Head
tone, Kopfton. The primary melodic note of a composition.
It is established near the beginning of a piece, or follows an initial
ascent, and serves at the first note of the Urlinie.
It usually forms the focal point for subordinate linear
progressions and arpeggiations and is often prolonged
at great length. The Kopfton of Brahms Op. 24 is F, the fifth
note of the scale. Kopfton remains untranslated in the text
since it is in common use among Schenkerian analysts.
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