Axis System

In music the axis system, proposed by Ernő Lendvai (1971, p.1-16) in his
analysis of the use of tonality in the music of Béla Bartók, is an assignment
of harmonic function to all twelve pitch classes in relation to an assigned
tonic, determined by that pitch class's interval from the tonic. The three
functions used are tonic, subdominant, and dominant, and each contains
four notes (forming three diminished seventh chords). Each group is then
divided into principal and secondary groups a tritone apart. Thus there are
six pairs of notes in three categories.

It is essential that the particular axes should not be considered as chords

of the diminished seventh, but as the functional relationships of four
different tonalities, which may best be compared to the major-minor
relations of classical music (e.g. C major and A minor, E♭ major and C
minor).
(Lendvai 1979, p.3)

If the tonic is C, then the functions are as follows:

Tonic Subdominant Dominant
Primary Secondary Primary Secondary Primary Secondary
C, A F♯, D♯ F, D B, G♯ G, E C♯, A♯

Functions are assigned based on position within the circle of fifths, starting
with F as subdominant: F (s), C (t), G (d), D (s), etc.

The system is critiqued by Paul Wilson (1992, p.203-208).

Contents

* 1 Harmonic properties
* 2 Components
* 3 Composition and analysis with the axis system
* 4 The axis system and jazz
* 5 See also
* 6 Source

Harmonic properties

The axis system shares the "essential properties of classical harmony", i.e.

* the functional affinities of the fourth and fifth degrees

* the relationship of relative major and minor keys
* the overtone relations
* the role of leading notes
* the opposite tension of the dominant and the subdominant
* the duality of tonal and distance principles
 (Lendvai 1979, p.1)

Components

The axis system consists of the tonic, dominant, and subdominant axes,
each of which consist of a principal and secondary branch, each of which
consist of a pole and counterpole (Lendvai 1979, p.5).

If the pole of the principal branch is C then its counterpole is F♯, together
they comprise the principal branch while the secondary branch of the same
axis consists of the pole A and the counterpole E♭. The system is
completed by the subdominant and dominant axes, F-D-B-A♭ and G-E-
C♯-A♯ (ibid, p.3). The relation between counterpoles is much more
sensitive than the relation between the other poles of an axis, so much so
that "a pole is always interchangeable with its counterpole without any
change in its function." (ibid, p.4)

"Thus each axis has a two-fold affinity depending on whether we oppose

the pole with the counterpole, or the principal branch with the secondary
branch." (ibid, p.5) The form of the first movement of Music for Strings,
Percussion and Celesta illustrates this, where the opening is based upon the
pole of the principal branch of the tonic axis (A, A-C-E♭-F♯), the middle
contrasts the opening and the end of the first movement by being based on
E♭. In the second movement the beginning and ending based on C are
contrasted with the middle based on its pole F♯. The two movements
themselves are contrasted through the first being based on the principal
branch (A-E♭) and the second on the secondary (C-F♯).
Movement Section
Beginning Middle End
I A E♭ A
II C F♯ C
III F♯ C F♯
IV A E♭ A

(ibid, p.5)

It is interesting to note that the pattern Tonic-Dominant-Subdominant (T-

D-S) repeats itself around the circle of fifths (ibid, p.2):

C G D A E B F♯ D♭ A♭ E♭ B♭ F
TDSTDST D ST D S

Composition and analysis with the axis system

It may be noted that each of the above notes forms a descending
diminished chord. In the case of I or C, C-A-F♯-D♯, or an E♭ fully
diminished chord. This connects the axis system not only with diminished
chords, which often form the basis for the movement in a piece based on
the axis system, but also links the axis system with the diminished scales
formed on ♭III of each of the principal tones: root, subdominant, and
dominant.

The axis system is probably used more in analysis, and less in

composition[citation needed]. Uses of the system have a characteristic
sound, but that sound is similar to that which can be found in uses of
tritone Dominant Substitutions, and Deceptive Cadences using the ♭VII
dominant chord. Older systems of harmonic theory segue very easily into
the axis system. It might be noted that many composers, like Bartók, are
extremely "mathematical" while many are not.

The axis system and jazz

Brazilian music, especially the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, uses

harmonies that are easily analyzed by the axis system and not easily
analyzed in other ways. A great example is the bridge of The Girl from
Ipanema, which uses a series of ♭III dominant and ♭VII dominant chords
that looks like a real mess according to normal jazz analysis[citation
needed].

See also

* Acoustic scale

Source

* Wilson, Paul (1992). The Music of Béla Bartók. ISBN 0-300-05111-5.

* Lendvai, Ernő [1971] (1979). Béla Bartók: An Analysis of his Music,
introd. by Alan Bush, London: Kahn & Averill. ISBN 0900707046. OCLC
240301.
 Axis System

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