These lessons WILL move forwards!
Unfortunately I have been busy with auditions, but they're all over for now.
So I guess you have had a lot, or perhaps too much, time to think over the mysterious inner workings of our tonal system
.
I have two short topics concerning the last lesson to briefly discuss, followed by an in-depth study of the uses of secondary dominants.
REGRESSION VS PROGRESSION
The first is an example of the backwards circle-of-fifths sequence. It can be very beautiful because of its movement away from the tonic rather than towards it.
The attachment "Zipoli Example" shows a pair of particularly beautiful examples from an organ canzona by Domenico Zipoli. (The repeat bars separate examples; they are not real repeats.) I mention this because it relates back to yet another way of classifying progressions and perhaps the most general: regressive versus progressive. A traditional circle of fifths sequence, such as
vi ii V I
moves towards the tonic and thus
regresses in tension, beginning far from the tonic and then resolving back to it. On the other hand,
I V ii vi
moves away from the tonic and thus
progresses (the terminology sounds a bit backwards). Tension and excitement increase as we move further and further away from the tonic (especially with the irregular resolution of V). Yet, when this progression continues, we usually see
I V ii vi V/vi
since a new goal has to be set, another key. So in practice, this backwards sequence is often modulates to the relative minor of a major key.
MODALITY VS TONALITY
A while ago I commented on your little aria and said I still objected to an iii V (actually iii I64) progression. It is clear to both of us that that progression is weak and does not follow the circle of fifths, and that the iii chord cannot successfully fulfill any tonal function (except for perhaps EXTREMELY WEAKLY IV, as you have used it here). But of course I mentioned that such weak progressions form many of the most beautiful passages in Renaissance music. What is going on with your example?
The real question begins during the slow rejection of modality that occurred towards the end of the 16th century. Before then all harmonies were determined by voice-leading; really almost any harmony could follow another harmony; in a sense, there were no harmonies, only consonant combinations of notes flowing in counterpoint. The one exception was the dominant chord, clearly viewed as a true harmony, with a tonal implication and function. Especially in minor the dominant chord required chromaticism; thus from V arose the tonal and chromatic systems of the next two centuries.
My basic point is that iii V would sound beautiful in a modal context. But the voice carrying B in the iii is hardly a soaring melody in your exercise. So since the accompaniment is not meant to be melodic, it is wiser and more appropriate to choose, for example, I6 V (especially since that would prepare the I64, something you do
not seem to be doing). Now in a modal context, a progression like ii IV vi I iii happens to be among the most beautiful in all music in a piece like Dowland's Lachrymae,
especially because its beautiful imitations transcend later tonal theory.
Don't think that I actually bothered this much about the tiny chord; I just used it to explain something much larger.
SECONDARY DOMINANTS
Please
open the attachment "Chromatic II."
You see that in measure 2 I have a V/ii chord. What effect does it have on the feel of the piece at that point?
A secondary dominant is a very brief tonicisation, a modulation of about two chords, so to speak. And you should think of it that way, a temporary venture into another tonality lasting a few seconds, more as an ornament to the main tonality than anything powerful itself.
In this case, the V/ii resolves just as a dominant chord should, in this case to ii. The effect is a brief touch of the minor mode feel in an otherwise major phrase.
Now open up the attachment "Secondary Dominants."
In fact, many times the most beautiful secondary dominants imply a new mode briefly: in Major, V/vi and V/ii (and possibly V/iii) and in minor V/VI and V/III (and perhaps V/VII, though almost a modulation).
Also keep in mind exactly how chromatic a secondary dominant chord is. V/V in major is very common. In minor however, two notes have to be sharpened in V/V, so it must be used with care to avoid sounding harsh (the same applies to V/iii in Major, which is very hard to convincingly use (example 1)).
Exercises
In my next lesson I will discuss specific ways to voice lead secondary dominants, but before then I would like to see how you handle them so far. So choose a mode, either major or minor, and
write ten little four-part-harmony chorale phrases, two to five bars long each, each one using a different secondary dominant (e.g. in Major, V/iii, V/vi, V/ii, V/IV and V/V, in minor, V/VII, V/III, V/VI, V/V, and V/iv). The dominants can have sevenths of course. Each phrase should be its own little unit, moving through a variety of different chords and finally resolving at a cadence. The secondary dominant should not sound terribly awkward, just colorful (be especially careful with V/iii in major and V/V in minor). The bass and soprano lines should be satisfying.
Now
choose three of those little phrases to ornament each in two different ways, perhaps with counterpoint, perhaps with a florid soprano or bass, perhaps with arpeggiation, etc... I want to see how creatively you manage your texture in actual music! You can, of course, take out inner voices to lighten the texture, or add full chords where appropriate. Show me some sarabande rhythms!
Just to be clear, I am asking for sixteen little exercises. It may sound like a lot, but it isn't really that much once you start. I understand it might take a while, or that you might not finish them all, but most importantly have fun and explore. Carefully notice the sound of each dominant. Remember, I will be doing all of these too; I could use the practice
.