Elementary Harmony

The Dominant Seventh and Supertonic Seventh Chords

Review "Chords Larger Than a Triad," page 30, and "In version of Chords," page 3 1, both in Chapter 2, for the terminology of seventh chords and their figured bass symbols. Also review Chapter 4for the spelling of dominant seventh chords.

Beginning with the first mu sic examp les in C hapter 4, we have seen many seventh chords and have learned to spe ll and to recognize them as such . Then why has it been necessary to delay the stud y of these important structures for so long? As you know, a chord can be built in thirds and include a seventh above the root, suc h as the F in G B D F; and when so used, the seventh is co nsidered a chord tone . On the other hand, the interva l of a seventh above the root is a dissonance that must be hand led with the same techniques and the same care as the nonharmonic tones we have just studi ed. So the seventh has a dual personality, as it were-a chord tone and a melodic dissonance s imultaneous ly.

The Seventh as a Nonharmonic Tone In pre-seventeenth-century music, a seventh above the lowest so undin g voice was considered a lmost excl us ive ly a rh ythmi cally weak dissonance, like the passing seve nth (V 87 ) in Figure 4.11. Not until early in the seventeenth century was the seventh com bined with a tri ad in a strong rhythmic position to form what we now call a seventh chord. But even so, the seventh was treated as though it were a traditional dissonance, th at is, requirin g the same attention to the note of approach and to the note of resolution. This treatment continued up to the twentieth century and is sti ll valid today when writing in traditional styles. Having completed our stud y of nonharmonic tones , we can now see how four of these figures function in the use of the seventh chord. They are shown in Figure 13. 1 for the V in G major, but the principles apply to all types of seventh chords in any in-

278

The Dominant Seventh and Supertonic Seventh Chords

version and in both major and minor keys. Note that the four nonharmonic figures are ones in which the dissonance resolves down . If you sing the soprano line while playing the harmony for any one of the four, it should be obvious that the circled note must descend.

FIGURE 13.1 (11) Pass ing tone l"igure

(d) Su spension l"i gure

6

6

7

(c) Appoggiatura fi gure

7

(d) Upper neighbor fi gure

(skip from below)

7

Passing Tone Figure In the soprano passing tone figure G- F-E (Figure 13 .2) , the alto leaps above the soprano to complete a full triad. Also note the suspension in the tenor at the same time as the seventh. FIGURE 13.2

Passing Tone Figure Brahms, "Im Herbst," Op. 104, No. 5

r--- -r

~-~J - ·

1J C:

J~J 16 4

y7

Suspension Figure This figure, F-F-E, is in the last three notes in the soprano (Figure 13.3). The V 7 is inverted, but that does not affect the dissonance treatment.

279

280

The Dominant Seventh and Supertonic Seventh Chords

FIGURE 13.3

Suspension Figure Haydn , Missa brevis, St. Joann is de Dea, Hob. XXII:7

Allegro

do - na,

do - na

no

bis

pa

cem

J

J

II

Appoggiatura Figure soprano.

FIGURE 13.4

The figure C-F- E is again in the last three notes in the

Appoggiatura Figure Mozart, Vesperae solemnes de Confessore, K. 339

Allegro vivace

pr in

Cl

-

pi -

0

et

J

nunc

et

J

v

Upper Neighbor Figure the third inversion.

The figure is B-C-B, this time in the bass, with the V 7 in

Ch<

The Dominant Seventh and Supertonic Seventh Chords

FIGURE 13.5

Uppe r Neighbor Figure Sulli van, H.M.S. Pinafore

Moderato

Ev - ' ry step

~ I " ' "