Mennin: Harmonic Language in Symphony No. 3

Example 1 – Peter Mennin, Symphony No. 3, mm 1-3.

Lets talk about Mennin’s overall harmonic language in Symphony No. 3. This opening motive which ties the entire work together, encapsulates many of the elements of this symphony that Mennin expands upon throughout the entire work. So you will find I am going to frequently refer back to these three bars to discuss ideas that are found throughout the symphony.

A harmonic analysis of these opening measures yields the following chords.

Measure 1
Beat 1 – Open Fifth on F, inverted
Beat 2 – D 4/7 (quartal triad on D)
Beat 3 – AbM 6/4
Beat 4 – F 4/7 (quartal triad on F)
Measure 2
Beat 1 – GM


Example 2 – Peter Mennin, Symphony No. 3, m. 1-3, meterless

On first glance at this analysis you might think that I am getting ready to show you how Mennin mixes traditional tertian harmony with quartal harmonic ideas that arose during the period of extended tonality.

However, as a music theorist, I am constantly asking myself, is this how I hear this passage? I will ask other trained musicians how they hear a passage that I am having difficulty understanding. Asking these questions and listening to this passage repeated lead me to a different conclusion.

Mennin’s harmonic language is influenced by his use of counterpoint. This entire opening passage is better understood as three separate lines moving contrapuntally towards a common goal, the dominant of c minor. The interval content between the voices is a mixture of perfect intervals and thirds and the pitch content can all be understood in a c minor context. This creates a sense of consonance where harmonic analysis might suggest something different.


Example 3 – Peter Mennin, Symphony No. 3, m. 1-3, couterpoint analysis

This leads to an interesting question: If harmonies are largely non-functional, how are key areas determined?

Conclusions about tonal centers are largely based on the pitch content of thematic lines. For example, the primary theme (example 4) is initially stated in C minor.


Example 4 – Peter Mennin, Symphony No. 3, m. 14-17.

I say C minor for three reasons. First, the initial and final pitches are C in this phrase. Second, the half step created by the Db generates voice leading tension that drives the line towards the C in the third measure. Lastly, the first four pitches set up a clear c minor feel (do-re-me-do). The E natural is felt as an upper chromatic neighbor between the two Ebs.


Example 5 – Peter Mennin, Symphony No. 3, m. 33-37.

The secondary theme is identified as being in F minor. In bar three, the same figure from the primary theme is present (do-re-me-do). The opening two pitches set up a sol-do figure that is a strong indicator of tonality. The melody also frequently returns to F at strong structural points as an arrival pitch.
These ideas can be applied throughout the pieces to identify key area. Just like in the opening motive, the harmonies at cadence points and other structural markers are largely related to the key, analyzing the pitch center of thematic ideas is more reliable than going through and marking all the chords of the piece. These chords prove support for my melodic key analysis.

Throughout the analysis of the keys, I am less concerned with mode and more concerned with the centric pitch. Mennin likely shuffles through a few different modes throughout the piece, or inflects other modal ideas (certainly major and minor are interchanged frequently), but the centric pitch is the most interesting in terms of identifying the key scheme of the piece and understanding how the different areas relate.

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Works Referenced

• Mennin, Peter. Symphony No. 3. New York: Hargail Music Press, 1948.