Chapter 9Primary Triads:Tonic, Dominant, & Subdominant Chordss

Tonic Triad – I & i• Built on ^1, ^3, ^5• Four-part Texture – double the rootDominant Triad – V• Built on ^5, ^7, ^2• Commonly resolves to I or i (Authentic Cadence)• Phrase ending on V (Half Cadence)• Four-part Texture – double root, never the third

Tonic & Dominant Triads

Dominant Function - V

In root position:• Soprano/Alto move to the nearest tone• Maintain all common tones• Bass moves to root • Leading tone (^7 of tonic) must move stepwise to tonic

(^1)

Subdominant Triad in Root Position – IV or iv• Functions in the ‘predominant’ area• Upper voices to the nearest place in the

new chord• Retain structure; Open to Open / Closed

to Closed

Function in a progression IV to I• Keep the resolution as easy as possible• ^3 - ^1 and ^5 - ^3Function in a progression IV to V• Bass moving up? Everyone else goes

down!

Subdominant FunctionIV to I• Keep the resolution as

easy as possible

IV to V• Bass moving up? All other

must move down!• If the soprano and bass

are moving up in tenths, use contrary motion in the alto and tenor to avoid parallel fifths and octaves! You will get an open IV and a closed V.

The Authentic Cadences

Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC)• Stepwise motion to tonic ^2-^1 or ^7-^8 in the

soprano voice over a root position V- I progression 

• Strong feeling of conclusion • Typically approached by a subdominant (IV) chord

Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC)• The soprano voice ends on ^3 or ^5; ^2-^3, ^5-

^3, and ^5-^5• Less conclusive feeling than PAC

The Authentic Cadences

PAC• Bass :^5 - ^1• Soprano :^7 - ^8 or ^2 -

^1

IAC• Soprano ends on ^3 or

^5• Less conclusive than PAC

Other Cadences

Half Cadence• I – V or IV (iv) – V • medial – does not create a sense of closure

Plagal Cadence a/k/a Plagal Resolution• Conclusivity is evident; not as strong as an

Authentic Cadence• Functions as an extension of tonic• Used as a ‘tag’ after an authentic cadence; i.e.

“Amen”

Voice – Leading Reductions

• Essential tonal anatomy of a musical phrase

1 – Label all harmonies; mind the first and last chords

2 – ID all embellishing tones to expose all chordal tones

3 – Notate the main chord tones of the bass line

4 – Notate the main chord tones of the soprano line (try to maintain the best melodic line if they are multiple tones over the same harmony.)

Cadential Expansion In a Phrase

• Reducing full voicing to one harmony per measure

• Used to clarify melodic line; performance nuances

• Two notes over a harmony? Defer to the best melodic motion– Placement on strong beats and repetition are good

indicators of essential harmony

• Two voices suggesting a compound melody?– Write both strands as harmonic intervals with

Harmonizing Melodies

• Uses knowledge of harmony and voice-leading in a more creative way than figured-bass realization– Many more choices in chords, bass lines, and

embellishing tones

• At first stick to root position primary triads– Limits the choice of melody but keeps things simple

Ex. 9.14 for a closer look!• First - check out opening and closing chordal

structure• Second - check out the closing melodic line;

cadence point• Third – check out the remaining melody to

determine a possible progression

Putting it Together

• Determine which notes are essential chord tones; circle the embellishing tones– Use a melodic reduction to get a better view of

the basics

• Determine chordal implications by the soprano line for the opening and cadence of each phrase

• Determine supporting harmonies implied by the soprano in the interior of the phrase