5.2: Neapolitan 6th (♭II6)

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Page ID: 232688

Mark Gotham, Kyle Gullings, Chelsey Hamm, Bryn Hughes, Brian Jarvis; Megan Lavengood, and John Peterson
VIVA - Virtual Library of Virginia

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Key Takeaways

The major triad built on ra $(\downarrow\hat2)$ is a chromatic predominant chord called a Neapolitan sixth (♭II6).
♭II is typically found in first inversion (♭II⁶).
In voice leading, ra resolves down to ti $(\downarrow\hat2-\hat7)$ .

Chapter Playlist

\[(\downarrow\hat{2})\]

Context

\[(\downarrow\hat{2})\]

A link to an interactive elements can be found at the bottom of this page.

Example 1. To change from ii^o6 to ♭II⁶, lower $\mathit{\hat{2}}$ (re to ra).

Try it!

Construct the chord according to the given Roman numeral.

A link to an interactive elements can be found at the bottom of this page.

Voice Leading

\[(\hat{2})\]

A link to an interactive elements can be found at the bottom of this page.

Example 2. Standard voice-leading paradigms when ♭II⁶ resolves to V.

Try it!

Practice resolving the given Neapolitan sixth chord to the indicated Roman numeral.

A link to an interactive elements can be found at the bottom of this page.

Example 3 shows a relatively straightforward example of a ♭II⁶ chord occuring in the context of a cadential progression. Note that the harmonic rhythm is a half note long, so think of beats 3 and 4 in measure 6 as part of a single harmony.

A link to an interactive elements can be found at the bottom of this page.

Example 3. Frederic Chopin, Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55, no. 1. Neapolitan sixth as part of a cadential progression.

Associated Progressions

Common progressions

♭II⁶–V
♭II⁶–vii^o7/V–V

While ♭II⁶ often goes directly to V (with or without a $\mathrm{cad.^6_4}$ ), the applied chord vii^o7 commonly occurs between ♭II⁶ and V, creating the progression ♭II⁶–vii^o7/V–V (Example 4). The added diminished chord intensifies the push toward the expected dominant.

A link to an interactive elements can be found at the bottom of this page.

Example 4. Using vii^o7 between ♭II⁶ and V.

Less Common Uses

As mentioned above, the Neapolitan mostly appears in a small number of stock harmonic progressions. Less often, however, the Neapolitan can be found in root position ♭II, and it may lead to an inverted dominant instead of the root-position version $(\mathrm{V^4_2}$ in particular).

While the Neapolitan is most often used as a single chord within a cadential progression, it—like any other chord—can be prolonged through an extended tonicization or even used as a key area, as in Example 5. ♭II is introduced first as a temporary tonic and elaborated with a pedal point, then the phrase ends with a typical cadential progression with the Neapolitan sixth: ♭II⁶–vii^o7/V–V⁷–i.

A link to an interactive elements can be found at the bottom of this page.

Example 5. “Erlkönig” by Franz Schubert (1815; excerpt begins at 3:23) tonicizes the Neapolitan chord and then uses it as part of a cadential progression.

Assignments

Neapolitan Sixths (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to spell ♭II⁶, realize figured bass, write 4-part voice-leading with Roman numerals, and analyze a musical excerpt.

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