Answer

Tension and Repose Analysis in Music

            Tension refers to the anticipation generates by music within the mind of the listeners to bring about release or relaxation. There are several ways in which tension can be produced in music such as through reiteration, gradual change of the pitch from lower to higher or vice versa, and the increase in a dynamic level. Funes provides an indication of the fact that sound waves can influence the human nervous system and the eardrum.[1] However when experienced in extreme levels, tension is felt by the listener, mainly as a result of the loud and soft pairs of extreme intensity of the audible sound. This essay focuses on exploring the question of what generate tension and repose by focuses on the work of Donald Funes.

The Roles of Conditioning and Attitude

            In music, tension and repose can be generated on two levels. The first one, also considered as the simplest includes the impact of sound wave on the nervous systems and on the eardrum. At this point, the music listeners share the same form of cultural conditioning. However, an extreme sound is known to increase the amount of tension experienced by an individual while its moderation results to the decrease in the tension.[2] The amplification intensity or the silencing of a sound that can be barely heard is effective in determining if the listener will experience tension while listening to music.

            The second level where tension and repose can be experienced is on a personal and complex level which is expressed through the use of an equation.

Music x (perception + attitude) = tension – repose response[3]

In this case, the more involved one’s attitude is the sharper how one perceives it and the larger the generated musical product.

The Sources of Tension and Repose

            A single sound is considered as the primary source of tension and repose.[4] The quality of sound from a source may be considered as a musical part which stands out from the others or blends into an ensemble. Sound quality alone is effective in making a section of music to stand out from the others or to ensure that it blends well in an ensemble. Sound quality alone is effective in conveying tension or repose and also offering a guide to the musical idea. Arguably, sound quality alone can give rise to tension or repose by offering an extra-musical meaning and drama to a musical idea. Composers have utilized sound quality to aid in the differentiation and delineation of musical ideas. This makes it easier to enhance expression associated with the musical idea.

            Tension and repose provides an insight into the musical intensity build-up which later dissolves and relaxes.[5] The moment of unrest in the music creates an expectation for resolution alongside the anticipation for the created drama by the musical waves to resolve. Arguably, it is evident that tension and repose are the primary factors that prompt music to continue moving forward. Musical tension refers to the form of instability, unrest, excitement, impression and anticipation that more of the melody heard is yet to come as well as the curiosity of what will transpire next. Evidently, when the music goes loud or soft, the listener will be curious to know why. Additionally, a quick change in rhythm or the abrupt completion of a music section creates tension and leaves the listeners in a position where they want to understand the next occurrence.[6] 

            Different activities can be considered to provide an explanation of the fact that a single sound can act as the source of tension and repose. For instance, striking a guitar aids in the production of sound which can create tension at the start as the sound waves are generated to attract the listeners’ attention, thus exposing him/her to an environment where they wonder what will happen next. [7]Composers rely on the use of music element as the resources for tension and repose. Tension and repose is built through dynamics, rhythm, harmony, timbre as well as through a single song or musical piece.[8] Through the exploration of these aspects, it is evident that change is experienced with an abrupt or gradual change being experienced in each music element to ensure transformation.

            Harmony can be used to produce tension and repose. Harmonic tension arises as a result of the chords and their progression. Dissonant chords can result to the harmonic tension which is further resolved through the use of a stable chord. Different examples can be considered in this case. Looking at the example of Chopin’s Nocturne available in C sharp minor, a thick-sound chord is heard which produces tension and is further released to the next chord.

The tension and repose in the outlined example provides a depiction that the composer included it chord with an intension of creating the tension. Evidently, the composer could have still relied in the use of a less dissonant and less tense chord to avoid the creation of the tension as shown in the image below.

            With the reduced tension, the emotional impact related with the musical piece is also reduced. Harmony also creates tension through key changes. Moving from one key tone to the other such as when playing a piano is effective in naturally evoking some unrest based on the fact that the listeners anticipate a return to the original tone.

            Tension and release can also be created through dynamics. For instance, the crescendo is regarded as one of the effective means which can be implemented to create tension. Notably, a rise in volume also suggests a rise in intensity. Ravel’s Bolero is one of the most famous forms of crescendo. The piece begins softly before becoming louder towards the end. This result in the creation of a wave that widens at the end to suggest the created tension related with the rise in the sound. Funes argues that the pace which is used in a musical piece will significantly determine if tension or repose is created. As music flows, pace is normal set to a normal value which is further related with how music flows. “Pace can be defined as the rate of activity for any musical element perceived in the relation of the norm.”[9] Pace will directly change the sound which is associated with the musical notes as well as the implemented sound spaces in a piece to generate a rhythm. In the events when the pace rate in a music is increased, the volume elevated, tension is created which suggests that a repose should also be developed to facilitate harmony development.

            The illustrations in the discussion provides a depiction that the sourses of tension experienced in music are normally unexpected and ambigous.[10] On the contrary, appearance and the clarity of the unexpected are considered as the sources of repose. The moment is made ambigous and unexpected based on the people’s conditioning. Once the listeners have enough experience with the music being played, knowing it possibilities and probabilities become simpler. Moreover, ot becomes simpler to recognize any form of surprise which comes along with the changes in how the music is played.[11]

            Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, first movement (excerpt) is one of the musical pieces which can be utilised to provide an illustration of how tenstion us created in a music with unexpected length. In Brandenburg Concerto musical piece it is clear that the excerpt opens with a two phrases of the same length and hence ensures a balance. Each of the phrases last for a six-three pulse basic-meter groups.[12] The tension is experienced as the phrase pair is preeceded by a long and unbroken phrase introduced unexpectedly. Evidently, the phrase lasts for ten three-pulse groups which has aided in the creation of tension heard by the listeners. The first experienced phrases with equal length offers a balance as they offer some form of stabilization as they generate a repose effect which is common after the provision of a contrast. [13] Since music unfolds within a range of time, it is a fact that the listeners can never experience the piece of music within its entirety. Instead, the listeners will experience it successively as presented over a moment of time. With this factor in mind, it is evident that tension is not simply a dramatic instance but one which can also be presented in some way all the time. Having in mind that music unfolds with a time change, the listeners can never experience a piece of music within its entirety but over moments successions. With this factor it is evident that an impression or a memory of what has been heard before is set forth with an awareness of what is currently transpiring being created. Moreover, the listeners anticipate for what will be heard next. When one moment in the music is played, the old expectations of the listeners are fulfilled and new ones created. In this sense, tension is what keeps the listeners engaged as it makes the music interesting by producing and resolving new expectations and resolving the already existing ones.

            Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Variations on “Ah, vous diraj-je, Maman” is also a classical piece which can be used to demonstrate the case of tension and repose in music. This is a classical piece similar to the common tune “twinkle, twinkle, little star.” A two-part phrase is formed by the pitch provided by the four words is heard at the beginning of the mozart. This creates tension in that it directs the listeners mind to create expectations that the second part of the melody will also be of a similar length as that of the first one heard. Moreover, an expectation is also created that the rising pitches which are experienced in the first part will be counteracted by descending pitches in the next segment as it unveils. Listening to the mozart as it unveils, it is evident that the considerations are achieved with the listeners’ expectations being met as a minor tension-repose is completed. [14]

            Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart String Quintet K.515, second Movement excerpt is also effective in the illustration of a tension-repose musical scenario. Funes provides a depiction that this piece is based on a highly refined games of expectations.[15] Looking at the structural expectations associated with the String Quintet mozart, it is evident that tension is created by the use of the same same phrase derived from the first one. As a result, all the a’s common in the musical piece has a new variant depicted with a numeral as shown below.

            A stabilizing facror is experience through this technique as soon as tension is created by the opening phrase. With this form of stabilization, it is evident that a repose is experienced except for the a-a¹ repetition event noted a the start. The unpredicatable changes experienced give rise to stability by making each phrase different from the others in a significant manner. [16]

            Repetition also acts as a source of tension and repose in music. Funes argues that the use of repetition offers a sense of stability and hence creates an instance of a relative repose.[17] It is also clear that repetition can result to the creation of tension by making it unbearable for the listener to pay attention to the same words in a musical piece.[18] This situation is mainly true as evident in the case of Indian Raga music. Notably, in this form of music, constant repetition of the tonic presented by the drone of the tamboura is constantly heard in extended period of time such as a period of1 hour or more.[19] This gives rise to several effects such as providing the listener with a sense of discomfort or providing a feel of repose for a listener who finds the music to be interesting and relaxing.[20]

            Terry Riley’s In C is one of the examples which can be considered to provide a discussion of how tension and repose can be created in a music piece through the use of sound repetition. Insistent repetition has constantly been a commonality in Indian Raga. In this excerpt (In C) constant repetition can be heard for a period of at least 40 minutes and a maximum of 90 minutes based on the performance. The repetition involved is more ambiguous in this piece which creates tension among the listeners unlike in the case of Silver Train by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards whereby a sense of repose can be experienced. [21] Evidently, in Silver Train a tonic sound can be heard at the beginning of the piece. This is constantly repeated severally to build up on the tension. For approximately a minute, no change is experienced. However, when a dominant chord arrives, the listeners are relieved from the tension generated by the insistent tonic and hence building another form of tension which does does not end until when the original ostinate returns as the excerpt ends.

            The sources of the tension and repose are interrelated in that they are stem back to the fact that the rhythm produced by a single source of sound will always result to the generation of tension and repose. Arguably, tension or repose is perceived by a listener who hears a quality music composition which makes it easier to delineate and differentiate musical ideas as well as a tonal balance, effective in determining if the music perceived is creating tension of establish a balance to an already existing tension through repose. Sound creates the rhythm which is further effective in the control of the tension and repose. This can be experienced in the case of patterns in the durations, pace, tempo, and instances of silence heard in a musical piece. Evidently, all the aspects which result to the creation of the tension and repose experienced are directly interrelated as they aid in the creation of a single quality sound or music which further determines if tension exists or repose can be experienced by the listener. There are instances whereby the listener may experience pleasant and calming melody. However, there are also events when the song being heard may be unbearable as a result of aspects such as constant repetition, quick tempo or loud. Despite this, it is evident that the element which constitutes to the tension and the repose are directly associated with the creation of rhythm which further controls the music and how it is perceived by the listener.

[1] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 203

[2] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 204

[3] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 205

[4] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 205

[5] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 203

[6] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed. P.77

[7] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 204

[8]Donald,  Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed. p. 77

[9] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed. Pg. 67

[10] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 206

[11] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 206

[12] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 206

[13] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 206

[14] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 207

[15] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 208

[16] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 208

[17] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 209

[18] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 209

[19] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 209

[20] Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 209

[21]Donald, Funes (1992). Musical Involvement: A Guide to Perceptive Listening, 2nd ed, p. 211