Tone row

The "tone row" system in music is generally credited to [Arnold Schoenberg]?. The basis of the system is that the main theme of the composition consists of one (and only one) instance of each of the twelve notes in the [chromatic scale]?.

The most well known example of this is in the work of Schoenberg's follower, Alban Berg. His concerto for violin uses a tone row, introduced as the main theme for the first movement. In spite of this, the work is structured in a highly traditional classical (sonata) form. The tone row consists of alternating minor and major chords starting on the open strings of the violin (ascending G, B flat, D, F sharp, A , C, E, G sharp, B) finishing the tone row with a portion of an ascending whole-tone scale (C sharp, D sharp, F). Interestingly, the whole tone scale is also used later, in the second movement when the chorale "It is enough" (Es ist genug) from Bach's cantata no. 60, which opens with consecutive whole tones, is quoted literally in the woodwinds (mostly clarinet).

/Talk