(After lotsa patience uploading the whole thing onto this blog)
Brown = Question
Blue = My reflections
Question 1
· Review postings and their comments
· Consolidation in relation to what I’ve set out to explore (focal question)
· Brief summary of findings and insights
Through this blog assignment, I have decided to take a look at modulations and how they take place. Composers generally treat their music in a certain way so that the transition that takes place is pleasant to the ears. However, there is more to it, in terms of the harmonic aspect. Composers subject their music to modulations via a number of ways such as introducing the chord V at crucial points to lead the music to the new key. Common-tone chords are also used to modulate to distant keys. Other ways include exploiting the voice-leading tendencies; therefore a sense of continuity is felt. There are also varying degrees of transitions. Some occur over a longer period of time, such as the example in The Rainbow Connection; some occur more abruptly, like in the case of the song from Sister Act. I realized that even though modulations may take place abruptly, it does not mean that the music sounds jarring or unpleasant. The shift to a new key actually makes sense harmonically, because of all the ways mentioned above.
Sometimes, the “magic” created in music occurs when the same melody is reharmonised in another way some time later. It could be reharmonised in terms of different keys or in a different mode. This can be seen in the example from Sister Act, as well as the example from Waldstein Sonata discussed in question 3.
Although I have been looking mainly at the technical aspects of modulations, I have not really looked into the aesthetic purposes of subjecting the music to a change of keys. Through this project I have found out that modulations come with certain implications. For example, for purposes of heightening the sense of excitement and climax, and not merely to provide harmonic interest to the music. Many times, the “magic” in music is also created when the colour of music changes, as can be seen by all the musical examples in my blog.
· Review postings and their comments
· Consolidation in relation to what I’ve set out to explore (focal question)
· Brief summary of findings and insights
Through this blog assignment, I have decided to take a look at modulations and how they take place. Composers generally treat their music in a certain way so that the transition that takes place is pleasant to the ears. However, there is more to it, in terms of the harmonic aspect. Composers subject their music to modulations via a number of ways such as introducing the chord V at crucial points to lead the music to the new key. Common-tone chords are also used to modulate to distant keys. Other ways include exploiting the voice-leading tendencies; therefore a sense of continuity is felt. There are also varying degrees of transitions. Some occur over a longer period of time, such as the example in The Rainbow Connection; some occur more abruptly, like in the case of the song from Sister Act. I realized that even though modulations may take place abruptly, it does not mean that the music sounds jarring or unpleasant. The shift to a new key actually makes sense harmonically, because of all the ways mentioned above.
Sometimes, the “magic” created in music occurs when the same melody is reharmonised in another way some time later. It could be reharmonised in terms of different keys or in a different mode. This can be seen in the example from Sister Act, as well as the example from Waldstein Sonata discussed in question 3.
Although I have been looking mainly at the technical aspects of modulations, I have not really looked into the aesthetic purposes of subjecting the music to a change of keys. Through this project I have found out that modulations come with certain implications. For example, for purposes of heightening the sense of excitement and climax, and not merely to provide harmonic interest to the music. Many times, the “magic” in music is also created when the colour of music changes, as can be seen by all the musical examples in my blog.
Question 2
The upward-leaning melodic motion at b. 6 (B-C#) seems to be a recurrent feature of the melody [strikingly similar to Jay Chou’s 白色风车, discussed by Mei Hui]. Here the first note is an accented passing note and an anticipatory C# follows. Elsewhere, the two-note idea appears in different guises. Can you highlight some of its interesting occurrences, explaining the differing harmonic function of the two notes concerned?
The 2-note idea can be heard again in b. 8. This time, the first note, A, in the melody acts as an appoggiatura. The appoggiatura not only occurs in the melody, but also in the harmony in thirds. It is interesting to note that the A in the melody has been approached via an anticipation by the A in b.7. The composer seems to be playing around with the 2-note idea as well as the idea of anticipations, treating them in different manners. I think this is also due to the nature of the lyrics, suiting the music to the number of syllabuses in the word.
At other times, for example in b.14, he combines all the ideas explored before.
Accented passing note – B in the melody
Anticipation – Quaver C# in beat 1
Movement in 3rds – The whole RH part of b.14
Appoggiatura – G# in harmony part of RH
The 2-note idea can also be heard in the introduction, carefully embedded in the harmony itself.
The harmonic analysis for the introduction would be an alternation of I (5/3 – 6/4). Therefore, the 2-note idea is heard in terms of a compound melody, especially the upper voices of C#-D.
The passage (bs. 21ff in the full score) discussed in your 2 Apr posting is indeed beautifully constructed, so let’s try and uncover the tricks behind it. Here’s the cue: play the Dmaj7 chord to hear where its notes want to resolve (in the context of A major) then see if any of the resolution actually occurs in b. 25; you should then understand how the G#m chord comes about (another hint: the situation is analogous to resolution of suspensions involving a change of harmony at the point of resolution).
The major 7th interval (D – C#) in Dmaj7 wants to resolve to E – B. The C# - B is like a 7-6 suspension. The C# wants to resolve to B. This resolution is heard with the entry of the B note in the G#m chord. However, the resolution does not come in the same voice (i.e. in the melody in the RH). At the same time, the D note wants to resolve to E. The G#m chord comes as a surprise for the resolution instead of the expected E maj chord. Thus, much tension is created in the music, as there is a sense that there is no complete resolution.
The upward-leaning melodic motion at b. 6 (B-C#) seems to be a recurrent feature of the melody [strikingly similar to Jay Chou’s 白色风车, discussed by Mei Hui]. Here the first note is an accented passing note and an anticipatory C# follows. Elsewhere, the two-note idea appears in different guises. Can you highlight some of its interesting occurrences, explaining the differing harmonic function of the two notes concerned?
The 2-note idea can be heard again in b. 8. This time, the first note, A, in the melody acts as an appoggiatura. The appoggiatura not only occurs in the melody, but also in the harmony in thirds. It is interesting to note that the A in the melody has been approached via an anticipation by the A in b.7. The composer seems to be playing around with the 2-note idea as well as the idea of anticipations, treating them in different manners. I think this is also due to the nature of the lyrics, suiting the music to the number of syllabuses in the word.
At other times, for example in b.14, he combines all the ideas explored before.
Accented passing note – B in the melody
Anticipation – Quaver C# in beat 1
Movement in 3rds – The whole RH part of b.14
Appoggiatura – G# in harmony part of RH
The 2-note idea can also be heard in the introduction, carefully embedded in the harmony itself.
The harmonic analysis for the introduction would be an alternation of I (5/3 – 6/4). Therefore, the 2-note idea is heard in terms of a compound melody, especially the upper voices of C#-D.
The passage (bs. 21ff in the full score) discussed in your 2 Apr posting is indeed beautifully constructed, so let’s try and uncover the tricks behind it. Here’s the cue: play the Dmaj7 chord to hear where its notes want to resolve (in the context of A major) then see if any of the resolution actually occurs in b. 25; you should then understand how the G#m chord comes about (another hint: the situation is analogous to resolution of suspensions involving a change of harmony at the point of resolution).
The major 7th interval (D – C#) in Dmaj7 wants to resolve to E – B. The C# - B is like a 7-6 suspension. The C# wants to resolve to B. This resolution is heard with the entry of the B note in the G#m chord. However, the resolution does not come in the same voice (i.e. in the melody in the RH). At the same time, the D note wants to resolve to E. The G#m chord comes as a surprise for the resolution instead of the expected E maj chord. Thus, much tension is created in the music, as there is a sense that there is no complete resolution.
Thereafter, provide a roman numeral analysis for the entire passage discussed in your original post.
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Question 3
Beethoven. Piano Sonata in C, Op. 53, first movement (Burkhart, 270-271; XCD 973/1197/1203/1542)
Analyze the harmony for bs. 156-190.
Notice that the phrase at b. 156 undergoes harmonic shifts at b. 160, 169 & 178, yet they sound musically logical, why?
Examine also the harmony to see how a certain underlying sense of continuity is created.
The harmonic shift at b.160 is musically logical because of the pivot note D in chord V6 of C maj and chord I of Bb maj.
Harmonies in b.174 – 182 are related by a circle of 5ths.
C (b.174) – G/B (b.176) – Dm (b.178) – Am/C (b.180)
In the examples above, the fact that the phrases are in sequence, help in their harmonic continuity.
The harmonic shift across b.167 – 168 is related by a 5th. Although there is no chord in b.168, the Ab going to a chord I in Db maj in b.169 strongly establishes the key of Db maj through the dominant-tonic movement.
In other instances, for example the shift from Bb major to C minor in b.160 – 164, Beethoven makes use of mixture harmonies to make the transition smooth and logical. With the introduction of Ab in the bass, descending chromatically from A, the F maj chord has been changed to a minor-sounding Fm chord, which is also chord iv of C minor.
The introduction of a F maj chord in b.182 comes as a pleasant surprise, following a minor-sounding phrase. Moreover, the 5-6 technique is illustrated here (C going to D in inner voice), which gives the music more drive forward. Tension is felt further as the D gets chromatically raised to D#, creating an aug 6th interval which finally gets resolved in b.184. However, the sense of relief is short-lived as the music undergoes a series of passing 6/4 motions in b.184 – 189.
Harmonies in b.174 – 182 are related by a circle of 5ths.
C (b.174) – G/B (b.176) – Dm (b.178) – Am/C (b.180)
In the examples above, the fact that the phrases are in sequence, help in their harmonic continuity.
The harmonic shift across b.167 – 168 is related by a 5th. Although there is no chord in b.168, the Ab going to a chord I in Db maj in b.169 strongly establishes the key of Db maj through the dominant-tonic movement.
In other instances, for example the shift from Bb major to C minor in b.160 – 164, Beethoven makes use of mixture harmonies to make the transition smooth and logical. With the introduction of Ab in the bass, descending chromatically from A, the F maj chord has been changed to a minor-sounding Fm chord, which is also chord iv of C minor.
The introduction of a F maj chord in b.182 comes as a pleasant surprise, following a minor-sounding phrase. Moreover, the 5-6 technique is illustrated here (C going to D in inner voice), which gives the music more drive forward. Tension is felt further as the D gets chromatically raised to D#, creating an aug 6th interval which finally gets resolved in b.184. However, the sense of relief is short-lived as the music undergoes a series of passing 6/4 motions in b.184 – 189.
4 comments:
Re Q2(i):
The downbeat A at b. 8 is not an appoggiatura but a retardation (upward-resolving suspension), the preceding A being a chordal 7th rather than an anticipation.
At b. 14, the alto G# can be taken as neighbour to A.
Good that you noted the embedded manifestation in the intro (C#-D), there is yet another allusion--this time only the ascending two-note idea unadorned and metrically shifted--at bs. 10-11 (E-F#). In fact, once you recognize this, you may also see a similar kinship in the G#-A at bs. 9-10.
Later, there is a striking chromatic one at b. 32
Remarkably, the chromatic shift fr A into Bb also makes use of this two-note ascent (bs. 41-42)!
Re Q1(ii):
Yes, the Dmaj7 does seem to want to resolve to an E maj chord, however, the latter is subsumed within a C# chord, creating instead a descending parallel progression Dmaj7 - C#9 - Bm7.
Re Q1(iii):
Therefore, the progression basically begins with IV7-iii9-ii7. Bar 10 is tricky: I hear the bass moving to V (hence the E bass) but the LH chord suspends over the D chord (from the preceding ii7), then when the chord and melody articulates the E major chord in the next bar, the bass moves down a third to C# creating a iii7.
Ops, I just realized that my previous two comments should be referring to Q2 and not Q1.
Re Q3:
If you had not treated the initial passage as a modulation to Bb but analyzed the entire passage in C, it would be more obvious that we have a chromatic lament bass progression to take us to V at b. 166.
The move to Db is not abrupt as your analysis suggest but mediated by an implied pivot--bVI of C or V/bII; likewise with bs. 170-171.
Again, your analysis for bs. 172-73 obscures the cadential 6/4 (elaborated with a neighbouring F#) at b. 173.
You've interpretated the voice-leading elaboration of the dominant from b. 184 very well.
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