I was told, a long time ago by my music teacher, that parallel fifths, were frowned upon by the classical music fraternity.

Bach used quite a lot of parallel 5ths in his music, so did Elgar in his (Robert Walker fragments) piano concerto and it seems to be a kind of "cool" way of expressing a lot of modern music as well. c.f Michael Nyman, Elton John, Scott Joplin et al.

Comments please??

Ferdinand Ries once pointed out to Beethoven a case of parallel fifths in this work, to which Beethoven replied 'Now, and who has forbidden them?' Ries's detailed that they forbidden by Marpurg, Kirnberger, Fuchs, and other theorists; Beethoven defiantly declared 'And so I allow them!'

Beethoven, Bach, Elgar and other such composers can write effective parallel 5ths; however, for the average student composer, they're a bad idea.

Would anyone care to enlighten me as to what a parallel fifth is please??
Thamks.
Beverley.

In a piece of music with multiple parts playing at once, if two of the parts are a fifth apart and then they both move together to be a fifth apart in the next chord too, that is a parallel fifth. They have a very characteristic sound which over the years has come to be regarded as bad: we don't hear them often so when we do they sound odd. When writing harmony it's best to avoid writing parallel fifths so that the music will not sound strange (unless one is Beethoven or similar...).

If say you were writing a four part chorale for SATB and for example had written one chord with an interval of a fifth between the soprano and tenor parts, and then did exactly the same with the next chord (ie. a fifth between the soprano and tenor parts) this would be a parallel fifth.

I've always know them as consecutive fifths. Consecutive octaves were always a big NO as well. And don't double the third, it makes the chord sound muddy and rather heavy.

Unless it's a minor 3rd...

I got a bit confused about this too, because although my school music teacher didnt say anything, my piano teacher wouldnt let me use parallel 5ths for a bit of my GCSE composition, saying that you 'just don't do that..'

Thanks, I kind of understand. and will get my clever clogs piano teacher to play them for me to hear what they sound like. I am only on grade 3 theory at the moment.
Beverley.

No?


Then, you'd think the AB would set a better example as they set and mark theory papers, tut tut!

Please see "the AB Guide to Music Theory Part II" pages 122 and 139.

Has any combinations of notes been actually forbidden?

I think an interval known as the 'wolf interval' was forbidden at one point by the church; something to do with the devil. I can't remember the specifics, nor can I find a reliable reference at this point....

I think it was the tritone (augmented fourth), which was thought of as the Devil's interval.

It was, indeed. Punishable by death if caught using it in early church music. Stood up against the church wall and stoned to death!!

Ah yes - 'diabolus in musica'...eeep....

In formal harmony and counterpoint exercises consecutive fifths and octaves are a no-no, but they can be used very successfully in composition. Just make sure that you know what they sound like before you go and stick them all over your composition.

It all started with counterpoint. Fifths are harmonically closely related to octaves. Parallel movement tends to deny the independence of the parts, octaves obviously. Any similar motion was regarded as suspect so opportunity was taken to go "contrary" whenever possible. The best examples of the polyphonic era contain hidden fifths however.

ahhh parallel 5ths! after doing the bach chorales exercise from school i was tempted to go off and write a piece composed entirely of consecutive 5ths and 8ves, just to get my own back

I believe the Wolf interval refers to Pythagorean tuning - Where all the fiths are tuned perfecltly except for one horribly out of tune fifth known as the "Wolf." This was elimanated by Well-tempered and then Equal Temperement.

Ross