noun
- the simultaneous use of two or more different keys or tonal centers in a musical composition
Usage: music theory
Examples
- The composer used polytonality to create a sense of harmonic tension in the piece.
- Stravinsky’s ‘Petrushka’ is famous for its use of polytonality.
- The orchestra struggled with the polytonality in the modern symphony.
- Students of music theory must understand polytonality to analyze 20th-century compositions.
- The polytonality in the jazz arrangement created an innovative sound.
- Critics praised the composer’s skillful use of polytonality throughout the concerto.