Harmonic Analysis

Definition

Harmonic analysis is the process of breaking down a piece of music into its component chords and understanding their function within a given key. This analysis allows musicians to identify the relationships between chords, including how secondary dominants and leading tone chords enhance harmonic progression. By understanding these relationships, musicians can better interpret and compose music that conveys intended emotions and resolves tension effectively.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Harmonic analysis helps musicians understand the role of secondary dominants in creating temporary tonicizations, enhancing the expressiveness of a piece.
2. In harmonic analysis, leading tone chords create strong resolutions due to their close relationship with the tonic, often resolving to the I chord.
3. Chords analyzed in this way can be represented using Roman numeral analysis, where secondary dominants are indicated by a V/ designation.
4. Recognizing secondary dominants and leading tone chords allows composers to create more complex and interesting harmonic progressions.
5. Harmonic analysis also assists in identifying pivot chords that can modulate from one key to another effectively.

Review Questions

• How does harmonic analysis contribute to understanding the use of secondary dominants in a piece of music?
  • Harmonic analysis reveals how secondary dominants function by tonicizing non-tonic chords. By breaking down a progression, musicians can see how these secondary dominants lead to temporary resolutions, enhancing emotional impact. This understanding allows composers to utilize secondary dominants strategically for creating tension and resolution within their works.
• Discuss the role of leading tone chords in harmonic analysis and their significance in resolving to the tonic.
  • Leading tone chords play a crucial role in harmonic analysis as they create strong tension due to their positioning just below the tonic. These chords typically resolve to the tonic, providing a satisfying resolution. Analyzing their function helps musicians recognize patterns in chord progressions that enhance the overall structure and emotional content of a piece.
• Evaluate the importance of harmonic analysis in composing music that effectively utilizes functional harmony principles, especially with secondary dominants and leading tone chords.
  • Harmonic analysis is essential for composers aiming to create music that effectively employs functional harmony principles. By understanding how secondary dominants and leading tone chords interact within harmonic progressions, composers can craft compelling musical narratives. This analytical approach enables them to manipulate tension and resolution intentionally, resulting in more engaging and emotionally resonant compositions.

Related terms

Secondary Dominant: A chord that is the dominant (V) of a diatonic chord other than the tonic, typically used to temporarily tonicize the target chord.

Leading Tone Chord:

A chord built on the leading tone of a scale that creates tension, usually resolving to the tonic or another chord within the key.

Functional Harmony:

The concept of how chords relate to each other and serve specific functions within a key, such as tonic, predominant, or dominant.