Sound Reasoning
Table of Contents
Part II: Hearing Harmony
18.1 Hearing Harmony: What is Harmony?
18.2 Harmony in Western Music
18.3 Expressing Harmony
18.4 Listening Gallery: Expressing Harmony
18.5 Harmonic Rhythm
18.6 Listening Gallery: Harmonic Rhythm
18.7 Cadences
18.8 Listening Gallery: Cadences
18.9 The Tonic
18.10 Circular and Linear Progressions
18.11 Listening Gallery: Circular and Linear Progressions
18.12 The Major-minor Contrast
18.13 Modes and Scales
18.14 Hearing the Mode
18.15 Listening Gallery: Hearing the Mode
18.16 Tonic, Mode and Key
18.17 Listening Gallery: Tonic, Mode and Key
18.18 Music Within a Key
18.19 Listening Gallery: Music Within a Key
18.20 Postponed Closure
18.21 Listening Gallery: Postponing Closure
18.22 Chromaticism
18.23 Listening Gallery: Chromaticism
18.24 Dissonance
18.25 Leaving the Key
18.26 Harmonic Distance
18.27 Modulation
18.28 Harmonic Goals
18.29 The Return to the Tonic
18.30 Final Closure
18.31 Listening Gallery: Final Closure
18.32 Reharmonizing a Melody
18.33 Listening Gallery: Reharmonizing a Melody
18.34 Conclusion
18.30 Final Closure
The final emphasis on the tonic—the pitch that has represented stability, order and repose—brings a tonal movement to a close.
Pieces in Major almost inevitably end in Major. The reasons for this are both acoustic and psychological: The Major chord is very resonant, giving it an acoustic presence that is hard to top; the security and stability of tonic Major makes for a satisfying conclusion.
Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-Major, “Eroica,” begins by boldly proclaiming the tonic Major.
The movement ends decisively in Major.
At the close of his Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Jean Sibelius waits until the last possible moment to give the final tonic chord.
Music in minor, on the other hand, is less predictable: There are three possibilities.
1. The Work Begins and Ends in Minor
In Ludwig van Beethoven’s Quartet in f-minor, Opus 95, “Serioso.” the minor mode is established at the outset of the first movement.
This movement ends decisively in minor.
Johannes Brahms ends his Symphony No. 4 in e-minor in minor.
2. Picardy Third
The movement is in minor up until the last chord—where there is a sudden switch to tonic Major called a “Picardy third.” This prelude from J.S. Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I ends with a Picardy third.
Similarly, the first movement of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in c-minor switches to Major at the last chord.
3. There is a Concluding Passage or Section in Major.
Because the lengthened emphasis, the change of mode has more structural weight. You will most typically find this “negation” or “rejection” of minor in the Finale movements, giving the entire composition a more uplifting ending.
The piano alone introduces the primary theme of the Finale of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in d-minor.
The final statement of the theme breaks off in the middle—and continues in Major! The entrance of the woodwinds heralds the shift in mode; the piano then follows suit.
This passage carries the music to a rousing conclusion in Major.
The Finale of Beethoven’s String Quartet in f-minor, Opus 95, “Serioso” opens solidly in minor.
The Quartet appears headed for a somber ending in minor. However, Beethoven takes a different tack from the first movement. Just as the Finale is about to come to an end, Beethoven prolongs it with an accelerated section in Major. You will hear the shift to Major in the held chords just before the fast closing section begins.
Because large orchestral works typically ended in a blaze of Major, Johannes Brahms’ ending for his Symphony No. 4 illustrated earlier was considered particularly “tragic.”
Throughout the Common Practice Era, tonal works return to the tonic for final closure. Thus, the harmonic voyage comes full circle, returning to its place of origin. Movements in Major almost invariably end in Major. Movements in minor are more equivocal. There are three options: a final cadence in minor; a switch to Major for the last chord; or a switch to Major for the concluding passage.