127:
236:
228:
220:
212:
80:
In the most general sense, the scale degree is the number given to each step of the scale, usually starting with 1 for tonic. Defining it like this implies that a tonic is specified. For instance, the 7-tone
165:" are commonly used as interval names (though "whole scale step" or "half scale step" are not used). The number of scale degrees and the distance between them together define the scale they are in.
873:. "Scale degree names: Each degree of the seven-tone diatonic scale has a name that relates to its function. The major scale and all three forms of the minor scale share these terms."
286:
in the United States), and tonic again. These names are derived from a scheme where the tonic note is the 'centre'. Then the supertonic and subtonic are, respectively, a
1512:
1478:
1650:
1474:
201:
by their ordinal numbers, as the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh degrees of the scale, sometimes raised or lowered;
870:
1771:
1086:
130:
89:
C–D–E–F–G–A–B, in which C is the tonic). If the scale has no tonic, the starting degree must be chosen arbitrarily. In
1758:
899:
847:
960:
947:
1315:
123:. The names are the same for the major and minor scales, only the seventh degree changes name when flattened:
1920:
1894:
1890:
1886:
1851:
1847:
1843:
1830:
17:
126:
1565:
177:
1604:
1540:
1281:
1220:
1081:
205:
149:
is sometimes used synonymously with scale degree, but it may alternatively refer to the distance
133:
684:
Lower mediant, midway between tonic and subdominant, (in major key) tonic of relative minor key
2013:
1907:
1599:
1561:
1551:
1245:
244:
1736:
1751:
1645:
1640:
1632:
1571:
1225:
1210:
1205:
1136:
1031:
1240:
1157:
1061:
1056:
940:
169:
8:
1546:
1308:
1143:
1076:
711:
624:
Lower dominant, happens to have the same interval below tonic as dominant is above tonic
435:
1150:
1091:
892:
Das Wesen des musikalischen
Kunstwerks: Eine EinfĂĽhrung in Die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers
104:
In a more specific sense, scale degrees are given names that indicate their particular
90:
1387:
1169:
895:
866:
843:
235:
227:
219:
211:
119:
This example gives the names of the functions of the scale degrees in the seven note
85:
may become the major scale once the proper degree has been chosen as tonic (e.g. the
1873:
1744:
1706:
1694:
1688:
1536:
1528:
1447:
1442:
1432:
1230:
1111:
1071:
1036:
985:
641:
410:
267:
105:
62:
1724:
1718:
1712:
1700:
1670:
1499:
1422:
1397:
1392:
1382:
1364:
1106:
1096:
1041:
1021:
995:
933:
819:
646:
154:
94:
1775:
1682:
1622:
1614:
1594:
1586:
1556:
1462:
1341:
1332:
1301:
1127:
1101:
1051:
1026:
990:
810:
120:
82:
74:
70:
760:
One half step below tonic. Melodically strong affinity for and leads to tonic
589:
Midway between tonic and dominant, (in minor key) tonic of relative major key
2007:
1817:
1676:
1576:
1508:
1489:
1452:
1354:
1235:
1215:
1046:
956:
581:
516:
251:
66:
54:
50:
1903:
1518:
1504:
1437:
1427:
1324:
883:
815:
753:
741:
676:
423:
279:
46:
38:
1864:
1855:
1494:
1484:
1470:
1417:
1374:
1359:
1349:
1276:
1271:
1261:
1200:
1016:
1011:
980:
975:
746:
616:
611:
551:
521:
263:
193:
189:
98:
86:
925:
1882:
1826:
1266:
1066:
671:
546:
418:
271:
255:
158:
31:
162:
1916:
706:
428:
275:
113:
61:
is assumed to begin. Degrees are useful for indicating the size of
1839:
1191:
576:
259:
176:, denoting "a chord having gained structural significance" (see
172:, "scale degree" (or "scale step") translates Schenker's German
1766:
777:
414:
58:
1182:
290:
above and below the tonic; the mediant and submediant are a
294:
above and below it; and the dominant and subdominant are a
27:
Position of a musical note on a scale relative to the tonic
132:
Audio playback is not supported in your browser. You can
112:). This implies a functional scale, as is the case in
57:—the first and main note of the scale from which each
723:One whole step below tonic in natural minor scale.
97:are usually numbered starting from C=0, the twelve
2005:
888:Introduction to the Theory of Heinrich Schenker
204:by Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4 ...), as in the
153:two successive and adjacent scale degrees (see
915:, J.-J. Nattiez ed. Torino, Einaudi, vol. II,
1752:
1309:
941:
911:Nicolas MeeĂąs, "Scale, polifonia, armonia",
30:For scale-step in Schenkerian analysis, see
1759:
1745:
1323:
1316:
1302:
948:
934:
955:
183:
702:
250:by the English name for their function:
789:Tonal center, note of final resolution
529:Tonal center, note of final resolution
109:
14:
2006:
413:between it and the tonic in the upper
93:, for instance, the 12 degrees of the
1740:
1297:
929:
479:
902:. Shown in uppercase Roman numerals.
865:, p p.32–33. Seventh Edition.
24:
654:Second in importance to the tonic
25:
2025:
427:is used when that interval is a
234:
226:
218:
210:
196:may be identified several ways:
45:is the position of a particular
559:One whole step above the tonic
496:Corresponding mode (minor key)
493:Corresponding mode (major key)
434:by their name according to the
188:The degrees of the traditional
905:
894:), p.22. Trans. John Rothgeb.
877:
861:Music: In Theory and Practice,
853:
832:
13:
1:
825:
101:being numbered from 0 to 11.
859:Benward & Saker (2003).
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719:
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629:
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572:
564:
561:
555:
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545:
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531:
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512:
178:Schenkerian analysis#Harmony
129:
7:
804:
298:above and below the tonic:
69:and whether an interval is
10:
2030:
1087:Ptolemy's intense diatonic
29:
1782:
1663:
1631:
1613:
1585:
1527:
1461:
1410:
1373:
1340:
1331:
1290:
1254:
1120:
1004:
968:
913:Enciclopedia della musica
397:
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323:
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317:
314:
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307:
305:
208:, sometimes with carets (
1566:descending melodic major
1513:descending melodic minor
380: Subdominant
1541:ascending melodic minor
1479:ascending melodic major
353: Submediant
331: Supertonic
206:Nashville Number System
134:download the audio file
1552:Lydian augmented (III)
1325:Modes in Western music
184:Major and minor scales
108:within the scale (see
1633:Double harmonic scale
1605:Phrygian dominant (V)
1600:Ukrainian Dorian (IV)
387: Dominant
324: Subtonic
247:(I, II, III, IV ...);
1646:Hungarian minor (IV)
1572:Half diminished (VI)
1562:Aeolian dominant (V)
1158:17 equal temperament
360: Mediant
170:Schenkerian analysis
1641:Double harmonic (I)
712:natural minor scale
1623:Harmonic major (I)
1595:Harmonic minor (I)
1092:Scale of harmonics
917:Il sapere musicale
838:Kolb, Tom (2005).
505:Note (in C minor)
502:Note (in C major)
480:Scale degree names
436:movable do solfège
308: Tonic
2001:
2000:
1996:
1995:
1992:
1974:
1950:
1792:
1734:
1733:
1659:
1658:
1406:
1405:
1195:
1186:
1172:
1170:Escala nordestina
1160:
1153:
1146:
1139:
1082:Phrygian dominant
871:978-0-07-294262-0
802:
801:
750:
715:
409:is used when the
404:
403:
138:
16:(Redirected from
2021:
1990:
1988:
1987:
1982:
1981:
1972:
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1969:
1964:
1963:
1948:
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1939:
1790:
1785:
1784:
1761:
1754:
1747:
1738:
1737:
1338:
1337:
1318:
1311:
1304:
1295:
1294:
1246:Ukrainian Dorian
1189:
1180:
1168:
1156:
1149:
1142:
1135:
1022:Diminished scale
950:
943:
936:
927:
926:
920:
909:
903:
881:
875:
857:
851:
836:
744:
733:
732:
709:
695:
694:
600:
599:
484:
483:
303:
302:
239:
238:
231:
230:
223:
222:
215:
214:
53:relative to the
21:
2029:
2028:
2024:
2023:
2022:
2020:
2019:
2018:
2004:
2003:
2002:
1997:
1989:
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1979:
1978:
1971:
1967:
1966:
1961:
1960:
1947:
1943:
1942:
1937:
1936:
1924:
1919:
1911:
1906:
1898:
1885:
1877:
1868:
1859:
1842:
1834:
1829:
1821:
1789:
1778:
1765:
1735:
1730:
1664:Number of tones
1655:
1627:
1609:
1581:
1523:
1457:
1402:
1369:
1327:
1322:
1286:
1250:
1211:Hungarian minor
1206:Hungarian major
1137:Double harmonic
1116:
1107:Synthetic scale
1032:Double harmonic
1000:
964:
954:
924:
923:
910:
906:
882:
878:
858:
854:
837:
833:
828:
820:music education
807:
730:
729:
692:
691:
597:
596:
482:
477:
300:
233:
225:
217:
209:
186:
155:steps and skips
141:
140:
139:
137:
95:chromatic scale
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
2027:
2017:
2016:
1999:
1998:
1994:
1993:
1975:
1957:
1954:
1951:
1933:
1930:
1926:
1925:
1914:
1912:
1901:
1899:
1880:
1878:
1871:
1869:
1862:
1860:
1837:
1835:
1824:
1822:
1815:
1812:
1811:
1808:
1805:
1802:
1799:
1796:
1793:
1783:
1780:
1779:
1776:diatonic scale
1764:
1763:
1756:
1749:
1741:
1732:
1731:
1729:
1728:
1722:
1716:
1710:
1704:
1698:
1692:
1686:
1680:
1674:
1667:
1665:
1661:
1660:
1657:
1656:
1654:
1653:
1648:
1643:
1637:
1635:
1629:
1628:
1626:
1625:
1619:
1617:
1615:Harmonic major
1611:
1610:
1608:
1607:
1602:
1597:
1591:
1589:
1587:Harmonic minor
1583:
1582:
1580:
1579:
1574:
1569:
1559:
1554:
1549:
1547:Dorian â™2 (II)
1544:
1537:Jazz minor (I)
1533:
1531:
1525:
1524:
1522:
1521:
1516:
1502:
1500:Mixolydian (V)
1497:
1492:
1490:Phrygian (III)
1487:
1482:
1467:
1465:
1459:
1458:
1456:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1414:
1412:
1408:
1407:
1404:
1403:
1401:
1400:
1398:Hypomixolydian
1395:
1390:
1385:
1379:
1377:
1371:
1370:
1368:
1367:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1346:
1344:
1335:
1329:
1328:
1321:
1320:
1313:
1306:
1298:
1292:
1288:
1287:
1285:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1258:
1256:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1248:
1243:
1241:Romanian major
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1197:
1196:
1187:
1175:
1174:
1173:
1163:
1162:
1161:
1154:
1147:
1140:
1130:
1124:
1122:
1118:
1117:
1115:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1102:Synthetic mode
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1062:Harmonic minor
1059:
1057:Harmonic major
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1027:Distance model
1024:
1019:
1014:
1008:
1006:
1002:
1001:
999:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
972:
970:
966:
965:
957:Musical scales
953:
952:
945:
938:
930:
922:
921:
919:, 2002. p. 84.
904:
876:
852:
842:, p. 16.
830:
829:
827:
824:
823:
822:
813:
811:Factor (chord)
806:
803:
800:
799:
796:
793:
790:
787:
784:
781:
774:
770:
769:
766:
764:
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751:
738:
737:
734:
726:
724:
721:
718:
716:
704:
700:
699:
696:
688:
685:
682:
679:
674:
669:
665:
664:
661:
658:
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652:
649:
644:
639:
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634:
631:
628:
625:
622:
619:
614:
609:
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604:
601:
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587:
584:
579:
574:
570:
569:
566:
563:
560:
557:
554:
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544:
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536:
533:
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519:
514:
510:
509:
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500:
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494:
491:
488:
481:
478:
476:
475:
432:
402:
401:
399:
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393:
389:
388:
385:
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377:
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371:
368:
364:
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335:
334:
332:
329:
327:
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322:
319:
318:
316:
312:
311:
309:
306:
248:
245:Roman numerals
241:
202:
198:
185:
182:
157:). The terms "
131:
128:
125:
121:diatonic scale
83:diatonic scale
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
2026:
2015:
2014:Scale degrees
2012:
2011:
2009:
1991:(Major/Minor)
1976:
1973:(Major/Minor)
1958:
1955:
1952:
1949:(Major/Minor)
1934:
1931:
1928:
1927:
1923:
1922:
1918:
1913:
1910:
1909:
1905:
1900:
1897:
1896:
1892:
1888:
1884:
1879:
1876:
1875:
1870:
1867:
1866:
1861:
1858:
1857:
1853:
1849:
1845:
1841:
1836:
1833:
1832:
1828:
1823:
1820:
1819:
1814:
1813:
1809:
1806:
1803:
1800:
1797:
1794:
1791:(Major/Minor)
1787:
1786:
1781:
1777:
1773:
1769:
1762:
1757:
1755:
1750:
1748:
1743:
1742:
1739:
1726:
1723:
1720:
1717:
1714:
1711:
1708:
1705:
1702:
1699:
1696:
1693:
1690:
1687:
1684:
1681:
1678:
1675:
1672:
1669:
1668:
1666:
1662:
1652:
1649:
1647:
1644:
1642:
1639:
1638:
1636:
1634:
1630:
1624:
1621:
1620:
1618:
1616:
1612:
1606:
1603:
1601:
1598:
1596:
1593:
1592:
1590:
1588:
1584:
1578:
1577:Altered (VII)
1575:
1573:
1570:
1567:
1563:
1560:
1558:
1557:Acoustic (IV)
1555:
1553:
1550:
1548:
1545:
1542:
1538:
1535:
1534:
1532:
1530:
1526:
1520:
1519:Locrian (VII)
1517:
1514:
1510:
1509:natural minor
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1480:
1476:
1475:natural major
1472:
1469:
1468:
1466:
1464:
1460:
1454:
1453:Reciting tone
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1434:
1431:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1409:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1380:
1378:
1376:
1372:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1347:
1345:
1343:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1330:
1326:
1319:
1314:
1312:
1307:
1305:
1300:
1299:
1296:
1293:
1289:
1283:
1282:Bohlen–Pierce
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1259:
1257:
1253:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1226:Jewish nusach
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1194:
1193:
1188:
1185:
1184:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1171:
1167:
1166:
1164:
1159:
1155:
1152:
1148:
1145:
1144:Major Locrian
1141:
1138:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1125:
1123:
1121:Ethnic origin
1119:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1077:Major Locrian
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1047:Flamenco mode
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1009:
1007:
1003:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
973:
971:
967:
962:
958:
951:
946:
944:
939:
937:
932:
931:
928:
918:
914:
908:
901:
900:0-582-28227-6
897:
893:
889:
885:
884:Jonas, Oswald
880:
874:
872:
868:
862:
856:
849:
848:0-634-06651-X
845:
841:
835:
831:
821:
817:
814:
812:
809:
808:
797:
788:
779:
771:
767:
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541:
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99:pitch classes
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92:
88:
87:C-major scale
84:
78:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
40:
33:
19:
1915:
1904:Leading-tone
1902:
1881:
1872:
1863:
1838:
1825:
1816:
1767:
1651:Oriental (V)
1505:Aeolian (VI)
1388:Hypophrygian
1190:
1181:
1151:Quarter tone
969:Main Western
916:
912:
907:
891:
887:
879:
864:
860:
855:
840:Music Theory
839:
834:
816:Ear training
742:Leading tone
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
424:leading note
422:
406:
299:
295:
291:
287:
284:leading tone
283:
280:leading note
194:minor scales
187:
173:
167:
150:
145:
144:
142:
118:
103:
79:
43:scale degree
42:
39:music theory
36:
18:Scale degree
1865:Subdominant
1495:Lydian (IV)
1485:Dorian (II)
1443:Hypolocrian
1433:Hypoaeolian
1005:Other types
747:major scale
720:Mixolydian
612:Subdominant
264:subdominant
114:tonal music
110:table below
1883:Submediant
1827:Supertonic
1707:Heptatonic
1695:Pentatonic
1689:Tetratonic
1529:Jazz minor
1471:Ionian (I)
1448:Pentatonic
1423:Hypoionian
1393:Hypolydian
1383:Hypodorian
1365:Mixolydian
1255:Non-octave
1231:Neapolitan
1112:Whole tone
1072:Jazz minor
1037:Enharmonic
986:Pentatonic
826:References
780:)
672:Submediant
647:Mixolydian
547:Supertonic
508:Semitones
419:whole step
272:submediant
256:supertonic
159:whole step
146:scale step
91:set theory
32:scale-step
1810:vii / VII
1798:iii / III
1772:functions
1725:Chromatic
1719:Decatonic
1713:Octatonic
1701:Hexatonic
1671:Monotonic
1342:Authentic
1333:Gregorian
1097:Symmetric
1042:Enigmatic
996:Chromatic
651:Phrygian
429:half-step
405:The word
163:half step
143:The term
63:intervals
2008:Category
1986:♭
1980:♮
1968:♭
1962:♮
1944:♭
1938:♮
1917:Subtonic
1874:Dominant
1683:Tritonic
1463:Diatonic
1355:Phrygian
1221:Japanese
1177:Gamelan
1128:Algerian
1052:Harmonic
991:Diatonic
886:(1982).
805:See also
786:Aeolian
745:(in the
731:♭
710:(in the
707:Subtonic
693:♭
642:Dominant
598:♭
582:Phrygian
556:Locrian
526:Aeolian
499:Meaning
438:system:
411:interval
407:subtonic
276:subtonic
268:dominant
106:function
1840:Mediant
1807:vi / VI
1801:IV / iv
1795:ii / ii
1774:of the
1768:Degrees
1677:Ditonic
1438:Locrian
1428:Aeolian
1236:Persian
1216:Istrian
1192:Slendro
1165:Brazil
1132:Arabic
890:(1934:
783:Ionian
776:Tonic (
754:Locrian
681:Lydian
677:Aeolian
621:Dorian
586:Ionian
577:Mediant
487:Degree
398:
395:
392:
373:
370:
367:
344:
341:
338:
315:
260:mediant
161:" and "
151:between
1418:Ionian
1375:Plagal
1360:Lydian
1350:Dorian
898:
869:
863:vol. I
846:
778:octave
617:Lydian
552:Dorian
522:Ionian
466:, and
415:octave
288:second
67:chords
59:octave
41:, the
1818:Tonic
1804:V / v
1788:I / i
1411:Other
1291:Modes
1277:Delta
1272:Gamma
1262:Alpha
1201:Gypsy
1183:Pelog
1017:Blues
1012:Bebop
981:Minor
976:Major
517:Tonic
490:Name
417:is a
296:fifth
292:third
252:tonic
240:...);
190:major
174:Stufe
75:minor
71:major
55:tonic
51:scale
49:on a
1856:(Sp)
1770:and
1727:(12)
1721:(10)
1511:and
1477:and
1267:Beta
1067:Jazz
961:list
896:ISBN
867:ISBN
844:ISBN
818:and
698:8-9
603:3-4
470:(or
192:and
65:and
47:note
1983:/ B
1965:/ A
1941:/ E
1895:tCp
1848:Tkp
1715:(8)
1709:(7)
1703:(6)
1697:(5)
1691:(4)
1685:(3)
1679:(2)
1673:(1)
798:12
768:11
736:10
462:),
278:or
243:by
180:).
168:In
73:or
37:In
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1908:D̸
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1891:sP
1889:,
1887:Tp
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1852:tP
1850:,
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1844:Dp
1831:Sp
795:C
792:C
773:1
763:B
703:7
687:A
668:6
663:7
660:G
657:G
638:5
633:5
630:F
627:F
608:4
592:E
573:3
568:2
565:D
562:D
543:2
538:0
535:C
532:C
513:1
474:).
472:ti
468:si
464:la
456:so
454:,
452:fa
450:,
448:mi
446:,
444:re
442:,
440:do
421:;
274:,
270:,
266:,
262:,
258:,
254:,
232:,
224:,
216:,
116:.
77:.
1977:B
1959:A
1956:G
1953:F
1935:E
1932:D
1929:C
1760:e
1753:t
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1564:(
1543:)
1539:(
1515:)
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959:(
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728:B
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595:E
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