Associative Tonal Structure and the Referential Role of the <i>Elektra</i> and <i>Salome</i> Chords

ABSTRACT Perhaps two of the most infamous sonorities in tonal music, the Salome and Elektra chords have prompted a multitude of multifaceted harmonic and voice‐leading interpretations from analysts. Rather than pursuing further harmonic‐functional analysis, this article links the construction of these peculiar chords to the associative key structure of each opera. In short, the pitch content of each chord reflects a tangible hypostatisation of the keys associated with some of the operas’ main characters. I use this analysis to discuss intersections between tonal structure and psychological drama in these operas and note that such parallelisms – between unordered pitches and associative key structures – extend the types of structural parallelisms typically discerned in antecedents such as Verdi and Wagner. I conclude by speculating on ways in which this approach might be productively applied to Strauss's later, and far less studied, operas.