harmonic analysis - comparative

CASM%Analysis%–%c3189144%

%Harmonisation%is%arguably%the%most%fundamental%aspect%of%

composition.%It%is%what%gives%the%piece%its%tonality,%which%in%most%

cases%determines%the%limitations%of%the%melody,%as%well%the%emotions%

conveyed%by%the%work.%The%manipulation%of%tonality%and%pitch%also%

ultimately%forms%the%structure%of%the%composition,%through%the%

existence%of%chord%progressions.%Progressive%chord%sequences%

develop%any%piece%in%its%movement%through%tonalities.%Chord%

progressions%are%the%foundation%of%the%pitch%and%structure%of%a%piece.%

Both%the%Allegro%and%the%Billy%Joel%composition%feature%developing%

chord%progressions,%using%various%harmonic%mechanisms%to%create%a%

musical%movement%through%the%tonalities,%including:%

• %perfect,%plagal%and%inverted%cadences,%as%well%as%all%the%extensions%and%preceding%chords%of%these%progression%%

• use%of%secondary%dominants%as%approaching%chords%• variation%and%development%of%previous%chord%progressions%through%reharmonisaton%and%substitution.%

%

‘Scene%from%an%Italian%Restaurant’%by%Billy%Joel%features%a%strong%use%

of%secondary%dominant%progressions,%as%well%as%development%of%

progressions%and%substitutions.%One%of%the%most%obvious%features%of%

this%piece%is%a%use%of%the%perfect%cadence,%a%V%chord%to%a%I%chord%to%end%

a%phrase.%%

%The%use%of%a%perfect%cadence%gives%a%strong%sense%of%resolution,%

featuring%a%descending%interval%of%a%perfect%fifth,%as%well%as%a%leading%

note%to%the%tonic%of%the%key.%%

A%less%common%technique,%particularly%in%the%style%of%pop%music,%is%the%

use%of%the%inverted%cadence,%where%the%direction%of%the%movement%

between%chords%is%reversed.%%

%

This%example%shows%the%inversion%of%a%perfect%cadence,%with%the%I%

chord%moving%to%the%V%chord.%While%this%transition%does%not%give%the%

same%resolute%sensation%as%the%standard%perfect%cadence,%it%still%

involves%two%of%the%primary%diatonic%chords,%and%creates%no%real%

dissonance%or%unease.%However,%it%does%give%a%seemingly%unfinished%

or%openSended%feeling%to%the%piece.%%

%

Another%technique%often%used%in%this%composition%is%that%of%secondary%

dominant%chords,%primarily%utilized%to%approach%other%chords%of%the%

progression%and%create%a%deeper%and%more%developed%harmonic%

movement.%%

%The%above%example%features%the%dominant%version%of%the%IV%chord,%

created%by%the%inclusion%of%a%dominant%or%minor%7,%which%is%not%a%

diatonic%note%of%the%piece’s%tonality.%This%chord%exists%as%the%

dominant%and%approaching%chord%of%the%following%chord,%which%is%the%

dominant%chord%of%the%diatonic%key’s%dominant%7th,%a%tritone%

substitution%of%the%diatonic%iii%chord.%%

%

%

The%allegro%in%Eb%features%multiple%harmonic%techniques,%most%

obviously%the%use%of%secondary%dominant%chords,%as%both%

approaching%chords%and%as%substitutions,%and%a%mixture%of%cadences,%

including%perfect,%plagal,%inverted%and%interrupted.%%

%

The%inclusion%of%secondary%dominants%in%the%chord%progression%help%

to%develop%the%harmonic%movement%further,%and%emphasise%the%

direction%of%the%piece.%%

%This%example%of%secondary%dominant%use%exists%in%the%form%of%a%

dominant%II%chord,%which%cannot%be%formed%from%the%notes%of%the%

diatonic%scale.%This%exists%as%an%approaching%chord,%as%it%preceeds%the%

diatonic%dominant%chord.%This%progression%gives%a%very%developing%

and%more%highlighted%harmonic%movement.%%

%This%secondary%dominant,%which%exists%as%the%dominant%of%the%

diatonic%viith,%is%purely%a%substitutionary%chord,%which%gives%a%slightly%

more%coloured%chord%while%maintaining%a%consonant%sense.%%

%

%This%is%another%example%of%a%perfect%cadence,%a%movement%between%

chords%which%creates%a%strong%and%diatonic%resolution.%%

%

%The%chordal%movement%above%is%that%of%a%plagal%cadence,%featuring%a%

transition%from%the%IV%chord%to%the%tonic.%It%also%provides%a%resolute%

feeling,%though%one%that%seems%less%final%than%the%perfect%cadence,%and%

as%it%is%used%in%this%example,%is%featured%more%often%in%the%middle%of%a%

verse%or%chorus,%rather%than%a%final%cadence.%%

%

%The%movement%above%is%an%example%of%an%interrupted%cadence,%which%

features%a%movement%from%the%dominant%chord%to%the%VI%chord%as%a%

substation.%The%effect%of%this%cadence%is%primarily%one%of%continuation,%

and%an%introduction%to%a%new%phrase.%%

%

%

Both%pieces,%while%from%very%different%genres,%share%a%surprising%

number%of%harmonic%mechanisms.%These%common%techniques%are%

seen%primarily%in%their%use%of%secondary%dominants%as%approaching%

chords,%the%inclusion%of%multiple%cadences%in%order%to%extend%phrases%

while%emphasizing%the%direction%of%the%harmony,%and%a%use%of%

substitutions%to%manipulate%the%tonality,%and%extensions%of%these%

alterations.%%

%%%%%%% %The%examples%above%feature%the%use%of%extended%harmonic%

techniques,%which%exist%between%the%diatonic%chord%progressions%of%

each%piece.%The%excerpt%from%the%Allegro%consists%of%a%multiple%bar%

arpeggiated%movement%of%the%halfSdiminished%chord%of%the%flat%2%(or%

flat%9).%This%creates%both%a%sense%of%dissonance,%with%inclusion%of%

multiple%nonSdiatonic%notes,%as%well%as%a%feeling%of%progression,%as%

movement%has%a%generally%ascending%contour,%and%leads%into%the%next%

progression.%%

The%excerpt%from%the%Billy%Joel%piece%features%an%extended%descending%

scale.%This%extended%technique%exists%as%a%transitional%period%

between%keys,%as%the%scale%is%a%descending%dorian%pattern,%not%of%the%

diatonic%key,%but%of%the%following%key.%

%

While%both%pieces%also%feature%multiple%use%of%common%cadences,%and%

their%alterations,%the%cadences%to%end%the%phrases%of%the%

macrostructure%have%opposing%effects.%The%use%of%an%inverted%perfect%

cadence%in%‘Scenes%from%an%Italian%Restaurant’%following%a%standard%

perfect%cadence%gives%an%open%and%less%final%sense%in%the%conclusion%

of%the%piece.%The%Allegro%features%multiple%plagal%cadences,%followed%

by%repetition%of%the%tonic%chord,%which%emphasizes%the%finality%and%

resolution%of%the%composition.%%

%

Each%work%uses%various%harmonic%devices%to%emphasise%the%desired%

development%of%the%composer,%featuring%common%and%opposing%

techniques,%as%well%as%different%functions%for%shared%techniques,%in%

order%to%create%the%suited%effect.%It%is%clear%that%harmonization%can%

exist%on%both%the%large%and%small%scale,%and%is%the%basis%of%the%shape%

and%feeling%of%a%composition.%%

%

Tom%Daher%

%

%

%