AP Music Theory: Tonicization & Secondary Leading Tone Chords - The Night Before 🎶

Hey there, future music master! Let's get you feeling super confident about tonicization and secondary leading-tone chords. Think of this as your backstage pass to acing the exam. We're going to make sure everything clicks, so you can walk in tomorrow feeling like a total rockstar! 🎸

Tonicization: Quick Key Changes 🔑

What is Tonicization?

Tonicization is like a mini-vacation to another key. It's a brief shift where you borrow chords and progressions from a different key, creating a temporary new 'home' before returning to the original key. The borrowed key is called the secondary key, and its tonic is the temporary tonic. Think of it as a quick detour on your musical journey. 🗺️

• Key Point: It's all about creating a temporary sense of a new tonal center.

How to Spot Tonicization

1. Accidentals Alert: Look for accidentals that don't belong to the main key. These are your clues! 🕵️‍♀️
2. Leading Tone Relationship: Watch for an accidental (not the leading tone in a minor key) that resolves upward by step. This is a big hint that you've found a temporary leading tone.
3. Dominant Function: The chord leading into the temporary tonic will usually be a V or vii° of the secondary key. It's all about that dominant pull! 💪

Common Tonicizations

• It's most common to tonicize to the dominant (V), subdominant (IV), or supertonic (ii) of the primary key. For example, in C major, you might tonicize to G major (V), F major (IV), or D minor (ii).
• Remember, you can only tonicize major or minor triads. No diminished or augmented chords allowed!🚫

Why the Dominant Chord?

The chord leading to the temporary tonic is usually a dominant chord (V or vii°) because it makes the temporary tonic sound like a real tonic. The leading tone in the dominant chord has a strong pull to resolve to the tonic, even a temporary one. It's like a musical magnet! 🧲

Secondary Leading Tone Chords: Adding Some Spice 🌶️

What are Secondary Leading Tone Chords?

Just like secondary dominants, secondary leading-tone chords (vii°) add extra spice by creating a dominant function that leads to a temporary tonic. They're like the V chord's cool cousin! 😎

• They usually appear as seventh chords: vii°⁷ (fully diminished) and viiø⁷ (half-diminished).
• In a major key, you can use both vii°⁷ and viiø⁷, but in a minor key, only vii°⁷ is used.

Example: vii°/IV in B Major

Let's say we're in B major and want to find the vii°/IV. The IV chord in B major is E major. So:

• The temporary tonic is E.
• The new leading tone is D#.
• vii°/IV = D#-F#-A♮
• vii°⁷/IV = D#-F#-A♮-C♮
• viiø⁷/IV = D#-F#-A♮-C#

Identifying Secondary Leading Tone Chords

1. Spot the Accidentals: Just like with tonicization, accidentals are your first clue.
2. Diminished or Half-Diminished? If you see a diminished or half-diminished chord with accidentals, it's likely a secondary leading-tone chord. V chords are almost always major, so this is your giveaway.

Example: Brahms Intermezzo

Let's analyze this excerpt from Brahms' Intermezzo in C major:

• Measure 1: V⁷ (G-B-D-F) and a passing I⁶₄.
• Measure 2: iiø⁶₅ (F-Ab-C-D) and vii°⁷/V (F#-A-C-E). F# is the leading tone of G, which is the V of C.
• Measure 3: V⁷ again, resolving from the vii°⁷/V, and a passing I⁶₄.

Part Writing Secondary Leading Tone Chords: Voice Leading Rules ✍️

General Rules

• Follow all the voice-leading rules you've learned before. Keep in mind that the leading tone, chordal seventh, and tonic will be different in the secondary key.
• Avoid root position vii°⁷ chords whenever possible.

Minor Key Considerations

• No half-diminished 7th chords (viiø⁷) in minor keys. Use only fully diminished 7th chords (vii°⁷). This is because we need to raise the leading tone in minor to emphasize the dominant function.
• Avoid vii°/III and viiø⁷/III in minor keys. They sound the same as ii° and iiø⁷.
• Avoid viiø⁷/V in minor keys. You can't raise and not raise the leading tone in the same chord.

Tonicizing Deceptive Motion: A Twist! 💫

What is Tonicizing Deceptive Motion?

Sometimes, a deceptive cadence (V-vi) is followed by a tonicization of the vi chord. This is done by using a vii°/vi chord, which has the root of the V chord, creating a smooth transition. It's like a surprise twist in the plot! 🎬

• The motion from V to vii°/vi has many common tones and stepwise motion, making it sound like a non-chord tone.
• The vii°/vi to vi cadence sounds more conclusive than a V-vi cadence because of the vii-i motion in the secondary key.

Example: Josephine Lang's "Mag da draussen senhee"

Let's look at an example:

• Here, we move from a V⁷ to a vii°⁷/vi in Bb major. The chord tones of the V⁷ are Ab-C-Eb-Gb.
• The chord tones of the vii°⁷/vi in Bb minor are A♮-C-Eb-Gb.
• The leading tones resolve upwards (A♮ to Bb), and the chordal seventh (Gb) resolves down to F.

Final Exam Focus: Top Priorities 🔥

Okay, it's crunch time! Here's what to focus on:

• Tonicization: How to identify it using accidentals and leading-tone relationships. Know the common keys that are tonicized (V, IV, ii).
• Secondary Leading Tone Chords: How to identify them (diminished or half-diminished with accidentals). Remember the rules for major and minor keys.
• Voice Leading: Follow all voice-leading rules, especially when dealing with secondary leading-tone chords. Avoid root position vii°⁷ chords.
• Deceptive Motion: Understand how tonicization can occur after a deceptive cadence (V-vi).

Last-Minute Tips

• Stay Calm: Take deep breaths. You've got this! 🧘‍♀️
• Read Carefully: Pay close attention to the instructions and the musical examples.
• Trust Your Ears: Use your musical intuition. If something sounds off, it probably is.
• Don't Panic: If you see something unfamiliar, break it down step by step. You have the tools to figure it out.

Practice Question

Practice Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In a piece in C major, a chord progression includes the notes F#-A-C-E. This chord is most likely: a) V⁷/V b) vii°⁷/V c) viiø⁷/IV d) iiø⁷

2. Which of the following is NOT a common key to tonicize in a major key? a) Dominant b) Subdominant c) Mediant d) Supertonic

3. In a minor key, which secondary leading tone chord is NOT typically used? a) vii°⁷/V b) viiø⁷/IV c) vii°⁷/iv d) vii°⁷/VI

Free Response Question

Analyze the following excerpt in terms of tonicization and secondary leading tone chords. Include Roman numeral analysis, and identify the keys involved.

[Insert a short musical excerpt here with tonicization and secondary leading tone chords]

Scoring Breakdown:

• Correct Roman numeral analysis: 5 points (1 point per chord)
• Correct identification of secondary dominants: 2 points (1 point per chord)
• Correct identification of tonicizations: 3 points (1 point per tonicization)
• Correct identification of keys: 2 points (1 point per key)

Short Answer Questions

1. Explain the difference between a secondary dominant and a secondary leading tone chord.
2. Why is the dominant chord typically used to precede a temporary tonic?
3. Describe a scenario where a deceptive cadence might be tonicized.

Alright, you've got this! Go out there and rock that AP Music Theory exam! 🎉