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How is dissonance used in the Moonlight Sonata?

User Jafoor
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The standard piano octave consists of 13 keys, each separated by a half step, A standard major or minor scale uses 8 of these keys with 5 whole step intervals and 2 half step ones. The first half of measure 50 of ‘Moonlight Sonata’ consists of three notes in D major, separated by intervals called thirds that skip over the next note in the scale. By stacking the first, third, and fifth notes — D, F sharp, and A — we get a harmonic pattern known as a triad. These three frequencies together create 'consonance,’ which sounds naturally pleasant to our ears. Examining Beethoven’s use of both consonance and dissonance can help us begin to understand how he added the unquantifiable elements of emotion and creativity to the certainty of mathematics. Dissonance is a tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements while Consonance is a combination of notes which are in harmony with each other due to the relationship between their frequencies, while using both Consonance and Dissonance it creates a story both beautiful and dangerous.

Have a great day and I hope this served for your education I tried hard to put it into words. I am only in 9th grade after all XD

User Satadru Biswas
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