MAC PROUDLY

PRESENTS:
THE DEFINITIVE
REVISION GUIDE
FOR PASSING A2
HARMONY
JANUARY 2008
1
Year 13 Harmony
How do I go about harmonsing a Bach chorale?
You should try to remember these six summary points when harmonising a
Bach Chorale:
Understand how a chorale works. Chorale melodies were sung by a
congregation in Lutheran churches in parts of Germany. The melodies are
recognisable, and are divided into phrases, which are identified by pause
marks. These marks indicate where you should put your cadences.
Start by harmoniing the final cadence. This will normally be a perfect
authentic cadence !"#$ with both chords in root position%, though one
shouldn&t rule out the possibility of half !'#"% and plagal !$"#$% cadences.
Look through the rest of the part you have to harmonie, work out possible
chords, and lightly pencil them in, starting with the cadences, and then
move on to the remaining chords. (ach chord must contain the root !which
is often doubled%, the third and the fifth.
)ill in the rest of the chords. They should fit into the chorale melody, and
have logical chord progressions. *ost chorales have similar cadential
progressions. The best progressions could include a cycle of fifths !vi#ii+b#
"+#$%, or a cadential ,#- !!ii+b%#$c#"+#$%.
Go through and check all pairs of voices making sure that the two parts
never move up or down in perfect fifths, octaves, or in unison. .ach
occasionally used parallel /ths or octaves, but they are rare and hidden
with the skill of an e0pert.
1lay it !or get someone to play it for you% on a piano and listen carefully. $f
there are any chords that sound dissonant or wrong then rework them.
This may affect other chords near it so double check for fifths or octaves
again.
Thats the overview now the nitty-gritty
1. Decide what key you are in. Write out the 7 chords aailable to you in this
key.
!. "rom this# identi$y the $ie keys which the music is most likely to modulate
to.
%ook care$ully at the soprano part and see i$ you can identi$y phrases o$
modulation &easily recognised by the introduction o$ accidentals'. Don(t
$orget that modulations may occur without the clue o$ accidentals. %ook
care$ully at the soprano line and it shape and direction. )emember that
you should only be writing per$ect or imper$ect cadences. *here$ore# i$ you
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cannot $ind a cadence that $its# the music has ery probably modulated to
a new key.
*he $inal phrase will most likely be in the same key as the $irst phrase.
When you hae identi$ied the passages that modulate# write out the 7
chords aailable to you in each o$ these keys.
+. ,nalyse the soprano part and write down the melodic numbers $or each o$
the notes &remember to think key at all times'
-. Begin to identi$y stock progression phrases at cadences &see below'
.. Begin to identi$y melodic progression phrases &see below'
/. 0tarting at the cadences# begin to write your bass line# adding )oman
numeral chords below. 1nce the bass line o$ your cadence progressions is
complete# add the inner parts i$ you can.
7. 2ow choose chords $or the rest o$ the phrases and aim to write the
complete bass line. You should try to make the bass line moe in contrary
motion to the soprano line where possible. 3t is 4uite okay $or the bass line
to 5ump up and down -ths and .ths though6
7. 1nce the chords hae been selected and the bass line written# begin to
add the inner parts. )emember the inner parts should be $airly linear &no
big 5umps' and the tenor part should be kept high.
8. 3$ you are haing problems selecting chords# remember the $ollowing
important points:
Chord 3 and 9&7' and their inersions are the most use$ul o$ all chords.
:rogressions in which the roots $all in .ths &or rise in -ths' are particularly
strong. Chords with roots that $all in +rds are also use$ul.
,im to use chords in 1
st
inersion as much as chords in root position.
;odulations should start early in a phrase. *he cadence should simply
con$irm the new key.
1<. )emember that at all times you should be checking $or consecutie .
th
s
and consecutie octaes.
11. ,$ter the chorale has been written in -=parts# add $urther melodic
decoration to obtain many more marks. *his could be passing notes
&between notes a +
rd
apart'# upper or lower auxiliary notes or $urther
suspensions.
,lso remember that the $inal cadence in a minor key should be ma5or i.e. a
tierce de picardie6
1!. "inally# you need to check your work $or .ths and 7ths in the $ollowing
order:
3
1. ,>0!. *>0 +. B>0 -. *>, .. B>, /. B>*
The stoc! "rogressions
Below are the cadential and melodic stock progressions which we hae been
studied in the last year and a hal$. 3 hae included musical examples to
illustrate each progression. )emember that the bass line remains the same
&transposed into the correct key o$ course' but that the alto and tenor lines
may switch depending on range and linear moement.
Stock Po!"##$o% E&'()*"
C'+"%c"#
2#3#4 3c ? 97 ? 3 ,
3#3#4 33b ? 97 ? 3 B
)inal 3#3#4 @33b ? 97 ? 3 C
4#+#4 3b ? 9 ? 3 D
/#-#2#3#3#4 3 ? 33 ? 3b ? 33b7 ? 97 ? 3 A
)inal /#-#2#3#3#4 @93b7 ? 33 ? 39 ? @33b7 ? 97 ? 3
BBe care$ul to prepare the 7
th
correctly in the $irst chord'
"
1=1=7=1 93 ? 33b7 ? 9 = 3 C
M"*o+$c
4#3#2 3b ? 9iib ? 3 D
2#3#4 3 ? 9iib ? 3b 3
4#+#4 3E3b ? 9iib ? 3E3b F
4#3#2 3b ? 9c ? 3 G
2#3#4 3 ? 9c ? 3b %
,#/#-#2 39 ? 3 ? 33 ? 93 ;
-#/#, 39b ? 3c ? 39 2
,#/#- 39 ? 3c ? 39b 1
E&'()*" A ,- . 2 . /0 E&'()*" 1 ,2 . 2 . /0
4
E&'()*" C ,2 . 2 . /0 E&'()*" D ,/ . 2 . /0
E&'()*" E ,3 . 4 . - . 2 . 2 . /0 E&'()*" F ,3 . 4 . - . 2 . 2 . /0
E&'()*" G ,8 . 8 . 2 . /0
E&'()*" H ,/ . 2 . -0 E&'()*" I ,- . 2 . /0 E&'()*" J ,/ . 2 . /0
5
E&'()*" 5 '%+ L ,/ . 2 . -6 - . 2 . /0 E&'()*" M ,7 . 3 . 4 . -0
E&'()*" N '%+ O ,4 . 3 . 76 7 . 3 . 40
# reminder about the di$$erent chords
A** melodies can be harmonised using the primary triads ? 3# 39 and 9
Bach tends to use #$()*" harmony but complements this with ("*o+$c
+"co't$o% &passing notes# suspensions'
0econdary chords should be used #)'$%!*8 to add colour and create a
smoother bass line
NEVER use !
nd
inersion chords &except in 3c ? 97 ? 3 cadence and in the
allowed passing !
nd
inersions noted aboe'
,oid using chords %"&t to "'c9 ot9" e.g.# 3 ? 33 or 39 ? 9 &this cuts down
the chances o$ parallel .thsE7es
6
So(" #to%! c9o+ )o!"##$o%#:
3b ? 33b ? 9 = 93 3 = 93 ? 33b = 9 3 ? 39 ? 3b ? 9iib ? 3
3E93 ? 333 ? 39 ? 9E3 &7#7#/#.' 93 ? 33 ? 9 ? 3 9b ? 9ib ? 9iib ? 3b ? 33b
U#":;* )o!"##$o% $: ("*o+8 :'**# ' -
+
:
9b ? 3 9ib ? 33 3b ? 39 33b ? 9
%bI or %Ib is good at the beginning o$ a "hrase i$ the melody goes & &'
%II or I%I is good at the beginning o$ a "hrase i$ the melody goes 1 1'
R;*"# :o t9" S"co%+'8 C9o+#
C9o+ II
Chord 33 is mostly used in :$#t $%<"#$o%
3n a ('=o k"8# chord 33 is ($%o and so the -
+
c'% >" +o;>*"+
)emember that in a minor key# it is +$($%$#9"+ and so the -
+
MUST >"
+o;>*"+
Chord 33b7 is $re4uently used as a c'+"%c" c9o+ &it is known as a
secondary dominant ? the dominant o$ the dominant'.
33b7 ? 9 &imper$ect' 33b7 ? 97 ? 3 &per$ect' 33b7 ? 3c ? 9 ? 3 &per$ect'
2B: )emember to correctly resole the 7
th
down and prepare it in the
preious chord
Hse: 93 ? 33 or 33b 39 ? 33 3 ? 33b ? 9
C9o+ III
1nly use III6 III> $% ' ('=o k"8
Chord 333 is o$ten associated with particular moement in the melody &7=7=
/=.'. *he progressions which can be used are:
93 ? 333 ? 39 ? 3 or 3 ? 333 ? 39 ? 9
C9o+ VI
Hse 93 ? 9 and 9 ? 93 &interrupted cadence'
3n ($%o k"8#? '*@'8# +o;>*" t9" ('=o -
+
$% VI
,lways write in root position = do not use 93b
7
3 ? 93 is strong and o$ten harmonises a repeated tonic note weak to strong
e.g. at the beginning o$ a chorale
3 ? 93 ? 39 ? 3 and 93 ? 33 are good progressions
3n ('=o k"8# ONLY# 9 ? 333E333b ? 93 is a good progression
C9o+ VII

C9o+ VII $# o%*8 ;#"+ $% /

#t
$%<"#$o%. You MUST '*@'8# +o;>*" t9"
-
+

*he most common use o$ this chord is 3 ? 933b ? 3b 1) 1b ? 933b ? 3# used

when the melody line moes 1=!=+# +=!=1 or 1=7=1

3t is also common in scale series o$ 1

st
inersions where 0oprano and Bass
moe in parallel motion: 3b ? 933b ? 93b ? 9b ? 39b. Watch doubling
care$ully here.
# $ew general reminders $or you as you write your harmony

*he .
th
o$ a chord can be omitted but %"<" the +
rd

,lways try to +o;>*" t9" oot. *he .

th
should be a second choice.

*ry to aoid doubling the .

th
in root position chords

N"<" double the +

rd
in a ma5or chord. You can double the +
rd
in a minor
chord as a last alternatie.

*he +
rd
c'% be doubled in chord 93 in special situations i.e. an imper$ect
cadence 93 = 9 and interrupted cadence 9 ? 93.

A*@'8# +o;>*" t9" -

+
$% ' +$($%$#9"+ c9o+. It MUST >" @$tt"% $%
:$#t $%<"#$o%A 3n the progression 33b=97=3 in a minor key# double the +
rd
in
chord 33b. 3t is a diminished chord in $irst inersion.
8

*he interal between the soprano and altoE alto and tenor must be %o
!"'t" t9'% '% oct'<"A *he interal between bass and tenor can be
greater than an octae.
,oid writing co%#"c;t$<" 3t9# '%+ oct'<"#6;%$#o%#. *hese sound ery
weak and are not to be written at any time.
,nother thing to aoid is "&)o#"+ 3t9# o "&)o#"+ oct'<"#. *hese occur
when the soprano line leaps and the bass moes in the same direction
&step or leap' so that the parts arrie on a per$ect .
th
or octae.
T9" Do($%'%t 2
t9

When writing a per$ect cadence# chord 9 can be made een stronger by
adding the 7
th
. When you do this# you need to resole the chord correctly.
1. *he >'## )'t MUST moe 9 to 3
!. *he +
rd
o$ chord 9 MUST $#" to t9" to%$c Bthe +
rd
o$ 9 is the leading
noteI
+. *he 7
th
o$ the chord 9 MUST :'** to t9" -
+
o$ chord 3.
S;#)"%#$o%#
, suspension creates tension in the music and Jspices it up(. 0uspensions
are good things to write but only i$ they are written correctly. , suspension
has THREE parts to it:
1. *he )")''t$o%: the note that will cause the suspension is $irst heard
as part o$ a normal chord# usually on a rhythmically weak beat.
!. *he #;#)"%#$o% $t#"*:: the prepared note is held oer &or repeated' as
the other parts moe to a di$$erent chord on a stronger beat# creating a
dissonance between the bass and the suspended note.
+. *he "#o*;t$o%: on a rhythmically weaker beat# the suspended note
$alls by step to a note o$ the new chord in order to Jresole( the
dissonance.
0uspensions are classi$ied according to the interals between the
suspended part and the bass. *hree interals are dissonant with the bass
? -ths# 7ths and 8ths. *hese gie us the three main types o$ suspension:
4 . - #;#)"%#$o% 2 . 7 #;#)"%#$o% B . 8 #;#)"%#$o%
9
P't C$t$%!
Do NOT oerlap parts
Geep the t"%o )'t 9$!9 i$ possible
,im $or #(oot9 (o<"("%t in the alto and tenor line ? the same note#
stepwise moement or small 5umps.
*ry to make the >'## )'t (o<" $% co%t'8 (ot$o% to t9" #o)'%o )'t
? this sounds better than parallel moement and helps aoids
consecuties.
*he 7
th
o$ a chord MUST '*@'8# :'**A
*he leading note (;#t '*@'8# $#" to the tonic &1' &except in some o$ the
cadential stock progressions'.
REMEM1ER? REMEM1ER? REMEM1ER:
:arallel per$ect $i$ths# octaes and unisons are extremely rare in Bach
chorales# as they lead away $rom independent motion in indiidual parts
and generally sound aw$ul. :assing tones can create parallels# but they
canKt hide them6
*he soprano and alto parts should stay within an octae o$ one another#
*he alto and tenor parts should stay within an octae o$ one another#
9oices should not cross#
2eer make a melodic leap o$ an augmented interal#
2eer omit the third o$ a chord#
2eer double the leading note o$ the key that youKre in#
0econd inersion chords should be aoided# although cadential /=-s are
$re4uent in BachKs writing &3c=9=3'#and passing /=-s are not at all
uncommon.
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1nce you hae $inished the exam# go
to the pub and hae a beer6 Cet this
man to pay $or it &it(s ;r Bach'6
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