sävelrivistä

Sävelrivi is a Finnish term that translates to "melody row" or "note row." It is primarily used in the context of music theory, particularly in analyzing and composing music. The term refers to a sequence of musical notes that forms a distinct melodic or harmonic unit. This unit can be as simple as a short motif or as complex as a full melodic phrase.

In serialism, a more specific application of the concept arises. Here, sävelrivi refers to a tone row, which is a pre-determined arrangement of all twelve notes of the chromatic scale. This row serves as the foundational material for an entire musical composition. Composers using this technique manipulate the tone row through various operations, such as inversion, retrograde, and retrograde inversion, to generate all the melodic and harmonic content of their work. The strict adherence to the tone row's structure is a defining characteristic of this compositional method.

Beyond serialism, the term sävelrivi can also be used more generally to describe any significant melodic sequence within a piece of music, regardless of its compositional origin. It helps to identify and discuss memorable melodic ideas or recurring patterns that contribute to the overall structure and identity of a musical work. Understanding the sävelrivi is therefore crucial for a deeper analysis and appreciation of many musical compositions, especially those from the 20th and 21st centuries.