Melody
The rhythmical codex of the symphony is now established.
In this large major section the basic melodic material of
the work is presented, the diatonic infinity series, linked to rhythm and harmony.
The same melody - the infinity series - is played in six different 'storeys', i.e. partial layers (fundamental layer, fifth, third, seventh, ninth and eleventh layers, etc.), but not at the same pulse. The fundamental layer keeps the pulse steady, but the higher one moves up through the levels, the greater the divergence from the fundamental pulse. On the other hand, all the parts play the same number of notes, and meet at intervals at the major crossroads within the work.
The seventh and eleventh layers are intoned low on the instruments concerned (not indicated on the score sample shown here).
In virtue of the rhythmic rules that apply to each partial layer, this apparently 'automatic' music moves through rich and varied harmonic landscapes, where the task of the composer is to focus on and emphasise some of the landmarks that present themselves. In terms of symbols, the Signs of the Zodiac are run through not once, but twice, in the unfolding of the infinity series. The first time (from bar 124), the 12 Signs are spread out over 64 bars, corresponding to 64 elements of the infinity series, that is, 5 1/3 bars per Sign.
After several excursions into
the harmonic world of the infinity series, the movement ends as it begun with rising
overtone harmonies on C - which in principle could continue on upwards for ever.
Thus the melodic codex of the symphony is established.
Score sample © Edition WH