10.9: Suspension

10.9 Suspension

Suspensions are accented non-chord tones occurring on downbeats. A suspension is approached by the same note and resolves down by step. A suspension is made up of a preparation, suspension, and resolution. Sometimes the preparation is tied to the suspension.

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Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Introductory Suspension example with and without tie

Suspensions are classified by numbers (9-8, 7-6, 4-3, 2-3, and sometimes 6-5) that specify the interval distance of the suspended note and its resolution to the bass note

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Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Examples of the 9-8, 7-6, 4-3, 2-3, and 6-5 suspensions

In the example above, the notes in the 4-3 suspension are an 11th and 10th higher than the bass. Reduce all intervals larger than an octave to the numbers 7-6, 4-3, and 6-5.

Here is an example with a 4-3 suspension.

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Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): Samuel Barber, Adagio for Strings (1936)

Here is an example with 7-6 and 9-8 suspensions.

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Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\): George Frideric Handel, Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: II. Alla Hornpipe (1717)

The 2-3 suspension is the “bass suspension” and is measured against an upper voice. Again, you may encounter the literal intervals 10-9 but should label the suspension as 2-3.

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Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\): Bach, J.S., Chorale 238, “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier,” BWV 373

When a chord is inverted, you will sometimes encounter non-standard suspension numbers like 5-4 or 3-2.

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Figure \(\PageIndex{6}\): Non-standard suspension numbers because of inverted chords

You will sometimes encounter decorations of suspensions where other notes occur before the resolution, as in the following example.

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Figure \(\PageIndex{7}\): Bach, J.S., French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812, Sarabande (1722)