Simon and Garfunkel, Sonny and Cher, the Righteous Brothers - pairs of voices in harmony. My piano teacher explains that harmony needs two or more notes played or sung together. Separately, each note might make a pleasing enough sound, but when joined, the interplay creates a richer aural experience.
I’ve learned about diatonic harmony - based on a 7-note scale. At the piano I choose a key, like C major, run through the seven distinct notes, C-D-E-F-G-A-B, proceed to the chords related to those notes, begin to riff using that basic structure, and Voila! I create some harmony. It may not be a particularly rich soundscape for my neighbors but mostly they tolerate it.
We need relationship harmony with our neighbors, our families and in random daily encounters. We strive for it in our inner lives. Gandhi described happiness as “when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
Into the discordant state of our world harmony brings integrity and joy. Singers who can juxtapose their individual sound waves with one another and form a whole new voice are magicians to me.
The Mamas and the Papas, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Beachboys, and the trio of Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, and the everlasting Dolly Parton. Now that’s some music of the spheres.
I’m Paula Garrett and that’s my perspective.
