9895 / 18210 · Workshop 81 — Polychords and Bitonal Hearing: Two Harmonic Worlds at Once, Upper Structure vs. True Polychord, Controlled Clashes, and Making “Wrong” Chords Sound Intentional← prev⊞ allnext →
81.105Apply it to “Happy Birthday”
Because the melody is public domain, try a radically modern variation.
First phrase: ordinary C major.
Second: C pedal + D-major upper colors.
Third, climax: brief C-major/E♭-major layered sonority under a sustained melody note.
Final phrase: reduce everything to simple C6/9.
Do not polychordalize every note.
One or two moments are enough.