4.3: Strengthening Endings with Strong Predominants
- Page ID
- 232674
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Key Takeaways
This chapter introduces two strong predominants: IV and ii6.
- Both harmonize fa
in the bass.
- They typically precede a dominant chord and predict that a dominant chord is on its way.
- The most common part-writing error when using strong predominants is parallel octaves or fifths.
Chapter Playlist
\[(\hat4 - \hat5)\]
Example 1. Strengthened ending with a strong PD in Maria Szymanowska, March no. 6 from Six Marches for Piano (0:00-0:16).
Example 2. Placement of strong predominant at a phrase ending.
Writing with ii6
\[(\hat{4}-\hat5)\]
Example 3. Parallels in the strong predominant area.
Steps for writing with ii6
- Write the entire bass: fa–sol–do
.
- Write the entire soprano:
- Start with the V chord, and place an active note in the soprano.
- Resolve the active note appropriately over I.
- Approach the active note from above to make contrary motion with the bass, or by common tone.
- Fill in the inner voices by asking “What do I have? What do I need? How should these voices move to create smooth motion and avoid parallels?”
- In ii6, since it’s a first inversion chord, remember that you may double any note that gives you the smoothest voice leading and that avoids parallels.
This process is illustrated in Example 4.
Example 4. Writing with ii6.
Writing with IV
The danger of writing parallels is even greater with IV than with ii6 because of the root motion by step. Avoid doing something like Example 5, where all voices move upward in parallel motion. Just as with ii6, if you make your upper voices move in contrary motion to the bass (down) where possible, you’ll avoid the problem.
Example 5. Parallels created by moving all voices in the same direction.
The steps for writing with IV are the same as those for ii6: write the entire bass, write the entire soprano starting with V and working outward, then fill in the inner voices (Example 6). There’s one important difference with respect to doubling: whereas the ii6 chord’s doubling is quite flexible since it’s a first-inversion chord, the IV chord almost always sees its bass doubled since it’s a root-position chord.
Example 6. Writing with IV.
Root position ii
The ii chord in root position is much less common than ii6 or IV, but it can be used as a strong predominant in major keys. (In minor keys, the iio chord, like any diminished triad, doesn’t normally show up in root position.)
\[(\hat2\]
Example 7. Writing with ii.
Using IV and ii(6) in combination
Sometimes a composer will choose to use both IV and ii(6) before the dominant at a phrase ending. In such cases, ii always comes after IV. Although both IV and ii(6) are strong pre-dominants, ii(6) shares a special relationship with the V chord that follows: the root of ii is a fifth away from the root of V, similar to how the root of V is a fifth away from the root of I (Example 8). This root relationship makes ii a stronger predominant than IV, which is why ii always comes after IV, never before IV, when both are used at a phrase ending.
Example 8. Comparison of root relationships between ii–V (left) and V–I (right).
Assignments
- Strengthening Endings with Strong Predominants (.pdf, .docx). Includes part writing from Roman numerals and figures, analysis of phrase endings, and a discussion question about a number from Hamilton.