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hexachord

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hexachord


(Greek; “six strings”)

In music, a group of six tones in a specified pattern, specifically the interval pattern tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone (as in G-A-B-C-D-E). The hexachord was apparently conceived in the 11th century when theorist Guido d'Arezzo noticed that the scales of the church modes could be seen to overlap in their interval patterns. His system of solmization gave each hexachord the same syllables (ut-re-mi-fa-sol-la), and by means of overlapping hexachords the theorist could represent the complete “gamut” of pitches. Though counterintuitive to modern musicians, who think in terms of octaves, the concept of hexachords was fundamental to music theory throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance.



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Based on a hexachord, presented at the top of the score, "Jack Rabbit," from Youth's Companion by Ross Lee Finney, poses several challenges for the late-intermediate pianist, including exposed dissonances, angular phrases and unexpected rests and fermatas that depict the jackrabbit leaping and hovering on the North Dakota prairie.
Stravinsky described the women in Movements as "a hexachord of those bee-like little girls who seem to be bred to the eminent choreographer's specifications.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] F: What is the hexachord in that row?
 
 
 
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