Chromatic
Harmony
Based on “Chromatic Harmony” (I – III) from Second Year Harmony by William Lovelock
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1. THE NEAPOLITAN SIXTH ... 2
2. MINOR SUBDOMINANT TRIAD IN THE MAJOR KEY ... 3
3. FLATTENED VI IN THE MAJOR KEY ... 3
4. II7 WITH FLATTENED 5TH IN THE MAJOR KEY ... 4
5. SUPERTONIC CHROMATIC SEVENTH ... 4
6. DIMINISHED TRIAD ON SHARPENED 4TH OF THE SCALE ... 5
7. IV7 WITH SHARPENED ROOT ... 5
8. SUPERTONIC CHROMATIC NINTH ... 5
9. TONIC CHROMATIC SEVENTH AND NINTH ... 6
10. AUGMENTED 6THS ... 6
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Chromatic Harmony
Chromatic harmony as the name implies is the use of chords with one or more notes that are foreign to the key. With such chords, one must note that:
a) They should be used in reserve since overusing such chords may reduce the strength of the harmony. The use of such chords is to give colour to the harmonisation
b) Any chromatically altered note may not be doubled the reasons being: i. The note so doubled will become unduly prominent
j. The progression of a chromatic note is fixed and limited and if doubled it may cause a faulty progression or produce consecutives
1. The Neapolitan Sixth
It is the first inversion of a major triad on the flattened supertonic - IIb. The root and the 5th are flattened in a major key and the root only in a minor key.
The bass note is the only note that can be doubled since it is the only unaltered note. In a minor key, the third above the bass may be doubled, but it is
generally safer and more effective to double the bass. Resolution of a Neapolitan 7th chord is to Ic, V or V7.
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V/V7. Here the 6th of IIb falls a diminished third to the leading note.
In a major key the Neapolitan 6th may be preceded by I/Ib/IVa. The last chord is the least good in preceding it. On the other hand, in a minor key, I/Ib/IV/IVb/VI/VIb are all possible options to precede the chord. Approach from I7/ IV7/ VI7 are also possible approaches provided that the context permits.
The use of a Neapolitan 6th in a minor key may indicate a modulation to the subdominant or the submediant. However one must note that:
a) The Neapolitan 6th most commonly appears immediately prceing some form of V-I in the tonic key
b) Either the next chord or the next chord must contain the leading note of the tonic scale in the same part
c) The fourth of a scale in a given bass preceding a cadence can be harmonised by IIb providing the approach is suitable
2. Minor Subdominant Triad in the Major Key
This just involves the substitution of a minor 3rd for the normal major 3rd in IV. It is important to approach and quit this chord with normal intervals and avoid intervals like the augmented 2nd. The satisfactory progressions are to IC/V/V7 and it is useful when approaching a cadence, IV-V-I or as the first chord of a plagal cadence.
3. Flattened VI in the Major Key
The chord needs care in its approach and its employment is restricted. Its only useful use is as the second chord of an interrupted cadence followed by a plagal one. In this case, it proceeds to IV with the minor third.
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4. II7 with Flattened 5th in the Major Key
It functions in the same way and under the same conditions as IV with the minor 3rd. This chord tends to produce a greasy effect. The chromatic note in it is the sharpened 4th of the scale and may not be doubled. In the minor key the II chromatic contains the sharpened 6th of the scale and this does not need to rise to the leading tone and on to the tonic.
It must be followed by either IC or V7 and one must note that it is not possible to modulate to the dominant without the 7th because it causes a modulation into the dominant key. The supertonic 7th must be approached by Ib, VI, V or I.
5. Supertonic Chromatic Seventh
This is the supertonic chromatic triad with a minor 7th added above the root. The resolution to IC has the 7th remaining stationary. Its uses are like that of the II chromatic, but there is the added possibility of substitution for IV in proceeding to IC or V7.
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In four parts, this is only available in its first inversion. The root indication is #IV. This chord is an incomplete form of II7 chromatic and the availability and uses are identical.
When using 3 parts, the root position or the second inversion may be used as substitutes for the first inversion and the last inversion of II7.
7. IV7 with Sharpened Root
This chord is similar to the Ii7 chromatic, the 7th being an appoggiatura to the root of the latter chord. Its use can only be applied in the major key and its resolution is to Ic/V7. Here the 7th need not be prepared and the root indication is #IV7.
8. Supertonic Chromatic Ninth
The root indication is II9 and in four parts the fifth is omitted. It acts as a substitute for the II9 diatonic and its resolutions are:
i. II7 chromatic, 9th falling a step and thence to Ic/V7 ii. Ic
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The use of this chord is effective only when the 9th is in the top part.
9. Tonic Chromatic Seventh and Ninth
These chords are mainly use for modulation and other uses for such chords are without purpose. Both of these chords resolve to V7 or II7 chromatic.
10. Augmented 6ths
Such chords occur on the flattened 6th and the flattened 2nd of the scale in major/minor kays. Those that are built on the flattened 6th are more common. There are three forms:
i. Italian – consisting of bass with major third and augmented 6th ii. French – consisting of bass with major third, augmented 4th & 6th iii. German – consisting of bass with major 3rd, perfect 4th and
augmented 6th
The Italian form is a chromatic alteration of IVb, the French of II7c and the German of IV7b. In the Italian form, only the 3rd above the bass may be doubled. Any augmented 6th built on the flattened 6th of the scale must resolve to Ic or V/V7. One must note that the German 6th cannot proceed to V without producing consecutive fifths. The root indication is that of A6.
Approach of the augmented 6th chord can be by the tonic or the unaltered 6th of the scale in the major key and the 6th from the 1st, 3rd, 4th or 5th of the scale.
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In the minor key the approach to the bass is the same, but the 6th cannot be taken from the third of the scale and it would produce an augmented 2nd skip. It can be preceded by the 6th of the minor scale.
Augmented 6ths on the flattened 2nd are rarely useful and the resolution is to V7c. The bass rises with a chromatic semitone. It can thus be seen that the bass of the augmented 6th is a chromatic appoggiatura to the bass of V7c.
All of the above can be used as substitutes for diatonic chords from which they are derived and since they contain the sharpened 4th of the scale they are also appropriate to be used in similar circumstances to the supertonic and allied chromatic chords.
11. Diminished 7ths
They can be built on certain notes of the scale where in the major key they can be really effective those on the sharpened 2nd, 4th and 6th degrees. The root indications are #II7, #IV7 and #VI7. The chord #II7 is approached from I/II/IV/V/VI and resolves to one of the positions of I, having the sharpened root and the third rising to a diatonic semitone and the 5th falling a step.
The #IV7 is best preceded by I or VI and resolves only on V7 or VIIb if in its last inversion.
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