Secondary dominants

Definition

Secondary dominants are chords that function as a dominant (V) to a chord other than the tonic in a given key, creating tension and leading to temporary resolutions. They enhance harmonic progression by introducing new tonalities and allowing for a greater sense of movement within a piece. This concept is crucial for understanding how composers expand their harmonic vocabulary and create richer musical textures.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Secondary dominants can be notated as V/x, where x is the scale degree of the chord being tonicized. For example, V/ii indicates the dominant of the ii chord.
2. They create temporary modulation effects, allowing for brief excursions into related keys while maintaining the overall key center.
3. Using secondary dominants can help to clarify the relationship between chords and enhance the overall emotional impact of a musical piece.
4. Composers often employ secondary dominants to add interest and complexity to chord progressions, leading listeners through unexpected harmonic paths.
5. Secondary dominants can be found in various musical styles, including classical, jazz, and popular music, making them a versatile tool for musicians.

Review Questions

• How do secondary dominants contribute to harmonic progression within a piece?
  • Secondary dominants add depth and tension to harmonic progression by temporarily acting as dominant chords for non-tonic chords. This creates moments of resolution that enhance the overall movement of the music. By incorporating these chords, composers can lead listeners through unexpected shifts in tonality while maintaining coherence within the primary key structure.
• In what ways can secondary dominants be used to achieve tonicization, and why is this important for understanding tonal music?
  • Secondary dominants are essential for achieving tonicization by allowing a composer to treat a non-tonic chord as if it were a tonic. This technique provides fresh perspectives on harmonic relationships and adds variety to music. Recognizing how secondary dominants facilitate tonicization is crucial for analyzing tonal music, as it helps explain how composers navigate through different keys while maintaining thematic coherence.
• Evaluate the impact of secondary dominants on a composition's emotional landscape and overall structure.
  • Secondary dominants significantly impact a composition's emotional landscape by creating tension and anticipation through their dominant function. This tension can lead to more powerful resolutions that heighten emotional expression. By employing secondary dominants, composers can manipulate harmonic structure and shape the listener's experience, guiding them through complex emotional narratives that enrich the overall musical journey.

Related terms

Dominant chord: A chord built on the fifth scale degree of a key, typically leading to the tonic chord.

Tonicization: The process of treating a non-tonic chord as if it were a tonic, often achieved through the use of secondary dominants.

Circle of fifths: A visual representation of the relationships between different keys and their corresponding chords, often used to illustrate harmonic progressions.