Jean Baptiste Lully: An Architect of tonality?
Abstract
This paper examines the assertion, currently supported by some French musicologists, that Lully would have provided the foundations for the concept of tonality through his ouvre. In order to do so. a limited amount of cases taken from the grand motel and the tragédie lyrique -genres that are present in the last period of the author' s output and which he contributed to create- are analyzed. Even though a definition of tonality cannot be assumed lo have general validity, certain notions such as tonal centre, tonal process and modulation are implicit, and so is the relationship between musical structure and harmonic direction of a certain type. The examination of a number of solo arias from the operas reveals the presence of tonal unity in different formal outlines: this can be seen within a system that recognizes minor and major modes. Macrostructural analysis, the succession of acts and scenes, reveals that the choice of key is related to the character of the modes and the affective existence of the text and play situation. However, in the tragédie lyrique Atys there seems to be no meaningful relationship between the macrostructure and tonal system. The analysis of two motets shows that once constrained within the circle of fifths. Lully's music presents a "tonal" behavior, but such behavior is far from being consistent. Moreover, the succession of chords does not reveal the application of hierarchical principles nor a coherent treatment of harmonic rhythm can be detected.
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