CHAPTER 10
The Dominant Seventh Chord
Embellishing the Tonic Harmony
DOMINANT SEVENTH
IN ROOT POSITION – V7
on ^5 Major Triad + minor 7th above root (Mm7)
 Manifests itself as Major in both Major & minor keys
 Frequent substitute for V – intensifies resolution to I
 Must be ‘complete’ in root position
 Built
CHORDAL RESOLUTION
 Seventh
resolves stepwise downward: ^4 - ^3
 Please resolve the TRITONE
d5? – interval of a third
 A4? – interval of a sixth

 The
third (leading tone of I) resolves to tonic

Alto or Tenor – downward to dominant ^7-^5

Do not add a passing tone (7-(6)-5) = //5 w/another part

Soprano – upward to tonic ^7-^8
COMPLETE VS. INCOMPLETE

A Great Rule of Thumb
Incomplete – Complete
 Complete – Incomplete

Eliminates parallels fifths
 Incomplete V7



Remove the 5th; double the root
Complete V7 = Incomplete I
Results in a tripled root
 Can only appear at cadences


The root and the seventh must never go to
^3 in tonic = direct octaves
“So easy even a cat can do
it!”
-Dexter
Don’t trust the dog!
THE CADENTIAL DOMINANT SEVENTH
 Immediately

precedes tonic in an authentic cadence
Rarely appears at a half cadence which prefers V
 Seventh
may be approached by passing tone, neighbor
tone, appoggiatura, or suspension
 Rules
regarding Complete – Incomplete (or vice versa)
still apply
ARPEGGIATED TONIC PROLONGATION WITHIN THE PHRASE

Tonic tonality is prolonged or extended prior to the cadential formula


Facilitated through choral arpeggiation or embellishing passing and neighbor tones
When doing a voice-leading reduction with arpeggiated notes, be sure to
choose essential notes that make the smoothest connection to the next
harmony
PROLONGATION OF TONIC HARMONY USING EMBELLISHING
CHORDS

Determining whether chords within a phrase have essential (primary) function
or embellishing (secondary) function

Judgments are based on the context of a particular passage
Secondary chords may prolong the tonic harmony via V, V7 , or even IV
 Example 10.10 – dominant triads functioning as embellishing or linear chords
by passing & neighboring motion consonant passing and neighboring chords

Ex.
10.10
V AS AN EMBELLISHING CHORD TO I

The dominant is frequently used to embellish tonic either by passing or
neighboring motion. Ex. 10.11
• The embellishing
V in the first measure functions in a passing capacity
V7 AS AN EMBELLISHING CHORD TO I

Ex. 10.12 shows an embellishing and cadential V7 to I
• B – C# - D comprise the melodic line
• F# acts as an inverted pedal tone