Generalisations of Euler's Tonnetz on triangulated surfaces

Abstract

We give a definition of a what we call a `tonnetz' on a triangulated surface, generalising the famous tonnetz of Euler from 1739. In Euler's tonnetz the vertices of a regular `$A_2$ triangulation' of the plane are labelled with notes, or pitch-classes. In our generalisation we allow much more general labellings of triangulated surfaces. In particular, edge labellings turn out to lead to a rich set of examples. We construct natural examples that are related to crystallographic reflection groups and live on triangulations of tori. Underlying these we observe a curious relationship between mathematical Langlands duality and major/minor duality. We also construct `exotic' type-$A_2$ examples (different from Euler's Tonnetz), and a tonnetz on a sphere that encodes all major ninth chords.