Overview 6b - Voice-leading Considerations in Chorale-style Harmony

Because the Roman numeral system allows us to classify and label context and function, we can use it explore how harmonies function within a diatonic style.

In diatonic music, there are three basic categories of harmonic function: tonic, dominant, and pre-dominant.

• Tonic (T) harmonies feel stable and final.
  • This is primarily the I chord, but in rare circumstances, this can include the vi.
• Dominant (D) harmonies feel unsettled and have a strong tonal gravity to resolve to the tonic harmony*
  • This includes the V and vii^ø chords.
• Pre-dominant (P) harmonies are harmonies are unstable and have a tonal gravity to resolve to the dominant harmonies.
  • This includes the ii and IV chords, but can occasionally include the vi chord.
  • Note that there is a difference between the words “pre-dominant” and “predominant”.

Counterpoint provides a clear starting point for this exploration. If we think about our progression through the course thus far, we began by studying individual pitches, and then combined pitches into intervals,combined simultaneous intervals into chords, and combined sequential intervals into melodies. Next, the simplified version of counterpoint that we studied allowed us look at how rules that govern the vertical aspect of music could be used to create a horizontal line. This provides a framework for understanding harmony, but it does not seek to establish the vertical aspect of music as its own function.

If we look at the basic interactions between two voices we can begin to understand how voice-leading creates harmonic function and how certain chords fit into their roles in diatonic function. By adding two more voices to this soprano/bass framework, we can then begin looking at fully functional harmony in one of its most basic forms – the four-part chorale.