Post on 01-Sep-2018
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Harmony in Composi-on Chords & their functions!
Harmony: The Mark Scheme
The Diminished 7th chords
✤ A diminished triad (two minor 3rds above the root) with an added diminished 7th. For example:
A diminished 7th will always form two tritones
This chords can also be describes as “a stack of minor thirds”
Using the Diminished 7th chord -‐ Minor keys: ✤ In a minor key the diminished 7th chords is typically found on the raised 7th degree of the scale.
✤ Here the root note rises to the tonic while the others fall (as a result this basically func-ons as a dominant chord). The following example show this use in the key of A minor:
Using the diminished 7th chord -‐ Modula-on
✤ The diminished 7th chord is regularly used by composers as a tool for modula-on, due to it being a tonally unstable chord.
✤ A common technique is to use a diminished 7th chord based on the tonic note, lower the root note by half a step which in turn creates a V7 chord & leads to the new key (the next in the circle of 5ths). This technique creates a smooth modula-on from C Major to E Major (via Bmaj7):
Tonic Key!(C Maior)!
Diminished !7th chord!
Root note lowered!by 1 semi tone !
Resolves to !
Harmony in Composi-on Chopin - Prelude No.4 in E Minor!
✤ How many harmonic devices can you iden-fy in opening 8 bars of
a 7th is added to the A minor
chord (iv Subdominant)
ii degree chord
C# Diminished 7th (C# -‐E -‐G -‐Bb)
✤ Listen to the excerpt again & iden-fy
Neapolitan Sixth
✤ The Neapolitan Sixth (bII) is a first inversion of the major triad (usually -‐ unless you’re Beethoven) built on the fla]ened 2nd degree of the scale
✤ It usually precedes V -‐ I in a cadence and there fore func-ons as the sub dominant chord.
✤ The Neapolitan Sixth is a long way from the tonic on the circle of fi_hs which creates an expected tension. The result is an intensified resolu-on of the perfect cadence
✤ The name comes from the ‘Neapolitan’ school of composers, which included Scarlaa, who made use of this chord. However many famous composers, including Corelli & Purcell have also made use of the device in their work.
Schubert: Augmented Sixth
✤ Schubert’s “Der Doppelgänger” has examples of Neapolitan sixth chords.
✤ The composi-on also uses German & French Augmented sixth chords.
✤ A German augmented sixth chord uses a major 3rd, perfect 5th & augmented 6th intervals, most commonly built upon the 6th degree of the scale (fla]ened in major keys).
✤ A French augmented sixth chord uses a major 3rd, augmented 4th & augmented 6th intervals most commonly built upon the 6th degree of the scale (fla]ened in major keys).
✤ Name the chord found at: A) bar 32 B) bar 51 C) bar 41 of “Der
“Der Doppelgänger” Augmented Sixth
✤ The following chords are neapolitan chords with added German/French sixths. Match the chords with their correct labels, you must be able to explain why:
B)! C)!
“Der Doppelgänger” Answer A Neapolitan Chord with an added French 6th
Built on the flattened second
(c natural)!
Major 3rd (e)!
Augmented 4th (F#)!
Augmented 6th (A#)!
“Der Doppelgänger” Answer C German Augmented 6th Chord
Built on the 6th degree of the
scale (G natural)!
Major 3rd (B)!Perfect 5th (D)!
Augmented 6th (F natural)!
Neapolitan Chord with an added German 6th
Built on the flattened second
(c natural)!
Major 3rd (e)!Perfect 5th (G)!
Augmented 6th (A#)!