Episode 28 will lead you through examples embellishing tones.
Episode 28 will lead you through examples embellishing tones. We will review appoggiaturas (0:59), acciaccaturas (1:30) bass pedal points (3:54) and other voice pedal points (5:01).
Question of the day: Music does not always use Italian terms. What are the German words for appoggiatura and acciaccatura?
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Music Theory Edition. Today’s episode will recap Appoggiaturas and Pedal Points
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
We are nearing the end of our exploration of embellishing tones. The two we will look at today, are most commonly used in keyboard instruments such as the piano or organ. First, appoggiatura, then it’s evil twin acciaccatura, and finishing with pedal points.
Lets Zoom in:
Appoggiatura comes from the Italian word for “support” or “to lean.” This nonchord tone is typically played leaned on a strong beat. It is written as a smaller grace note, without any slash. This embellishment is also often approached by a leap and left by step, just the opposite of an escape tone.
Here is an example of an appoggiatura by J.S. Bach in Minuet in G.
For your own well rounded education, you should be aware of the twin of appoggiatura, acciaccatura. I may have said it was evil earlier, but only in the sense that they sound and look similar, and that is just not fair for someone who is trying to study. Acciaccatura, of which the Italian root means “bruised” or “to crush.” The performer is going to go so quickly through the small note as if to crush right through it. Here is an example of an acciaccatura shown in Allegro in Bb by Leopold Mozart (you know, Wolfgang’s papa, old man, padre, father dearest, daddy-o). Although Wolfgang was six years old, many attribute the work to Leopold for refining and documenting this piece.
This smaller grace note will have a slash through it, indicating that the embellishment should not be emphasized. You do not need to know what an acciaccatura is for the exam, but it is helpful to have an understanding of what can be mistaken for an appoggiatura. When listening, the acciaccatura happens so quickly that it is hard to mistake as an appoggiatura, but visually they can look very similar and are often performed incorrectly.
Pedal points reflect two types of foot pedals. First, the bass foot pedals of an organ, would easily be held down with a foot while the hands perform on the upper keys. Second, pedal points remind me of what is done with the right piano foot pedal. The sustain pedal on the piano will allow the pitches to remain sounding for as long as the pedal is depressed, and until the vibrations can no longer be heard. A pedal point is seen when a pitch is sustained purposefully through a part of the composition. You will see one note, most likely represented with whole notes and ties. Harmonically, this note cannot always fit in with the melody, thus it is a type of nonchord tone. This pitch will start off as a chord tone though.
A traditional bass pedal point is seen here in the end of J.S. Bach’s Prelude 1 in C major.
Although it is most common for a pedal point to be seen in the bass, it is not out of the question for them to be written in the other voices.
This piece, “When David Heard” by Eric Whitacre shows multiple simultaneous pedal points for an amazing display of beautiful dissonance that paints the story and emotion so well.
Now that you’ve sufficiently cried, I think I’ll spare you from a quiz.
To recap……
Appoggiaturas are nonchord pitches that are typically approached by a leap and left by step. The emphasis is placed on the nonchord pitch, thus leaning on the dissonance. The appoggiatura can be seen as a smaller font note, without a slash through the stem. Pedal points are seen as a continued note through multiple harmonies, some of which the sustained tone will not fit into.
Coming up next on the Apsolute RecAP Music Theory Edition:
Suspensions and Retardations
Today’s Question of the day is about embellishing tones.
Question: Music does not always use Italian terms. What are the German words for appoggiatura and acciaccatura?