Chromaticism in Larger Contexts

Homework: Workbook Chapter 32

Preliminaries all
Longer Assignments 1


or

Textbook Chapter 30 Preliminaries 1a,b,c,d,e

1.  Modulation by chormatic inflection

a. When a modulation can not occur through a diatonic pivot, chromatic inflection can be used to effect a modulation.
b. Often times this will result in an applied dominant to the new key area.

2.  Common Tone modulations

a. Sometimes a common tone is all that is provided to carry the listener from one key to the next.
b. Please note: Common Tone modulations never really seem like modulations to me. They seem more like tonal shifts. The lack of a leading tone and the lack of an applied ^5 makes the new key area seem temporary in my ear until it is confirmed with some more dominant like function. As such I prefer to call these Common Tone Transitions. For now we will use the nomenclature given by the book.

3.  Modulation by chromatic sequence

a. H&VL simply states here that just as we may modulate via a diatonic sequence so too can we modulate through a chromatic sequence. Please refer to chapters 31 and earlier for techniques in chromatic sequences.

4. Enharmonic Modulations: True vs. Notational Enharmonics

a. When a composer spells a passage to make it easier to read (ie respells bb or X) we consider this simply a notational enharmonic as the syntactic function of the passage does not change from its origianl spelling.
b. When a composer changes a spelling so that he may reinterpret its syntactic function we refer to this as a True Enharmonic respelling. That is, the respelling is true to the syntactic function of the passage.

5.  Enharmonic modulation based on the diminished seventh chord

a. An enharmonic reinterpretation of the diminished seventh chord reveals that it may be interpreted as a diminshed seventh applied to 4 different chords.
b. composers may exploit such enharmonic reinterpretations by building an expectation of a movement to one chord or key area than enharmonically reinterpreting the applied viiº chord.

6.  Enharmonic modulations based on dominant seventh and Augmented 6th.

a. Since the gA65 may be reinterpreted as an applied V7 we may exploit such ambiguities.
b. Please see webnotes theory4_notes_03.html for additional disscussion.

Chromatic Tonal Areas

7.  Large Scale uses of mixture.

a. Just as chromatically altered triads can be inflected into diatonic progressions, so too can we introduce mixture into the larger structure of a composition.

8  -VI in major.

a. -VI is one of the most common areas for large scale mixture.
b. It often comes directly from I through common-tone modulation.
c. Sometimes we see it as an expansion of a deceptive cadence.
d. Transforming the -^6 to the root of an A6 chord is an excellent way to return to the original tonic key.

9.  +III in major.

a. Since +III in major contains +^4, +^5, +^1 and +^2 tones not related to I the modulation to +III is much more delicate.
b. One excellent method of arriving at +III as a tonal area is by transforming 1 into an A6, resolving to a V>III

10.  +VI in major.

a. Similar to +III, +VI also contains +^4,+^5 and also conains +^3 and is thus a more remote key area.
b. Similar to -VI in major, one may arrive at +VI via motion away from a deceptive cadence.
c. Like the syntactic progression I-VI-IV, +VI in major will often move to IV as a secondary key area.

11.  -III in major.

a. Lowered III in major shares a close connection with the relative minor of the tonic key. (It is the relative minor!)
b. Like the -VI, it shares a common tone ^5 with I. Thus we sometimes arrive at -VI as a key area via the introduction of ^5 as a common-tone modulatory point.

12.  Altered Triads in minor.

a. Here H&VL states that it is less common to see modulations on a large scale from a minor tonic to the minor forms of expanded altered triads.
b. He states that since +^6 and +^7 have strong tendancies towards the original tonic ^1, it is hard to stableize those chords that may serve as expanded tonal areas. ie.. +III and +VI in minor.

13.  An example of double mixture: -III- expanded

a. Please refer to webnotes 5 for techniques of modulation to double mixture.

14.  #IV as a goal.

a. +IV can not be a result of mixture as it shares no common tones with the original tonic key.
b. As a result, modulation to +IV is often very difficult.
c. As we have seen in previous discussions, sequential passages can be very effective as modulatory techniques
d. As well, H&VL very wisely points out that a modulation to a new key area can and sometimes does occur in two stages. In this case the +IV could be approached as a modulation to two consecutive keys both a minor 3rd above the preceding key.

15.  Equal divisions of the octave.

a. Sometimes composers will modulate to successive key areas that equally divide the octave.
b. Thus, we might see modulatory key successions : I,-III, -V, VI(bbVII) (representing modulations to key areas by minor thirds)
c. or I, -VI, III, I (representing modulations to key areas by descending major 3rds.

16.  Motivic aspects of large scale chromaticism.

a. As we will see in contemporary theory and composition HMU 420, the smallest melodic motive can be organically related to the larger syntax and the tonal order of that syntax can and often is organically related to the large scale harmonic structure of the piece as a whole.

We have now concluded our study of traditional tonal harmony. H&VL is a widely accepted standard text for college music theory and you should all consider your endurance to complete such a lofty text a right of passage in your journey as musicians. To be sure, you should all have plenty of fuel to feed the fire that is your intellect but NEVER forget that instinct and unbridled emotion are critical elements of beautiful, dramatic and engaging music. For two years we have forged a connection between your mind and your ear. As you move forward, never deny your soul a place in that union.

Congratulations!

Professor Andy Brick