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| What chord is good to and from VI? | I-VI-[II^6 or IV]= Is good because the bass can move down (starting from the I chord) by 3rds= (The chords are all connected [I-VI-{IV or II^6}] to put it simply, by descending thirds) |
| What is a very important function/characteristic of VI? | Connects I with IV or II^6 by means of an arpeggiate bass descending motion in 3rds |
| What chords do IV and/or II^6 typically move onto after the progression I-VI-[II^6 or IV]? | Often move on to V= Sometimes, they lead to an inversion of V (or V^7) or to VII^6 for a more contrapuntal bass line |
| What other chord does VI like to move to through the use of "The descending-5th progression"? | I-VI-II= The reason VI can/likes to move to II is because there is a strong harmonic relationship between these two chords= VI is built on the scale degree a 5th above II and thus gravitates to it, as II does to V and V to I (THUS: The full progression may be I-VI-II-V-I)= This harmonic connection is most strongly evident when both chords are in root position= The "harmonic" motion of a 5th (or its inversion, a 4th) will then occur in the crucial bass part= HOWEVER, a weaker harmonic connection can be implied when II is in 1st inversion |
| VI-II: Minor vs. Major | Because II^[5/3] in minor is a problematic diminished triad, and because the roots of VI and II in minor form a DIMINISHED (rather than a P5), the progression VI-II^[5/3] does not have the significance in minor that it does in major |
| VI-II: Minor | Instead of VI-II^[5/3], the progression VI-II^6 (where the vertical diminished 5th is softened and the horizontal one eliminated) occurs VERY OFTEN in minor |
| What chord can you use between chords I and II? | You can use VI between I and II (I-VI-II) because it often breaks up the parallel 5ths or octaves that would otherwise occur between I and II |
| I-V: Describe the bass line? Result | I can move V with either a rising or falling bass= However, the rising bass is the more "natural"= REASON: s.d. 5 lies above s.d. 1 in the tonic triad; the normal position of s.d. 5, therefore, is ABOVE s.d. 1, and the bass line of a I-V progression will most naturally ascend |
| I-V: For an ascending bass line, what are the most frequently used intermediate harmonies? Why? | I-[II, IV, II^6]-V= REASON: These chords have bass tones that lie between s.d. 1 and the s.d. 5 above it= These harmonies thus help to fill in and therefore make partially stepwise the ascending 5th from s.d. 1 to s.d. 5 |
| I-V: Descent from above | Instead of the ascending bass line of a rising 5th, we can invert this and produce a DESCENDING 4th= The bass descent of a 4th between I and V is a particularly important tonal motion |
| I-V: For a descending bass line (thus approaching V from above), what are the most important intermediate harmonies to use? | Within a descending 4th (the interval of descent of the bass line), the most important of these chords are VI and IV^6 |
| I-VI-V: Descending bass line (of a 4th) | VI (an intermediate harmony) does not lead directly to V as often as it leads to II, IV, or II^6, but the progression VI-V is still very useful= It is very good in the case of a rising top voice (such as the s.d.'s 1-2-3)= |
| I-VI-V: Descending bass line (of a 4th) in MINOR | In minor, the 3rd of VI must be doubled to avoid the melodic augmented 2nd |
| I-VI-V: Descending bass line (of a 4th)= Describe possible top voice progressions | Rising top voice (e.g. 1-2-3)= Also, a less frequent possibility for the top voice is s.d. 5-6-7-8 in MAJOR (which produces an unusually large number of perfect consonances)= DO NOT use this combination in minor: if Vi from natural minor is used, a melodic augmented 2nd is the result, whereas #VI (from melodic minor) forms a very ugly diminished [5/3] chord |
| In a progression from VI to V (e.g. I-VI-V), how and what can the top voice move with/by? | The top voice can move in parallel 10ths with the bass= This voice leading is very good for CADENTIAL POINTS where a descending soprano is often desirable= The voice leading carries, however, the threat of parallel 5ths and octaves= To prevent these, DOUBLE THE 3rd OF VI and move BOTH inner voices UP= If VI moves to the cadential [6/4], doubling the 6th of the cadential [6/4] will help avoid parallel octaves |
| I-V: For a descending bass line (thus approaching V from above), what is another important intermediate harmony to use (besides the use of VI)? | The second important chord (second to VI) whose bass descends by step to V is IV^6 |
| I-V: VI vs. IV^6 in the case of a descending bass line (by 4th) | VI and IV^6 often appear in similar situations: they relate to each other exactly as do IV and II^6, sharing 2 common tones (one of them the bass) |
| I-V: How can you use IV^6 instead of VI | To change VI to IV^6 (in the descending progression I-"X"-V) use the "5-6 Technique" (moving the 5th of VI up one step, exactly like changing IV to II^6 |
| What is a very important function of IV^6 | Preceding V in a semicadence in MINOR= This makes a stronger effect than in major because of the bass motion by half step (which intensifies V) |
| Phrygian Cadence | Is often applied to the semicadence IV^6-V in MINOR, simply because a similar chord progression often appears at cadences in genuine Phrygian compositions |
| When IV^6 is used in a Phrygian Cadence, what is the usual tone to double? Why? | Usual tone to double is the 3rd above the bass= This permits a completely stepwise progression into V and reduces the danger both of parallel octaves and of a melodic augmented 2nd |
| IV^6-V: Top-Voice Progression | Top-Voice progression is often s.d.'s 4-5= This is not a rule, but it is typical both for Phrygian cadences and for many other situations where IV^6 moves to V (whether in minor or major)= IV^[5/3] could NEVER move to V under a soprano line s.d. 4-5 because of the inevitable parallel octaves |
| IV^6: What can it do | IV^6 is very good at leading to V with the top-voice progression s.d. 4-5= Can expand IV and substitute for IV where a lighter sound, a descending bass, or both are desired= Also, IV^6 can appear instead of VI in a bass arpeggio leading to IV or II^6 |
| VI and IV^6: What do these 2 chords often move to? | Often move to root-position V= However, in major, if a melodic, non-cadential bass is appropriate, both chords can move to V^6 ([6//5]) and then on to I= However, be careful when you move from IV^6 to V^[6/5], for its easy to get parallel 5ths |
| IV^6-V^[6/5]: WHat is a frequent top voice | Have the soprano repeat s.d. 4 |
| VI and IV^6: What do these 2 chords often move to in MINOR? | In minor, IV^6 (from melodic minor) may go to V^6 ([6/5]), but VI CANNOT without terrible consequences |
| What 3 intermediate harmonies can lead from I to V? | IV, II, VI= They can either singly or in a group of 2 or even three lead from I to V= However, if we combine several of these chords in a motion to V, we must be careful of the order in which they appear |
| If we use several intermediate harmonies in a motion from I to V, what must you do? How? | Be careful of the order in which they appear= The principle is that the roots of the chords must DESCEND by 5th or 3rd |
| What are some good intermediate harmonic progressions leading from I to V? | VI-IV-V= VI-II-V= IV-II-V= VI-IV-II-V |
| What are some bad intermediate harmonic progressions leading from I to V? | IV-VI-V= II-VI-V= II-IV-VI-V= The reason these are bad is because progressions by descending 5th or 3rd (which are the good types of progressions) sound more goal-oriented than do their reversal into rising motions= Root progressions by rising 3rd are often termed "weak progressions" |
