Glossary
Accidental
A symbol (sharp, flat, or natural) that alters the pitch of a note for the duration of the measure in which it appears.
Example:
In C major, an F# would be an accidental that might indicate a tonicization to G major.
Cadential Extension
The prolongation of a cadence through the use of additional chords, often including secondary dominants, to create more tension or emphasis.
Example:
A composer might use a cadential extension by adding V/V-V-I after a typical V-I cadence to make the ending feel more conclusive.
Circle of Fifths
A visual representation of the relationships among the 12 chromatic pitches, showing the order of keys by perfect fifths and their corresponding key signatures.
Example:
Using the Circle of Fifths, you can quickly see that G major is one sharp away from C major, indicating a close relationship.
Closely related keys
Keys that share many common pitches and chord progressions with the primary key, typically differing by no more than one accidental in their key signatures.
Example:
For C major, G major, F major, A minor, E minor, and D minor are all closely related keys.
Dominant and Subdominant Keys
Keys that are a perfect fifth above (dominant) or a perfect fifth below (subdominant) the primary key.
Example:
For C major, G major is the dominant key and F major is the subdominant key.
Dominant function chord
A chord that creates tension and strongly resolves to a tonic, typically a major triad on the fifth scale degree or a diminished triad on the seventh scale degree.
Example:
In C major, a G major chord (V) or a B diminished chord (vii°) are examples of dominant function chords.
Modulation
A more permanent change of key within a piece of music, where the new key is fully established and maintained for a significant duration.
Example:
A symphony might begin in C major and then modulate to G major for the second theme, staying there for an extended period.
Prefixes (Harmonic extensions)
Harmonic progressions that occur before the final cadence, often involving secondary dominants, leading to a strong cadence in the home key.
Example:
A passage might use a prefix like ii-V/IV-IV before the final V-I cadence to build anticipation.
Relative Keys
A major key and a minor key that share the same key signature but have different tonics.
Example:
C major and A minor are relative keys, both having no sharps or flats in their key signature.
Secondary dominants
Dominant function chords that temporarily tonicize a chord other than the primary tonic, creating a brief sense of a new key.
Example:
In C major, a D major chord (V of G) is a secondary dominant that points towards G major.
Secondary key
The temporary key that a musical passage briefly visits during a tonicization.
Example:
In a piece in C major, if the music briefly sounds like G major, then G major is the secondary key.
Suffixes (Harmonic extensions)
Harmonic progressions that occur after a resolution to the dominant, often involving tonicizations of other chords to prolong a section.
Example:
After a V-I cadence, a composer might add a suffix like V/ii-ii to extend the harmonic journey before a final resolution.
Temporary tonic
The tonic chord of the secondary key, which is briefly emphasized through dominant-function chords from that key.
Example:
When tonicizing G major from C major, the G major chord acts as the temporary tonic.
Tonicization
A brief, temporary shift of harmonic focus to a new key, without fully establishing it as the new home key.
Example:
A piece in C major might briefly use chords from G major, like a D7 chord resolving to G, creating a sense of tonicization to G.
V/IV
A secondary dominant chord that tonicizes the subdominant chord (IV) of the primary key.
Example:
In C major, the V/IV is a C major chord, which functions as the dominant of F major.
V/V
A secondary dominant chord that tonicizes the dominant chord of the primary key.
Example:
In C major, the V/V is a D major chord, which functions as the dominant of G major.
V/ii
A secondary dominant chord that tonicizes the supertonic chord (ii) of the primary key.
Example:
In C major, the V/ii is an A major chord, which functions as the dominant of D minor.