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A Neglected Aspect of Harmony
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 January 2020
Extract
In teaching harmony, I have again and again been struck with the very inadequate attention given in most text-books to its tonal aspect—that is, to the relation of notes and chords, especially dissonances, to the tonic or key-note as well as one to another. It is with the view of emphasizing this aspect of the subject that the following notes have been written. Whether or not I have over-estimated its importance, I must leave it to my audience to decide; but at least it must be conceded that to study harmony without giving any attention to the question of tonality would be absurd—nay, would not be to study harmony at all.
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- Copyright © Royal Musical Association, 1891
References
∗ It is unfortunate that it is necessary to place the subdominant here, as it interferes with the logical “succession of 5ths “—tonic, dominant, super-tonic, submediant, &c.; the position of the subdominant in the key is somewhat anomalous, as it is the one note on the flat side of the tonic, and therefore ought to commence the succession (flat keys generating, while sharp keys are generated); but, as the tonic is necessarily the foundation of tonality, the subdominant most be treated merely as a related note, and I hope to prove presently that the position here assigned (as the 3rd note—the least important of the three primary) is the correct one.Google Scholar
∗ a and b are quoted from “Harmony : its Theory and Practice,” by E. Prout.Google Scholar
∗ The key of Ex 25 (b) is assumed to be G; even if the second and third bars be regarded as touching on the key of E minor, the resolution of the 7th on B upon the dominant 7th of G proves, according to accepted theory, that it is quitted as belonging to that key.Google Scholar
∗ That this is the case is proved by the fact that some of these authors write indiscriminately “do not double the 3rd of the root” and “do not double the 3rd of the tonic”—the latter being really a useful recommendation, the former a useless and misleading one.Google Scholar
∗ The chord in bar 3 of this extract is of course the chord of E minor on a pedal.Google Scholar
∗ Many progressions employed by the best writers remain contrary to theoretical rule, but the large majority of these will be found to be in approaching primary 8ves or 5ths—e.g., from subdominant harmony to the 5th or 8ve of the dominant, &c.Google Scholar
† Since writing the above, I have noticed that Macfarren does make a tonal question of this approach to the 
, allowing it only where the chord is the second inversion of tonic or subdominant, exactly as I have proposed (Ex. 46, c and d).Google Scholar