MoMC: Balance II

[WattsUrizen]

Again I'll be talking about the concept of balance, and how we can achieve it. This time I'll talk about another contributing factor to balance, and it shall be one which is less abstract and more tangible and easy to understand.

 

Symmetry of Structure:

 

Of course we all know what symmetry is. The correspondence of a geometry around a line/circle/etc. But how is it related to music? One answer is quite obvious. Symmetry exists in musical structures.

 

These structures need not be large passages. Symmetry can exist in the smallest of fragments. For instance, a theme could be followed by its strict inversion. In Classical ternary form we have a very large symmetrical structure, ABA. So symmetry exists in all manner of structures.

 

But how important is symmetry of structure to the overall balance of a composition? In the Classical/Baroque era, symmetry was absolutely paramount. It can be seen in the reflective symmetry in the form. Count up bars, you'll see what I mean. These days, not so greatly. But it is still important. But why?

 

Symmetry creates stability. Physically speaking, things which are weighted to one side fall over and break apart. The same occurs in music. If one section of the form is too heavy, the other side can not compensate, and so the equilibrium balance is disturbed. What we end up with is a piece that feels incomplete.

 

Now of course, I'm not taking into account all the other elements of symmetry that occur in music, such as harmony, rhythm, melody, etc. But structure is the best place to start, as it offers an easy overview of symmetry's role in musical composition. In the next few posts I'll look at the other aspects, and this will explain why structural symmetry is not so important in modern idioms (as you can guess, it's because other symmetry exists to replace it).