Generalized Tonnetz and discrete Abel-Jacobi map

Abstract

Motivated by classical Euler's $Tonnetz$, we introduce and study the combinatorics and topology of more general simplicial complexes $Ton{n}^{n,k}(L)$ of "Tonnetz type". Out main result is that for a sufficiently generic choice of parameters the generalized tonnetz $Ton{n}^{n,k}(L)$ is a triangulation of a $(k-1)$-dimensional torus $T^{k-1}$. In the proof we construct and use the properties of a "discrete Abel-Jacobi map", which takes values in the torus $T^{k-1}\cong {\mathbb{R}}^{k-1}/\Lambda$ where $\Lambda \cong {\mathbb{A}}_{k-1}^{\ast }$ is the permutohedral lattice.