Abstract

Schonberg’s Harmonielehre finishes on the evocation of the melody of timbre ( Klangfarbenmelodie ). The aim of this article is to analyse the function of timbre in relation to musical theory by establishing a parallel between the positions expressed by Schonberg and preceding classical positions, namely Jean-Jaques Rousseau’s definition of timbre and Leibniz’s concept of “clear and confused” ideas. Operating in this context, what will be shown is that timbre, according to Leibniz’s description, is a distinguishing, yet undistinguished, quality and that, precisely for this reason, timbre has a limited function in composition.

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