Elaborating Harmony - Inside the Mind of Bach
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Date: 2022-03-28
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Comments and reviews: 10
Joseph
Hi there, I got another view on the opening chord progressions I-IV7-IVb which I tends to interpret the last one as II7c chord. Because the 7th note, Bb in IV7 would then be able to resolve to the A, which is the harmony note of II7c. The 7th note, G of the II7c then resolve to the F# of the next chord, V. The reason of dissonance note A which you considered as accented passing note can be interpreted as the dissonance sound from the II7 chord, which is half diminished 7th chord.
However, if we interpret the last chord as IVb, the 7th note, Bb will then goes to the accented passing note A, which is a non harmony note and therefore IV7 was not been resolved.
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Hi there, I got another view on the opening chord progressions I-IV7-IVb which I tends to interpret the last one as II7c chord. Because the 7th note, Bb in IV7 would then be able to resolve to the A, which is the harmony note of II7c. The 7th note, G of the II7c then resolve to the F# of the next chord, V. The reason of dissonance note A which you considered as accented passing note can be interpreted as the dissonance sound from the II7 chord, which is half diminished 7th chord.
However, if we interpret the last chord as IVb, the 7th note, Bb will then goes to the accented passing note A, which is a non harmony note and therefore IV7 was not been resolved.
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Tom
I am not a trained musician or a musicologist, whatever a musicologist is. I am in awe of people like Gareth who has an encyclopedic knowledge of musical structure. However, I wonder, and it's chicken and egg territory, did Bach simply 'hear' his music first and then in that scheme the G chord would turn out to be a D chord, or whatever. Rather than after sounding the G chord, in his inner ear, he would then have to consider what the available choices for the following chord would be, as dictated by musical theory? I tend to the former otherwise music would never have moved forward. In the sense we use that term.
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I am not a trained musician or a musicologist, whatever a musicologist is. I am in awe of people like Gareth who has an encyclopedic knowledge of musical structure. However, I wonder, and it's chicken and egg territory, did Bach simply 'hear' his music first and then in that scheme the G chord would turn out to be a D chord, or whatever. Rather than after sounding the G chord, in his inner ear, he would then have to consider what the available choices for the following chord would be, as dictated by musical theory? I tend to the former otherwise music would never have moved forward. In the sense we use that term.
reply
Teo
Hello! How are you? Knowing that this could be up for debate, as there are different approaches to this, I would like to give an opinion, with the utmost respect. In my perspective, In this music language of functional harmony, VII chords, when resolves to I, actually are V chord with omitted fundamental note, I mean, they function as a weak dominant (on purpose). No way to feelling this as a VII. Similar occurs for the 7 / dim chords that link with V chords (resulting II-V), in this case with a stronger resolution. Thanks for reading me.
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Hello! How are you? Knowing that this could be up for debate, as there are different approaches to this, I would like to give an opinion, with the utmost respect. In my perspective, In this music language of functional harmony, VII chords, when resolves to I, actually are V chord with omitted fundamental note, I mean, they function as a weak dominant (on purpose). No way to feelling this as a VII. Similar occurs for the 7 / dim chords that link with V chords (resulting II-V), in this case with a stronger resolution. Thanks for reading me.
reply
Emil
I've sung this many times. It is so calm, yet forceful because the intricate harmony. Every part feels like they are singing a smooth and beautiful line, and phrasing is always very natural. The feeling of it is very yearning and sacral, and very conversational, like a personal prayer to God.
Somhow, when singing his passions and the Weinachtsoratorium the chorals always seem like the highlight.
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I've sung this many times. It is so calm, yet forceful because the intricate harmony. Every part feels like they are singing a smooth and beautiful line, and phrasing is always very natural. The feeling of it is very yearning and sacral, and very conversational, like a personal prayer to God.
Somhow, when singing his passions and the Weinachtsoratorium the chorals always seem like the highlight.
reply
Christopher
As a retired music theory teacher, I can appreciate your clarity and thoroughness. Of course I know exactly what you're talking about. I wasn't always as effective in explaining what I knew to my students. Were I to get back in the classroom I would put more emphasis on the many ways Bach's harmonization is an improvement over the simplest -correct- harmonization.
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As a retired music theory teacher, I can appreciate your clarity and thoroughness. Of course I know exactly what you're talking about. I wasn't always as effective in explaining what I knew to my students. Were I to get back in the classroom I would put more emphasis on the many ways Bach's harmonization is an improvement over the simplest -correct- harmonization.
reply
Hans
One of the most impressive examples of this style of writing in an Instrumental Context is the first part of the fugue of Max Reger's op. 135b Fantasy & Fugue in d minor.
I would be glad if you could analyze this music in one of your Videos.
Thank you
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One of the most impressive examples of this style of writing in an Instrumental Context is the first part of the fugue of Max Reger's op. 135b Fantasy & Fugue in d minor.
I would be glad if you could analyze this music in one of your Videos.
Thank you
reply
Danielle
Hey, I loved the vid. Love bach too, he was great. I also loved how effectively you explained things but I feel like you have a little crush on Bach. I fully understand, what with that hair, but I would've loved for you to address this. Follow-up video?
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Hey, I loved the vid. Love bach too, he was great. I also loved how effectively you explained things but I feel like you have a little crush on Bach. I fully understand, what with that hair, but I would've loved for you to address this. Follow-up video?
reply
Peter
This is GREAT!!! - I sat down and wrote out all of the changes you are going over (only in Am/C instead of Gm/Bb) and labled how he did each change. Some of it I already do, like the 7/dim of the dominant, but the Eb section was new to me-. THANK YOU!!!!!
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This is GREAT!!! - I sat down and wrote out all of the changes you are going over (only in Am/C instead of Gm/Bb) and labled how he did each change. Some of it I already do, like the 7/dim of the dominant, but the Eb section was new to me-. THANK YOU!!!!!
reply
JonorGames
An interesting discussion/learning excercise, would be to leave 2nd phrase blank, and continue the composition! (Prefferable, with an unknown composition, just for the excercise/training). I often struggle with this very thing.
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An interesting discussion/learning excercise, would be to leave 2nd phrase blank, and continue the composition! (Prefferable, with an unknown composition, just for the excercise/training). I often struggle with this very thing.
reply
Norman
Thanks for this - would like to see more. This is great from a relative pitch point of view- is it not important also to make good sounding pitches? I'd love to see analysis of Bach's Mass in B minor, Mathaus -Passion , etc.
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Thanks for this - would like to see more. This is great from a relative pitch point of view- is it not important also to make good sounding pitches? I'd love to see analysis of Bach's Mass in B minor, Mathaus -Passion , etc.
reply
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