Desire in Chromatic Harmony: A Psychodynamic Exploration of Fin de Siecle Tonality

Musical harmony engages listeners in relations of desire, drawing from the psychological tensions of Schopenhauer, Freud, Lacan, Lyotard, and Deleuze. Kenneth Smith's book explores this through the works of composers such as Richard Strauss, Alexander Skryabin, Josef Suk, Charles Ives, and Aaron Copland, revealing the psychological make-up of post-Wagnerian psychodynamic music.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 23 November 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Musical harmony has a profound effect on listeners, evoking a range of emotions and desires. In his book "Desire in Chromatic Harmony," author Kenneth Smith delves into the intricate relationship between musical harmony and psychological desire. Through a comprehensive analysis of works from the turn of the twentieth century, Smith seeks to understand how chromatic chord progressions guide listeners on complex emotional journeys.

One of the central themes of the book is the idea that chromatic harmony mirrors the tensions and conflicts found in the psyche. Smith draws upon the works of influential philosophers such as Schopenhauer, Freud, Lacan, Lyotard, and Deleuze to explore the psychological dimensions of music. He argues that chromatic chord progressions can evoke feelings of anxiety, longing, desire, and even perversion, reflecting the complex inner world of the human psyche.

Smith's analysis extends beyond the realm of music theory and explores the philosophical engagements of European and American composers. He examines the works of Richard Strauss, Alexander Skryabin, Josef Suk, Charles Ives, and Aaron Copland, highlighting their use of harmony and chord progression to convey psychological themes. From the obsession with death and mourning in Suk's "Asrael Symphony" to the exploration of perversion in Strauss's "Elektra," from the Sufi mysticism of Szymanowski's "Song of the Night" to the failed fantasy of the American dream in Copland's "The Tender Land," Smith demonstrates how chromatic harmony cuts a path through the dense forests of chromatic complexity, revealing the psychological make-up of post-Wagnerian psychodynamic music.

Through his meticulous research and insightful analysis, Smith offers a new theory of how chromatic chord progressions direct the listener on intricate journeys through harmonic space. He explores the ways in which composers use harmony to create tension, release, and resolution, and how these emotional dynamics shape the listener's experience. "Desire in Chromatic Harmony" is a valuable contribution to the field of musicology, providing a deeper understanding of the emotional power of music and its relationship to the human psyche.

Weight: 524g
Dimension: 155 x 236 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197752203