Referring to harmony built on intervals of fourths rather than the traditional thirds. This creates a more open, hollow, or mysterious sound compared to conventional triadic harmony.
From Latin quartus 'fourth,' referring to the musical interval of a fourth. The term became prominent in 20th-century music theory as composers moved away from traditional tertian harmony.
Quartal harmony gives music an ancient, mystical quality - it's no coincidence that composers like Debussy and Ravel used fourth-based chords to evoke medieval times or exotic landscapes, since fourths have a timeless, ethereal quality that transcends specific cultural associations!
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