Homotonal

Homotonal describes music or musical passages that primarily stay within a single tonality or key throughout their duration. This contrasts with polytonal music, which uses multiple keys simultaneously, and atonal music, which avoids establishing a tonal center altogether. A homotonal piece may still contain modulations (shifts to related keys), but these modulations are typically brief and serve to reinforce the primary tonality rather than establish a contrasting tonal center. The overall effect of homotonal music is one of tonal stability and coherence. The term is often used in analysis to highlight a piece's adherence to or deviation from traditional tonal practices. It can also refer to a composer's overall approach to tonality within a particular work or across their oeuvre.