Homework: Workbook all of Chapter 6
Tonic and Dominant
1. I-V-I
a. As we saw in our discussion of triads and seventh chords, the descending P5th (or ascending P4th) to the tonic root carries a special tonal finality. It represents a very grounded, resolved sound. We have discussed the nature of this sound in relationship to the P5ths early appearance in the overtone series. In addition, we saw that the chord built on this 5th, the Dominant V chord, contains a leading tone 7 which strongly wants to resolve up by step to the tonic and a 2 which tends to resolve down by step to the tonic. The progression V-I is therefore combines both a extremely strong harmonic and melodic motion. In fact the motion is so strong, it has become the basis or "harmonic nucleus" of Western Music.
2. Expanding I and V (see example 6-1)
a. In order to expand on a basic I-V-I progression we can draw upon melodic material to add interest and motion to the harmony. The two most obvious ways to expand this progression is to create a melody via an arpeggiation above a sustained bass and via passing tones
3. Cadences
a. Like any language, music has form that resembles such language structures as phrases, sentances, periods, and paragraphs. When we hear the arrival of the V chord as a goal we hear it as a goal although not as a finality. Its the end of a sentance but not the end of a paragraph. We know that there is still more to come as the 7th and 2nd scale degrees need to resolve. When a succession of chords marks the end of a musical phrase or section, we call it a cadence
a. Authentic Cadence: When the cadence ends on I i.e. V-I
1. Perfect Authentic Cadence: Soprano ends on Tonic
2. Imperfect Authentic Cadence: Soprano ends on 3rd or 5th scale degree
b. Semi-Cadence: When the cadence ends on V i.e. I-V
4. Functions of I and V
a. Not only can I-V serve to highlight significant harmonic moments, but they can also define larger scale forms. Often times we see V not only serving in a cadential capacity, but as a key area with significant importance unto itself. (note diagram 6-4 H&VL as outline to 6-1)
I-V-I in Four Parts
5. Doubling
a. OK to double any tone of the I chord
b. Never double the L.T. of the V chord.
6. Melodic Patters and Voice Leading
We saw that 2 and 7 can be neighbor tones to 3 or 1 and 2 can be a passing tone between 1 and 3. Each of these motions can be harmonized by I-V-I as:
a. Lower Neighbors. The common tone 5 stays in the same voice: ex. 6-5 H&VL
b. Descending Passing: Soprano creates a 3-2-1 melodic pattern. Be careful: H&VL shows example 6-6 b and c as having a Leading tone that does not resolve to the tonic. NOTE: This is the least desirable voice leading and usually implies a delayed resolution to 1. It is only allowed when the Leading tone is not dissonant to the bass. If it were, it would have to resolve by step.
c. Upper-neighbors: Soprano creates a 1-2-1 motion
7. I-V-I in minor
a. When a progression creates an expectation of V-I, the 7th scale degree must be a leading tone and thus, in minor, must be raised.
8. Expaning I and V in 4 parts
a. When expanding i and V in 4 parts, you can have inner voices move in contrary motion as well as similar and oblique. Remember, you can omit the 5th of any chord but never double the leading tone.
The Dominant Seventh
9. V7 as dissonant Chord (see ex 6-11)
Because of the 7th, the V7 chord, unlike the V chord is a dissonant chord. As the 4th scale degree of the key, The 7th of a V7 must resolve downward to the 3rd scale degree. As we have seen, the V chord contains the leading tone (the raised 7th scale degree) which provides a strong gravitational push to the tonic. The addition of the seventh in the V7 yields a dissonance that adds even more of a push towards the tonic chord as the 4th scale degree resolves to the consonant 3rd scale degree. Since the V7 has this added gravitational push, it is very effective in an authentic cadence.
10. V7 and the Soprano voice (see ex 6-12)
a. An important function of the 4th scale degree in the V7 is as a Passing or Neighboring Tone in the soprano voice
11. V7 in four Voices: Doubling (see ex 6-13)
a. Since the V7 contains 4 tones, it can appear as a complete chord wihtout doublings. However, one may double the root and omit the 5th. Since the 3rd identifies the modal quality (major or minor) and the 7th adds the gravitational pull, one may not omit either of these tones without causing at least minimal ambiguity about the function of the chord.
12. V7-1 Voice Leading (see ex 6-15)
a. As we have seen, the normal resolution of the 4th scale degree (as the 7th of a V7) is to resolve the dissonance to downward to the 3rd scale degree. Similarly, we have seen the leading tone (as the 3rd of the V or V7) resolves upwards to the tonic. As a result, a complete V7 will result in an imcomplete I chord.
b. The only exception to this is when the leading tone of a V7 exists in a middle voice. H&VL states tha since this leading tone is a consonant 3rd above the bass it may move not to the tonic 1st scale degree but to the 5th scale degree (6-15c) One should use their ear to decide which gets precedence: The resolution of the leading tone to the tonic or the movement of the leading tone to the 5th to create a complete tonic triad.
c. H&VL make a very brief mention of melodic interpolation. I feel this to be rather important as it represents the first glimpse of how we may actually walk around the lines dictated by our rules. The idea here is that if we assume that the 4th scale degree of a V7 is going to resolve down to the 3rd of the tonic triad, this resolution may be delayed and other notes may appear before we actually arrive at the resolution. This is a very useful concept as long as the delayed resolution does not negate the resolution.
13. V7-I doubled 3rd (see ex 6-17)
a. When the soprano of a V7-I progressions follows a melodic motion of 2-3 the result will be a doubled 3rd in the tonic triad. Although we have said that this is the least desireable doubling (we try to always double the most consonant elements first) it is certainly not wrong as the contrary motion between the 4th scale degree moving down and the 2nd scale degree moving up will provide an independence in the lines that will result in a satisfactory sonority.
14+15. V8-7 (see ex 6-18+19)
a. ANote that a V chord may be extended by adding the 7th after the establishment of the V chord. The addition of the 7th may come from either a movement down from 8 or a jump up from V. Similarly, a V7 may be extended by shanging the positions of the upper voices.
16. Harmony and Rhythm (see ex 6-20)
a. For now, do not repeat chords from a weak beat to a strong beat.
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