Harmony and Form in Stravinsky and Zimbabwean Folk Music

Defining Harmony and Form in Music

There are very few elements of a piece of music that are more noticeable and less noticed than form. The simplest way to describe form is as the structure that a piece of music takes and how — and whether — it changes over time. There are many established forms in music, from an Indian raga to a Western sonata and many others in between. Other pieces have forms that are less definable but still incredibly influential. It is impossible, after all, to have a piece of music without structure; anything more than one note automatically has form.

The same is true for the concept of harmony. If melody — or the melodic line — is described as the horizontal aspect of music (how a piece changes in itself and affects the listener as it moves through time), harmony could be termed the vertical aspect of music. That is, harmony deals with the layers and effects of a piece of music at any given point in time. To put it more simply, harmony is the mixture and layering of different notes, either in chords within the melodic line or in separate secondary melodic or harmonic lines.

Two pieces of music with very different approaches to form, yet surprisingly similar attitudes toward harmony, are the movement "The Fair" from Igor Stravinsky's Petrushka and the Zimbabwean folk melody "Cheumutemgure." Both pieces feature several stark lines of melody and/or harmony — the distinction between the two is not always clear — but very inconsistent forms.

Formal Structure in Stravinsky's 'The Fair'

Oddly, the form of "The Fair" from Stravinsky's Petrushka might seem stranger to Western ears than "Cheumutemgure." Though the various voices and ultimately the language of the latter piece are certainly more alien in timbre and texture than Stravinsky's work, "Cheumutemgure" carries a more solid melodic line throughout. Within this relatively short movement — itself just one part of a larger piece — there are several distinct sections that do not always flow evenly with those preceding or following them.

There is an especially abrupt and distinct shift in the short-term, moment-to-moment structure of the piece that occurs about halfway through. Up to that point, the rhythm of the piece is fairly consistent in its bouncy drive. There is an almost percussive element to the staccato and regular rhythm of the opening sections, which suddenly fades away to be replaced by a more legato, softer melody. This softer melody bears a close relationship to the opening material but also represents a definite departure.

The opening sections, with the driving power behind the march-like and almost ominous melodic line, sound highly introductory — as if they are the precursor to a main event. Leading into the softer section as they do gives the structure of the piece a disquieting feeling, almost of disappointment, as if the thing hinted at by the introductory feel of the opening never arrived, or at least not in the manner imagined. Stravinsky unbalances the piece's form in a way that mirrors the juxtaposition of his melodies and bare harmonic lines.