6

I am just starting to learn the music for Leigh Harline's song : "When You Wish Upon A Star" In measure 5 the LH notes are C, D, and E and the RH notes are G♭, A♭, B♭ and C. The beginning key for this song is C major. Is there a proper name for this cluster chord ?

Improve this question
6
  • 2
    It depends on the context. Naming a chord like this depends heavily on what its function is, and that requires knowing what comes before and after (not just individual chords, but the wider musical context). Without that, it's just a whole-tone scale played as a chord.
    – Aaron
    Apr 10, 2021 at 19:58
  • 2
    I’d like to see the sheet music for the first 8 bars before making any kind of call...
    – John Belzaguy
    Apr 10, 2021 at 20:32
  • Please link a video of the performance you are taking this from or an image of the sheet music you are using so that the question can be better answered.
    – yerman
    Apr 10, 2021 at 23:13
  • This song won the 1940 Academy award for Best Original Song...also sung by the famous Jiminy Cricket in 1940 !
    – Thomas
    Apr 11, 2021 at 6:15
  • 1
    When editing a post, there is a toolbar with icons (at left) for bold and italic type. After those there is a block of four icons, with the one on the right for uploading images. You can take a smartphone photo of the chord plus some of the surrounding music and upload it.
    – Aaron
    Apr 11, 2021 at 15:33

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

The intro to this song plays the notes of a whole tone scale. The whole tone scale is used as a kind of cliché in theatre and film to represent imagination or dreaming/daydreaming. For example,

Interestingly, the whole tone scale's modes are all also whole tone scales, so a cluster played in that way may not have any distinguishable root note unless the performer or context emphasizes or suggests a certain note to be the root. I suppose you could also conceptualize it as an augmented seventh chord with an added 2 and #4, if any note seems to be the root.

Improve this answer
2
  • The lower bass note in this cluster was "C" in the key of C. All the notes in the cluster make up the complete Whole Tone Scale beginning with C !
    – Thomas
    Apr 11, 2021 at 5:37
  • 1
    And - there is only one other 'whole tone scale' - and that starts on C#. Diffiult to say what a root would be, really.
    – Tim
    Apr 11, 2021 at 9:33

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.