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tristan_chord.md

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Tristan chord

  • Fm7b5 in C key (IVm7b5)
  • in fact it is VIIm7b5 in Gb key, which is the mirror key to C
  • it contains the B and F tones which are the yellow tones shared by the mirror keys
  • it can be thought as a variation to IIb7 (tritone-substituted dominant)
  • also it is similar to Iidim
  • can be resolved to E7 and then to Am7
    • it takes the role of VIIm7b5
  • Fm7b5 has the same relation to Bm7b5 as Db7 to G7, it is a tritone substitution of VIIm7b5
  • Write an article about this!
  • prerequisites:
    • theory - tone circle, mirror key
    • music excerpt of Tristan introduction
    • notation
    • illustration images

Mysterious Tristan chord? Just a tritone substitution for VII half-dim!

  • background
    • Tristan und Isolde
    • the actual sound,notation and chords
    • the inferred key
    • the repetition in another key
  • previous interpretations
  • my interpretation
    • image of the linear chord timeline (like Beatles songs were visualized)
    • animation of the chord progression
    • tone circle
    • mirror key
    • tritone substitution
      • commonly for V7 -> IIb7
      • used heavily in jazz
      • [some example]
      • it contains a tritone, the other tones are taken from V7 in the mirror key
      • mirror key - rotation by 6
      • tritone interval maps to itself
      • the other diatonic chord which contains the tritone interval is VIIm7b5 (half diminished)
      • it can also be tritone-substituted: VII7m7b5 -> IVm7b5
    • and IVm7b5 in this context is exactly the Tristan chord!
      • very simple interpretation
      • purely the key, a single chorss and its function, no magic or exceptions
      • it doesn't mean the other interpretations are wrong, they're just more brittle
    • further questions?
      • in which other musical pieces such a chord is utilized? also in jazz?