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15c Lesson - Irregular Usage of Secondary Chords

Class discussion

Harmonization of “Harmonizing consecutive seventh chords”

Progression, C: ii7, V4/3, I

Soprano (given) Alto: F, G, G Tenor: A, B, C Bass notes found from roman numerals and inversions.

Some issues with this: The final I chord has no third, could move the alto voice down to E. Our V4/3 chord is missing its seventh, could move the alto down to F and tenor voice down to G because moving the alto voice got rid of the root of the chord. ii7 chord’s third and seventh are not resolving according to traditional circle of fifths progression rules. Keeping these consecutive seventh chords complete means you have to break some rules. ii7 could be redone as V7 of V by raising the third a half step.

Harmonization of “Consecutive secondary dominant chords”

Progression, C: I, V7 of ii, V7 of V, V7, I

Soprano (given), Alto: E, G, F#, F (natural), E Tenor: G, A, C, B, G Bass notes found from roman numerals and inversions

Irregular Usage of Secondary Chords

Deceptive Resolutions of Secondary Dominant Functions

Example in C

Soprano: C5 - B4 - A4 - G4 - G4

Alto: E4 - D4 - C4 - D4 - C4

Tenor: G3 - F#3 - A3 - D3 - C4

Bass: C3 - E3 - F3 - F3 - E3

Roman Numerals: I - V7/vi - IV - V42 - I6

Why can the V7/vi go to the IV? Because it creates a V - vi in the key of the vi, or a deceptive cadence in the key of A minor. That’s why the progression sounds good to our ear. Why not label it V/vi - vi/vi? It goes to a V in the real key right after the chord, so it is easier to see the IV - V than a vi/vi - V.

Roman numeral analysis means labeling non-chord tones. Non-chord tones in the music we study will always fall into the categories we study. If the non-chord tone you label does not fall into one of the categories, you probably mis-labeled the chord tones.

V/IV (C) - IV (F)

  • labeling the C as a secondary dominant is pointless because it functions as the tonic, not as the dominant to IV.

VII - III - VI V/III - V/VI - VI When they leave diatonic function, don’t use a diatonic label. You aren’t going to see a III7. You aren’t going to see a II. They’re written in other ways that make more functional sense.