The a Minor Concept in Hugo Wolf and Francis Poulenc'S Songs: Description and Interpretation of Tonality

Abstract

The tonal concept of the Western Classical Music appears to be as a constant change due to the era and subjectivity of the creator. Each composer has her/his own approach that creates different perception at the audience' ears. A chord constructed by thirds (and/or fourths) intervals respectively naming the structure as "triad" is the cell of the tonal concept. Composers creating their works of interpreting subjective art with tonal techniques used this primitive symptom aiming to reach the goal of personal singularity. In this context, a minor is taken as a single cellular organism that behaves variably in different environments. In this essay, there will be detailed analysis using tools of a comparative method applied to songs by Hugo Wolf's Das verlassene Milgdlein and Francis Poulenc's Ce Doux Petit Visage who used same tonal concepts with different meanings. A question "why does an a minor bear different meanings in these pieces?" is asked. The answer is searched in Riemannian approach and its aural appreciation.