MUSC 122 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Leading-Tone, Melodic Motion, Chord Progression
MUSC 122 - Chapter 9 Notes
Things highlighted in yellow is what I think is important. Other colors are for things that refer to each other. All pictures are either
from the textbook Music in Theory and Practice 9th Edition or notes that I hand wrote.
Chapter 9 Voice Leading in Four-Part Chorale Writing
Important Concepts
- Four-Voice Texture
- Harmony and melody have equal importance
- Four individual melodic lines come together and maintains a smooth
melodic connection
- Bass is a harmonic voice that is controlled more by the chords
- History
- Chorale harmonizations reveal many of the basic idioms of four-part
writing in the Baroque style
- Chorales in the Music of Bach
- Chorale - congregational hymn in German Protestant church
- Derived from:
- Latin hymns of Catholic church
- Pre-Reformation popular hymns
- Popular songs of the period
- Original hymn tunes by Protestant church musicians
- Martin Luther was strong believer of congregational singing during
church service
- Bach used many chorale melodies in his compositions
- Many of Bach’s cantatas climaxed by four-part setting of a chorale
tune
Applications
- Analysis of the Chorale Phrases
- Look through adjacent triads for voice-leading patterns
- Stylistic Practices
- Common method for part writing a particular progression
- Root-Position Triads
- Roots P5 or P4 apart
- When both chords are in root position and the two roots are
P5th/P4th apart:
- Keep the common tone and move the remaining two upper
voices stepwise to the chord tones of the next triad
- Common tone is the tone shared by both triads
- Done correctly, the roots of the chords will be doubled
- If the common tone cannot be kept, move all three upper
voices in similar motion to the nearest chord tone
- This is especially when the soprano voice descends
scale degree 2 to 1
- Done correctly, the roots will be doubled
- Roots a Third Apart
- When roots of adjacent triads lie a third, major or minor, apart:
- Keep both common tones and move the remaining upper
voices stepwise.
- Handled correctly, roots will be doubled
- Roots a Second Apart
- Move the three upper voices in contrary motion to the bass
- Make sure each voice moves to the nearest chord tone of
the next chord
- Done correctly, roots of the two chords will be doubled
- Exceptions is progression V to vi (VI in minor)
- Double the third factor of the vi (VI) triad
- Only two upper voices will move in opposite direction
to the bass
- Repeated Chords
- Often, two adjacents chords could be the same
- Second chord is just a continuation of the first; it isn’t considered as a
chord progression
- Much flexibility, but two warnings:
- Maintain proper doubling and range of voices
- Keep the usual order of voices
- First-Inversion Triads
- First-Inversion Triads for Smooth Bass Melodies
- Triads in root position establish stability in the chorale and
considered anchor positions
- But if all hymns and chorales were only root positions, the
bass would be disjointed
- First inversions are used for smooth bass lines
- First-Inversion Triads to Provide Melodic Motion
- Provides something not available to root position
- Incorporate melodic motion in bass melody
- Voice Leading in First-Inversion Triads
- A general stylistic practice statement
- Double any triad factor that facilitates smooth voice leading
- Favored notes are the soprano and bass
- Soprano is much more common
Document Summary
Things highlighted in yellow is what i think is important. other colors are for things that refer to each other. All pictures are either from the textbook music in theory and practice 9th edition or notes that i hand wrote. Chapter 9 voice leading in four-part chorale writing. Four individual melodic lines come together and maintains a smooth melodic connection. Bass is a harmonic voice that is controlled more by the chords. Chorale harmonizations reveal many of the basic idioms of four-part writing in the baroque style. Chorale - congregational hymn in german protestant church. Original hymn tunes by protestant church musicians. Martin luther was strong believer of congregational singing during church service. Bach used many chorale melodies in his compositions. Many of bach"s cantatas climaxed by four-part setting of a chorale tune. Common method for part writing a particular progression. When both chords are in root position and the two roots are.
