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Enigmatic scale on C^[1]

Descendinge enigmatic scale on C^[2]^[3] is distinguished by F♮, a lowered fourth degree

The enigmatic scale (scala enigmatica) is an unusual musical scale, with elements of both major and minor scales, as well as the whole-tone scale. It was originally published in a Milan journal as a musical challenge, with an invitation to harmonize it in some way.

Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, who supposedly invented the scale^[4] actually returned to composition with this, "arbitrary scale,"^[5] in his "Ave Maria (sulla scala enigmatica)" (1889, revised 1898), in response to a challenge printed in the Milan Gazzetta musicale to employ a musical conundrum^[6]. The "Ave Maria", compiled as part of the Quattro Pezzi Sacri (1898) [4 sacred pieces], has been described as, "that still almost incomprehensible into-one-another-gliding of harmonies over the entirely 'unnatural' scala enigmatica"^[7]. The piece features the scale both in its harmonies and as a cantus firmus throughout the short piece^[8] in half-note values in the bass and then each successively higher voice accompanying, "queer counterpoint which...is far-fetched and difficult of intonation; [and] the total effect is almost, if not quite, as musical as it is curious"^[3].

The scale, (written out beginning on G) is as follows:

G, A♭, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G

And has a formula of: T - m2 - M3 - ♯4 - ♯5 - ♯6 - M7 - 8ve.

With the musical steps as following: Semitone, Tone and a half, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Semitone.

The scale lacks a perfect fourth (except descending) and a perfect fifth, both of which are usually used in standard chord progressions and help establish the tonic.

The scale was used by guitarist Joe Satriani in his piece "The Enigmatic"^[1] from Not of This Earth (1986).

[edit] Sources

^ ^a ^b Peter Fischer (2000). Rock Guitar Secrets, p.162. ISBN 3927190624.
^ Barrie Jones (1999). The Hutchinson Concise Dictionary of Music, p.197. ISBN 1579581781.
^ ^a ^b William Henry Hadow (1905). The Oxford history of music, p.223. Second edition, Vol. 6. ISBN .
^ Latham, Alison (2005). The Oxford Dictionary of Musical Terms, p.159. ISBN 0198606982.
^ Willi Apel (1969). Harvard dictionary of music, p.753. 2nd edition. ISBN 0674375017.
^ Barbara Meier (2005). Verdi, p.133. ISBN 1904341055.
^ University of Chicago (1955). Chicago Review, p.31. Vol. 9. ISBN .
^ Scott L. Balthazar, ed. (2004). The Cambridge Companion to Verdi, p.180. ISBN 0521635357.

[Fischer-0] Peter Fischer (2000). Rock Guitar Secrets, p.162. ISBN 3927190624.

[1] Barrie Jones (1999). The Hutchinson Concise Dictionary of Music, p.197. ISBN 1579581781.

[Hadow-2] William Henry Hadow (1905). The Oxford history of music, p.223. Second edition, Vol. 6. ISBN .

[3] Latham, Alison (2005). The Oxford Dictionary of Musical Terms, p.159. ISBN 0198606982.

[4] Willi Apel (1969). Harvard dictionary of music, p.753. 2nd edition. ISBN 0674375017.

[5] Barbara Meier (2005). Verdi, p.133. ISBN 1904341055.

[6] University of Chicago (1955). Chicago Review, p.31. Vol. 9. ISBN .

[7] Scott L. Balthazar, ed. (2004). The Cambridge Companion to Verdi, p.180. ISBN 0521635357.

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