The perception of closure in chord progressions

1. Introduction

1.1 Aim

1.2 Music theoretical background

1.2.1 Chord Progressions

1.2.2 Cadences

1.2.3 Music theoretical developments in history

1.2.3.1 Medieval Ages (500-1400)

1.2.3.2 Renaissance Period (1400-1600)

1.2.3.3 Baroque Period (1600-1750)

1.2.3.4 Classical Period (1730-1820)

1.2.3.5 Romantic Period

1.2.3.6 20th Century Music

1.2.4 The circle of fifths

1.2.5 OCTs

1.3 Literature Overview

1.3.1 Riemann and Hauptmann

1.3.2 Schmuckler and Piston

1.3.3 Bharucha and Krumhansl

1.3.4 Rosner and Narmour

1.3.5 Eberlein and Fricke

1.3.6 Huron

1.3.7 Parncutt

2. Experiments

2.1 Introduction to two experiments

2.2 Palestrina’s analysis

2.2.1 Palestrina

2.2.2 Palestrina background

2.2.3 Palestrina Style

2.2.4 Analysis of Palestrina’s 1st Motet in “Canticum Canticorum”

2.3 Listening experiment: Closure in two–chord progressions

2.3.1 Introduction

2.3.2 Method

2.3.3 Apparatus

2.3.4 Design

2.3.5 Procedure

2.3.6 Results

2.3.7 Conclusion of the experimental data

2.3.8 Theoretical Predictions

3. Conclusion

4. Discussion, Limitations and Relevance

4.1 Discussion

4.2 Limitations and Relevance

5. References

6. Appendix

6.1: Results for the chord progressions “minor-minor”

6.2: Results for the chord progressions „major-minor“

6.3 Results for the chord progressions “major-major”

5.4: Results for the chord progressions „minor-major“

7. Questionnaire

8.: Motet „Canticum Canticorum“, written by Palestrina

Research Objectives and Themes

The primary objective of this thesis is to investigate the perception of harmonic closure in chord progressions, specifically examining why falling fifths are frequently perceived as producing a stronger sense of finality than falling fourths. The research aims to identify if this preference is rooted in musical theory, familiarity, or cognitive factors, and to test these hypotheses through both a musicological analysis of historical compositions and a controlled listening experiment using synthetically generated chord pairs.

• Psychological perception of closure in cadential chord progressions.
• Theoretical evaluation of the "falling fifths" preference in Western tonal music.
• Comparative analysis of historical musical structures (Palestrina) vs. modern perception.
• Cognitive testing using computer-generated octave-complex tones (OCTs) to control for timbre and context.
• Investigation of the relationship between chord intervals, circle of fifths, and common tones.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. Introduction: Presents the aim of the research regarding closure in chord progressions and outlines the foundational music theory and literature context.

2. Experiments: Details the analysis of Palestrina’s motets and the design, procedure, and results of the listening experiment comparing closure across major/minor chord combinations.

3. Conclusion: Synthesizes the experimental findings, confirming the preference for falling fifths in specific chord combinations and discussing the role of familiarity.

4. Discussion, Limitations and Relevance: Critically reviews the methodology used, addresses the limitations of the current study, and suggests directions for future research including non-musicians and diverse cultural groups.

5. References: Provides the comprehensive list of academic sources and literature cited throughout the master's thesis.

6. Appendix: Contains the statistical results for the chord progression tests and the materials used for the questionnaire and listening trials.

Keywords

Chord progressions, Closure, Falling fifths, Music perception, Cadences, Western tonal music, Psychoacoustics, Octave-complex tones, Palestrina, Harmonic stability, Circle of fifths, Common tones, Cognitive expectation, Music theory, Empirical analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core subject of this research?

The research investigates the psychological perception of closure in cadential chord progressions, focusing specifically on the phenomenon where falling intervals (particularly fifths) are perceived as more final than other intervals.

Which musical themes are central to this study?

The central themes include harmonic stability, the role of falling and rising intervals in creating "closure," the influence of musical familiarity, and the theoretical frameworks of the cycle of fifths and common tones.

What is the primary research question?

The study seeks to determine which chord progressions produce the strongest feelings of closure and whether this effect depends on the direction of the interval between chord roots or other theoretical factors.

What scientific methods were employed?

The methodology combines a musicological analysis of historical scores (Palestrina) with an empirical listening experiment, where 70 participants rated the perceived closure of synthetically generated chord pairs using octave-complex tones to isolate harmonic factors.

What does the main body of the work cover?

It covers music theory, a literature overview of previous research on harmonic expectation, the methodology of the experiments, detailed results from the statistical analysis of closure ratings, and theoretical predictions based on common tones and the cycle of fifths.

Which keywords best characterize this study?

Key terms include Chord progressions, Closure, Falling fifths, Music perception, Harmonic stability, and Psychoacoustics.

Why were Octave-Complex Tones (OCTs) used in the experiment?

OCTs were used to ensure that listeners could not identify the specific pitch register of the chords, allowing the researcher to isolate the effect of the harmonic progression itself without bias from timbre or specific voicing.

How did Palestrina's music contribute to the findings?

Palestrina's motets were analyzed to see if his historical compositions exhibited the same tendency towards falling intervals as later common-practice music, providing a historical perspective on the theoretical research.