277:
163:
135:
354:
332:
129:
378:
1505:
307:
320:"What is a powerful surprise, and further evidence of Bach’s unique imaginative boldness, is the specific form the obbligato pedal part takes in this chorale setting: almost nothing but dissonant drops of a seventh – Adam’s fall made audible! And not just the fall, but also the attendant pain and suffering are depicted (and in a way evoked), since so many of those sevenths are diminished."
246:
of this interval, but one possibility, assuming the flat submediant is a perfect (5:4) major third below the octave, and the leading tone to be 15:16, would lead to an interval of 128:75, about 925 cents; another interval is 216:125, which is three minor thirds. However, in
278:
323:
The expressive potential of the interval was not lost on Mozart, especially when, as Dennis
Matthews (1971, p. iii) puts it, "Mozart reserved a minor home-key for his most disquieting utterances." The opening theme of the
164:
136:
364:
The dramatic clout of the interval was further exploited by operatic composers during the nineteenth century. Robert
Donington (1963, p. 175) heard the dark, atmospheric Prelude to
293:
Since the
Baroque era, Western European composers have used the diminished seventh as a melodic interval to convey intense, sometimes troubled emotion.
350:(1971, p324) calls "a work of passion, violence and grief." The development section features a disorienting sequence of diminished sevenths:
1226:
297:(2010, p. 258) draws attention to the falling melodic figures in the bass (pedal) part of J. S. Bach's organ chorale prelude from the
374:
as "a kind of elemental brooding…Its material is an uneasy sequence of thirds low in the bass, and separated by a diminished seventh.":
490:
516:
Matthews, D. (1971) Introduction to score of Mozart Piano
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in C minor, K491. London, Eulenburg.
424:
569:
728:
445:
107:
325:
234:, a diminished seventh is equal to nine semitones, a ratio of 2:1 (approximately 1.6818), or 900 cents, and is
196:. For instance, the interval from A to G is a minor seventh, ten semitones wide, and both the intervals from A
1527:
1018:
998:
1124:
1130:
838:
691:
654:
1532:
913:
209:
394:
343:
17:
1508:
1246:
1185:
562:
1306:
783:
600:
1301:
1112:
1488:
1241:
1148:
1142:
259:
248:
189:
32:
358:
8:
1271:
1136:
1118:
1384:
555:
427:. Specific example of an d7 not given but general example of minor intervals described.
208:
are diminished sevenths, spanning nine semitones. Being diminished, it is considered a
185:
1440:
1326:
1266:
827:
803:
791:
772:
586:
441:
420:
370:
231:
491:
A manual of harmony for use in music-schools and seminaries and for self-instruction
1396:
1221:
1166:
1160:
1154:
1058:
958:
931:
815:
797:
742:
736:
578:
294:
193:
173:
37:
299:
1483:
1364:
1088:
876:
766:
760:
748:
353:
252:
243:
153:
149:
117:
90:
1344:
1338:
1332:
1104:
631:
220:
80:
382:
336:
314:
1521:
1468:
1317:
1236:
1231:
1177:
1038:
978:
864:
852:
717:
680:
637:
347:
181:
331:
1435:
1296:
942:
699:
662:
100:
128:
1445:
1276:
711:
705:
674:
668:
239:
1478:
1372:
870:
235:
177:
1378:
882:
377:
223:
scale between the seventh scale step and the sixth scale step in the
216:
1410:
858:
606:
306:
70:
1416:
1404:
1390:
809:
754:
1473:
1450:
1358:
1352:
643:
625:
365:
224:
255:, having a ratio of 2:1 (approximately 1.7284), or 947 cents.
846:
547:
335:
Mozart, Piano
Concerto in C minor, K491, opening theme.
470:, p.89-90. Thurgate & Sons. Digitized Aug 16, 2007.
16:
This article is about the interval. For the chord, see
215:
The diminished seventh is used quite readily in the
258:The 128:75 just diminished seventh arises in the C
457:Haluska (2003), p.xxvi. Acute diminished seventh.
1519:
357:Mozart, Symphony No. 40, finale, bars 125–130.
288:
563:
494:, p.165. Theodore Baker, trans. G. Schirmer.
1504:
570:
556:
411:
409:
376:
352:
330:
305:
127:
438:The Mathematical Theory of Tone Systems
251:, it is enharmonically equivalent to a
1520:
928:
430:
406:
328:, features rising diminished sevenths:
551:
417:Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I
381:Wagner, Siegfried, opening prelude.
507:, Vol. 2. Oxford University Press.
505:The Oxford History of Western Music
310:J.S.Bach, "Durch Adam's Fall" from
95:128:75, 216:125, 32768:19683, 26:15
13:
14:
1544:
479:Benward & Saker (2003), p.92.
1503:
468:Music: Its Theory & Practice
344:Mozart's G minor Symphony No. 40
342:More startling is the finale of
532:
519:
510:
497:
482:
473:
460:
451:
326:Piano Concerto in C minor K491
1:
577:
540:Wagner’s Ring and its Symbols
400:
219:, where it is present in the
415:Benward & Saker (2003).
7:
1125:septimal chromatic semitone
388:
289:Usage in musical expression
10:
1549:
1131:septimal diatonic semitone
919:(Numbers in brackets refer
268:by combining B-D, D|F, F-A
15:
1501:
1459:
1426:
1315:
1285:
1255:
1212:
1203:
1176:
1103:
1086:
921:to fractional semitones.)
914:24-tone equal temperament
911:
900:
837:
782:
727:
690:
653:
618:
585:
116:
108:12-Tone equal temperament
106:
99:
89:
79:
69:
64:
56:
48:
43:
31:
395:Diminished seventh chord
18:Diminished seventh chord
1509:List of pitch intervals
1247:Subminor and supermajor
1186:minor diatonic semitone
1096:refer to pitch ratios.)
466:Hoffmann, F.A. (1881).
242:. There is no standard
1307:Undecimal quarter tone
385:
361:
339:
317:
303:, "Durch Adam's Fall":
145:
1302:Septimal quarter tone
1113:septimal quarter tone
538:Donington, R. (1963)
503:Taruskin, R. (2010),
448:. Diminished seventh.
436:Haluska, Jan (2003).
380:
356:
346:, K550, which critic
334:
309:
202:to G, and from A to G
131:
1528:Diminished intervals
1489:Incomposite interval
1242:Pythagorean interval
1094:(Numbers in brackets
602:(Numbers in brackets
488:Paul, Oscar (1885).
260:harmonic minor scale
249:19 equal temperament
122:925, 947, 882, 952.3
1272:Pythagorean apotome
1119:septimal third tone
527:The Classical Style
132:Diminished seventh
28:
1385:Septimal semicomma
386:
362:
340:
318:
186:chromatic semitone
158:diminished seventh
146:
27:Diminished seventh
26:
1515:
1514:
1497:
1496:
1327:Pythagorean comma
1267:Pythagorean limma
1199:
1198:
1195:
1194:
1161:supermajor fourth
1137:supermajor second
1082:
1081:
896:
895:
892:
891:
604:are the number of
525:Rosen, C. (1971)
425:978-0-07-294262-0
232:equal temperament
126:
125:
1540:
1533:Sevenths (music)
1507:
1506:
1397:Septimal kleisma
1210:
1209:
1167:subminor seventh
1149:supermajor third
1101:
1100:
1089:Just intonations
1074:
1073:
1069:
1066:
1054:
1053:
1049:
1046:
1034:
1033:
1029:
1026:
1014:
1013:
1009:
1006:
994:
993:
989:
986:
974:
973:
969:
966:
954:
953:
949:
926:
925:
909:
908:
616:
615:
598:
597:
572:
565:
558:
549:
548:
543:
536:
530:
529:. London, Faber.
523:
517:
514:
508:
501:
495:
486:
480:
477:
471:
464:
458:
455:
449:
434:
428:
413:
295:Richard Taruskin
285:
284:
283:
281:
273:
272:
267:
266:
238:equivalent to a
207:
206:
201:
200:
194:augmented second
171:
170:
169:
167:
143:
142:
141:
139:
38:Augmented second
29:
25:
23:Musical interval
1548:
1547:
1543:
1542:
1541:
1539:
1538:
1537:
1518:
1517:
1516:
1511:
1493:
1455:
1422:
1365:Septimal diesis
1311:
1281:
1251:
1205:
1191:
1172:
1095:
1092:
1078:
1071:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1051:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1031:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1011:
1007:
1004:
1002:
991:
987:
984:
982:
971:
967:
964:
962:
951:
947:
946:
936:
935:
934:
930:
920:
917:
904:
902:
888:
833:
778:
723:
686:
649:
610:
605:
603:
593:
591:
588:
581:
576:
546:
542:. London Faber.
537:
533:
524:
520:
515:
511:
502:
498:
487:
483:
478:
474:
465:
461:
456:
452:
435:
431:
414:
407:
403:
391:
359:Link to passage
291:
279:
276:
275:
270:
269:
264:
263:
262:between B and A
253:augmented sixth
204:
203:
198:
197:
165:
162:
161:
154:Western culture
150:classical music
137:
134:
133:
118:Just intonation
24:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1546:
1536:
1535:
1530:
1513:
1512:
1502:
1499:
1498:
1495:
1494:
1492:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1465:
1463:
1457:
1456:
1454:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1432:
1430:
1424:
1423:
1421:
1420:
1414:
1408:
1401:
1400:
1394:
1388:
1382:
1376:
1369:
1368:
1362:
1359:Greater diesis
1356:
1349:
1348:
1345:Septimal comma
1342:
1339:Holdrian comma
1336:
1333:Syntonic comma
1330:
1323:
1321:
1313:
1312:
1310:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1293:
1291:
1283:
1282:
1280:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1263:
1261:
1253:
1252:
1250:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1218:
1216:
1207:
1201:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1193:
1192:
1190:
1189:
1182:
1180:
1174:
1173:
1171:
1170:
1164:
1158:
1155:subminor fifth
1152:
1146:
1143:subminor third
1140:
1134:
1128:
1122:
1116:
1109:
1107:
1098:
1084:
1083:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1056:
1036:
1016:
996:
976:
956:
939:
937:
929:
923:
906:
898:
897:
894:
893:
890:
889:
887:
886:
880:
874:
868:
862:
856:
850:
843:
841:
835:
834:
832:
831:
825:
819:
813:
807:
801:
795:
788:
786:
780:
779:
777:
776:
770:
764:
758:
752:
746:
740:
733:
731:
725:
724:
722:
721:
715:
709:
703:
696:
694:
688:
687:
685:
684:
678:
672:
666:
659:
657:
651:
650:
648:
647:
641:
635:
629:
622:
620:
613:
595:
583:
582:
575:
574:
567:
560:
552:
545:
544:
531:
518:
509:
496:
481:
472:
459:
450:
429:
404:
402:
399:
398:
397:
390:
387:
312:OrgelbĂĽchlein.
290:
287:
236:enharmonically
221:harmonic minor
124:
123:
120:
114:
113:
110:
104:
103:
97:
96:
93:
87:
86:
83:
81:Interval class
77:
76:
73:
67:
66:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
41:
40:
35:
22:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1545:
1534:
1531:
1529:
1526:
1525:
1523:
1510:
1500:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1466:
1464:
1462:
1458:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1433:
1431:
1429:
1425:
1418:
1415:
1412:
1409:
1406:
1403:
1402:
1398:
1395:
1392:
1389:
1386:
1383:
1380:
1377:
1374:
1371:
1370:
1366:
1363:
1360:
1357:
1354:
1353:Lesser diesis
1351:
1350:
1346:
1343:
1340:
1337:
1334:
1331:
1328:
1325:
1324:
1322:
1320:
1319:
1314:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1290:
1289:
1288:Quarter tones
1284:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1264:
1262:
1260:
1259:
1254:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1237:Pseudo-octave
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1219:
1217:
1215:
1211:
1208:
1202:
1187:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1179:
1175:
1168:
1165:
1162:
1159:
1156:
1153:
1150:
1147:
1144:
1141:
1138:
1135:
1132:
1129:
1126:
1123:
1120:
1117:
1114:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1106:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1091:
1090:
1085:
1060:
1057:
1040:
1037:
1020:
1017:
1000:
997:
980:
977:
960:
957:
944:
941:
940:
938:
933:
927:
924:
922:
916:
915:
910:
907:
899:
884:
881:
878:
875:
872:
869:
866:
863:
860:
857:
854:
851:
848:
845:
844:
842:
840:
836:
829:
826:
823:
820:
817:
814:
811:
808:
805:
802:
799:
796:
793:
790:
789:
787:
785:
781:
774:
771:
768:
765:
762:
759:
756:
753:
750:
747:
744:
741:
738:
735:
734:
732:
730:
726:
719:
716:
713:
710:
707:
704:
701:
698:
697:
695:
693:
689:
682:
679:
676:
673:
670:
667:
664:
661:
660:
658:
656:
652:
645:
642:
639:
636:
633:
630:
627:
624:
623:
621:
617:
614:
612:
608:
599:
596:
590:
584:
580:
573:
568:
566:
561:
559:
554:
553:
550:
541:
535:
528:
522:
513:
506:
500:
493:
492:
485:
476:
469:
463:
454:
447:
446:0-8247-4714-3
443:
439:
433:
426:
422:
418:
412:
410:
405:
396:
393:
392:
384:
379:
375:
373:
372:
367:
360:
355:
351:
349:
348:Charles Rosen
345:
338:
333:
329:
327:
321:
316:
313:
308:
304:
302:
301:
300:OrgelbĂĽchlein
296:
286:
282:
261:
256:
254:
250:
245:
241:
237:
233:
228:
226:
222:
218:
213:
211:
195:
191:
187:
183:
182:minor seventh
179:
175:
168:
159:
155:
151:
140:
130:
121:
119:
115:
111:
109:
105:
102:
98:
94:
92:
91:Just interval
88:
84:
82:
78:
74:
72:
68:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
42:
39:
36:
34:
30:
19:
1460:
1427:
1413:(0.72 cents)
1407:(1.95 cents)
1387:(13.8 cents)
1381:(10.1 cents)
1375:(19.5 cents)
1367:(35.7 cents)
1361:(62.6 cents)
1355:(41.1 cents)
1347:(27.3 cents)
1341:(22.6 cents)
1335:(21.5 cents)
1329:(23.5 cents)
1316:
1297:Quarter tone
1287:
1286:
1257:
1256:
1213:
1178:Higher-limit
1093:
1087:
999:major fourth
943:quarter tone
918:
912:
821:
601:
539:
534:
526:
521:
512:
504:
499:
489:
484:
475:
467:
462:
453:
437:
432:
416:
369:
363:
341:
322:
319:
311:
298:
292:
257:
229:
214:
176:produced by
157:
147:
57:Abbreviation
1446:Millioctave
1428:Measurement
1419:(0.4 cents)
1399:(7.7 cents)
1393:(8.1 cents)
1277:Major limma
1019:minor fifth
244:just tuning
240:major sixth
230:In 12-tone
49:Other names
1522:Categories
1479:Semiditone
1373:Diaschisma
1188:(17-limit)
879:(22 or 23)
877:fourteenth
873:(20 or 21)
871:thirteenth
867:(18 or 19)
861:(17 or 18)
855:(15 or 16)
849:(13 or 14)
784:Diminished
611:interval.)
592:(post-Bach
440:, p.xxvi.
401:References
212:interval.
188:, and its
1441:Centitone
1379:Semicomma
1258:Semitones
1222:Microtone
1206:intervals
883:fifteenth
729:Augmented
607:semitones
579:Intervals
371:Siegfried
368:’s opera
217:minor key
210:dissonant
190:inversion
178:narrowing
71:Semitones
1411:Breedsma
859:eleventh
839:Compound
594:Western)
589:semitone
419:, p.54.
389:See also
271:♭
265:♭
205:♭
199:♯
174:interval
172:) is an
1417:Ragisma
1405:Schisma
1391:Kleisma
1227:5-limit
1133:(15:14)
1127:(21:20)
1121:(28:27)
1115:(36:35)
1105:7-limit
1070:⁄
1059:seventh
1050:⁄
1030:⁄
1010:⁄
990:⁄
970:⁄
950:⁄
932:Neutral
905:systems
865:twelfth
822:seventh
773:seventh
718:seventh
681:seventh
619:Perfect
587:Twelve-
227:above.
192:is the
33:Inverse
1474:Ditone
1461:Others
1451:Savart
1318:Commas
1214:Groups
1163:(10:7)
959:second
903:tuning
828:octave
804:fourth
792:second
755:fourth
743:second
737:unison
700:second
663:second
644:octave
632:fourth
626:unison
609:in the
444:
423:
383:Listen
366:Wagner
337:Listen
315:Listen
225:octave
1484:Secor
1232:Comma
1204:Other
1169:(7:4)
1157:(7:5)
1151:(9:7)
1145:(7:6)
1139:(8:7)
1039:sixth
979:third
901:Other
853:tenth
847:ninth
816:sixth
810:fifth
798:third
767:sixth
761:fifth
749:third
712:sixth
706:third
692:Minor
675:sixth
669:third
655:Major
638:fifth
184:by a
152:from
101:Cents
1469:Wolf
1436:Cent
885:(24)
830:(11)
775:(12)
769:(10)
720:(10)
683:(11)
646:(12)
442:ISBN
421:ISBN
280:Play
166:play
156:, a
138:Play
65:Size
44:Name
824:(9)
818:(7)
812:(6)
806:(4)
800:(2)
794:(0)
763:(8)
757:(6)
751:(5)
745:(3)
739:(1)
714:(8)
708:(3)
702:(1)
677:(9)
671:(4)
665:(2)
640:(7)
634:(5)
628:(0)
148:In
112:900
1524::
1063:10
408:^
274:.
180:a
60:d7
1075:)
1072:2
1068:1
1065:+
1061:(
1055:)
1052:2
1048:1
1045:+
1043:8
1041:(
1035:)
1032:2
1028:1
1025:+
1023:6
1021:(
1015:)
1012:2
1008:1
1005:+
1003:5
1001:(
995:)
992:2
988:1
985:+
983:3
981:(
975:)
972:2
968:1
965:+
963:1
961:(
955:)
952:2
948:1
945:(
571:e
564:t
557:v
160:(
144:.
85:3
75:9
52:-
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
