Parallelism |
Music Terms

Parallelism |

Dictionary categories
terms and concepts

Parallelism (from the Greek parallnlos – parallel, lit. – located or walking side by side) – the movement of two or more voices of polyphonic polyphony. or homophonic music. fabrics with the preservation of the same interval or intervals between them (“open” P.), as well as certain forms of movement of voices in one direction (“hidden” P.). P. should be distinguished from doubling the same voice into an octave and even into several octaves, which is constantly used in prof. music. P. is characteristic of certain types of beds. claims of certain peoples, music. genres (for example, Russian and Ukrainian Kant). Known since ancient times; the earliest forms of prof. polyphony was based on the parallel movement of voices, and not only thirds, but also fifths, quarts, and even seconds were used (see Organum). Subsequently, in prof. music found application Ch. arr. P. third and sixth. P. octaves and fifths in the 13th-14th centuries. music was banned. theory as violating the independence of the movement of each of the voices. In the 18th century one exception to this rule was established – parallel fifths were allowed when resolving the increased fifth-sextakcord of the VII degree to the tonic (the so-called “Mozartian fifths”):

In the 17-18 centuries. the rule of prohibition of P. octaves and fifths was also extended to cases of “hidden” P. (excluding the so-called “horn fifths”) – movements of voices in one direction to an octave or fifth, as well as such conduct of voices, with Krom parallel octaves or fifths are formed on strong beats of measures (even if these intervals were not maintained throughout the entire measure); the transition to the octave or fifth by the opposite movement of voices was also forbidden. Some theorists (G. Zarlino) considered as undesirable the succession of two parallel major thirds due to the tritone formed by the lower tone of one and the upper tone of the other:

In practice, excluding compositions of a strict style and study papers on harmony and polyphony, all these rules are observed in Ch. arr. in relation to the best audible extreme voices of muses. fabrics.

And since the 19th century P. fifths and whole consonances are often deliberately used by composers to achieve a certain art. effect (G. Puccini, K. Debussy, I. F. Stravinsky) or to recreate the character of the Nar. playing music, the color of antiquity (Verdi’s Requiem).

References: Stasov V.V., Letter to Mr. Rostislav about Glinka, Theatrical and Musical Bulletin, 1857, No 42 (also in the book: V.V. Stasov. Articles on Music, edited by V.V. Protopopov , issue 1, M., 1974, pp. 352-57); Tyulin Yu. N., Parallelisms in musical theory and practice, L., 1938; Ambros AW, Zur Lehre vom Quintenverbote, Lpz., 1859; Tappert, W., Das Verbot der Quinten-Parallelen, Lpz., 1869; Riemann H., Von verdeckten Quinten und Oktaven, Musikalisches Wochenblatt, 1840 (same in Präludien und Studien, Bd 2, Lpz., 1900); Lemacher H., Plauderei über das Verbot von Parallelen, “ZfM”, 1937, Bd 104; Ehrenberg A., Das Quinten und Oktavenparallelenverbot in systematischer Darstellung, Breslau, 1938.

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