Part Writing of Secondary Dominant Chords

Harmony and Voice Leading IV: Part Writing of Secondary Dominant Chords

Welcome to the world of secondary dominants! If this topic sounds like the sequel to a music theory blockbuster, it's because it's just as thrilling. Think of secondary dominants as the guest stars in your favorite TV show—they’re not the main characters, but they add that extra spice to keep things interesting. 🎵🎸

Tonicization is like visiting another key for a brief vacation, borrowing a few notes here and there without fully moving in. Imagine you're staying in a luxury Airbnb for the weekend. The key you're borrowing notes from is your temporary vacation home (secondary key), and its tonic is your temporary favorite restaurant (temporary tonic).

For instance, if you’re jamming in C major, but suddenly you start playing G major chords and progressions, you’re giving listeners a taste of G major. It’s like your music is saying, "G major, the place where fun begins… until we head back to C major."

Look out for accidentals! If a note (that isn’t the leading tone in minor) resolves upward by step, that's your clue. It’s like spotting a tourist with a map—definitely not from around here. That note is probably resolving to a temporary tonic, guiding you to the “dominant” of the vacation spot.

You can tonicize major and minor triads, but forget about tonicizing diminished or augmented triads—they're like trying to rent out a haunted house. In major keys, the vii° chord is off-limits, and in minor keys, the ii° chord is a no-go. Secondary dominants are frequently used to tonicize the dominant, the subdominant, or the supertonic chords of the primary key. For example, if you’re in A major, the secondary dominant might be the B major chord, preparing to whisk you away to the dominant key of E major.

Secondary dominants are like that one friend who has to make a dramatic entrance. These temporary dominants make the tonic of the secondary key feel like the star of the show. For example, in C major, the dominant chord is G major, and its secondary dominant, V/V, is D major. By throwing in a D major chord, the music makes a quick pit stop in G major before cruising back to C.

You can also tonicize chords other than the dominant. For instance, the V/ii tonicization uses the A major chord to lead into the D minor chord, creating a mini vacation in D minor. And yes, secondary dominants can extend to create longer chains, sort of like booking a European tour where you hop from one fancy hotel to another.

When part writing secondary dominants, follow the same decorum as you would for a regular V-I cadence. Always resolve the leading tone (the third of the secondary dominant) upwards by step. These chords often show up in first inversion, partly because a chromatic bassline (like 4-#4-5) sounds extra cool, like your bass player decided to join a heavy metal band for a jam or two.

Voice leading from a complete V or V7 chord in the secondary key allows for some creative freedom. Sometimes, writing an incomplete I chord works better for the harmonic progression. Just remember—if that I chord is in root position, triple the root (like giving it a power-up), and only have one instance of the third, to avoid any awkward parallels.

You can write perfect or imperfect cadences in the secondary key. Perfect cadences make the new tonic sound strong, often utilized when modulating to a new key. Here’s your checklist for a perfect authentic cadence:

1. Use a V chord as the dominant (no vii or viio here!).
2. Both chords in root position (like soldiers at attention).
3. The soprano voice ends on the tonic (the star of the show).
4. The soprano must move by step (no wild leaps).

You can also play with imperfect cadences, but plagal cadences are usually benched when tonicizing.

Regular resolution is like your GPS saying "arriving at destination." When your secondary dominant (e.g., V/V) resolves to the tonic of the secondary key (e.g., V/V-V), you’ve reached harmonic satisfaction.

Irregular resolution is like taking a fun detour. Instead of heading to the expected tonic, you go to a substitute. For instance, instead of V-IV, you might find yourself at V-ii6, creating an interesting harmonic twist.

Deceptive resolution is the plot twist you never saw coming. It’s like expecting to get to the key of G major, but ending up in a surprise iii chord. An example is V6/5/V moving to a iii chord, leaving the audience guessing “What just happened?".

• Ascending Fourths Harmonic Sequence: A series of chords moving up by perfect fourths, adding harmonic interest.
• Augmented Triads: Think of them as chords on steroids, made of two major thirds.
• Chromatic Bassline: Bass notes moving by half steps, creating smooth, tension-filled progressions.
• Deceptive Resolution: The unexpected turn, where the destination chord is not what you're led to expect.
• Diminished Triads: Chaotic and tense, these chords consist of two stacked minor thirds.
• Dominant of the Dominant (V/V): The dominant chord’s ultimate sidekick.
• Irregular Resolution: Chords resolving in non-traditional ways, breaking the harmonic norm.
• Major-minor Seventh Chord: A powerful chord with a major triad and an added minor seventh.
• Perfect Authentic Cadence: The ultimate resolution, typically a V-I progression in root position.
• Secondary Dominants: Chords borrowed from another key, adding spice and leading to a target other than the tonic.
• V/ii Tonicization: A quick dip into the dominant of the ii chord, before returning to the main key.
• Vii Chord: The leading tone triad, always eager to resolve to the tonic.

So, future music maestros, there you have it! Secondary dominants are your secret weapon to making your chord progressions more engaging, adding drama and surprise to your compositions. Remember to enjoy the journey of tonicization, because just like music, life's more fun with a little bit of harmonic adventure. 🎶🚀