Musical Analysis: Harmonic Analysis, Chord Function, and the Analysis Process
An important skill music students must acquire is how to analyze a piece of music.
Today's presentation is a DEMO of how you can analyze voice leading and harmony – based
on chord function.
Afterwards, you will be given two musical examples to analyze on your own.
Previously, we learned that in major, when we string together adjacent triads on the
submediant, leading tone, and tonic (vi-vii[dim]-I), we often have to double the 3rd or 5th of
the leading tone triad, instead of its root.
Listen to the voice leading from the seventh scale degree.
This tone leads or resolves to the first scale degree.
Its pull is especially strong when positioned in an outer voice, and functions as either
the third of the V chord, or as the root of the vii[dim] chord, as shown here.
We have to avoid creating "hidden octave situations" where the leading tone is doubled,
which is what happens in this example, unfortunately.
We don't want that when we are learning to write in strict, four-part harmony.
If you don't know what a hidden octave is, you should review the earlier video on that.
A brief note on The Rules for exercises: The Rules teach you Principles and basic Techniques.
Outside of this course, you are free to write any way you choose.
As for the exercises, your first priority is Mastery of the Rules.
Discipline yourself to apply these, and you will develop the ability to write any way
you wish.
If you've seen the 1984 movie The Karate Kid (1984) you'll recall the principle behind
Sensei Miyagi's statement: "Learn balance Daniel san...
Wax-on...
Wax-off."
That said, we now begin our DEMO of harmonic analysis.
The example features a bass line involving all seven scale triads.
Incidentally, we've moved the tenor voice to the bass staff.
Notice the smooth flow of all three upper voices, particularly in bars six and seven,
where the ii, vii, and vi chords meet up. [Listen!]
Interestingly, in bar six the LT is doubled on the second beat, and properly so, in order
to allow for efficient horizontal flow in the respective parts.
Listen once more.
Our harmonic analysis of the example continues ...
Bar 1: Tonic to submediant.
That Arabic figure 8 over the initial bass note indicates that the soprano doubles the
bass on C at the octave.
That note, along with the E in the tenor, are common tones shared by both I and vi chords.
Common tones retained, the alto steps up to double the A.
Bars 1 and 2: The A and C in soprano and alto become the next common tones linking submediant
in bar 1 to subdominant in bar 2, while tenor moves up a half step to the nearest chord
tone, F, on the downbeat.
Bar 2: As we have learned, the move from subdominant to dominant – IV to V – requires contrary
motion between bass and upper voices, as the two triads share no common tones.
Bars 2 and 3: The movement from dominant V down to mediant iii is similar to tonic I
down to submediant vi, since the two triads share two common tones.
Let's hear this common connection in the highlighted bars!
Bars 3 and 4: But the movement from the mediant iii through subdominant IV and dominant V
triads, involves stepwise diatonic movement, again requiring contrary motion between upper
voices and bass; no common tones there.
Listen for this in bars 3 and 4.
One more feature of Bar 4: The V to I in bar 4 is a circle of fifths, dominant V to tonic
I progression, pivoting around the common-tone, G in the soprano. … and to refresh our memories,
we'll now listen to the first four bars combined.
Bar 5 retraces the harmonic movement already experienced in bars 1 and 2, albeit metrically
offset by half of a measure, but the upper voices are in a lower position.
Bars 6 and 7: Doubling of the Leading Tone in the vii triad is employed in bar 6.
Why is the doubling acceptable now?
Well, do you see how doubling the LT permits the melodic progression of the soprano across
both bars 6 and 7, in contrary motion to the bass?
A few academics will dislike this point, but because of the Voice Leading here, the doubled
LT does not seem objectionable.
[mus]
It's a subtle point, but great music is about subtleties, about sound, and not
about blindly following one Rule at the expense of others.
Moving on.
Bars 8 and 9: The IV-V progression, a pair of diatonic neighboring chords, positions
the LT to lead the soprano upward, naturally, to the tonic.
So the phrase ends in a Perfect Authentic Cadence, which we label "PAC."
Follow along while we listen once more to the entire example.
Thus ends our Analysis Demo.
So what does everyone think of the course so far?
Content-wise, we've nearly reached the first semester midpoint of many college-level music
theory tracks in the USA.
If you are applying these basic principles and techniques to your own writing, tell us
about it!
Post a comment, or a question, or a suggestion for a future topic, and subscribe and share
the video.
Now, Food for Thought ... ASSIGNMENT 1: Add bar numbers, then do your
best to write your own analysis of the harmonic and voice movement of this progression.
Follow the pattern of today's Demo example. First, Listen:
Now, "Wax-on, wax-off."
Next, proceed to ... ASSIGNMENT 2: Add bar numbers, then write
your own analysis of the harmonic and voice movement of this progression, like we did
in the Demo. Listen to it!
Do your best; your analyses of the examples may be as detailed as you
wish.
"Wax-on, wax-off."
Thank you for waxing! :-D
[music credit]
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