is taken from unaccompanied melodic openings of compositions by Bach, Mozart, Brahms, and of national anthems, hymns, and folksongs. The implementation of the hitherto unrecognised rule in a computational key-finding model (Vos and Van Geenen, 1996) appeared to improve the validity of the model. 4/5 openings were additionally explored in relation to their concomitant metrical structures. 4/5 openings corresponded to upbeat/downbeat progressions in 99% of surveyed German folksongs, but only 23% of hymns. The findings are discussed with an emphasis on the need for more historical, music-theoretical, and perceptual research of musical openings.

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