Don Satz:

>Excellently stated.  Whether parallel fifths are effective depends on the
>context in which they are used and other matters such as articulation and
>tension supplied.
>
>In the larger picture, rules are made to be broken since they are
>originated by humans.  If all the so-called rules of music composition
>were adhered to, music would stagnate and the creative process would die on
>the vine.  When I hear that there is some rule for any subject, my response
>is to ask who came up with the rule and does it have any value other than
>making folks adhere to it.  I find no value in the parallel fifths rule.
>Composers may use them whenever they like, and I'll decide their worth
>based on the listening experience.

This may sound off-topic, but I don't think it is.  Taken Don's thoughts
only one step further, all rules are worthless, because ultimately
man-made.  Life wold end up in anarchy.  This of course includes music.
Do we really want music without rules? I rather live without parallel
fifths in the few cases where they might be good than having no rules
at all.  I may be conservative, old-fashioned, outdated or even badly
informed (read:  stupid), but I think this is one of the central problems
of contemporary art:  The lack of rules.  The British baritone Thomas Allen
stated something similar:  "What bothers me is that traditional skills seem
to be frowned upon now and are being dismantled little by little." (Source
see below) Of course the 'right way' is somewhere in between.  Having
rules, but not obeying them slavishly.  However, they should only be broken
where it is to the advantage of the music.  But how does the composer know
what is good, really? Of course s/he should have a feeling for it, but
humans may err.  Often breaking the rule is easier than obeying it.
Writing dense counterpoint without parallel fifths is more difficult than
with them - thus composers are tempted to write the 'forbidden' stuff.  But
shouldn't we point that out? I think the audience has to demand that rules
are followed, not applaud everything.

Jan