Definition

Noun: A piece of music whose original harmony has been revised. It refers to the act or result of changing the chord progression or harmonic structure of an existing musical composition.

Usage

The term is used in music theory and analysis to describe a revised version of a piece where the underlying chords have been altered. It is a technical term most common in discussions of jazz, musical arrangement, and composition.

Examples

• The jazz pianist's reharmonisation of the classic ballad gave it a completely fresh and modern feel.
• Studying different reharmonisations of standard tunes is an excellent exercise for understanding advanced harmony.
• The arranger is known for his brilliant reharmonisation of popular songs for the orchestra.

Advanced Usage

• As a conceptual process: The term can also refer to the of revising the harmony, not just the final product.
  • The reharmonisation process involved substituting more complex chords for the original simple triads.

Variants and Related Words

• Reharmonization (noun): The American English spelling variant.
• Reharmonize (verb): To revise the harmony of a piece of music.
  • The composer decided to reharmonize the bridge section.
• Harmonization (noun): The original act of adding harmony to a melody, without the "re-" prefix implying revision.

Synonyms

• Harmonic revision
• Chordal substitution
• Harmonic reworking

Antonyms

• Original harmony
• Standard changes (in a jazz context, referring to the unaltered chord progression)

Noun

1. a piece of music whose original harmony has been revised