15a Examples - More Secondary Dominant Functions

Secondary dominant functions for chords other than V

At the end of the Unit 14a, you completed the process of transforming a ii⁷ chord into V⁷/V. In the final instructions, I suggested that you try altering chords other than the ii chord to see if you could create secondary dominants for chords other than V.

Let’s work through this in the following example. Harmonize the progression in four-part harmony; then alter chords to create secondary dominant chords. How many options are possible if only allowed to alter existing chords? Assuming that you created a secondary dominant chord, try changing it into secondary leading-tone chord.

The previous example has root movement between chords of a descending P5, which is the reason that it provides such obvious opportunities for secondary dominant chords. In real music, secondary dominant functions can appear anywhere the composer would like to emphasize a chord or prolong its function. Any major or minor diatonic chord can be tonicized.

For secondary leading-tone chords:

• For minor chords, you may use a V, a V⁷, a vii^o, or a vii^o7. You may not use a vii^ø7 (half-diminshed seventh chord) because the chordal seventh will sound strange.
• For major chords, you may use a V, a V⁷, a vii^o, vii^ø7, or a vii^o7. Notice that you may use either a fully diminished or half-diminshed seventh chord, even though the half-diminished chord is the diatonic vii chord in a major key. For tonicizing a major chord, fully diminished chords actually appear more often than half-diminished chords.

Altering root movement

The following example uses a IV chord instead of a ii chord, and this changes the root movement for much of the passage. Try adding secondary dominant or leading-tone chords in any of the spots marked with an “x”. You may alter the bass and soprano to do so, but be conscious of your melody. You should also experiment with various inversions to see if you can create more melodic bass lines as well.

Which chords created the smoothest voice-leading? Were you able to create a harmonization that has good voice-leading while also sounding convincing?

Finally, harmonize the following slightly altered version of the previous example by inserting secondary dominant functions at each spot marked with an x. You may not alter the soprano or bass line. (Remember that if you need to change the openness of a chord’s voicing, it can be helpful to have one voice jump a fourth by moving from the third of the first chord to the third of the second chord.)

Secondary functions can create smooth voice-leading

Are there multiple options for any of the chords? Where does the soprano force difficult decisions and resolutions?