Episode #27 continues the exploration of embellishing tones. Dive into examples of anticipations and escape tones.
Episode #27 continues the exploration of embellishing tones. Dive into examples of anticipations (1:59) and escape tones (3:25). Quiz yourself with four melodic dictations (4:07).
Question of the day: How is nota cambiata different than an escape tone? (5:35)
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Music Theory Edition. Today’s episode will recap Anticipations and Escape Tones
Lets Zoom out:
We’re in Unit 6 Harmony and Voice Leading III: Embellishments,
Motives, and Melodic Devices
Topic 6.3
Our Big idea is pitch
Today we continue our journey through the many types of embellishing tones. These small melodic segments are also known as trills, ornaments, preparations or resolutions. The reason they need classification is because harmonically, not every tone fits perfectly. These outlying tones should be labeled with the specific type of non chord name rather than forced into a chord label.
Lets Zoom in:
Anticipations, typically labeled ANT, are described in the name of the tone itself. This pitch is just so excited to hear the next harmony, that it comes in early, before the remaining voice parts. This embellishment shows up most at a cadence. So, not only is it jumping the gun on a chord, but also the end of the phrase, and quite possibly the entire piece of music. You can think of anticipations like the person at the party that just really wanted to leave before everyone else. You know the type, they tend to produce podcasts, make commercials for virtual classrooms, etc, etc, etc. I digress, this tone says goodbye before the rest of the partygoers. There are two ways to make an anticipation, in an ascending or descending melody. Start with pitch 1, go down or up to pitch 2, which should be a part of a future chord, and then repeat pitch 2 with the chord spelled out in the other voices.
Here is an example of an anticipation that moves up.
Here is an example of an anticipation that moves down.
“Escapay” that’s funny..it’s spelled just like Escape. This type of embellishment has a step and a skip and can be labeled ET or ESC. Think of it as a little kid who is poorly trying to trick you. An ice cream truck is nearby, and they ask to run to it. You say no, and they sadly walk by your side. They are walking along, they think you don’t remember, and then suddenly try to skip away to escape.
Escape tones can sound like this
You can have consecutive escape tones too.
Quiz time! What type of nonchord tones are shown in these melodic examples?
This was an escape tone example.
This was an ascending anticipation example.
This was an descending anticipation example.
This was a double escape tone example.
To recap……
Anticipations are made when a voice part leads into the next harmony earlier than the other voices, approaching by a step below or above. Escape tones are when a pitch goes up or down by step, and then takes a skip in the opposite direction.
Coming up next on the Apsolute RecAP Music Theory Edition: Appoggiaturas and Pedal Points
Today’s Question of the day is about embellishing tones.
Question: How is nota cambiata different than an escape tone?