Tonaalselt

Tonaalselt is an Estonian adverb used in music theory and criticism to describe music that is organized with a tonal center and functional harmony. The term derives from the adjective tonaalne (tonal). When a passage is described as tonaalselt, analysts emphasize tonal relations—such as the role of the tonic, the dominant, and other scale degrees—in steering melodic and harmonic progressions.

In usage, tonaalselt contrasts with atonaalne (atonal), which characterizes music lacking a stable tonal center and functional harmonic relations. Tonaalselt is typically applied to Western tonal music, from Classical to late Romantic and certain 20th-century repertoires, including pieces that preserve tonality even amid experimental harmonies.

Etymology: From tonaalne with the adverbial form tonaalselt. The term is primarily found in Estonian-language scholarly writing and education, where it serves to discuss how music exploits tonal structure.

See also: tonality, tonal harmony, Estonian music theory.