Harmonic Expansions G. DeBenedetti www.gmajormusictheory.org

Chapter 7: Nonharmonic Tones: Embellishing the Fundamental Harmonic Progression 7.4 Retardations, Changing Tones, Pedal Tones and Appoggiaturas

A retardation is approached by the same note and resolves up by step to a chord tone. RET, PED, CT

Retardations usually appear at cadences. A retardation is approached by the same note and resolves up by step to a chord tone. Retardations usually appear at cadences. RET, PED, CT

Retardations usually appear at cadences. A retardation is approached by the same note and resolves up by step to a chord tone. Retardations usually appear at cadences. Retardations are the same as suspensions, except that they resolve up instead of down. RET, PED, CT

Retardations usually appear at cadences. A retardation is approached by the same note and resolves up by step to a chord tone. Retardations usually appear at cadences. Retardations are the same as suspensions, except that they resolve up instead of down. Like suspensions, they arrive at the chord tone "too late" RET, PED, CT

In the last measure of the minuet, below, Mozart wrote a B as a retardation. Because of the strong scale degree 5 in the bass in the next-to-the-last measure of the piece, the E and C in the top staff are heard as accented passing tones within dominant harmony. The B is held over from the harmony of the previous measure.

Changing tones (CT's) were introduced in Chapter 6 Changing tones (CT's) were introduced in Chapter 6. They appeared when a consonant skip (CS) was inserted in the dominant chord.

Changing tones (CT's) were introduced in Chapter 6 Changing tones (CT's) were introduced in Chapter 6. They appeared when a consonant skip (CS) was inserted in the dominant chord. In Chapter 6 changing tones embellished the "primordial" tonic. Bass movement to scale degree 5 resulted in a change of harmony from tonic to dominant .

In this chapter changing tones embellish individual chords within the fundamental harmonic progression. There is no change of chords while they sound.

In this chapter changing tones embellish individual chords within the fundamental harmonic progression. There is no change of chords while they sound. Changing tones are a set of two nonharmonic tones.

In this chapter changing tones embellish individual chords within the fundamental harmonic progression. There is no change of chords while they sound. Changing tones are a set of two nonharmonic tones. The first one is approached by step from either above or below.

In this chapter changing tones embellish individual chords within the fundamental harmonic progression. There is no change of chords while they sound. Changing tones are a set of two nonharmonic tones. The first one is approached by step from either above or below. The second one skips by third in the opposite direction, and then resolves by step to the original chord tone.

The Changing Tones circled in the music below ornament a V6 chord in the second full measure. This excerpt is from the beginning of the second movement of Kulhau's Sonatina Op. 20, No. 1.

Pedal tones (also called "pedal points" or simply "pedals") are nonharmonic tones which never change in pitch.

Pedal tones (also called "pedal points" or simply "pedals") are nonharmonic tones which never change in pitch. Unlike other nonharmonic tones, they usually appear in the bass.

Pedal tones (also called "pedal points" or simply "pedals") are nonharmonic tones which never change in pitch. Unlike other nonharmonic tones, they usually appear in the bass. In fact pedal tones are named after the low notes played by the organ's pedals.

Pedal tones (also called "pedal points" or simply "pedals") are nonharmonic tones which never change in pitch. Unlike other nonharmonic tones, they usually appear in the bass. In fact pedal tones are named after the low notes played by the organ's pedals. In the above illustration of a fundamental harmonic progression, the bass does not move to the dominant.

Pedal tones (also called "pedal points" or simply "pedals") are nonharmonic tones which never change in pitch. Unlike other nonharmonic tones, they usually appear in the bass. In fact pedal tones are named after the low notes played by the organ's pedals. In the above illustration of a fundamental harmonic progression, the bass does not move to the dominant. Instead it becomes a tonic pedal creating a dissonance against the dominant triad above it, and resolving during the final tonic.

The end of the first prelude in Bach's Well Tempered Clavier has a tonic pedal under a dominant seventh chord. In the next chapter we will see that the tonic C under the IV6/4 chord in the previous measure is also a pedal tone.

Appoggiaturas are approached by a skip up and then resolve down by step.

Appoggiaturas are approached by a skip up and then resolve down by step. Appoggiaturas are accented nonharmonic tones; they are sounded with the accompanying chord, not after it.

Appoggiaturas are approached by a skip up and then resolve down by step. Appoggiaturas are accented nonharmonic tones; they are sounded with the accompanying chord, not after it. In the illustration above, the final tonic is embellished with an appoggiatura.

Appoggiaturas are approached by a skip up and then resolve down by step. Appoggiaturas are accented nonharmonic tones; they are sounded with the accompanying chord, not after it. In the illustration above, the final tonic is embellished with an appoggiatura. Both the approach by skip and the dissonance on the beat make appoggiaturas quite striking. Play the phrase.

There is a prominent appoggiatura in the first movement of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The first violin's A, at the beginning of the second system, is approached by skip from an F# and then resolves down by step to G, the root of the accompanying chord. The F# belongs to V7 of G; the bass has a tonic pedal.

Your Turn: Play some nonharmonic games! Test your recognition of nonharmonic tones in real music played by real musicians Click to get to this: online game. Quiz a friend by playing audio files from a list organized by nonharmonic tones .

Your Turn: Dictation! Write the retardations, changing tones, pedal tones and appogiaturas you hear ornamenting fundamental harmonic progressions. DOWNLOAD an answer sheet for you to write on. LISTEN to the mp3 files specified in the instructions. WRITE the soprano of the progressions you will hear. DOWNLOAD the solutions page and CHECK your work.