Tension and Repose

Introduction

Tension in music is the expectation of relaxation or release that a piece evokes in the listener. Tension can be created, for instance, by repetition, a rise in dynamic level, a slow pitch change, or (partial) syncopations between consonance and dissonance[1]. A repose is a deliberate transition between a passing musical tone and the one that stays. A conscious transition between a passing musical tone and the one that remains is what we might refer to as repose. Moreover, the sound starts to lose significance when we cease employing a motionless background. Since pace in music relates to the speed at which the action is happening, a rise in loudness or pulse also causes an increase in tension. Still, the sluggish tempo and low tones let one reach a state of relaxation. Tension may be increased in music by using uneven time intervals.

One of the most amazing things made by humans is music. The art form of music is characterized by blending instrumental and vocal sounds to convey emotion, usually grounded in cultural norms of melody, rhythm, and harmony. Particularly in contemporary culture, the nature and function of music have undergone tremendous change. It is worth noting that music has historically been used to counteract drama and ceremony and has been said to have the power to both mimic and affect human emotions.[2]. The art of music has influenced every civilization. The advent of numerous musical genres has resulted in an amazing diversity of styles, most of which are modern, but some have incorporated historical compositional methods.[3].

 Production of Tension and Repose in Music

Repetition is a key rhythm component that helps create tension and rest. Through a recurring rhythmic pattern known as ostinato, repetition usually creates a sense of anticipation and releases tension. Tension can be created, for instance, by repetition, a rise in dynamic level, a slow pitch change, or (partial) syncopations between consonance and dissonance.[4]. Perceived emotional intensity and tension in music have been investigated in perceptual experiments. The term “tension and release” describes the musical intensity that builds up, gradually fades, and becomes more relaxed. A moment of unease in the music builds anticipation for the drama’s resolution and for the listener to expect it[5]. The song progresses with tension and relaxation. All of the musical aspects are used by composers as tools for building and releasing tension. Harmony, dynamics, timbre, rhythm, melody, and even a piece’s or song’s structure can all be used to create tension and release.

Observe that there is a change every time we go through these instances. Either way, one or more song elements must change gradually or suddenly. Using chords or notes that conflict or produce discord with the key or tonal centre of the composition results in harmonic tension. Harmonic tension can be produced, for instance, by using tritone intervals, reduced chords, augmented chords, or chromatic note melody that enters repose as it reaches a single, more relaxed low point.[6]. People’s emotional responses to music vary depending on the distinct moments of tension and relaxation that it contains.

Dynamics, melody, rhythm, harmony, and other elements are some of the origins of tension and relaxation. Depending on the genre, there are typically several sorts of alterations felt in the music through tension and relaxation. Since pace in music relates to the speed at which the action is happening, a rise in loudness or pulse also causes an increase in tension. Still, the sluggish tempo and low tones let one reach a state of relaxation.[7]. Tension may be increased in music by using uneven time intervals. “Birdland” from Weather Report is among his greatest instances of tension and release. Right before the chorus, the opening 26 bars of the verse have a prolonged pedal point with a few brief variations until it releases with harmonic movement (“Rhythm changes”_). Following the chorus, Zawinul is riffing on the synth bass at a 26-bar G pedal point in the C section, heightening the suspense. Then, when Shorter unleashes his soprano, the chromatic falling bass line releases tension. (The tune is especially fascinating in that Jaco switches from the bass register to the treble register using harmonics while Zawinul performs parts of the bass lines on synth.) Replay the introduction, let the verse develop suspense, let the chorus release more tension and then fade. Music is renowned worldwide for its capacity to evoke strong emotions, memories, and sentiments. One gets these wonderful vibes whether they listen to pop, rock, jazz, country, classical, or hip-hop music.

Funes (1992) asserts that influences, sex, mood, and past and present experiences all impact a person’s choice of music.[8]. Additionally, he claims that since music’s relaxation and tension elements regulate how sensations, memories, or emotions are triggered, this effect is shared by all genres of music.[9]. On the other hand, he defines repose as a slow or abrupt change or a condition towards the known and tension as a gradual or abrupt movement toward the unknown.

Several musical components are important in generating tension and relaxation. The beat is the first component[10]. According to Funes, rhythm is traditionally defined as anything that considers how musical elements are arranged in time. The four components of rhythm are speed, patterns, tempo, and meter. When certain elements of a piece of music maintain unity while the other elements significantly alter, a rhythmic pattern of rest is created[11].

Additional excellent instances of tension and release include this, which applies to any shout chorus with a big band. Once more, Jaco Pastorius’s “Liberty City” builds tension and lets it out with a yell chorus and a pedal point. Rock songs “The Royal Scam” by Steely Dan and “I Cannot Go for That” by Hall and Oates both build and relieve tension.

Fumes et al. discuss how music’s tension and rest function on two separate levels, each of which has a unique effect on listeners, in Chapter 10. The first layer deals with the basic physiological effects of sound waves on humans’ nervous and auditory systems. At this fundamental level, people from comparable cultural origins tend to perceive tension and relaxation in music similarly.[12]. The main reason for this consistency is that dramatic variations naturally influence the listener’s tension in musical characteristics, such as pitch (high to low), rhythm (rapid to slow), intensity (loud to gentle), and structural complexity (complicated to simple). On the other hand, a balance or decrease of these extremes usually produces a feeling of rest, and changes in these parameters that occur at transitional points, such as going from a loud to a soft passage, also help to create tension or relaxation.[13]. Although individual reactions may differ, these musical extremes often have a more homogeneous than diverging effect on listeners with a shared cultural background.

The second level of comprehending tension and release in music is a more complex and unique domain that is defined by the listener’s subjective experience and their mental and emotional interaction with the music[14]. The equation “music x (perception + attitude) = tension-repose response” encapsulates this dimension. Funes et al.’s equation suggests that the listener becomes a key factor and that the degree of their emotional and cognitive immersion in the music (which reflects their attitude), along with the sharpness of their sensory perception, influences how they experience tension and relaxation within the musical work.[15].

This feeling of rest is also influenced by the resolution of harmonic tension (such as the transition from a dominant chord back to a tonic chord) and the return to straightforward, regular rhythms. Dynamics also play here, with softer levels frequently denoting a return to stability and serenity. Due to Billie Holiday’s distinctive vocal technique, the emotional depth she adds to the lyrics, and the jazz-influenced musical arrangement, her 1941 performance of “Georgia on My Mind” adds to the conversation about tension and repose in music. Various textures and sounds may be produced by varying the instruments and their arrangement.

Composers use the relationship between tension and repose to their advantage to take listeners on an emotional journey that starts with emotions of unease and conflict and ends with stability and serenity. In “Georgia on My Mind,” every instrument adds to the feeling of introspection and longing. In addition to providing Billie Holiday’s vocal melody with a soft accompaniment and a sense of calm, the piano also acts as a harmonic and rhythmic underpinning. Holiday’s passionate rendition intensifies the sensation of yearning (tension) in the lyrics, and the brass instruments’ introduction of periods of great emotional intensity adds to the song’s tension.[16]. The conversation about musical compositions like “John Henry” and “Bye Bye Blackbird” highlights the dynamic interaction between these components and psychological characteristics. These songs demonstrate how performers and songwriters can employ tension and relaxation to craft emotionally engaging storylines.

Accelerando

“Accelerando,” as it is called in music, is another method by which rhythm may create tension by accelerating. An accelerando usually denotes a surge in intensity, much like the crescendo. This example from Grieg’s well-known In the Hall of the Mountain King illustrates that the crescendo and accelerando sometimes occur simultaneously. “Accelerando,” as it is called in music, is another method by which rhythm may create tension by accelerating. An accelerando usually denotes a surge in intensity, much like the crescendo. This example from Grieg’s well-known In the Hall of the Mountain King illustrates that the crescendo and accelerando sometimes occur simultaneously. The phrase “acceleration” refers to the progressive increase in pace (or tempo) that should be employed when playing a piece of music. This method has the opposite impact of rallentando since it may increase tension or a sense of urgency in a piece of music.

Background and foreground

Foreground sound is often louder and more intrusive, consisting of identifiable events that are changing and situated in certain frequencies. In contrast, background sound, known as ambient sound, tends to be quieter, easier to ignore, more continuous, less variable, and broader in the spectrum. For instance, the fundamental structure is the most basic structural level of all tonal music; it represents the essential detour from and return to the tonic that drives musical form, whereas details like melodic notes reside at the lowest structural levels, the foreground.[17]. In the second movement, the wind instruments are removed, and the violins and oboes play the entire piece in semiquavers (a sort of perpetuum mobile), periodically breaking the pattern with trills as the foreground. In this sluggish movement, the violas continuously duplicate the bass component at an octave above.

Cadence, Rondo, Sonata Form

According to Western musical theory, a cadence is the conclusion of a phrase in which the melody or harmony, particularly in music from the 16th century onward, provides a feeling of full or partial resolution. A word, segment, or musical composition is concluded with a harmonic cadence, a succession of two or more chords. The sonata rondo’s first ABA (ABACABA) serves as the recapitulation, with the B section now transposed to the tonic key. The first ABA is the equivalent of a full sonata exposition (without the repetition, concluding in the tonic). The body of an x section in a traditional rondo ends with a cadence in the primary key, but a transition that modulates backwards to set up the return of A follows this cadence. The main area where the baroque rondeau and this differ is in this regard.

Motive and tonality

A motive is a leading phrase or figure that appears repeatedly and varies throughout a piece or movement in music. The term “motive” often describes pitch content, but it may also apply to other types of motivations, such as contour or rhythm. The smallest musical piece that a segmentation analysis could find. Sentences are unnecessary for ideas to conclude; they might join to create sub-phrases or phrases. The placement of a musical piece’s pitches and chords in a hierarchy of perceived relationships, stabilities, attractions, and directionality is known as tonality.[18]. The tonic is the one pitch or triad in this hierarchy with the highest stability. One of the most abstract compositional and notational models that John Cage created between 1958 and 1961 is represented by Variations II[19]. The fundamental working principle is extremely straightforward: it measures a musical parameter by interpreting the distance between a point and a line. Even though it is one of Ellington’s most beautiful songs, it is challenging, especially for the singer. A typical ii7-V7-I progression opens it. However, the pickup note and its harmony are one-half step higher. The song’s oscillation between C major and F minor, which wonderfully captures its subject of desire and refinement, creates a bittersweet tension.[20].

Conditioning in music

Classical conditioning

Commercials usually include background elements like funny quotes, eye-catching colours, relaxing music, and information relevant to the product. Typically, an information processing paradigm would be used to analyze how product information in a commercial affects attitudes and beliefs. Here, the possible influence of background elements on attitudes toward the product might be explained using a classical conditioning paradigm.[21]. According to the findings of an experiment utilizing a classical conditioning technique, exposure to a product may directly influence a person’s taste for that product by playing music they like or dislike.[22] A second experiment distinguished between communication scenarios where an explanation of product choice may be best served by an information processing technique or a classical conditioning method.

Operant conditioning

The most crucial aspect of operant conditioning is the reaction that comes after[23]. In other words, the next stimuli. As a result, there is a stimulus that triggers a response, which is then followed by another stimulus. Using operant conditioning to increase gross motor activity and then gradually modify responses until more complex behaviour patterns are created is one method these kids might be trained to respond to music and benefit therapeutically from it.[24]. In addition, one may be motivated to continue with a particular music technique or style, thus allowing them to remain more motivated.

Cultural conditioning

Pitch, sequencing, scale, and harmonic colour can all have culturally distinct meanings due to constant passive exposure to musical traditions. A listener who was reared in the West is familiar with major and minor scales, as well as the many meanings associated with them. The particular cultural setting in which the music is produced impacts it. Folk songs, for instance, are often connected to a specific area or community, and the words, tunes, and musical instruments employed in these songs reflect that community’s cultural history.[25].

Conclusion

Dynamics, melody, rhythm, harmony, and other elements are some of the origins of tension and relaxation. Depending on the genre, there are typically several sorts of alterations felt in the music through tension and relaxation. Tension management is another usage for one of the most essential components of nearly all music genres. Generally speaking, tension is released by a falling melodic line and is created by a rising melody. Because of this, many melodies may be compared to an arc: they begin low, build to a peak, and then fall back down. Discordant sounds in music contribute significantly to tension or movement while also making listeners feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Using harmonic intervals or chords that produce unequal pitches results in dissonance. These pitches are frequently heard as clashing noises since they do not follow any pattern. According to Funes, In this case, the characteristics that guarantee that the music is generally entertaining are tension and repose, which create and dissolve listener expectations.

Bibliography

Bye Bye Blackbird. s.n., 1926.

Dorow, Laura Gilbert. “Conditioning music and approval as new reinforcers for imitative behaviour with the severely retarded.” Journal of Music Therapy 12, no. 1 (1975): 30–39.

Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical involvement: A guide to perceptive listening. 2nd ed. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Port Worth, 1992.

Georgia On My Mind. Lady Day. Okeh Records, 1941. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VslwkqbMNSk.

Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 14, no. 2 (1961): 257–267.

Nothing Compares 2 U. I Want What I Need to Get. EMI Music Belgium. Accessed 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-EF60neguk.

Woody Guthrie Sings folk songs With Leadbelly, Cisco Houston, Sonny Terry, and Bess Hawes. Smithsonian/Folkways Records. Accessed 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIUbHJ7yrBA.

[1] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society p 257

[2] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical Involvement p 187

[3] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society p 260

[4] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society p 259

[5] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical involvement p78

[6] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 261

[7] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society p261

[8] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical involvement: A guide to perceptive listening. 2nd ed. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich p200

[9] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical involvement p197

[10] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 261

[11] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical Involvement p 200

[12] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 258

[13] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical involvement p243

[14] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society p265

[15] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical Involvement p 240

[16] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 265

[17] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society 259

[18] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society

[19] Funes, Donald J., and Stephen E. Squires. Musical involvement p243

[20] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society

[21] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society

[22] Dorow, Laura Gilbert. “Conditioning music and approval as new reinforcers for imitative behaviour with the severely retarded. p32

[23] Meyer, Leonard B. “On rehearing music.” Journal of the American Musicological Society p 33

[24] Dorow, Laura Gilbert. “Conditioning music and approval as new reinforcers for imitative behaviour with the severely retarded. p35

[25] Dorow, Laura Gilbert. “Conditioning music and approval as new reinforcers for imitative behaviour with the severely retarded. P36