Episode 32 shows how secondary leading tones are resolved...
Episode 32 shows how secondary leading tones are resolved (1:13), how to make secondary leading tones on the most logical scale degrees (4:19), and how an example appears in Brahms Intermezzo Op.119, No.3 (6:53).
Question of the day: In the key of A major, what would the secondary leading tone chord be for the dominant of this mode? (7:50)
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Music Theory Edition. Today’s episode will recap Tonicization through Secondary Leading Tone Chords
Lets Zoom out:
We’re in Unit 7 Harmony and Voice Leading IV: Secondary Function
Topic 7.3
Our Big idea is pitch
Ugh. You know that person at the party that hardly has to try to get people to like them. Everyone wants to be their friend. Their jokes are always funny. They’re the worst right? That’s like the tonic in music. All the other scale degrees worship the tonic. Some even try to become the tonic in disguise. Secondary leading tones create temporary tonics. It isn’t until the party is over, the song is done and the make-up has worn off that you realize they were just imposters.
Lets Zoom in:
Tonicization with secondary leading tone chords is very similar to secondary dominant chords. In this instance, the first chord will always be labeled as a viiO and the second chord labeled will be the temporary tonic. Now think back to secondary dominant chords, where the chord played second could or could not be the temporary tonic. Sometimes the secondary dominant chord would be deceptive. This is not the case for secondary leading tone chords. The second chord labeled, will be the chord that also is heard after the secondary leading tone chord.
Let’s make sure that you understand why it has to be viiO and can’t be just any form of chord built on the seventh tone. Recall back to learning the scale degree names: tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leadingtone or subtonic. Subtonic is when the seventh scale degree is not a half step away from the tonic. It does not lean into the tonic, and would not trick the listener as much into believing in a temporary tonic. Take for example, the secondary leading tone of the dominant of C major. The dominant of C major is G. The leading tone of G is F#. An F# diminished chord leads you to believe in the temporary tonic of G. However, if you played F major instead, the listener would never even think twice about it because diatonically, F major would be the IV chord and sound completely normal. It would never trick your ear into thinking that G is a tonic.
I know what you’re thinking. Woah there, subtonics only happen in minor keys. Ok then I’ll spell that out for you. In a minor, what would the secondary subtonic tone be for the dominant E? D. The D chord already appears in the natural minor key as a d minor chord. Because of this, the listener would think nothing different of the chord. Now make it a secondary leading tone, and the D becomes D# and you’re really cookin’.
Here are some examples of secondary leading tones.
This first example shows not only how the secondary leading tone tonicizes the dominant, but also how it creates a chromatic line in the bass. The chords are C, F, F#dim, G, C. The F#o chord consists of F#-A-C, and is heard in this order for SATB voice leading F# C A C. With roman numeral analysis it is labeled as viio/V. As it should, the temporary tonic chord follows the secondary leading tone chord.
Staying in this example in the key of C major, here is
viio/ii which is C#o/Dm (C-F-C#o/Dm-Dm-G-C)
viio/iii which is D#o/Em (C-F-D#o/Em-Em-G-C)
viio/IV which is Eo/F (C-Am-Eo/F-F-G-C)
viio/vi which is G#o/Am (C-F-G#o/Am-Am-G-C)
We just don’t make secondary leading tone chords on another diminished chord which takes out the option of viio/viio or when in minor keys the iio chord would also not be tonicized.
If you're searching for secondary leading tone chords, look for chromatics, accidentals, nondiatonic tones, diminished triads or seventh chords. Secondary leading tones can appear in any inversion.
You may come across a secondary leading tone seventh chord, in which case the chord could be half or full diminished.
If the added seventh is a minor seventh, it is half diminished. This will be seen labeled with a crossed out degree sign. vii07
If the added seventh is a major seventh, as it usually stands, then it is fully diminished and will be labeled with a traditional degree sign. viio7
Let’s see a secondary leading tone chord spotted in its natural habitat. Brahms shows a secondary leading tone here (1:20-1:21) in Intermezzo Op.119, No.3. Listen for it now in context. (1:07-1:24)
To recap……
Secondary leading tone chords are chords that cr eate temporary tonics through the diminished chord a half step away from the imposter. Unlike secondary dominant chords, secondary leading tone chords must resolve to the tonicized chord. They will be analyzed as viio/the temporary tonic.
Coming up next on the Apsolute RecAP Music Theory Edition: Modes
Today’s Question of the day is about secondary chords
Question: In the key of A major, what would the secondary leading tone chord be for the dominant of this mode?