the most important points of chorale writing
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7/30/2019 The Most Important Points of Chorale Writing
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The Most Important Points of Chorale Writing
Harmonising a Melody
Steps to complete this:
a) Name the key
b) Write out the triads for each degree of the scale, and label them with theRoman numeral system and the letter name (e.g. I/C major)
c) Using Roman numerals, name the three possible chords for each notemarked with a * (e.g. the note ‘C’ may have I, IV or vi in C major)
d) Choose one chord from each group of three, and choose the inversion
7th
(d)
5th
(c)
3rd
(b)
root
I II(7) III IV V(7) VI VII
Checklist for Harmonising
Check all notes are correct for the scale you are in
Check the accidentals
Check cadences are correct
Label all of your chords including inversions
Check you are in the right key – major/minor
Make sure you have included a root, 3rd and 5th in your chord
CHECK VOICES – are the voices sensible?
o Alto and Tenor as subtle as possible with little movement
Make sure all the stems are the correct way
No crossed parts
Make sure there is a chord on every crotchet beat – don’t follow the
rhythm of the melody
No gaps larger than an octave between alto and tenor, or soprano and alto
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Non-Chord notes
We normally embellish music with non-chord notes (don’t necessarily fit
the chord you are playing) to make the music more interesting
These aren’t necessarily just in the melody, and sometimes they may
clash to provide further interest
You need to be able to recognise the following non-chord notes, and use
them in your harmonising where appropriate:
o Passing notes, Auxiliary notes, Echappee, Anticipation,
Appoggiatura, Suspension
Passing Notes
Move by step between two notes that are a third apart, on the weaker
beat
This is a passing note:
And a chromatic passing note:
Accented passing notes also move by step but are
on the stronger beats, which often sounds like a clash, like this:
Go back through your exercise and add passing notes (not accented passingnotes) to your harmonies where appropriate. Play through the music to help you
decide where you should put the passing notes
Auxiliary notes
Very similar to passing notes, but these occur between two notes that arethe same pitch
An upper auxiliary is one step above the note, and a lower auxiliary is onstep below
Go back through your exercise and add passing notes to
your harmonies where appropriate. Play through the music tohelp you decided where you should put the passing notes
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Doubling
5-3 Chords –
Normally double the root, never omit the 3rd
6-3 Chords – Double any itch that is note 1, 4 or 5 of the key you are in, it doesn’t
matter if its root, 3rd
or 5th
.
All Chords – Don’t double any tendency notes (7ths, chromatic notes, dissonant
notes, leading notes)
7th
Chord – Double the root and omit the 5th
Writing Cadences
Important Point:
Most cadences are perfect or imperfect
There is no need to use an interrupted cadence ever, as a perfect cadence
can always be used instead
Key Points
1. Identify the key at the end of the phrase
2. Identify the scale numbers of the final two notes (for example, 7-8)
3. Decide which type of cadence will best fit these notes, and write out the notes of the chords you will need.
4. Work out what the bass notes are, and write them in
5. Add the alto and tenor parts
6. Check everything carefully!
In perfect cadences, if the leading note occurs in the alto or tenor, it often
falls directly to the 5th
of the tonic chord.
In imperfect cadences, Notes 3-2 at the end of a phrase always suggests this
type of cadence. When trying to recreate Bach’s style, note that for imperfect cadences,
Bach preferred to use Ib rather than Ia in the first chord of an imperfect
cadence
Opportunity to double major 3rds in imperfect cadences
Do not use Ic-V in imperfect cadences
Note that you don’t have to use chord I in an imperfect cadence – II7b or
IV7b is fine too, if the melody is not moving 3-2.
Contrary Motion is crucial!
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Change chord on every crotchet beat, unless it is a long pause chord, which
should only have one chord.
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