Harmony Flashcards
Chorale Style
This is the style in which the soprano and alto parts are written in the treble clef staff and the tenor and bass are written in the bass staff. Soprano and tenor parts will have upper stems and the alto and bass will have lower stems
Voice Leading
When moving between chords, try to move the notes as little as possible. If two chords share a note, carry it over. Otherwise move in stepwise motion (CONTRARY TO THE BASS NOTE) ie if bass note goes down, go up elsewhere
Doubling
Rule of thumb when writing triads is to double the bass note, be sure not to double the 7th degree of a scale. As well, be sure not to move both of those notes to the same notes in the next chord over creating parallel octaves.
Authentic Cadence
A progression from dominant to tonic that occurs at the end of a phrase and provides a strong sense of arrival on the tonic
Cadence
A musical punctuation point that conveys a sense of harmonic arrival, such as an authentic cadence, a half cadence, or a plagal cadence
Consequent Phrase
The second phrase in a parallel period, ending with an authentic cadence on the tonic harmony
Consonance
The quality of intervals and chords as relatively harmonious, blended and stable
Dissonance
The quality of intervals and chords as relatively inharmonious, un blended, and unstable
Dominant preparation chord
A chord that preceded and leads to the dominant (also called predominant chord)
Embellishing tones
Tones (including passing tones and neighbouring tones) used to decorate tones that belong to a stable harmony. Also called nonharmonic tones
Figured Bass
Numbers that identify the intervals formed above a bass note
Half Cadence
An arrival on the dominant at the end of a phrase
Keyboard Style Harmony
An arrangement of harmonies on the great staff three voices (soprano, alto and tenor) in the treble clef and one (bass) in the bass clef
Neighbouring chord
A chord used to embellish a more stable chord by harmonizing a neighbouring note in the bass or soprano
Neighbouring tone
An embellishing tone that moves by step away from and back to a harmony tone
Parallel period
A combination of antecedent and consequent phrases
Passing chord
A chord used to connect two more stable chords by harmonizing a passing tone in the bass
Consequent Phrase
The second phrase in a parallel period, ending with an authentic cadence on the tonic harmony
Passing tone
An embellishing tone that fills in the space between two harmony tones that lie the interval of a third apart
Phrase
A self- contained group of measures that ends with a cadence
Plagal Cadence
A progression from subdominant to tonic at the end of a phrase, usually occurring after an authentic Cadence as an extra confirmation
Progression
A succession of harmonies in which each leads purposefully to the next
Prolongation
The extension in time of a harmony through the use of embellishing tones (including passing tones and neighbouring tones)
Tritone
Name sometimes given to the interval of the augmented fourth, because it spans three whole tones
Voices
The distinct registral lines that move through a progression of harmonies: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass
Harmonic progression
a succession of harmonies in which each leads purposefully to the next. Each harmony has its own distinct character and its own role to play
Tonic Harmony
Generally conveys a feeling of stability and repose. This progression starts on the tonic and ends on it. Tonal motion is directed towards the tonic as the goal.
What is the standard, conventional harmony progression?
I - V- I
How can the conventional harmony be intensified? Why is this?
With the addition of the the seventh, the dissonant harmony makes it more eager to resolve to the tonic
Which note is never double in a V or V7 chord?
The seventh
What are some examples of embellishing tones? (passing and neighbouring tones)
Passing (V4/3 , viio6) (I - I6)
Neighbouring chords (V6, V6/5), V4/2 and IV)
Cadential 6/4
What chords are present in the cadential 6/4
I6/4 and V
What are chords commonly used in dominant preparation?
ii and IV (ii not in minor keys)
ii6 moves in step wise motion
eg. I - IV - V7 - I
What is the name for when the harmonic progression is I - IV - I?
plagal
