Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Performed by Martine Joste and Sylvaine Billier.
I - Presto (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 184) - Doppio più lento (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 92) - Tempo I - Doppio più lento - Tempo I - Doppio più lento - Tempo I: 0:00
II - (𝅘𝅥 = 54) - Allargando molto - Tempo I: 0:53
III - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 138): 4:10
IV - (𝅘𝅥. = 100): 6:32
V - Poco rubato (𝅘𝅥 = 52) - Rallentando - Tempo I - Rallentando - Tempo I - Rallentando molto - A tempo: 7:32
VI - (𝅘𝅥 = 104) - Meno animato (𝅘𝅥 = 𝅘𝅥.) - Poco più lento - Rallentando - Tempo I: 11:27
VII - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 112) - Rallentando molto lento - Tempo I - Poco più lento - Ritenuto molto - Lento: 13:13
VIII - Molto pesante (𝅘𝅥 = 63) - Leggiero - Violentemente - Impetuoso e poco accelerando - Poco più animato - Molto impetuoso - Tempo I - Lento: 15:43
IX - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 126) - Poco più lento - Più lento - Tempo I: 18:24
X - (𝅘𝅥 = 116): 21:35
XI - Maestoso (𝅘𝅥 = 44) - Cantabile - Poco più animato (𝅘𝅥 = 66) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 44) - Poco più animato - Tempo I cantabile: 22:55
XII - (𝅘𝅥 = 126) - Con violenza - Meno animato - Espressivo e rubato - Ancora più lento - Tempo I - Con molta violenza: 26:06
XIII - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 88) - Poco più lento - Poco più animato - Ancora più animato - Tempo I: 27:44
XIV - (𝅘𝅥 = 69): 30:43
XV - (𝅘𝅥 = 96) - Lento - A tempo: 33:16
XVI - Andante (𝅘𝅥 = 52) - Più lento - Lento: 34:46
XVII - (𝅘𝅥 = 72) - Più lento (𝅘𝅥 = 48) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 72): 38:47
XVIII - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 56): 39:55
XIX - (𝅘𝅥 = 120): 41:54
XX - (𝅘𝅥 = 92): 43:29
XXI - (𝅘𝅥. = 52) - Più lento - Lento: 44:28
XXII - (𝅘𝅥 = 84) - Più lento: 47:05
XXIII - (𝅘𝅥. = 100): 48:06
XXIV - Andante (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 100) - Più lento - Poco più animato - A tempo (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 100) - Più lento - Lento: 49:10
Wyschnegradsky's 24 Préludes Op. 22 were composed in 1934, based on the 13-tone scale. The composer revised the set much later on between 1960-70, including quarter tones outside said scale and some preludes being thoroughly recomposed. A selection was performed in Paris on January 25 of 1937, performed by Ina Marika and Edward Staempfli. Excerpts were also performed in U.S.A., Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Russia. The premiere of the complete cycle took place in Tokyo on December 11 of 1986, performed by Henriette Puig-Roget and Kazuoki Fujii.
Wyschnegradsky invented diatonicized chromaticism, and the 24 Preludes are based on the "chromatic scale diatonicized to 13 tones". This scale is constructed of two connected heptachords, and each heptachord follows a ½ – ½ – ½ – ½ – ½ – ¼ step interval pattern. He uses a circle of major fourths with the 13-tone scale in the 24-TET, similar to the circle of fifths with the diatonic scale in the 12-TET. Each prelude uses a different 13-tone scale, and they move clockwise on the circle.
While Wyschnegradsky uses the 13-tone scale to exhibit tonality, it is interesting to note that the number of perfect fifths in the scale is scarce and instead there are more major fourths (a quarter-tone larger than a perfect fourth) and minor fifths (a quarter-tone smaller than the perfect fifth). As a result of this scarcity of perfect fifths, it is impossible to create any conventional harmonies (major or minor triads, seventh chords, etc.) using the 13-tone scale. The perfect fifth is the most consonant interval other than the unison and the octave and it contributes to acoustic consonance, so why did Wyschnegradsky craft a quarter tone scale that lacks this interval? The answer lies within the 13-tone scale’s structural similarities to the diatonic scale and the acoustic consonance of the major fourth and minor fifth.
The construction of the 13-tone scale is structurally similar to the diatonic scale, and the two heptachords of the 13-tone scale are analogous to the two tetrachords of the diatonic scale. In fact, the term "diatonicized chromaticism" comes from 13-tone scale’s relationship to the diatonic and chromatic scales. The acoustic consonance of the major fourth and minor fifth help fill the perfect fifth scarcity. The major fourth ratio is 11:8, the minor fifth is 16:11, and both ratios closely approximate the 11th harmonic of the overtone series. The representation of the 11th harmonic has been made possible through the 24-TET. Minor fifths can be used in the harmony instead of perfect fifth, as it retains acoustic consonance and functional identity of chord (major triad, minor triad).
Picture: "Soft Pressure" (1931) by Russian-French painter Wassily Kandinsky.
Sources: tinyurl.com/2dqla7dp, tinyurl.com/265ovyhv and tinyurl.com/26klz3lq
To check the score: tinyurl.com/24wyv69x
Performed by Martine Joste and Sylvaine Billier.
I - Presto (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 184) - Doppio più lento (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 92) - Tempo I - Doppio più lento - Tempo I - Doppio più lento - Tempo I: 0:00
II - (𝅘𝅥 = 54) - Allargando molto - Tempo I: 0:53
III - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 138): 4:10
IV - (𝅘𝅥. = 100): 6:32
V - Poco rubato (𝅘𝅥 = 52) - Rallentando - Tempo I - Rallentando - Tempo I - Rallentando molto - A tempo: 7:32
VI - (𝅘𝅥 = 104) - Meno animato (𝅘𝅥 = 𝅘𝅥.) - Poco più lento - Rallentando - Tempo I: 11:27
VII - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 112) - Rallentando molto lento - Tempo I - Poco più lento - Ritenuto molto - Lento: 13:13
VIII - Molto pesante (𝅘𝅥 = 63) - Leggiero - Violentemente - Impetuoso e poco accelerando - Poco più animato - Molto impetuoso - Tempo I - Lento: 15:43
IX - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 126) - Poco più lento - Più lento - Tempo I: 18:24
X - (𝅘𝅥 = 116): 21:35
XI - Maestoso (𝅘𝅥 = 44) - Cantabile - Poco più animato (𝅘𝅥 = 66) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 44) - Poco più animato - Tempo I cantabile: 22:55
XII - (𝅘𝅥 = 126) - Con violenza - Meno animato - Espressivo e rubato - Ancora più lento - Tempo I - Con molta violenza: 26:06
XIII - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 88) - Poco più lento - Poco più animato - Ancora più animato - Tempo I: 27:44
XIV - (𝅘𝅥 = 69): 30:43
XV - (𝅘𝅥 = 96) - Lento - A tempo: 33:16
XVI - Andante (𝅘𝅥 = 52) - Più lento - Lento: 34:46
XVII - (𝅘𝅥 = 72) - Più lento (𝅘𝅥 = 48) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 72): 38:47
XVIII - (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 56): 39:55
XIX - (𝅘𝅥 = 120): 41:54
XX - (𝅘𝅥 = 92): 43:29
XXI - (𝅘𝅥. = 52) - Più lento - Lento: 44:28
XXII - (𝅘𝅥 = 84) - Più lento: 47:05
XXIII - (𝅘𝅥. = 100): 48:06
XXIV - Andante (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 100) - Più lento - Poco più animato - A tempo (𝅘𝅥𝅮 = 100) - Più lento - Lento: 49:10
Wyschnegradsky's 24 Préludes Op. 22 were composed in 1934, based on the 13-tone scale. The composer revised the set much later on between 1960-70, including quarter tones outside said scale and some preludes being thoroughly recomposed. A selection was performed in Paris on January 25 of 1937, performed by Ina Marika and Edward Staempfli. Excerpts were also performed in U.S.A., Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Russia. The premiere of the complete cycle took place in Tokyo on December 11 of 1986, performed by Henriette Puig-Roget and Kazuoki Fujii.
Wyschnegradsky invented diatonicized chromaticism, and the 24 Preludes are based on the "chromatic scale diatonicized to 13 tones". This scale is constructed of two connected heptachords, and each heptachord follows a ½ – ½ – ½ – ½ – ½ – ¼ step interval pattern. He uses a circle of major fourths with the 13-tone scale in the 24-TET, similar to the circle of fifths with the diatonic scale in the 12-TET. Each prelude uses a different 13-tone scale, and they move clockwise on the circle.
While Wyschnegradsky uses the 13-tone scale to exhibit tonality, it is interesting to note that the number of perfect fifths in the scale is scarce and instead there are more major fourths (a quarter-tone larger than a perfect fourth) and minor fifths (a quarter-tone smaller than the perfect fifth). As a result of this scarcity of perfect fifths, it is impossible to create any conventional harmonies (major or minor triads, seventh chords, etc.) using the 13-tone scale. The perfect fifth is the most consonant interval other than the unison and the octave and it contributes to acoustic consonance, so why did Wyschnegradsky craft a quarter tone scale that lacks this interval? The answer lies within the 13-tone scale’s structural similarities to the diatonic scale and the acoustic consonance of the major fourth and minor fifth.
The construction of the 13-tone scale is structurally similar to the diatonic scale, and the two heptachords of the 13-tone scale are analogous to the two tetrachords of the diatonic scale. In fact, the term "diatonicized chromaticism" comes from 13-tone scale’s relationship to the diatonic and chromatic scales. The acoustic consonance of the major fourth and minor fifth help fill the perfect fifth scarcity. The major fourth ratio is 11:8, the minor fifth is 16:11, and both ratios closely approximate the 11th harmonic of the overtone series. The representation of the 11th harmonic has been made possible through the 24-TET. Minor fifths can be used in the harmony instead of perfect fifth, as it retains acoustic consonance and functional identity of chord (major triad, minor triad).
Picture: "Soft Pressure" (1931) by Russian-French painter Wassily Kandinsky.
Sources: tinyurl.com/2dqla7dp, tinyurl.com/265ovyhv and tinyurl.com/26klz3lq
To check the score: tinyurl.com/24wyv69x
