Tonal center意思

"Tonal center" or "tonal centre" is a musical term that refers to the key or tonality that a piece of music revolves around, giving it a sense of musical gravity or resting point. It is the central pitch around which a composition organizes its musical elements such as harmony, melody, and rhythm. The tonal center is often, but not always, the starting and ending point of a piece, and it provides a sense of unity and coherence.

In Western music, the concept of tonality is closely associated with the system of major and minor keys, and the tonal center is typically a note from the scale that defines the key. For example, in a piece in C major, the tonal center is the note C, while in a piece in A minor, the tonal center is the note A.

The concept of the tonal center is fundamental to understanding how music in the common practice period (roughly 1650–1900) is organized and how it creates a sense of musical coherence and direction. It is also a key concept in the analysis of music from other periods and styles, although the term may be used in different ways or with different significance in non-Western or contemporary music.