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Principal voice β the most important melodic line at any given moment. Marked with the symbol π© in Schoenberg and the Second Viennese School.
Schoenberg introduced the Hauptstimme symbol to clarify which voice carries the primary melody in complex polyphonic textures. It is essential in atonal music where traditional harmonic cues no longer guide the ear. Use it when multiple lines are equally active and you need to tell the performer (and conductor) which one should project.
Schoenberg's "Pierrot lunaire" β Hauptstimme markings guide performers through the dense counterpoint, indicating which instrument should project at each moment.
Hauptstimme is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
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