Towards a generative syntax of tonal harmony

This paper aims to propose a hierarchical, generative account of diatonic harmonic progressions and suggest a set of phrase-structure grammar rules. It argues that the structure of harmonic progressions exceeds the simplicity of the Markovian transition tables and proposes a set of rules to account for harmonic progressions with respect to key structure, functional and scale degree features as well as modulations. Harmonic structure is argued to be at least one subsystem in which Western tonal music exhibits recursion and hierarchical organization that may provide a link to overarching linguistic generative grammar on a structural and potentially cognitive level.