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Set Class Theory in Free Jazz
Set Class Theory in Free Jazz
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Theory Spectrum
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Pitch-Class
Pitch-ClassTransformation
Transformationin Free
in Free
JazzJazz
Steven Block
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182 Music Theory Spectrum
that Taylor's music is not really jazz and in its implication that four-note whole-tone collection, 4-25[0,2,6,8], arranged as two
Taylor's music has no tonal references. In an article published tritones surrounding a major second. In m. 3, gesture 2a is re-
in 1965, Taylor describes his music as "constructionistic," peated and further extended into the whole-tone pentachord
meaning "based on the conscious working-out of a given mate- (2b). Thus, both whole-tone and chromatic gestures are addi-
rial."4 The working-out of material is an additive or subtractive tively developed as pc collections.
process in which motives or pitch material are not only reinter- The relationship between these gestures, however, is more
preted and reworked but also altered slightly from phrase to complex than a threefold alternation and variation scheme.
phrase in a chain of progression that may span a long period of There is a strong sense of a tonic D since it is the one pitch, in
time. The final material may not, therefore, necessarily be un- the first gesture, to which the music constantly returns and since
derstood as related to the original except in the sense that it lies in gesture 2, which is heard in several registers, D is always in
at the opposite end of a musical process. the lowest octave. The third gesture features the lowest note of
An excerpt from Taylor's Air above Mountains (1976) illus- the passage, C,, scored in three octaves and always resolved to
trates the additive surface transformation that is typical of Tay- D in each of these registers by the music that follows. The final
lor's improvisations (see Ex. la).5 The passage has been di- notes of the passage are clearly cadential; each gesture has a
vided into the three primary gestures which alternate in the cadential formula built into it as well (Ex. lb).
music, each of which represents a different musical lexicon. One hears an interpenetration of these collections most
The first gesture is chromatic, the second whole tone, and the clearly in m. 6, where the gesture of ascending perfect fifths is
third diatonic in that it is the 3-9[0,2,7] trichord arranged as as- briefly transformed (GO mapped into A) into a transposition of
cending fifths. gesture 2. This first appearance of the diatonic gesture con-
For the most part, each gesture is distinct and each one, as it cludes with an enunciation of the interval C#-D# (leading tone
is sounded, is permuted or reiterated in different ways. The first and enharmonically respelled ,2, respectively) in three regis-
chromatic gesture remains consistent throughout the music and ters. When this gesture is repeated in m. 6 and Cf and DO are
almost always occurs as the tetrachord C#-D-D#-E. The C~ paired once more, an A joins them to form a 3-8 whole-tone
which is added briefly in the opening statement and more trichord one semitone lower than the 3-8 of gesture 2. The dia-
prominently in the third statement (second system) expands tonic gesture has therefore been transformed into a whole-tone
this tetrachord to a chromatic pentachord. The third, diatonic gesture. One can thus make a case for the most important map-
gesture is always heard as ascending fifths from Ct. The second pings of this passage being the chromatic trichord CSt-D-D-,
gesture is the most flexible in that it is first heard as a 3-8[0,2,6] the diatonic trichord C#-D(-G#, and the whole-tone trichord
trichord, D-E-Bb, and is always scored as a whole tone plus a C# -Dt-A (see Ex. Ic). The relationship between the chromatic
tritone, even when it appears as a subset of later gestures. In the and diatonic trichord here is the T6MI relationship.6 The rela-
second statement of this motive (labeled 2a) this becomes a
6This has already been shown to have importance in tonal jazz since it maps
4Tom Darter, "Piano Giants of Jazz: Cecil Taylor," Contemporary Key- a chromatic circle to the circle of fifths and underlies a particularly important
board (May 1981), 56. relationship for chord progression in tonal jazz, the tritone substitution. See
5The transcription in Example la appeared originally in Darter, "Piano Gi- Robert Morris, review of John Rahn, Basic Atonal Theory, Music Theory
ants of Jazz," 57. The transcribed passage begins about 4'30" into Side 1 of Air Spectrum 4 (1982), 152-154; Henry J. Martin, "Jazz Harmony" (Ph.D. disser-
above Mountains (Buildings Within) (Inner City IC-3021). tation, Princeton University, 1980).
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Transformation in Free Jazz 183
Accidentals
Accidentals apply
apply
only to
only
the note
to the
theynote
precede.
they precede. (2) 3-8 (1)
A I?
(2a) 4-25
; j'jjj^ja^ ^ ?H' j 3
(la)
.r? Tf
9f: Li,[--:' L 3
(2)
(2b) (2) i I (1)
::r^^S^ffl n
|.. (2a) (3) i , # m . P,;:J. J.
I j I 1 #:t :; #;
$_
16
V t Tt I I
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184 Music Theory Spectrum
Example
Example lb.
lb. Cadential
Cadentialpatterns
patternswithin
withinthe
the
gestures
gestures
of of
Example
Example provides
provides an
an opportunity
opportunity to
to study
studyaamore
moresophisticated
sophisticatedtransfor-
transfor-
la mation
mation over
over aa longer
longer span
span of
oftime.
time.Here
Herethe
thetransformation
transformationisis
similar
similar to
to aa type
type that
that often
oftenoccurs
occursin
inBartok,
Bartok,ininwhich
whicha apassage
passage
previously
previously octatonic
octatonic is
is reshaped
reshapedin
inthe
thediatonic
diatonicyet
yetremains
remainsrec-
rec-
4-1 ognizable.
ognizable. In
In "Tales,"
"Tales," an
an eight-movement
eight-movementwork workfor
forseven
sevenplay-
play-
ers, the
the outer
outer sections
sections are
are clearly
clearlyrelated
relatedon
onthe
thesurface
surfaceby
byin-
in-
4-T eit strumentation,
strumentation, texture,
texture, and
andgesture.
gesture.
4-25 The opening
opening measures
measures ofof "Tales"
"Tales"are
areshown
shownininExample
Example2a. 2a.
On one
one level,
level, this
this passage
passage isisaaflorid
floridelaboration
elaborationofofananElElblues
blues
AM ,t. scale with
with the
the important
important notes
notesclearly
clearlyemphasized.
emphasized.First,
First,the
the3 3
-..---B U
3-9 and 4 33 are
are emphasized
emphasized in
in mm.
mm.1-2,
1-2,followed
followedby
bythe
thedominant
dominant
which then
then twice
twice arpeggiates
arpeggiatesupupto
tothe
thetonic
tonicininm.m.3 3ofofthe
theex-
ex-
ample. The
The next
next pitches
pitches to
to occur
occurare
are44and
and0404ininmm.
mm.4-5; 4-5;this
this
Example lc. Mapping of the important trichords from Example phrase ends
ends with
with the
the leading
leadingtone.
tone.The
Themotion
motionfrom
fromleading
leading
la tone to
to tonic
tonic is
is picked
picked up
up again
againin
inmm.
mm.8-9.
8-9.As
Asininthe
theprevious
previous
Taylor
Taylor excerpt,
excerpt, the
the development
developmentof
ofmaterial
materialhere
herefollows
followsanan
additive course.
3-1
Despite these tonal emphases, the basis of "chord" changes
X #~ 1 to come are evident from a tetrachordal segmentation of the
primary gestures of the opening (Ex. 2b). In this mostly chro-
3-7
matic environment, the segmentation of these tetrachords fol-
(m. 6) i: lows a general pattern whereby semitone dyads and, more
rarely, whole-tone dyads are arranged around some inner in-
3-8
terval to form a larger pitch grouping.
At the end of the composition, the gestures are not distinctly
or overtly related to those of the opening because the connec-
tionship
tionship between
between
the other
the other
two trichords,
two trichords,
though, isthough,
undefined.is undefined. tions can only be understood as parts of a developmental proc-
From
Fromtrichord
trichord to trichord,
to trichord,
the leading
the leading
tone and tone
2 remain
andin-2 remain in- ess. Example 3a shows the conclusion of "Tales" with some
variant.
variant.It Itis D[
is ,D[
the, tonic,
the tonic,
which which
can be perceived
can be perceived
as mapping as mapping pitch-class and gestural analysis. The first gesture, in all its vari-
into
into4 4inin
moving
moving to the
to whole-tone
the whole-tone
trichordtrichord
and mappingandinto
mapping into ations, is a diatonic 5-20[0,1,5,6,8] pentachord; gesture 2 is a
#4
#4when
when thethecircle
circle
of fifths
of fifths
dyad isdyad
enunciated.
is enunciated.
The transforma-
The transforma- more general category used for extended "chromatic" ges-
tion
tionisisstill
still
tonally
tonallysuggestive,
suggestive,
especially
especially
in its relation
in itsto relation
the to the tures; gesture 3 is octatonic; gesture 4 is made up of the Z-
blues. related 6-Z6[0,1,2,5,6,7] and 6-Z38[0,1,2,3,7,8] hexachords;
The passage taken from Air above Mountains shows imme- and gesture 5 represents the cluster passages, both whole-tone
diate relationships between differing chord forms in different and chromatic, at the conclusion. Using this labeling, one can
languages. Taylor's composition "Tales (8 Whisps)" (1966), follow some of the simultaneously unfolding processes. The
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Transformation in Free Jazz 185
Example 2a. Opening measures of Cecil Taylor's "Tales (8 Whisps)." Transcription by the author from
Unit Structures (Blue Note BST-84237)
JJ
=176=176
(tempo somewhat
(tempofree) somewhat free)
Piano
1 , .
v I v (D~drum
rr s r s ~ !
l.U!1
i7 I !rqirrrirrrq
3~1 ! |I _
. r!f11LI. f' ~
h-i--I--i
Piano A: bbbbb
3 14 15
Drum Set7 -
p , poco
Pocoaccel. > (may be a fist cluster) =34
accel. > > >' >,-=304
P,iano bbbbbb 3 3 1 7 3 8
)\' b bbbb ' f 17 ?rf 8
:bb;bbbb
Drum
u r 1' r
Set:
drummer only: IP
Piano 9 >
Drum Set -- -
Y. p?a f * ^1)0
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186 Music Theory Spectrum
m.2 4-9
4-9
nm.1-2 4-7 m.2 m.4 I I
m.1I rn
m.l I_ b .- E I I I I I _
-4 :.-e
_ V F:I'O-ML
1 - 11 dph
NL
I 1-I I
I
? I 4 I -
I I I - _L
4-7 4-1 4-3 4-3
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Transformation in Free Jazz 187
Example 3a. Final measures of "Tales" segmented into related gestures and pc sets. Transcription by the author
=240
a =336 accel. - - - tempo
A 3 I 0-t1 accel ------ tempo 3 ^ . L_ -2
( 7 / 1, 1 12 1 '
I I / L; 12b subset of gestures 2 4 b
n ..... ~ ! , ,ue ,,t^ k V
79:2
b?~~~~~~~~~~~
~j^I . ~: : .
~]-eL-r r- L, ' M T " 1 m
I I I (not clear) I_
(3a) Octatonic I (4b) 6-Z38, related by T2 (3) rearrangement, upper register preserved
to gesture 4a (2c') extension of 2c Summary Passage
k - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ^=200
~ ~ ~~~e 1= E .I ,)I-'.I
200 C'I a~-33
I= 336
1
(inclusion of
previous 5-20 is literal)
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188
188 Music
Music
TheoryTheory
Spectrum Spectrum
3a
3a(cont.)
(cont.)
= 240
accel.------- nt.------------- accel.------ rit.-------
175 ,1,1 ~
(5) Clusters (whole tone)
--- !
6f --
',
I I
(5b) (5b') (5b) condensation
Example
Example
3b. Reduction of mm. 9-11 from Example 3a
3b. Reduction o
4-9 4-8 4-8 4-3
A I I I 1 I 11 4.-8
4-RIf I I1 I
1 I
1 1
I 11
I4 1
- !
I i I / i
5-20 6-Z38 5-20
I l I I l I l l l I
though it often contains tonal jazz references. Nevertheless, Though Coltrane emerged as an important jazz artist before
taking the cue from the final five notes of the piece being M- Taylor and Coleman, he turned to his own free jazz style only
related to the important 5-20 pentachord in this passage, one during his last period (1964-67), after Taylor's and Coleman's
can hear the closing notes as a T6MI chord substitution for the music had become widely known. Coltrane's first solo in Ascen-
dominant of D,. Therefore, these final cluster passages can be sion is a good example of his use of two primary generative de-
understood as summaries of the measures in the entire excerpt, vices within a quasi-modal framework: interval cycles and tri-
both in terms of derivational structure and tonal orientation. chordal source sets. Coltrane's improvisations have
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Transformation in Free Jazz 189
traditionally
traditionally been
been described
described ininterms
termsofofmodal
modalshifts
shiftsasasthe pri- alternation of 3-2 and 3-3 trichords (4-3) and its T8M-related set
thepri-
mary indicators
indicators of
of harmonic
harmonic movement
movementand andthe
themodes
modesthem-them- (4-26[0,3,5,8] formed by the overlapping of two 3-7 trichords in
selves as
as the
the primary
primary generators
generatorsof ofpitch
pitchmaterial.
material.However,
However, mm. 16-20. This is a result of the transformation that maps the
this kind
kind ofof description
description fails
fails to
toclarify
clarifywhether
whetherColtrane
Coltraneheardheard chromatic semitone of leading tone-to-tonic in the first tetra-
the modes
modes simply
simply asas source
source collections
collectionsororwhether
whetherhe exploited chord into the perfect fifth dominant-to-tonic in the second
heexploited
the structural
structural properties
properties of of the
themode
modeto toemphasize,
emphasize,for forin-in- tetrachord.
stance, the
the modal
modal final
final and
and the
thedominant.7
dominant.7 In the final run of the first section, the first whole-tone struc-
At the opening
opening ofof Ascension,
Ascension, Coltrane's
Coltrane'stenor
tenorsax
saxline si- ture is enunciated in mm. 23-24 when the 3-6[0,2,4] trichord,
lineisissi-
multaneously
multaneously imitated
imitated in
in the
the same
sameregister
registerby
bythe
theother
otherplayers
players F-E ,-Dl, is sounded, a harbinger of the subsequent structural
(see Ex.
Ex. 4a
4a for
for aa transcription
transcription of
ofColtrane's
Coltrane'sopening line). importance of the whole-tone cycle. The accumulation of
openingline).
Overall,
Overall, the
the rhythmic
rhythmic emphasis
emphasismarks
marksthe
theopening "Bb whole-tone structures in the second section proceeds in a way
openingasasa a"Bb
blues" statement
statement with
with thethe scale
scaleenunciated
enunciatedfrom
fromi itoto5 5and
andin-
in- that is analogous to the use of the 3-7 trichord (as major second
cluding
cluding both
both l,3
l,3 and
and || 3.
3. The
The ensemble,
ensemble,asasa awhole, ignorest t3;3; followed by minor third) at the end of the first section. At the
whole,ignores
thus one
one primarily
primarily hears
hears Bl,
Bl, D,,
D,,and
andEb,
Eb,which
whichconstitute
constitutea a opening of the second section, Coltrane sounds a 3-8[0,2,6]
3-7[0,2,5]
3-7[0,2,5] trichord.
trichord. The
The added
added Dt,
Dt,which
whichoccurs
occursonly
onlyininCol-
Col- whole-tone trichord and follows in upward scalar motion with a
trane's part,
part, forms
forms aa 3-2[0,1,3]
3-2[0,1,3]trichord
trichordwith
withthetheupper
upperportion
portion 5-30[0,1,4,6,8] chord (which embeds two 3-8 trichords). This
of the scale
scale and
and aa 3-3[0,1,4]
3-3[0,1,4] moving
movingdown downtotothe
theBb
Bbtonic.
tonic. 5-30 is then altered to the whole-tone pentachord 5-33
When Coltrane
Coltrane later
later begins
begins hishisfirst
firstsolo
solo(see
(seeEx.
Ex.4b),
4b),these
these [0,2,4,6,8], which appears in ascending scalar form in m. 27.
same trichords
trichords are
are fundamental
fundamentalto tothe
thepitch
pitchprogression
progressionwithin
within Measures 27-30 mark the beginning of a section which paral-
the mode.8 The solo is launched from the 3-7 trichord now lels the opening of the solo. Here, instead of alternating be-
formed by the seventh, tonic, and third of the mode and an al- tween trichords, Coltrane primarily reiterates the pitch classes
ternation between 3-2 and 3-3 trichords is the subject of the of one whole-tone tetrachord while varying them rhythmically.
next 15 bars. The pitches explored here are not those from the The tetrachord is scored as a descending whole-tone trichord
opening but, instead, the lowest third of the B b scale with the followed by a downward tritone leap. The repetition and re-
leading tone. working of the chord clearly connect to the opening passage of
The second part of the B, Aeolian solo features a longer the solo in section 1. The aural association of the two passages is
play on the first trichord of the solo, 3-7; the entire passage, in made obvious through the use of the leap, which preserves con-
fact, can be segmented into 3-7 trichords. One interesting rela- tour. Coltrane's scoring ensures that one hears the last three
tionship is that of the tetrachord formed in the first part by the notes in the second motive, which form the interval succession
of whole tone and tritone, as a 2:1 expansion of the 3-3 trichord
7Such a problem arises, for example, when Jost (Free Jazz, 92-93) catego- at the opening (semitone and minor third). Proceeding from
rizes the first part of the solo as being in B Aeolian with an added A as a section 1 to section 2, then, the listener notices: (1) the increase
leading tone. Considering the generality of this description, Bb minor seems
in cardinality of the chordal generator-or, at least, of the em-
equally suitable as a classification; but in either case, no real insight is gained
phasized chord; (2) the contour expansion; (3) the intervallic
into Coltrane's choice of specific pitch structures.
8The transcription in Example 4b is taken from Jost, Free Jazz, 92-93; the expansion, with the chromatic generators 3-2 and 3-3 being re-
analytic summary alongside is my own. placed by whole-tone generators.
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190 Music Theory Spectrum
Example 4a. Opening of John Coltrane, Ascension (Impulse version). Transcription by the author from Impulse A-95
(Coltrane
(Coltraneplaying) playing)
A I, (s)
e_- I -
LI -.- I_ .
_- 3W- 3 v_
I l I I 1
3-7 3-2 3-3 3-3
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Transformation in Free Jazz 191
Example 4b. First solo by Coltrane in Ascension (HMV version). Transcription by Ekkehard Jost. Starred sets are T8-M relat
Section 1
transcription J=215
I> : > >
ibbbb Cr inc.
)>s ! ctL:rLm't r
J>! ^
analysis 3.7 3-3 3-2 inc. *4-3
L"b;9,b etc. - r of r
3-7
3-7
3-7
iA
3: 3-7
3-7
3-7 3-7
3-7 3-7
*I I.I
- Lu
? a~ I
4-22 4-22
I I
5-23
5-23
3-6
1 1
I I I
3-2
4-11
6-32
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192
192 Music
MusicTheory
TheorySpectrum
Spectrum
4b (cont.)
Section 2
q 25 3,7 rr6 7
3-8 3-8
30 3 3 3 r3 -
6 6'
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Transformation in Free Jazz 193
4b (cont.)
tfl .' - -A
*** 6-34
I I I I
I 1 4-22 6-33
6-33
\1 I
4-22
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194 Music Theory Spectrum
Example 4c. Example 5a. Head tune for Anthony Braxton's "489M...,"
from Five Pieces 1975 (Arista AL-4064)
**5-30 **5-13
A i I 1 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6-Z44
7__, - _ -- _ =96 1 I
n *.PNg I I
M T8
(1,3,5,9, 10)-- (5,3, 1,9,2) - (1, 11,9,5, 10)
! I
6-18
^ I I I i
6-30
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Transformation in Free Jazz 195
Example 5b. Progressions of all-interval tetrachords included as opens the penultimate phrase forms 4-11[0,1,3,5] with the
subsets in the hexachords of Braxton, "489M..." horns; the same pitch classes occur at the opening of the second
4-Z29:
melodic phrase (m. 10) as well. Above the pedal, Haden chro-
4-Z15:
matically fills in the minor third, D-F, which both anticipates
(2, 1, 10,8)
(2,3,5,9) the chorus and parallels the upper voices. In the final phrase, if
TS G# is interpreted as a passing tone (Haden actually slides up to
TiI T7I
A), the notes formed above the pedal form 4-22[0,2,4,7]; the
(11, 10,8,4) (5,4,2, 10) (9,8,5,3) same pitch classes, D-F-G-A, are the opening melodic notes of
\ / I
T1I "Lonely Woman."
T3 T3
There is some significance even in the abstract relationships
(8,7,5, 1) (4, 58, 10) that exist between several pairs of sets in the head tune-
i T5 specifically, 4-Z15[0,1,4,6] and 4-Z29, 4-4[0,1,2,5] and
T3
I3
4-14[0,2,3,7], and 4-22 and 4-2[0,1,2,4], which are all M-
(5,4,2, 10) (9, 10, 1,3) related. Even more interesting here, however, is the fact that
T5 T2I the links between these sets are all by way of the same specific
pitch-class operation, T3M (see Ex. 7).12 (1) The opening four
(10,9,7,3) (5,4, 1, 11) notes of the melody are transformed through T3M into C-Ct-
D-E, a 4-2 tetrachord, in the third phrase. (2) In the fourth
T3
phrase, which has the quality of a quick but pointed interjection
(1,2,4,8) that interrupts the melodic flow in a beautiful way, one impor-
tant set formed is D-E-F-A, 4-14. This is a T3M transform of B-
C-CS-E, 4-4, which is part of the harmonic support in the last
Coleman achieves here. Much more informative with respect notes of the previous phrase. This set is formed (by Coleman's
to compositional design are certain remarkable pitch-class rela- own part) in a rather curious way: its penultimate note, C", du-
tionships in the piece. Example 6 includes a tetrachordal seg- plicates an octave lower one of the pitches in the melody; but its
mentation of the opening head tune. The evidence of a tightly last note, B t, is not a melodic doubling. (3) The ending of the
thought-out melodic line is compelling: only a few tetrachord third phrase has B-C#-D-E, 4-10[0,2,3,5], as a harmonic com-
types account for the construction.l That the bassist, Charlie ponent. Set 4-10 maps into itself under multiplication and can
Haden, has worked closely with the ensemble both in the head thus be interpreted as a T3M transform of the 4-10 formed me-
and throughout the entire work is evident from the fact that his lodically at the end of the second phrase. (4) The first four notes
pitches are almost all shared with the melody. In the last two of the fourth phrase, 4-Z29, are related by T3MI to the 4-Z15
phrases of the head, however, the contrapuntal relationships tetrachord formed in the opening phrase. (5) The most extraor-
are less dependent on imitation. The repeated fifth A-E which dinary relationship of all is the one that emerges between the
general diatonic nature of the entire passage and the melodic
"The D-minor scale (including the raised sixth and seventh along with their
natural correspondents), considered as a set of nine notes, includes abstractly
all 29 of the possible tetrachords. '2This would include the TgM operation, since it is the inverse of T3M.
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196 Music Theory Spectrum
Example 6. Segmentation of head, Orette Coleman, "Lonely Woman." Transcription by the author from The Shape of Jazz
to Come (Atlantic SD-1317). (Parentheses indicate M-related pairs; asterisks indicate T3-M-related sets)
I
^.
v ~ 1
-
4-3
I - I
4-14 _ (44) I I
double bass (at pitch)
4-Z15 (4-Z29)
*4-22 (4-2) I
I+ I Phrase 1] P --I---
i > r rr |f r I? 1i^ 61 ,) 1 1 Xi
10 *44 (4-14) 4-Z29 (4-Z15)
4-1
4-22 (4-2)
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Transformation in Free Jazz 197
T3M
4-2 (0,1,2, 4)
T3M
4-14 (2,4,5,9)
4-4 4-14
r-I I -
=-r I 1u1 1 Fr I rF 1 1
T3
(1, 11,4,0)
4-4 (11,0,1,4)
MI
T3MI
4-Z15 (1,2, 5, 7)
4-Z15 A 4-Z29
MI
r-3,--j I I
,~~~~~~~ I
(7, 2,11, 1)
I F I FV .
T3
(10, 5,2,4)
4-Z29 (5,4,2,11)
T3M
4-10 (2,4,5,7)
4-10 4-10
,? ~II
(10, 8, 1, 11)
T3
(1, 11,4,2)
4-10 (11,1,2,4)
T3M
8-1
I
, 17jb p A
I _ r I 1b
I
b II +iI r-1
I M
M T3
8-1 (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)-- (8
(D minor with a
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198 Music Theory Spectrum
chromaticism
chromaticismwhichwhichenters
entersininthe
thepenultimate
penultimate phrase.
phrase.
TheThe stances of 4-12[0,2,3,6] formed successively in two phrases of
circle-of-fifths
circle-of-fifthsmapping,
mapping,applied
appliedto to
a diatonic
a diatonicpassage,
passage,
gener-
gener- the second chorus have the musical sense of a fragment which is
ally
ally transforms
transformsititinto
intoa achromatic
chromatic one.
one.
TheThe
penultimate
penultimate
me-me- announced and then completed in the following phrase as the
lodic
lodic phrase
phrase(winds
(windsonly)
only)forms
forms a chromatic
a chromatic octochord
octochord
which
which melodic line moves to the highest point of the chorus. More
spans
spans the
the fifth
fifthE-B.
E-B.This
Thisset,
set,
subjected
subjected to to
thethe
T3MT3M
transform,
transform, specifically, however, the second set is related to the first by T3,
yields
yields the
the natural
naturalminor
minorscale
scale
ofof
DDwith
with
a raised
a raised
sixth
sixth
(set(set
8-23).
8-23). which same operation links at least two other phrases in the
In examining
examiningthe
thetetrachordal
tetrachordalsets
sets
that
that
fallfall
outout
of of
thethe
D- D- chorus (see Ex. 8b). Another example is the relation involving
minor
minor tonality,
tonality,one
oneshould
shouldconsider
consider whether
whetherthethe
frequency
frequency of of 4-24 and 4-2. The two sets occur successively in the music (sepa-
certain
certain included
includedsets
setsmight
mightexplain
explainpitch
pitch
choices
choices
in ainspecific
a specific rated by phrasing); later in the same passage, the T0lMI trans-
context.
context. The
Thesubset
subsetofof8-23
8-23with
with thethe
greatest
greatest
suchsuch
frequency
frequency (8) (8) forms of both sets appear-in reverse order (see Ex. 8b). The
is 4-22.
4-22. Sets
Sets4-Z29
4-Z29and
and4-11
4-11are
arealso
also
frequently
frequently represented
represented as as aural relationship is particularly striking in this passage, since
subsets
subsets ofof 8-23
8-23(they
(theyoccur
occur4 4andand6 times
6 timesrespectively)
respectively) andand
are are the clearly whole-tone character of 4-24 is preserved (4-24 maps
also
also prominent
prominentininthis thispassage.
passage. Set
Set
4-2(2),
4-2(2),
however,
however, is not
is not
as as into itself under M).
frequently
frequently represented
representedasasa asubset
subsetyetyet
occurs
occursat an
at an
important
important It is also useful to examine some of the larger pc collections
melodic
melodic point
point(see
(seeabove,
above,point
point(1)).
(1)).
Furthermore,
Furthermore,
4-13(4),
4-13(4), in this piece. The third chorus can be segmented into eight me-
4-16(4),
4-16(4), and
and4-27(4)
4-27(4)are
areofofcomparable
comparablefrequency
frequency yetyet
are are
not not lodic phrases on the basis of the soloist's pauses. Five of the
profiled
profiled inin the
thehead.
head.Set
Set4-13
4-13can
can
bebe
formed
formed
as aassubset
a subset
of sev-
of sev- phrases contain one of the two Z-related sets, 6-Z3[0,1,2,3,5,6]
enth
enth and
and ninth
ninthchords
chordsoften
oftenencountered
encountered
in in
jazz,
jazz,
andand
4-274-27
is the
is the and 6-Z36[0,1,2,3,4,7]. None of the five instances of these is a
dominant
dominant seventh
seventhororhalf-diminished
half-diminishedseventh;
seventh;these
these
chords
chords
are are pitch-class duplicate of any other, a clear indication that Cole-
thus
thus more
more likely
likelytotobebeoutlined
outlinedinin
a tonally
a tonally
oriented
oriented
work.
work.
ThatThat man must be thinking intervallically as he improvises the line.
the head tune does not include such sets indicates that the sets Some of the specific transformations of this passage are out-
which are formed are part of a chosen pitch structure. This anal- lined in Example 9. The two five-note sets formed here are in-
ysis is certainly more informative than the all-too-often re- cluded in larger sets that have some prominence in this chorus.
peated account of Coleman's improvisations as non-functional The first 5-29[0,1,3,6,8], for instance, is abstractly included in
chord changes within a tonally centered framework. 6-Z47[0,1,2,4,7,9], a set which is related by the M transform to
Example 8a shows the melodic line of both first and second 6-Z36. If F, is added to the 5-29 (it occurs in the next phrase) at
choruses of "Lonely Woman" with a segmentation by tetra- the opening of the section, the 6-Z47 formed would be related
chord.13 Once more, the small number of sets helps project the by ToMI to 6-Z36 in the following phrase and by T10MI to the
taut structure of the passage. In addition, the restricted field of 6-Z36 included in the last phrase (see Ex. 9). The second penta-
pitch-class operations (To, T3, T5, ToM, T0lMI) accounts for chord, 5-24[0,1,3,5,7], is included in 6-Z26[0,1,3,5,7,8], a set
many of the phrase-to-phrase transformations which lend such formed by the six notes which precede the final cadence on A.
great aural cohesion to the work. For example, the two in- Specifically, if the G that enters as the first note of the next
phrase is added to the 5-24 shown, the resulting set contains the
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Transformation in Free Jazz 199
Example 8a. Segmentation of the melodic line of the first two choruses in "Lonely Woman." Transcription by the author.
(Parentheses indicate M-related sets)
Pt J *w;-~- 1 _ I
[-3----1 5 r-3 -
I n ] J
|
, 3j "l
--
, ]. JI
|*-'to (
4-11 4-Z29 (4-Z15) Head-- 4.Z29
4-24 4-2 (4-22)
-- i -3-I I r---- I
, J - I 1- ' - r I - ' J I!
4-12 (4-27)
4-10 I
4-27 (4-12)
4-27 (4-12)
4-13 1
V _
. . a - I, I Gi I J i -- Ii I K I
I I
4-14 (4-4)
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200 Music Theory Spectrum
IJ I x.. IA J IIJ I I
Lrt' M -N 1 J
1 14-221 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~42
4-24
T3 4-12
I II
6-Z3 formed in the chorus is related by ToM to the too, the majority
majority of
of the
the sets
sets have
have clear
clearinterrelations,
interrelations,especially
especially
6-Z25[0,1,3,5,6,8] shown in the segmentation in the last the instances
instances of
of 6-Z26
6-Z26 and
and 6-Z48[0,1,2,5,7,9].
6-Z48[0,1,2,5,7,9].The
Thethree
three
phrase-and, in fact, 6-Z25 can also be considered a superset of 6-Z48's are
are actually
actually two
two Ts-related
Ts-related sets
setsscored
scoredso
sothat
thatthere
thereisisa a
the initial five notes. In this section, then, a pattern of relation- departure
departure from
from and
and return
return to
to the
the first
firstform
formpresented
presentedininthe
themu-
mu-
ships based upon whole-tone transpositions begins to emerge. sic. The 6-Z26 is formed at the end of the chorus in the mea-
The harmonic consistency of "Lonely Woman" is just as sures preceding the final measure and, as so often happens in
noteworthy as the linear consistency detailed above. Example this piece, the same set occurs horizontally as well as vertically.
10 displays a harmonic segmentation of the latter half of the While the 6-Z26/Z48 pairs cannot map into each other under
second chorus-that is, the portion following the eight- the M operation, 6-Z26 maps under M into 6-Z4[0,1,2,4,5,6],
measure sequence which is included in all the choruses.14 Here the very first set formed in this part of the chorus. The specific
relation between the two sets here is T2M; this lends further
14Here again the segmentation generally follows the phrasing, although in
this revolutionary section, where bassist and soloist are playing in two different
emphasis to the sense that whole-tone transposition controls
tempi, the phrasing is determined by the pauses of the more prominent voice. the pitch structure. In addition, another five-note set formed
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Transformation in Free Jazz 201
Example 9. Some relationships between sets and implied sets in the third chorus of "Lonely Woman."
Transcription by the author
To M TI1MI
6-Z47
6-Z47(phrase 1) 6-Z36
(phrase 1)(phrase 2) 6-Z47 (phrase 1) 6-Z36 (phrase 6)
I 5-29 I I I I
5-24 (phrase 3) included in 6-Z26 (phrase 8) 6-Z36 (phrase 2) T10 6-Z36 (phrase 6) T0 6-Z36 (phrase 4)
ToM
P----^+
* I i l I
T2 M
6-Z3 (phrase 5) T 6-Z3 (phrase 7) (6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 0) 6, 11, 9, 2, 7, 0)
6-Z48 (0, 1, 2, 5, 7. 9)
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202 Music Theory Spectrum
much employed in analysis of earlier music, are also useful Set-theoretic methodology is applied to the music of Or
here, notably the multiplicative operation, the transformation man, John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, and Anthony Braxton i
reveal the wide variety of pitch-class transformation pre
of embedded chords, and the rescoring of "end-sets" within
jazz. Each composer's music has been classified somewhat d
larger sonorities. The consistent use of certain operations such
by other analysts-Coltrane's as modal, Coleman's as diat
as T3 and the multiplicative operation in some of these exam-
Taylor's as nontonal-yet all the improvisations examine
ples suggests that there may be empirical evidence for use in shown to be based on tightly constructed conceptions whic
jazz of some of the other pitch-class universes that have been of such twentieth-century constructs as the multiplicative
asserted, particularly by Robert Morris.15 transformation of embedded chords, and the use of a sma
The art of free jazz seems to require that the improvisers of transformational operations which control the cou
themselves steer away from arpeggiation of common chord for- composition.
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