202 Music Theory Spectrum
Example 2.9
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we obtain the triangle kB b –A below, G abovel. And so forth;
using the transformations FLIP and CURSOR(n) (the combina-
tions of which form a mathematical group of transformations), we
can interrelate all our networks that have graph alpha or retalpha
by characteristic motions within the space of the P-cycle. This is
signiécant, since the theory of isographies was unable to trans-
form these K-nets, one into another; isography theory simply ob-
served that certain K-nets at issue all have graph alpha, and other
K-nets all have graph retalpha, and the theory then proceeded to
interrelate graphs as in Example 2.5.
What can the P-cycle here do to bring into the transformational
picture the other K-nets of Example 2.3—those with graphs beta,
gamma, etc.? Example 2.9 reproduces Example 2.7, and adjoins
beneath it another P-cycle, a P-cycle formed by “sliding” the bot-
tom rank of 2.7 one step to the right (i.e., “clockwise”), while
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leaving the top rank éxed where it stands. As a result of the
SLIDE, the triangle kG –A above, A belowl, on the top half of
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Example 2.9, is mapped into the triangle kG –A above, B b
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belowl, on the bottom half of the example. The latter triangle
gives the third K-net of Example 2.3. Since the triangle kG –A
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above, A belowl, on the top half of Example 2.9, can be obtained
by applying CURSOR(2) to the triangle kF –G above, B belowl,
also on the top half of Example 2.9, we can interrelate, with such
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characteristic transformations of P-cycles, a K-net with graph
alpha (kF –G above, B belowl), and a K-net with graph beta
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Example 2.10
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(kG –A above, B b belowl). Our earlier isography theory was able
to say only that graph beta was the kT1l-transform of graph alpha.
P-cycle theory can give a speciéc transformation within P-cycle
space that maps the speciéc K-nets of its triangles one to another.
The top half of Example 2.10 gives again the P-cycle of
Example 2.7; the bottom half shows the cycle after SLIDE(–3) has
been applied, moving the bottom rank of the upper cycle 3 steps to
the left, or “counterclockwise” (while holding the top rank éxed).
This enables us to bring a K-net with graph gamma into the P-
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cycle transformational picture. Speciécally, we can start on the
upper half of Example 2.10 at the triangle kE–F above, C belowl.
Applying CURSOR(–2) within the top half of Example 2.10, we
obtain the triangle kD–E b above, E b belowl. Then applying
SLIDE(–3), we obtain on the lower half of Example 2.9 the trian-
gle kD–E b above, C belowl. In sum, we can get from the Webern
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triangle kE–F above, C belowl, to the Webern triangle kD–E b
above, C belowl, by applying the transformations CURSOR(–2),
then SLIDE(–3). Once again, this chain of transformations in-
volves speciéc K-nets moving within P-cycle space(s); our earlier
isography theory spoke transformationally only of graphs alpha
and beta, not of the speciéc networks at hand. 10
10 Isography theory can in fact be used to speak of transformations on spe-
ciéc K-nets by “inner automorphisms” of the T/I group. Klumpenhouwer 1998
goes into the pluses and minuses of this procedure. If we were to restrict our-