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2.12: Galant Schemas – Summary

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    Key Takeaways

    There are many different schemas. This chapter provides an introductory overview of the main ones along with some (brief) discussion of variants and details.

    We begin with an at-a-glance summary of some important schemas, then proceed to set out each of the schemas listed one by one.

    Overall Short Summary

    Musical notation

    Here are files in musical notation with all the schemas listed on this page:

      • With chordal realizations: .mscz, .mxl, .pdf
      • Without chords (outer voices only): .mscz, .mxl, .pdf

    These files provide a set of schemas, with the constituent parts set out as prototypically as is possible in musical notation: that is, with melody and figured bass lines, along with (in the first file’s case) chords in a middle part realizing those figures. Musical notation is obviously useful, though really, schemas are prototypes that exist apart from any specific realization, so the more abstract representations in tables and the like are better in some ways. That’s why you’ll see them set out in this fashion here and in other literature on this topic.

    Summarizing table

    [table id=75 /]

    Itemized List

    Opening Gambits

    Romanesca

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter S W S W
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 sol
    \hat5    		 do
    \hat1    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7    		 la
    \hat6    		 mi
    \hat3
    Figures 5 6 5 6
    Roman numerals I V vi I

    Do–Re–Mi

    Stage 1 2 3
    Meter S W S
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6 5
    Roman numerals I V I

    Many of the schemas involve two steps that can be considered schemas on their own. These often take the form of question-answer pairs.
    Here, we have the Do–Re opening part as the opening question:

    Stage 1 2
    Meter S W
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7
    Figures 5 6
    Roman numerals I V

    That Do–Re is answered by the Re–Mi:

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody re
    \hat2    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6 5
    Roman numerals V I

    The Do–Re–Mi may also appear in a four-stage version by putting those constituent parts back together. This basically involves doubling up the central stage of the three-stage version.

    Sol–Fa–Mi

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody sol
    \hat5    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 5 6/5 5
    Roman numerals I ii V I

    Again, this comprises two parts.

    Opening part (Sol–Fa):

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody sol
    \hat5    		 fa
    \hat4
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2
    Figures 5 5
    Roman numerals I ii

    Answering part (Fa–Mi):

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6 5
    Roman numerals V I

    This schema may also appear with the harmony slightly altered, as follows:

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody sol
    \hat5    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6 6/5 5
    Roman numerals I vii V I

    Meyer

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6/4/3 6/5 5
    Roman numerals I V V I

    Opening part:

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2
    Figures 5 6,4,3
    Roman numerals I V

    Closing part:

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6,5 5
    Roman numerals V I

    Aprile

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter S W S W
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6,4,3 6,5 5
    Roman numerals I V V I

    Jupiter

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter S W S W
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7    		 sol
    \hat5    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6 5 5
    Roman numerals I V V I

    Pastorella

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter S W S W
    Melody mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 sol
    \hat5    		 sol
    \hat5    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 5 7 5
    Roman numerals I V V I

    Answer/Process/Transition

    Prinner and Modulating Prinner

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter S W S W
    Melody la
    \hat6    		 sol
    \hat5    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6 7-6 I
    Roman numerals IV I vii I

    A slight variant on this inserts a root-position dominant before the final stage:

    Stage 1 2 3 4 5
    Meter S W S W S
    Melody la
    \hat6    		 sol
    \hat5    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 sol
    \hat5    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6 7–6 7 5
    Roman numerals IV I vii V I

    The Prinner can also be used to modulate from the tonic to the dominant. This variant is called the Modulating Prinner:

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter S W S W
    Melody mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7
    Bass do
    \hat8    		 ti
    \hat7    		 la
    \hat6    		 sol
    \hat5
    Figures 5 6 7-♯6 5
    Roman numerals I V vii/V V

    Again, this can come with an additional root-position dominant:

    Stage 1 2 3 4 5
    Meter S W S W S
    Melody mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1    		 do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7    		 la
    \hat6    		 re
    \hat2    		 sol
    \hat5
    Figures 5 6 7–♯6 7/♯ 5
    Roman numerals I V vii/V V/V V

    Fonte

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody sol
    \hat5    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass di
    \uparrow\hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6/5 5 6/5 5
    Roman numerals V/ii ii V I

    The Fonte has a strong relation to the Meyer and indeed to the cycle of fifths. This effectively tonicizes the A minor key (e.g., the supertonic minor) and then a major key a tone below (the overall tonic). The modular part is just one of those tonicizations:

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6/5 5/3
    Roman numerals V I

    Monte

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody do-te
    \hat1-\downarrow\hat7    		 la
    \hat6    		 re-do
    \hat2-\hat1    		 ti
    \hat7
    Bass mi
    \hat3    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fi
    \uparrow\hat4    		 sol
    \hat5
    Figures 6/5 5 6/5 5
    Roman numerals V/IV V V/V V

    Like the Fonte, the Monte also goes through two tonicizations with a sequential treatment of a modular half:

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody sol-fa
    \hat5-\hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6/5 5
    Roman numerals V I

    Ponte

    Stage 1 2 3
    Meter S W S
    Melody sol
    \hat5    		 ti
    \hat7    		 re
    \hat2
    Bass sol
    \hat5    		 sol
    \hat5    		 sol
    \hat5
    Figures 5 7 7
    Roman numerals V V V

    Pre-Cadential / Incomplete Cadences

    Fenaroli

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter S W S W
    Melody fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 mi
    \hat3
    Figures 6/5 5 6/5 6
    Roman numerals V I V I

    Indugio

    Stage 1 2 3 4 5
    Meter S W S W S
    Melody re
    \hat2    		 fa
    \hat4    		 la
    \hat6    		 do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7
    Bass fa
    \hat4    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fi
    \uparrow\hat4    		 sol
    \hat5
    Figures 6/5 6/5 6/5 6/5 5
    Roman numerals IV IV IV V/V V

    Deceptive Cadence

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass mi
    \hat3    		 fa
    \hat4    		 sol
    \hat5    		 la
    \hat6
    Figures 6 6/5 5 5
    Roman numerals I ii V vi

    Evaded Cadence

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass mi
    \hat3    		 fa
    \hat4    		 sol
    \hat5    		 mi
    \hat3
    Figures 6 6/5 5 6
    Roman numerals I ii V I

    Passo Indietro

    Stage 1 2
    Meter S W
    Melody ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Figures 6/4/2 6
    Roman numerals V I

    The Passo Indietro is essentially the first two stages of a Prinner. Literally a “stepping back,” the Passo Indietro often precedes a significant cadence.

    Comma

    Stage 1 2
    Meter W S
    Melody fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3
    Bass ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6/5 5
    Roman numerals V I

    Converging Cadence

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1    		 ti
    \hat7
    Bass mi
    \hat3    		 fa
    \hat4    		 fi
    \uparrow\hat4    		 sol
    \hat5
    Figures 6 6/5 6/5 5
    Roman numerals I ii V/V V

    This cadence is also known as the fa–fi–sol half cadence after the definitive bass line: \hat4-\uparrow\hat4-\hat5. Note the correspondence between this schema and the Indugio.

    Cadences and Post-Cadential

    Cadenza Semplice

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass mi
    \hat3    		 fa
    \hat4    		 sol
    \hat5    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6 6/5 5 5
    Roman numerals I ii V I

    Cadenza Composta

    Stage 1 2 3 4 5
    Meter W S S W S
    Melody do
    \hat1    		 re
    \hat2    		 mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass mi
    \hat3    		 fa
    \hat4    		 sol
    \hat5    		 sol
    \hat5    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 6 6/5 6/4 7 5
    Roman numerals I ii Cad. V I

    Cadenza Doppia

    Stage 1 2 3 4 5
    Meter S W S W S
    Melody fa
    \hat4    		 mi
    \hat3    		 re
    \hat2    		 re
    \hat2    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass sol
    \hat5    		 sol
    \hat5    		 sol
    \hat5    		 sol
    \hat5    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures 5 6/4 4 3 5
    Roman numerals V V V V I

    Quiescenza

    Stage 1 2 3 4
    Meter W S W S
    Melody te
    \downarrow\hat7    		 la
    \hat6    		 ti
    \hat7    		 do
    \hat1
    Bass do
    \hat1    		 do
    \hat1    		 do
    \hat1    		 do
    \hat1
    Figures ♭7 6/4 7/4/2 5
    Roman numerals V/IV V V I

    The Quiescenza is a post-cadential schema.

    This page titled 2.12: Galant Schemas – Summary is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Mark Gotham, Kyle Gullings, Chelsey Hamm, Bryn Hughes, Brian Jarvis; Megan Lavengood, and John Peterson via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.