Music Theory III

Music Theory III: Review

FIRST INVERSION TRIADS (6):
1.     To improve contour of bass line.
2.     To provide greater variety of pitches in the bass line.
3.     To lessen the weight of V and I chords that do not serve as the goals of harmonic motion.

PARALLEL 6TH CHORDS:
1.     These are a series of first inversion chords.
2.     Usually found in sequences.
3.     Chords used in parallel motion in this way generally do not function in the usual fashion.
4.     They serve as passing chords.
5.     To avoid parallel 5ths put the root of each chord in the melody which produces parallel 4ths.

RULES OF PART WRITING FOR FIRST INVERSION TRIADS (4-PART TEXTURES):

Inverted triads are nearly always complete.
One note will have to be doubled.
In contrapuntal texture doubling should result in best voice leading.
In homophonic texture doubling should provide desired sonority.
In any texture avoid doubling leading tone. A doubled leading tone usually results in, or implies, parallel 8ves.

ORDER OF PREFERENCE IN DOUBLING (MOST COMMON PRACTICE):
1.     Inner voice doubles Soprano
2.     Inner voice doubles Bass
3.     Soprano and Bass doubled.
4.     Inner voices doubled.

RULES OF PART WRITING FOR FIRST INVERSION TRIADS (3-PART TEXTURES):

Inverted triads are usually complete.
If note is omitted then it will be the 5th.

SECOND INVERSION TRIADS (6/4):

First and second inversion triads are created through bass arpeggiations.
2nd inversion triads are NOT used as substitutes for the root position.
2nd inversions are considered a less stable sonority.
Try not to include the bass in any P4 intervals when using 2nd inversion.

USES OF SECOND INVERSION TRIADS:
1. The Cadential 6/4

Most common usage.
I6/4 resolves to a root position V.
Delays resolution.
NOT considered a tonic chord but serves a dominant function.

2. The Passing 6/4

Frequently encountered harmonizing the middle note of a 3 note scalar figure in bass, ascending or descending.
I6/4 and V6/4 are most common (any chord can be a 6/4, however.)
Usually falls on a weak beat.
Features smooth voice leading.
In analysis, put 6/4 in parenthesis.
Voice exchange is common in Soprano and Bass.
Parallel 6ths are common in Soprano and Bass.
Longer stepwise motions in the bass often use passing 6/4 chords.

3. The Pedal 6/4

For elaborating a root position triad move 3rd and 5th up by step, then back down by step to original position. Sonority that results is a 6/4 chord.
Resembles a pedal point.
Has very weak harmonic function.
Usually involves a I – (IV6/4) – I OR A V – (I6/4) – V progression.
Falls on a weak beat.
Exception: Bass may move after 6/4 chord and before the return of the root position triad.

IN FOUR VOICE TEXTURE, AT LEAST ONE VOICE WILL HAVE TO USE LEAPS TO AVOID PARALLELS.

Most 7th chords that are used are dominant.
I7 is 2nd most common, next to the V7.

Rankings of frequency of use:

1.     V7
2.     ii7
3.     vii half dim. 7
4.     IVM7
5.     vi7
6.     IM7
7.     iii7

The Leading tone seventh is more frequently found in minor than in major. BUT the supertonic seventh is still the more common of the two in minor.

VOICE LEADING WITH ii7 AND vii7 CHORDS:

1.     The 7th of the chord almost always resolves down by step.
2.     The 7th of the chord my be approached in various ways:

a. Suspension and Passing Figure is common.
b. Neighbor and Apoggiatura is less common.

3.     Incomplete chords must contain at least the root and the seventh.
4.     Doubled tones should NOT be the chord 7th or the leading tone.

THE ii7 CHORD:

1.     It is a minor 7th chord in the major mode.
2.     It is a half-diminished chord in the minor mode.
3.     Typically moves to V.
4.     The root position V may be delayed by a cadential I6/4 chord OR the V may be represented by a vii°6 chord.
5.     First inversion of ii7 is very common.
6.     Less typical is substituting ii7 for IV in plagal cadence. In such cases the ii7 is usually in first inversion.

THE VII7 CHORD IN MAJOR:

1.     Is a half-diminished chord in major.
2.     Possesses a dominant function.
3.     Normally resolves to the tonic.
4.     MAY move to the V7 by taking (the 7th of the chord) down one step.
5.     Third inversion very rare.
6.     vii half dim. 6/5 – I also rare because it will cause parallel 5ths.
7.     Must be careful with vii half dim and vii half dim. 4/3: avoid parallel 5ths when resolving. Double the 3rd of the I chord OR revoice the leading tone chord so that parallel 4ths replace parallel 5ths.
8.     Less common resolution of the vii half dim. 4/3 is to a root position I:

a. Brought about by a IV chord that is left by parallel 3rds or 6ths outlining the 1, 2 or 3rd scale degree in one voice and 6, 7 and 1st scale degrees in another.
b. Is a combination of Plagal and Authentic cadences.

THE VII7 CHORD IN MINOR:

1.     The leading tone seventh is a fully diminished seventh chord.
2.     The subtonic seventh seventh chord (raised leading tone – VII7) is generally used in sequences or as a secondary dominant.
3.     The vii°7, root position or inverted, tends to resolve to tonic.
4.     The vii°7 may move first to V7 simply by moving the 7th of the chord down to .
5.     The vii°7 contains 2 tritones.
6.     Tendency of the tritone is to resolve inward by step when spelled as a °5 and outward when spelled as a +4. If these tendencies are followed in 4 parts, the tonic triad will have a doubled third.
7.     Some composers ignore these tendencies and take the 2 down to 1 instead of moving it up to . Can result in unequal 5ths. (which can be disguised with NCTs.)
8.     Members of the vii°7 usually move in the same ways when the chord is inverted as they do when in root position.
9.     The vii°6/5 is usually followed by i6: because resolution to root position causes unequal 5ths with the bass.
10. The vii°4/3 moves smoothly to i6.
11. vii°4/3 – I is similar to vii half dim. 7 – I cadence.
12. The vii°4/2 generally followed by V7 or by a cadential or passing I6/4.

THE IV7 CHORD:

FORMS: IV7, iv7, IVM7
Subdominant seventh moves to V or vii°6 often passing through some form of the ii chord on the way.
Resolution to ii7 (possibly inverted) is especially easy to handle because only the 7th needs to move.
iv7 moves directly into V, parallel 5ths may result if the 7th of the chord is placed above the 3rd. This can be corrected by:

Insertion/use of a cadential 6/4
By doubling the 5th of the V chord.

The sub-dominant seventh chord in minor with a raised has the same sound as that of a dominant seventh chord, but does NOT have dominant function. Instead it results from ascending motion toward the leading tone ()

THE VI7 CHORD

Submediant seventh chord in 3 forms: vi7, VIM7, #vi half dim. 7.
Typically moves towards V, usually passing through subdominant or supertonic chords, or both.
In minor, when the root of the submediant seventh moves up by step to the 7th , the 6th must be raised to avoid an interval of a +2.
The chord that results when the 6th is raised is a half-diminished seventh: #vi half dim. 7 (so: VIM7 becomes #vi half dim. 7.)
The #vi half dim. 7 usually serves as a passing chord between two chords of dominant function.
It moves most smoothly to the other wise unusual root position vii°.
The #vi half dim. 7 can move directly to V6/5 instead of vii° if 1 leaps to 5 .

THE I7 CHORD

Is Major 7 in major mode.
Is minor 7 in minor mode.
Minor-Major 7th is rare in classical genre.
The tonic seventh is an active chord that demands resolution.
Tends to move to IV(7) or sometimes to a ii(7) or vi(7).
The chord resolution must be one that contains the sixth so that the chord 7th (7th scale degree) can resolve down to it.

THE III7 CHORD

Forms: iii7, IIIM7
Chords occur most often in sequences of 7th chords.
iii7 usually progresses to a VI(7) but also may be followed by a IV chord.

SEVENTH CHORDS & THE CIRCLE OF 5THS SEQUENCE/VOICE LEADING IN CIRCLE OF 5THS WITH 7TH CHORDS:

If the 7th chords are in root position in a 4 part texture, COMPLETE chords will alternate with INCOMPLETE chords (5th omitted.)
If the 7th chords are inverted in a 4 part texture, either 6/5 chords will alternate with 4/2 chords OR 4/3 chords will alternate with root position chords.
In 3 part texture, a circle of 5ths sequence will usually be in root position.
3 or 4 part texture: except for bass in root position sequence, from one chord to the next, all parts either stay the same or move down by step.

CADENCE: HARMONIC GOAL

Authentic Cadence: V or vii° - I.
Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC): Root position V7 – root position I. The 1st scale degree is in the melody of the I chord.

Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC):

Root Position IAC: 3rd or 5th is in the melody over the I.
Inverted IAC: V7 – I but with either or both chords inverted.
Leading Tone IAC: Some form of vii° - I where vii° substitutes for V.

NOT EVERY V – I IS AN AUTHENTIC CADENCE. I CHORD NEEDS TO SERVE AS GOAL OF A LONGER PASSAGE.

Deceptive Cadence (DC): V - ? (where ? is usually a submediant triad: V – vi.) Used to extend a phrase.

Half-Cadence (HC): Ends with a V which can be preceded by any other chord.

Phrygian Half-Cadence: iv6 – v HC in minor mode.

Plagal Cadence (PC): IV – I. Usually added on as a tag following a PAC.

REMEMBER:
CADENCE NAME:                              FIRST CHORD                                    SECOND CHORD

Authentic Contains leading tone Tonic
Plagal No leading tone Tonic
Deceptive Contains leading tone Not Tonic
Half No leading tone Not Tonic

Conclusive Cadences: Authentic and Plagal

Progressive Cadences: Deceptive and Half.

RULE: LAST CHORD OF CADENCE FALLS ON A STRONGER BEAT THAN PREDECESSOR.

NON-CHORD TONE (NCT): A diatonic or chromatic tone that is not a member of the chord:
1.     For duration of chord
2.     If harmony changes before tone does.

PASSING TONE:
1.     Approached by step.
2.     Left by step in same direction.
3.     Used to fill space between 2 other tones.
4.     Tones can belong to the same chord, different chord, or between other NCTs.
5.     Usually the space between is a 3rd and the passing tone connects the two notes.
6. Occassionally fills space in a Major 2nd with chromatic tone.

NEIGHBORING TONES:
1.     Approached by step.
2.     Left by step in opposite direction.
3.     Used to embellish a single tone heard before and after the neighbor tone.
4.     Upper Neighbor
5.     Lower Neighbor
6.     Maybe diatonic or chromatic.
7.     Chromatic lower neighbor can act as a leading tone.

SUSPENSIONS:
1.     Approached by same tone.
2.     Left by step down.
3.     Holds onto a chord tone after the other parts have moved to the next chord.
4.     Primary source of dissonance is on the accented beat.
5.     Always fall on accented beats or accented parts of the beat.
6. The PREPARATION is the tone preceding the suspension.
7.     The preparation is the SAME NOTE as the suspension.
8.     Suspension may or may not be tied to the preparation.
9.     The RESOLUTION is the tone following the suspension.
10. The resolution lies a 2nd below the suspension.

Preparation and Resolution are almost always chord tones.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUSPENSIONS:
1.     7 – 6: Harmonic interval above is a 7th resolving to a 6th.
2.     2 -3: AKA Bass Suspension. Happens in Bass part. Interval is calculated between the bass and the part with which it is most dissonant.
3.     4 – 3: Harmonic interval above bass is 4th leading to a 3rd.
4.     9 – 8:

Only compound suspension.
9th interval resolves to 8th.
Only called a 2 -1 if it does NOT involve a compound interval.
2 -1 is less frequently found.

APPOGGIATURAS:
1.     Accented
2.     Approached by ascending leap.
3.     Left by descending step.

ESCAPE TONE:
1.     Approached by step.
2.     Left by leap in the opposite direction.
3. Usually shorter than a beat.
4.     Unaccented.
5.     Diatonic.
6.     Often used in sequence to ornament a scalar line.
7.     Frequently used at cadences to ornament the scale degree progression 2-1 .

THE NEIGHBOR GROUP:
1.     Combination of an Escape Tone and an Appoggiatura.
2.     Called a “wrap around” in Jazz.

ANTICIPATIONS:
1.     Anticipates a chord that has not yet been reached.
2.     Moves by step or by leap.
3.     Moves to some pitch that is contained in the anticipated chord but that is not present in the chord that precedes it.
4.     Free Anticipation – approached and left by leap.

THE PEDAL POINT:
1.     Begins as a chord tone then becomes an NCT as the harmonies around it change. Finally ends up as a chord tone again.
2.     Seems as if the harmonies are embellishing the pedal point and not the opposite.

DO NOT analyze inversions above a pedal point.