Http Www.thinkingmusic.ca Analyses Coltrane

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michael leibson : thinkingMusic

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Along with his intellectual and creative gifts, John Coltrane obviously had a knack

for finding just the right titles for his compositions. Giant Steps and Central Park

Westboth employ modulatory cycles but they do so quite differently. His Giant

Steps are the bold, breath-snatching modulations by which he audaciously displays

the songs underlying conceptual structure. By contrast, Central Park Westis a

sensuous, reflective walk in the park, in which structure quietly serves poetic

expression. What the song titles donttell us, is the howand why for these, we

must look to the music itself.

Both Giant Steps and Central Park Westowe their structures to equal subdivisions

of the octave. Since an octave spans twelve semitones, it can be divided into two,

three, four or six equal parts: divided by two, it produces two tritones; by three, it

produces three major thirds; by four, it produces four minor thirds; by six, it

produces six whole tones. Such equal subdivisions of the octave have been around

for some time Franz Schubert in 1825 based a series of modulations on

them, in his Symphony in C major. However, for most of its history, western music

has notused such symmetrical subdivisions, simply because most of the elements

in our diatonic system of music divide the octave asymmetrically.

Giant Steps partitions the octave into three major thirds, so that it moves through

the keys of B major, G major and Eb major. The tonics of these keys form a

descending cycle of major thirds, that, when completed, form an equally-subdivided

octave: B-G-Eb-B. Coltrane draws this cycle out, over two phrases: the songs first

phrase progresses through B, G and Eb; the second phrase returns to G, and then

cycles down through Eb to B:

Central Park Westdivides the octave into four, producing an ascending cycle ofminor thirds: B D F Ab B. Coltrane makes these the keys of his tune, and

moves through the cycle one and a half times during its course. He slightly alters

the cycles order, so that it becomes B D Ab F B:

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None of these keys are closely related: each stop in Giant Steps'cycle of major

thirds has four fewer sharps than the last, and there are three fewer sharps in each

stage ofCentral Park West's cycle. If brusquely juxtaposed, these distantly-related

keys produce jarring, angular modulations. Skillfully place them within a well

thought-out design, though, and they can create profound and surprising beauty.

Coltrane does both, applying the former approach in Giant Steps, and the latter in

Central Park West. By examining his technique, we can learn how to go beyond the

idea of modulatory cycles, to actually using them with artistic intent.

Giant StepsGiant StepsGiant StepsGiant Steps

The giant steps ofGiant Steps are the actual transitions from key to key, in which

the distances between these disjointed tonalities are highlighted, rather than eased.

Although there are ten modulations in the piece, all are derived from one of two

basic designs one for descending through the cycle of major thirds, and another

for ascending through it:

Lets begin with the ascending modulations, which retain features of more

traditional harmony, and are therefore easier to grasp. The first of these connects

the tonic of Eb major (bar 3) with the tonic of G major (bar 5):

The two keys are related via Eb majors tonic chord, which is simultaneously the VI

chord in the key of G minor. Using mixture , the progression moves from G minor

to G major, making the change at the iichord:

The same procedure is used to modulate from B major to Eb major (bars 7-9), and

G major to B major (bars 11-13), these being simple transpositions of the

prototype.

1




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The descending cycle presents a different picture. Here the tune wastes no time,

completing the first step of this cycle, from the key of B major down a major third

to the key of G major, in three chords:

The modulation is stripped down to almost nothing: apart from giving G major its V,

Coltrane has done little to smooth the connection between the two keys. (In fact,

the D7 prevents the use of a relatively effective smoothing technique, called

common-tone modulation.) The transition between B majors five sharps and G

majors one is sudden, drastic, and unmitigated.

Degrees of relation couldbe established between the chords involved for

example, the chord of G major is related to the key of B minor, where it is the VI

chord but Coltrane eschews any such attempt: he removes all possibility of key

relation by immediately modulating to an even more distant tonality:

G is but a transient stop in the modulatory cycle, which immediately moves on to

the key of Eb major, via that keys dominant. This second modulation is an exact

transposition of the first, and is just as abrupt and unadorned. The same pattern is

repeated in two subsequent descending modulations, from G to Eb (once more, in

bars 5-6), and Eb to B (bars 6-7).

At the end of the piece (bars 15 1), Coltrane employs a variant of this modulatory

design. While performing a descending modulation from Eb to B, he borrows from

the ascending cycles design, by giving B major both its ii and V:

There is now an opportunity for key relation, in that C#-7 suddenly casts Eb (=D#)

as V of G# minor. Since G# minor is the relative minor of B major, there is

potential for a closer relation between Eb major and B major:

This potential could be clearly realized were the melody to borrow a feature of

common-tone modulation, and sustain one note so that it is common to all chords:




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Here, the exposed, common-tone D# (the top-most note in the voicings) unifies all

parts of the modulation, allows us to hear the tonal implications of pivot chords, and

smooths out the transition between the keys.

Coltrane works againstthis calming effect, though, giving his melody a prominent

leap at the very moment when it should maintain its pitch. Even more, the notes of

his leap (Bb F#) threaten to create a cross relation with the third of the

immediately preceding Eb chord.

Why does Coltrane refrain from smoothing out these jarring modulations? Why does

he sidestep those techniques and melodic changes that would produce more fluid

transitions? Here we arrive at the crux of the matter: technique should always serve

artistic intent. By exposing the rough edges and clashing tonalities, Coltrane lays

his conception bare: the song is its harmonic structure, with its three-fold division

of the octave. Coltrane wants its structure to show, and purposefully eliminates any

effect that could interfere with that revelation. Giant Steps is his experiment, and

his intention. The unmitigated, brusque, tonal juxtapositions serve that intention,

and to have done otherwise would have been to undermine his goal.

Artistic intent is entirely different in Central Park West, and there Coltrane applies

different techniques.

Central Park WestCentral Park WestCentral Park WestCentral Park West

In tone, Central Park Westcouldnt be more different than Giant Steps. Where the

latter is audacious, exhilarating and wild, the former is gentle, sensitive and

meditative. Structurally, however, they are very close: both employ potentially

harsh modulatory cycles, that divide the octave into segments of equal size; both

consist almost exclusively of concise modulations, that are themselves mere

transpositions of prototypical designs; and both have melodies that are developed

almost entirely by tranposition. Given these structural similarities, what does

Coltrane do to give Central Park Westso different a spirit?

The six modulations ofCentral Park Westare based on three prototypes:

modulation up a minor 3rd

modulation down a minor 3rd

modulation by tritone




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As in Giant Stepscycle of major thirds, these modulatory intervals produce

somewhat distant key relations: modulation up a minor third produces a key with

three fewer sharps; modulation down a minor third adds three sharps; modulation

by tritone produces a staggering difference of six sharps, to say nothing of the

dissonance of the tritone relationship itself.

And yet, from this same structural material, Coltrane creates an astonishingly

different aesthetic. For each type of modulation, he finds a wonderful, inventive way

to transmute the aggressiveness ofGiant Steps into a musical gesture of

breathtaking tenderness.

To enable these changes, Coltrane alters the order of his structural material; in the

process, he builds an elegant, symmetrical tonal design. He changes the cycles

pattern of ascending minor thirds:

. . . to one of alternating thirds and tritones:

This order fixes B at its centre, and transforming the cycles uniformity from

obstacle to asset creates an abstract symmetry of tonal relations:

Where the first modulation moves up a minor thirdfrom B, the second modulation

creates a symmetry, by moving to the key that is down a minor thirdfrom B. The

third modulation takes us to F, which, being a tritone from B, forms its own

symmetry with that central key. Finally, Fs modulation to B completes the cycle.

Through simple arithmetic (3+3 = 6), Coltrane ingeniously creates tonal order in a

system that is normally antithetical to it. By combining two minor third steps of the

cycle to produce one step of a tritone, he arranges all keys into a tonallysymmetrical relationship to B.

Of course, the song doesnt end there: the symmetry established, the remaining

bars oscillate between B and D, to finally end the piece with a codetta-like passage

that lends even more stability to the key of B.

Lets look at how Coltrane exploits this re-ordering to create modulations that are

so different in effect from those ofGiant Steps. Well begin where the song begins

with modulation by minor thirds.

Mo d u l a t io n E y m i n o r t h ir d s

Our cultural intimacy with the major minorenvironment of diatonic music

prepares us for a special relationship with modulation by minor third. We are

habituated to the use of parallel modes most commonly those of major scales

and their parallel minors and these modes are related by minor thirds. Theparallel minor of the key of C major is, of course, C minor, and C minor shares the

same key signature as Eb major. Since the keys of C major and Eb major are a

minor third apart, so too are the parallel keys of C major and C minor or, for that

matter, the parallel majors and minors ofanykey.

Accordingly, modulation up a minor thirdproduces the same relationship as that of

a major key to its parallel minor: modulating up from B major to D major (the first

modulation in Central Park West) is the same as moving from B major to B minor.




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Modulation down a minor thirds im p ly r e Y e r s e s t ha t o r de r : m o d u la t in g fr om m a o r

d o wn t o % m a o r t h e si[ t h m od u la t io n in Central Park West, in E a rs - is the

s a m e as m oY in g fr om % m in or to % m a o r.

$ s the p r incip le o f mi[ t u re perm it s the ud ic ious use o f chords from a pa ra lle l sca le ,

m o d u la t io n s E y m in o r t h ir d o ffe r g e n e r o u s o pp o r t u n it y t o d is c o Y e r p iY o t c h or d s E y

which to effect the transi t ion from key to key.

7 h e m o d u la t io n s E y m in o r th ir d in Central Park West E r ill iantly il lustra te th is:

Colt rane repea ted ly finds u s t th e r igh t pa ra l le l -mode chord to t rans form ap ot e n t ia lly d iss on a n t re la tio n sh ip in t o a g e s t u re of e a u ty .

Modulation up a minor third

7 h e s o n g E e g in s w it h a n e le g a n t , s p a c io u s m o d u la t io n , m o Y in g u p a m in o r t h ir d

fro m % m a o r t o m a o r:

Colt rane knows tha t m odula t ing up a minor th ird i s the sam e a s changing the f ir s t

k e y s m o d e fr om m a o r to m in o r. % e c a u se a p iY o t ch o rd is n o t ot h e rw is e a Y a ila E le ,

h e u se s m i[ t u re t o m o Y e t o t h e p a ra lle l m in or % m in or , wh e re t he r e is a n

a E u nd an ce o f s uit a E le ch ords . % m in or s iY ( m is s im u lt an eou sly m a o r s ii,

and is the re fore idea l fo r the ro le o f p iY o t chord . S ince the p rogress ion I iv

m i n or c o m m o n ly o cc u rs in m a o r ke y s e . g . , m i n or p la g a l , t h e ( m w ill a ls o flo w

n a t u r a lly fr o m t h e o p e n in g % M c h o rd , a n d t h u s m a k e g o o d m u s i ca l s e n s e in E o t h

keys .

7 h e s h i ft f ro m m a o r t o p a r a lle l m in o r is o f t e n e [ p e r ie n c e d a s a c h a n g e o f to n e ,

c o lo u r , o r m o o d . % e c a u s e it is E a s e d o n t h e s a m e r e la t io n s h ip , m o d u la t io n u p a

m i n or t h ir d a l so c o n Y e y s s u c h t r a n s fo r m a t io n s , E u t t h e t o n a l d is p la c e m e n t a d d s

e Y e n m o re d im e n s io n , a n d a s in th is wo n d er fu l p a s s a ge a n e le m e n t of w on d e r.

n a s u E lim e g e s t u re , Co lt ra n e E r oa d e n s t he e [ p e r ie n ce E y ca llin g in a t e ch n iT u e

norma lly assoc ia ted wi th comm on- tone m odula t ion : he sus ta ins h is me lody s )

t h roughout the e n t i re p rogress ion . t is , in tu rn , a E r a sh f if th , a po ignan t n in th , a

f loa t ing th ir t een th , a nd s t ra igh t - fo rward th ird , each con t r i E u t ing to the cascade of

nuance a nd co lour . Comm on tones , sus ta ined th rough modu la t ions in th is way , E o th

s t a E ili] e t r a n s it io n s a n d a d d d i m e n s io n .

n con t ras t wi th h is hands -of f approach in Giant Steps, C o lt r a n e h a s d r a w n h e a Y ily

u p o n t e ch n iT u e t o m a k e t h is m o d u la t io n g e n t le , r e fle c t iY e , a n d E e a u t ifu l. + e r e p e a t s

it , n ot e - fo r- n ot e , a s th e m e lo d y E e g in s it s a n s we r in g p hr a s e , in E a r s .

Modulation down a minor third

$ lt h o u g h it m o d u la t e s down a m in o r t h ir d , n o t up , t h is t h ir d ke y ch a n g e fr om $ E

m a o r d own t o ) m a o r h as m u ch in co m m on wit h th e % t o m o du la tio n u s t

o E s e rY e d:




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C olt r a n e r e p e a t s t h e t e c h n iT u e o f s u s t a in in g h i s m e l od y n o t e t h r o u g h mostof the

m o d u la t io n , r a t h e r t h a n a l l o f it , a n d l o o ks t o t h e p a r a l le l m in o r t h is t im e o f t h e

goal key, as this modulat ion is down a m in o r t h ir d fo r h is p iY o t c h or d .

7 h e k ey of $ E m a o r h a s lit tle in co m m o n w it h ) m a o r, E u t e Y e r yt h in g in c om m o n

w it h ) m in o r, it s r e la t iY e m i no r . Sin c e m o du la t in g fr om $ E m a o r do w n to ) m a o r is

e T u iY a le n t t o m o Y in g fr o m ) m in o r to ) m a o r , Co lt ra n e p lu c ks h is p iY o t ch o rd fr om

t h e k e y o f ) m i n or , a n d r e lie s o n m i[ t u r e t o m a k e t h e t r a n s it io n t o t h e p a r a l le l

m a o r.

n t h e % t o m o d u la t io n , Co lt ra n e u s e d a p iY o t ch o rd t h a t co u ld s e rY e a s t h e ii

chord of h i s goa l key . n th i s modula t ion E y descending minor th ird , he uses th e

first keys tonic chorda s p iY o t, fo r $ E m a o r is s im u lt a ne o us ly t he t on ic of $ E a n d

t he ch ord of ) m in or. + e cou ld ha Y e us ed othe r ch ord s % E m o r E m a o r , fo r

e [ a m p le E u t h is d e s ir e fo r s ym m e t r y , t h e id io m a t ic u se o f t h e ii V I formula,

and the E e au ty o f making an ea r ly mode cha nge , ha ppily led to th i s cho ice .

7 h e re a re two e spec ia l ly ma gica l touches to th i s modula t ion : the f ir s t i s the

ligh tness , o r re lease , o f it s reso lu t ion , p roduced as a resu lt o f the m o Y e f rom a ke y

w it h f ou r fla t s t o a t o n a l it y w it h o n ly o n e a n e f fe c t g e n e r a t e d E y m o d u la t io n d o w n

a m in o r t h ir d . 7 h e o t h e r is t h e s e r i e s o f s u s p e n s io n s o r , r e a lly , o n e e le Y e n t h a n d

o n e s u s p e n s io n c re a t e d E y t h e i n te r p la y o f Co lt r a n e s m e lo d y a n d c h o rd

p ro gre s s ion :

. . . t h a t is , th e in t e rY a llic pla y E e t we e n $ E - C G-C, and G- ) C- ( .

+ e r e , a s i n t h e f ir s t m o d u la t io n , C olt r a n e u s e s h a r m o n ic t e c h n iT u e t o c r e a t e a

sof te r , more in t rospec t iY e e f fec t than tha t p roduced in Giant Steps.

7 h e pie ce s s i[ t h m od u la t io n, fr om m a o r t o % m a o r E a r s - , is id e nt ic al in a ll

r e s p e c t s , s a Y e o n e : it s m e lo d y is m o r e a c tiY e .

Modulation by tritone

e y s a t r it o n e a p a r t h a Y e a l m o s t n o th in g in c o m m o n , a n d a r e e [ t r e m e ly d iffic u lt t o

lin k E y a n y u s u a l m o d e o f r e la t io n . ( Y e n m i [ t u r e fa ils t o p ro d u ce a n y c o m m o n

chords .

7 h e r e a r e t w o t r it o n e m o d u la t io n s in Central Park West: the s econd modula t ion ,

t ha t de s ce n ds fr om t o $ E E a rs 2 -3 , a nd th e fo urt h, E y wh ich ) r et ur ns t o t he

c e n t r a l k e y o f % E a r s 4 - . Co lt r a n e u s e s a d iffe r e n t m o d u la t o r y d e s ig n fo r e a c h . n

m o Y in g f ro m t o $ E , h is a n s w e r t o t h e r id d le o f ke y r e la t io n is o r ig in a l, in g e n io u s

a n d m a y , in fa c t , h a Y e c on t riE u t e d to h is c ho ic e of t o n a l d e s ig n . + e r e s t h a t

m o d u la t io n s h o wn , in c on t e [ t , wit h t h e o pe n in g p a s s a ge :

7 h e re is n o a pp a re nt lin k E e twe e n t he tw o k ey s: $ E s ii % E m E e a rs no re la tio n t o

t he ke y of m a o r orm in o r , n o o t h e r c h or d a ct s a s piY o t , a n d t he r e is n o

c om m o n t o ne u n ify in g t he p ro g re s s io n . $ n d ye t , E y t he t im e w e h e a r t h e ( E , w e

fe e l a s e n s e o f r e t ur n in g , o f m o Y in g t ow a rd s o m e t h in g in e Y it a E le a n d fit t in g a s

t h o u g h t h is s t r a n g e m o d u la t io n m a d e p e r fe c t s e n s e . We ll it does make per fec t




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s e n se , E e ca u s e we are re tu rn ing : the endo f t h is m o d ula t io n t h e ii - V - I in $ E

r e la t e s fa r m o re t o t h e ke y o f % m a o r, w h ic h op e n e d t he t u n e , t h a n to . is t e n t o

h o w n a t u ra lly t h e t u n e flo w s fr o m % t o $ E , w it h t h e m o d u la t io n t o removed:

Y e re m oY e d e Y e ryt hin g from E a r 1 , E e a t 3 , to E a r 2 , E e at 3 , le a Y in g th e ch ord

p ro gre s s ion a s it wo uld s oun d h a d th e re e e n n o m od u la t ion to m a or the

m e l o d y, o f c o ur s e , c a n n o t E e s i m ila r ly a E r id g e d . 7 h e r e s u lt is a E e a u t ifu l, p e r fe c t ly

n a t u ra l p a t te r n , in wh ic h $ E s ii - V - I s m o o t h ly fo llo w s % s ii - V - I , in a ha rm onic

s e T u e n ce t h a t de s c e nd s E y m in o r t h ir d . 7 o E e t t e r p e r ce iY e t h a t d e sc e n din g m in o r

th i rd re la t ion , he re s the sam e progress ion , enha rmonica lly a l t e red :

W e ca n e a s i ly s e e t h a t t h e h a r m o n ic s e T u e n c e p e r fo r m s a m o d u la t io n E y

d e s c e n d in g m in o r t h ir d . t is e [ a c t ly t h e s a m e k in d o f m o d u la t io n w it h e [ a c t ly

t he same design a s th e $ E t o ) m o d ula t io n w e s t ud ie d ea r lie r c lick h e r e to

r e Y ie w it . ( Y e n m o re , t he e n tir e se T u e nc e c an E e Y ie w ed a s on e d ia t on ic

p ro gre s s ion in , wh ich e g ins in th e m inor m od e a nd t he n m o e s to th e p a ra lle l

ma o r , in the p rogress ion ii of III V of III | IIIp a ra lle l m a or : ii V | I.

t is E e ca u s e of t h e unityo f t his se T u en ce t he in tim a cy E e tw ee n it s h a lY e s t ha t

w e e [ p e rie n ce a s e n s e of r e t ur n a s w e m o du la t e fr o m t o $ E , fo r w e re c og n i] e int he ii - V - I o f $ E t h e co m p le t io n o f a p a t t e rn E e g u n in t h e ii - V - I o f % . Co lt r a n e

crea tes the in it ia l pa t te rn , interrupts it w it h a t a n ge n t ia l m o Y e t o , a n d t he n

restores a n d completes it Y ia t rit on e m od u la t io n fr om t o $ E . 5 a t he r th a n he a r th e

t r itone m odula t ion s s t rangene ss , we a re cap tured E y the recognit ion of the in it ia l

p a t te rn s re tu rn . t s m a g ica l ing e n iou s a n d u ite fa r re m oY e d from t he

E r u sT u e m o du la t o ry a pp ro a ch o f Giant Steps.

7 h e la s t t rit on e m od u la t io n E a r s 4 - , E y wh ich th e co m ple t e d c ycle n ow a t )

r e t u r n s t o it s s t a r t in g t o n a lit y o f % , i s e Y e n m o r e e n ig m a t i c:




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+ e r e , the re i s no imm edia te ly p reced ing passa ge or key to which the modula t ion

re la tes except the end of the cycle itself, and its return to B . t s T u it e po ss iE le

tha t , fo r Colt rane , th i s was suf ficien t E a s i s fo r the modula t ion . 7 ha t he repea t s h is

m e lo dy s E e g in n in g , h e re d e sp it e th e t rit on e le a p re T u ir ed t o d o so a d dsw e ig h t t o t h a t p e r s p e ct iY e . n t h e o th e r h a n d , a co m p o s e r wh o is s t im u l a t e d E y t h e

idea o f cyc lica l modula t ion pro E a E ly wouldn t sh r ink from th e cha l lenge of t r itone

re la t ionsh ip , and so Colt rane m ay ha Y e ha d o ther connec t ing re la t ionsh ips in mind .

+ e r e a r e t wo p o s siE ilit ie s :

FM7 as bII of E

+ e re , ) M s er Y e s a s E o th in ) a nd E in ( . n tu rn , ( M is sim u lt an eou sly in (

a n d 9 in % . Co lt ra n e s u s e of C m , ra th e r t ha n ( , ca n E e Y ie we d as a s im p le

c h or d s u E s t it u t io n , t h a t p re s e r Y e s t h e s o n g s ii V I formula.

FM7 as chromatic passing chord

+ e r e , ) m a o r s t o nic is s t ill t h e p iY o t ch o rd , E u t t his t im e a s a chromatically raised

IVin t h e k e y o f % m a o r , le a d in g d ir e c tly t o t h e 9 o f t h a t k e y .

With th is re tu rn to % , the four - fo ld d iY is ion of the oc ta Y e is comple ted , and

Coltran e s sym me trical tona l design fulf illed.

e t s n o w t a k e a s t e p E a c k , t o p la c e t h e d e t a i ls o f th e s e t w o p ie c e s w it h in t h e

fr a m e w o r k o f o u r la r g e r T u e s t .

Put t ing itPut t ing itPut t ing itPut t ing it a ll tog eth er . . .a ll tog eth er . . .a l l tog eth er . . .a ll tog eth er . . .

We see tha t , in Giant Steps a n d Central Park West, Co lt rane ha s worked the sam e

s t ruc tura l ma te r ia l in two Y e ry d iffe ren t ways , app ly ing d i Y e rgen t t echn i T ues in h is

t r e a t m e n t o f t h e m o d u la t o r y cy cle , a n d in h i s a p p r oa c h t o t o n a lit y . e t s s u m m a r i] e

those differences:

Treatment of the modulatory cycle




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Giant Steps

Colt rane esche ws any techn iT ue tha t would soften the hars hness o f h is

m o d u la t o r y cy cle : h e a Y o id s p iY o t c h o rd s a n d c o m m o n t o n e s , c h o os in g in s t e a d

t o h ig h lig h t t h e c yc le s a w k w a rd k e y re la t io n s , E y le a Y in g t h e m e [ p o s e d .

Central Park West

Co lt r a ne g o e s t o gr e a t le n g t hs t o m it ig a t e a n d , in d e e d , t r a ns fo rm t h e

c yc le s n a t u ra l a E r a s iY e n e s s . n m o d u la t io n s E y m in o r th ir d , he u s e s m i[ t u re t o

p ro du ce e ffe ct iY e a n d e le ga n t p iY o t ch or ds , a n d s u s ta in s h is m e lod y n ot e s toc r e a t e th e s m o o t h e s t p os s iE le t r a n s it io n . Wh e r e t h e s e a r e n t a Y a ila E le , h e

c r e a t e s t h e illusion of seam lessne ss , E y making the modula t ion it se l f in to a

pa re n th e t ica l in se rt ion th a t s e pa ra te s th e two h a lY e s of a e ry clo s e ly re la te d

s e T u e nce .

Treatment of tonality

Giant Steps

7 h e c om p o s e r d e liE e r a t e ly a Y o id s a n y t e c h n iT u e s t h a t wo u ld m o r e fir m ly

e s t a E lis h o n e t o n a l ce n t r e . 7 h o u g h t h e p ie c e c y clic a lly r e t u r n s t o % , t h a t k e y is

g iY en l it t l e more p rominence than a ny o ther . 7 he l ack of a s t rong cen t ra l tona l ity

m e a n s t h a t w e h e a r allt h e k e ys e T u a lly w hich in t ur n e [ p os e s th e

compos i t ion s under ly ing s t ruc ture , in which the oc ta Y e i s d iY ided in to th ree

equalm a o r t h ir d s . 7 h e s u p p r e s s io n o f t o n a lit y is a n i m p o r t a n t m e a n s E y w h ic h

Colt rane rea l i] e s h i s a r t i s t ic in ten t ion .

Central Park West

Colt rane goes ou t o f h is way to c rea te a symm etr ica l tona l des ign tha t p laces the

k e y o f % m a o r a t it s c e n t r e . n c e t h e s t r u ct u r a l c yc le i s c om p l e t e d , h e r e s t ric t s

h is m o d u la t io n s a n d p r o g re s s io n s t o t h os e t h a t s t r e n g t h e n % a s t o n ic . % o t h

ac t ions m in imi] e the modula to ry cycle s tona lity -d is rup t ing tendenc ies , and

s u c ce s s f u lly e s t a E lis h a c e n t ra l k e y. 7 h is c r e a t e s t h e u n ifie d E a s e fr o m w h ic h w e

can more ca lmly e [ pe r ience the cyc le s tona l t r a ec to ry , and de l igh t in it s

u n fo ld in g . 7 h e e s t a E lis h m e n t o f a ce n t r a l t o n a lit y E u ild s t h e p e r s p e c tiY e t h r o u g h

which Central Park Westc a n E e p r op e rly e [ p e r ie n ce d .

7 he su m of these d i ffe rences is the rea l i] a t ion o f two d is t inct a r t i s t ic in ten t ions .

7 h rou gh Giant Steps a n d Central Park West, Co lt rane shows us th a t the sa me

ma ter ia l can E e m ade to p roduce to ta l ly d iffe ren t resu lt s if used differently:

tttt s n ots n o ts n o ts n o t what wha t wha t wha t yo u us e , E u tyo u us e , E u tyo u us e , E u tyo u us e , E u t howh owh owh owyou use i t .you use i t .you use i t .you use i t .

What was a s ource o f a r r ing aggres s ion in Giant Steps E e c o m e s t h e s t a rt in g p o in t

fo r u t te r c h a r m a n d E e a u t y in Central Park West. What Colt rane m akes

a [ io m a t ic a lly t e nd e r in o n e , he r e n de r s E r u sT u e a n d a n g ula r in t h e ot h e r a n d it is

all in the how: howthe compose r e limina tes a l l smooth ing techn iT ues , so as to

e [ p o s e t h e u n d e r ly in g s t r u c t u re i n Giant Steps, a n d howhe f inds w onde rful,

in Y en t i Y e ways o f t rans forming the d i scordance of d is tan t ly - re la ted keys in to

E r e a t h t a k in g c h a r m a n d d e lig h t in Central Park West.

While the se ins igh ts de a l with compos i t ion , they a pp ly e T ua l ly to impro Y isa t ion ,

where the rea l i] a t ion o f a r t is t i c in ten t i s u s t a s impor tan t . 7 o so lo well, one mus t

unders tand the s t ruc tures upon which one c rea tes .

7 h is lit t le t o u r n e c e s s a r ily t o uc h e d on E u t a fe w p a r a m e t e r s t h e r e is fa r m o r e , in

C olt r a n e s c r e a t io n s , fr o m w h ic h w e c a n le a r n a n d g r o w . t s m y h o p e t h a t o u r E r ie f

e [ p lo ra t ion wi ll insp i re fu r ther Y is i t s to h i s work.

Mic ha e l e iE s o n

May, 2 00

Page 10 of 20Giant Steps, Central Park West, and Modulatory Cycles - John Coltrane's harmonic tec...



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Michae l e i E son is a composer , mus ic consu ltan t , and m us ic educa tor , who

s p ec ia li] e s in a ] ] a n d c la s s ic al h a rm o n y. 7 o le a rn m o re a E o u t h im , c lick he r e

fo r in fo r m a t io n a E o u t s tu d y in g w it h h im , c lic k h e r e a n d fo r c o p yr ig h t

in fo rm a t io n, c lick h e re .

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Analysis

John Coltrane wasnt the first

to experiment with equal

subdivisions of the octave

(experiments go back to at

least 1825), but his Giant Steps

placed this radically different

approach to harmony front and

centre within the jazz world.

Its unusual beauty and power

still exert an influence, half a

century later.

However, in our fascination

with the what of Coltranes

octave subdivision, we can at

times forget that its howis

equally important. That

Coltrane himself subjected it to

vastly divergent treatments

attests to the importance he

placed on exploring its

technical means.

Both Giant Steps and Central

Park West were constructed

using its methods, and yet

these classics couldnt be more

dissimilar in tone and artistic

effect. Their difference bears

witness to the fact that

Coltrane ceaselessly sought to

discover the howof octave

subdivision, so that he could

learn to master its inherent

characteristics, and use it with

deliberate, artistic intent.

This analysis explores those

discoveries, as they are

embodied within the

techniques used to create thesemasterpieces.




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