Tonal Hierarchy

In contrast to Western art music, the dissonance-like sonorities in Schwebungsdiaphonie-cultures are at the core of the tonal structures. These cultures, although not abundant, are found in different locations all over the world (Cazden, Brandl, Messner, etc.). Sutartinės are a Lithuanian type of Schwebungsdiaphonie (Račiūnaitė-Vyčinienė, Ambrazevičius & Wiśniewska, etc.). On the one hand, the studies on psychoacoustic roughness and sensory dissonance are really big in number. The notions of roughness and sensory dissonance are usually considered as synonyms. On the other hand, it was proposed that ideal sounding of Schwebungsdiaphonie conforms to a maximum dissonance / roughness (Brandl, the diaphony in the Balkans and elsewhere; Ambrazevičius, the Lithuanian Sutartinės). In the present study, we analyze the occurrences of the notions of roughness and sensory dissonance in the psychoacoustic studies and define the case of Sutartinės in this context. The review of the experimental findings on the intervals corresponding to the maximum values of roughness / sensory dissonance reveals certain discrepancies between the concepts of roughness and sensory dissonance. It seems that, at least for a substantial frequency range, roughness is associated with larger interval sizes (Plomp & Levelt, Kameoka & Kuriyagawa, Terhardt, Zwicker & Fastl, Hutchinson & Knopoff, Vassilakis, etc.). Collation of these results and the findings of acoustical measurements of Sutartinė performances leads to the conclusion that the ideal vocal " clash " in Sutartinės most probably corresponds to psychoacoustic roughness, but not to sensory dissonance.

Background in ethnomusicology. The term Schwebungsdiaphonie ('beat diaphony') refers to two-part musical (usually vocal) styles with a lot of dissonant (beating) intervals such as seconds. In contrast to Western tonal music, the dissonant sonorities in Schwebungsdiaphonie lie at the core of their tonal structures. These musical cultures, although not abundant, are found in different locations all over the world (Cazden, 1945; Brandl, 1989; Messner, 1989; etc.). Sutartinės are a Lithuanian type of Schwebungsdiaphonie (Račiūnaitė-Vyčinienė, 2002; Ambrazevičius & Wiśniewska, 2009). Background in psychoacoustics. Roughness is considered either synonymous with sensory dissonance or its main component. It is caused by fast beating (amplitude modulations). Schwebungsdiaphonie singers adjust interval sizes to maximize sensory dissonance (Brandl, 1989; referring to the diaphony in the Balkans and elsewhere; Ambrazevičius, 2008a, referring to Lithuanian Sutartinės). Aims. We aim to differentiate between roughness and sensory dissonance (as defined in psychoacoustic studies) and consider the case of Sutartinės in this context. A supplementary purpose is to discuss the phenomena of tonality perception in Sutartinės. Main contribution. The psychoacoustic studies were overviewed and discrepancies between the concepts of roughness and sensory dissonance were noted. The experimental findings on the intervals corresponding to the maximum values of roughness / sensory dissonance were collated and significant disparities were found. It seems that, at least for a substantial frequency range, maximum roughness is associated with larger interval sizes than maximum sensory dissonance. Comparing these results with the findings of acoustical measurements of Sutartinė performances suggests that the ideal vocal " clash " in Sutartinės involves maximum roughness, but not maximum sensory dissonance. The tonal hierarchies in Sutartinės diverge substantially from Krumhansl's tonal hierarchy profiles, anchoring on a central nucleus and dissipating towards more peripheral pitches. Nevertheless, some associations with the tension-relaxation patterns characteristic of Western tonal music are apparent. Implications. Studies on sensory dissonance and roughness should define these notions more specifically and differentiate them. Findings may contribute to ethnomusicological courses on Sutartinės (and probably Schwebungsdiaphonie, in general).