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18.1: Secondary Diminished Chords

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    The viivii∘ chord has dominant function (see the Harmonic Function Flowchart). Since chords of dominant function typically resolve to chords of tonic function, diminished triads as well as half–diminished and fully–diminished seventh chords occur as secondary diminished chords.

    sec-dim-chord-sequence.svg

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    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): A Harmonic Sequence with Secondary Diminished Chords in C major

    Below are some examples of pieces with secondary diminished chords. Notice that chromaticism is an “essential” part of secondary diminished chords (“non–essential” chromaticism refers to chromatic non–chord tones).

    sec-dim-jesu.svg

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    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): J.S. Bach, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben BWV 147, X. “Jesus bleibet Freude” (“Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring”) (1723)

    sec-dim-trepak.svg

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    Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker, “Trepak” (1892)

    sec-dim-billy-joel-just-the-way.svg

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    Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\): Billy Joel, “Just the Way You Are” (1977)

    sec-dim-garth-brooks.svg

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    Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\): Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee, “Friends in Low Places” (1990)

    This page titled 18.1: Secondary Diminished Chords is shared under a GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Robert Hutchinson via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.