Music 171 Assignment # 14
aka Final Exam part 1
50 Questions on A Feeling for Harmony, Chapter 5
Due: Friday, Dec. 5, with a portion turned in on Wed, Dec 3
Can be turned in on Monday, December 8th with email confirmation.
NAME:
PLEASE USE A PENCIL, NOT A PEN, FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT!
5A Tonality, Modality and Polarity
1. In a few sentences, summarize the topic presented in the first few paragraphs on the
difference between modality and tonality
2. Write out the major and Phrygian modes (without using key signatures, but using
accidentals) in the keys of C, G, D, A, F, Bb and Eb. One pair per staff (put in a bar
line).
3. Then write out the major and relative minor keys in the same way, based on the
model. (ie C major,—A minor; G major,—E minor; D major—F# minor, etc).
4. Write out the combined harmonic and reciprocal series. What triad emerges from
the 4-5-6 ratios in each series?
5. Copy out the Tonic, Dominant and Subdominant triads as presented in the next
graphic, and then write these same chords in the keys of G, D, A, G, Bb and Eb major,
using the proper key signatures.
6. Write out the following chords and circle the active tone. Use accidentals, not key
signatures.
a. Subdominant of C major
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
Dominant of C major
Tonic of C major
Tonic of G major
Tonic of F major
Dominant of G major
Dominant of D major
Subdominant of E major
Subdominant of F major
Tonic of Eb major
Dominant of Eb major
Subdominant of E mjor
Tonic of Bb major
7. Write out the following chords and circle the active tone. Use accidentals, not key
signatures.
a. Tonic of C minor
b. Tonic of G minor
c. Tonic of A minor
d. Tonic of E minor
e. Dominant of D minor
f. Dominant of A minor
g. Dominant of G minor
h. Subdominant of C minor
i. Subdominant of E minor
5B Key Signatures and the Cycle of Fifths
8. You all know your key signaures now, and the cycle of fifths, right?
5C Polar Harmonies
9. What are the two basic circular movements of tonal harmony?
10. Write out the central spine of expanded polarity.
11. Label these notes with both the Roman numeral symbols and the Function symbols.
How do these two systems of labeling differ from one another? Does one method
appeal to you or make more sense than the other?
12. Write out the chords above the central spine and label accordingly.
13. Summarize what was explained concerning Secondary Dominants and Secondary
Subdominants.
14. How do you create a dominant seventh chord out of a dominant triad?
15. Write out the following chords as triads in root position, based on what you have
studied:
a. In C major:
i. Dominant of the Dominant
ii. Dominant seventh of the Dominant
iii. Dominant of the Subdominant
iv. Dominant seventh of the Subdominant
v. Subdominant of the Subdominant
b. In G major (you’ll need to transpose-think in the key of G)
i. Dominant of the Dominant
ii. Dominant seventh of the Dominant
iii. Dominant of the Subdominant
iv. Dominant seventh of the Subdominant
v. Subdominant of the Subdominant
c. In Relative Tonic in:
i. C major
ii. G major
iii. D major
iv. F major
v. Bb major
d. In C major
i. I
ii. V
iii. V7
iv. V/V
v. V7/V
vi. bVII
vii. V7/IV
viii. Vi
5D Musical Examples
16. Write out the music for “Back in the Saddle Again”, just as it appears on the page.
Include both the Function Symbols and the Roman numerals.
17. Study the chord progression for Hey Jude. Based on listening to the song, create
barlines on these staves and write the chords in the proper place. Write the words
underneath the measures. Keep in mind: Paul is singing in F major, I’ve transposed it
to C major for purposes of understanding the harmonic progression.
18. Write out the chords for the closing section of Hey Jude (Na, na, na). Can you also
write the melody?
5E Major and Minor Scales
19. Write out the C major scale and write in the names of the scale degrees.
20. Write out the A natural minor scale and write out the names of the scale degrees.
21. Write out the A minor melody presented on this page, to gain practice in using both
the raised and natural leading tone. Be sure to listen to it again as you write it.
5F Singing with Solfege
22. Write a short paragraph describing the possible origins of the solfege system,
including Western and Arab sources.
23. Write out the chromatic scale and include all the solfege syllables, both ascending
and descending.
24. Describe the two methods for singing minor melodies using solfege. Do you think
one method is better than the other? If so, why?
25. Can you sing this melody along with the sound file, using the solfege syllables? If not,
is this something you can imagine being able to do by the end of the semester? If not,
and that’s OK!, why do you think it’s difficult?
5G Building Triads on Scale Degrees
26. Write out the seven triads in the key of C, and label them with their scale degree
names and their Roman numeral designations.
27. Which three chords are major? Which three chords are minor? Which chord is
diminished? What does it mean that this chord is a diminished triad—what is its
distinguishing feature compared to the other six triads of the scale?
28. Give the Function names for the following chords:
a. I
b. IV
c. V
d. vi
e. ii
f. iii
5H Deeper Meaning of Harmonic Polarity
This page is not yet complete, but I can ask two questions that are pertinent:
29. What does Harmonic Polarity have to say about out experience of major and minor
tonality? How does Goethe, who was a philosophy, not a musician, support the
principle of Harmonic Polarity.
30. Read the section on “Listening from Above” and summarize the issues involved with
this topic.
5I More on Dominant Seventh Chords
31. Describe how the Dominant seventh chord is formed according to both conventional
theory and Polarity Theory.
32. What is the distinguishing feature of the dominant seventh chord, and why does this
chord have a sense of forward motion toward the root and third of the key?
33. Copy out the two cycle of fifths progressions exactly as they appear on the page.
Notice, as you are writing, how the tritone resolves in alternating patterns of
“inward” and “outward.” Be sure to listen to the sound file while you are doing this,
in order for the sound to get into your ears.
Example 1 here, example 2 on the next page.
Ex
34. Copy out the pattern under Secondary Dominants—using V7/IV and V7/V. Listen to
it while you do so. Then try to transpose this to the key of G and the key of F major,
using the proper key signature for each.
35. Copy out the pattern for “Using V7/vi and V7/iii (movement to minor triads). Listen
to it while you do so. Then try to transpose this to the key of G major and F major,
using the proper key signature for each.
5J Major, Minor and Diminished Seventh Chords
36. Copy out the three minor seventh chords and the two major seventh chords in the
key of C, as presented on this page.
37. Write out the same chords, transposing them to the key of G and the of F major,
using the proper key signature.
38. What is the relationship between the Dominant seventh chord and the diminished
triad in the key of C major? Why do we say that both of these chords resolve the
same way?
39. Copy out the patterns under the heading “The Diminished Seventh Chord.” See if you
can transpose these to the keys of G and F major.
5K More on Major and Minor Harmony
40. Write out the harmonic and melodic minor scale in the key of C minor.
41. Using the proper key signatures, write out the same two scales in the keys of D
minor, E minor, B minor and G minor.
42. Copy out the third graphic under the title “harmony in natural minor,” including the
labels above and below the chords. What is the essential point being made by this
graphic.
43. What essential harmony is used in a minor key that comes from the harmonic minor
scale?
44. Write out the key signatures for C minor, D minor, E minor, B minor, G minor and A
minor, creating three measures for each system. After each key signature, write out
the chord progression i V i , as shown in the third measure of the “Harmony using
the Harmonic Minor Scale” section. Be sure to raise the leading tone of the dominant
chord in each case.
45. Tell me something about the nature of the subdominant chord in both the major and
the minor keys. What does it sound like when it shifts modes like this (listen to it
and have a response).
46. Jazz tunes. Copy out the chart for “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise” exactly as it
appears on the page, with the chord symbols and Roman numerals. What does it
sound like when the middle part of the tune appears, with the change from C minor
to Eb major?
47. Tell someone who knows a little something about music about the tune “Autumn
Leaves.” How is it basically configured?
5L The Blues
48. Write out the blues scale (C Eb F F# G Bb C) and then transpose it to the following
keys: G, F, D and Bb. Make sure you create the same intervals between the notes.
49. Write out a 12-bar blues progression in the keys of C (given), G, F, D, Bb, A and Eb.
Use this model
C7 | C7 | C7 | C7
||
F7 | F7 | C7 | C7
||
G7 | F7 | C7 | G7
|||
G:
F:
D:
Bb:
A:
Eb:
50. What is it in the notes of the blues scale that creates the tension against the notes of
the harmony?