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Posted

I have moved on to Chapter 5 of Persichetti's "20th Century Harmony" which is about added note chords.  The prompt was "11.  Harmonize the following melody for strings with triads in the violins and violas, and the added notes in the cellos and basses (in octaves)."

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Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any of your comments!

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Posted

Hello

I have some questions about this exercise.
I already mentioned that this book by Persichetti is like a “bible” to me. I also do the exercises he suggests.
In this case (I have the Spanish version, but I think it's well translated), I think it says that the added notes are on the cello and double bass (in octaves). Strange, isn't it?
I've only analysed the first few bars, but I think your added notes are more in the upper registers, is that right?

Regardless of all that... it doesn't matter. The piece is very beautiful. It sounds emotional and intimate, and everything fits together very well. Perhaps it's a very heterophonic style (I mean, with little counterpoint), which I don't think is bad. It reminds me a little of some of Mahler's work.

Very good work.

 

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Posted

Thanks for your review @Luis Hernández!

4 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

I think it says that the added notes are on the cello and double bass (in octaves). Strange, isn't it?
I've only analysed the first few bars, but I think your added notes are more in the upper registers, is that right?

No I usually keep the Violins and Violas on basic triads while giving the Cellos and Basses on added notes that don't belong to the upper triad.  In the first few bars the Cellos and Basses have F (while C major above), Bb (with G7 above), A (with C major above), G (with D major above), C (with G major above), B (with C major above) ... and etc.  I always try to give the Cellos and Basses a foreign note to the predominantly triadic harmony above.

9 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

I already mentioned that this book by Persichetti is like a “bible” to me. I also do the exercises he suggests.
In this case (I have the Spanish version, but I think it's well translated)

You should post some of your exercises here as well!  Thanks again for commenting!

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