fyh04-1st inversion (with notes)

8/12/2019 FYH04-1st Inversion (With Notes)

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CHeptrn 4.FIRST TNVERSIONS OF TRIADS.

l. A chord is said to be invened when some other note than the root isin the bass. The terms " root " and " bass" must not be confused. The bass isthe note in the lowest voice ; the root is that note of the scale on which the chordis built by adding a 3rd and a 5th. In the preceding chapters the root has alwaysbeen in the bass, so that bass and root have been synonymous. we shail now seethat this is not always so.2. when the 3rd from the root is in the bass, a chord is said to be in itsfirst inversion. This is shown by the letter " b " after thc numeral of the root-indication.r The following are the first inversions of the triads used in chapters9 and 3.

Ex. 36 Cminor

Ib l tb lvb vb vlb vlbbb

. T9 these_may be added the first inversions (but not thc rcot fositionsl of thediminished triads - vIIb in the major key, and IIb and vIIb in the minor key.The full resource now available is thus :Ex . 37 .

3- It will be noticed that the intervals of a first inversion are a 6th and a3rd above the bass,and the chord is therefore sometimesknown as a " six-three."' Tbc defrrite indication for a triad in rcot posiliott s " a " after tte numcral; c.g. le mcrutbc rrrot position of the tonic chord. But tbc " e " is usndly omittcd, bciut iEplid.

C miuor

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This list is not exhaustive, but it shows most of the efiective arrangements.The apparently unorthodox spacings marked (c) are quite legitimate.Ercrcisc: Write first inversions above the following bass-notes, showing severalarrangements of the upper parts in each case.

7. In a successionof first inversions moving by step, the soprano shouldmove.in parallel-6thswith the bass, he alto in pari l lei 3rds, and the tenor shoulddouble alternately the 6th and the ilrd.Ex. 39.

Vb VIb VIIb ubSuch a progression s uscful in harmonising a descending or ascending rale-pirssage rr'either melody or bass (avoiding, foi the nromeni, l I Ib;.8. Perfect 5th followed by diminished Sth, or vice uetsa, is permissiblebetween uppcr parts, but not with the bass.

Ex. 40.

A maJor

I I+ s lo , BGrt J l JIlb lb vIIb vtb vb

lb vltb I

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0. The following points should be noted:(a)(D)(c)(dl(cl

Avoid VIIb-V, VIlb-tVa, VIIb-tvb; the effect s ungainly.VIIb is generallybest followedby I or Ib (or VIa in the maior key) ;but IIb, Vb, and VIb are also possible.Vb generallysoundsbest if followedby Ia or Ylb; i.c. with leading-noteto tonic in the bass.In IIb-Va it is alwavs effective o double the bass of the former.VIIb-Ia is a possible ubstitute or the perfectcadence; but it neednotbe used unlessV-t is not possible n accountof another note in a givenbass.

E x . 4 1 .

(/) If VIIb is followedby I or Ib it is moreeffective o make all parts moveby step, f possible.(g) There s no neednoW o insist rigidly on the samenote being kept in thesaTq pTl when possible but parts should still be kept moving onlywithin fairlv narrow limits.(l) Note that the special ules for the progressionsV-V, V-IV, V-VI, andVI-V do not apply f eitlreror both of the chordsbe nverted.

10. Four new formsof imperlectcadence re now available, n either majoror minor key, aiz.:-Ib-V, IIb-V, M-V, VIb-V. The leasteffective s VIb-V, which shouldgenerallybe avoided. The otlrersmay be used reely,according o.context.

Ex. 42.

vtlb I vllb I

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l l . H l nnoNr se t r oN oF Bnsses .Examination ol Ex. 37 will show that some notes of the scale. in the bass,

can only be harmonised $ith a single chord. The mediant can only be a (Ib),the dominant a I (V), and the leading-note a 3 (Vb) ; in the minor key thesupertonic can only be a $(VIlb). Note all these particularly. All othernotes of the scale c rn be harmonised as either or

12. If the bass has the first three notes of the scaleascenrling, se I, VIIb,Ib. I f descenci ing.se Ib, VI Ib, I . thus:Ex. +3.

Note that one part takes the bass in reversedirection (at (a) the tenor, at(D) he soprano) wtri le another part takes tonic, leading-note, onic (at (a) thesoprano,at (b) the tenor). This arrangementof the partr is effective,and shouldbe adhered to. In the case of the descendingbass it is also effective to make thesopranomove in parallel3rds with the bass,provided they are two octavesand a3rd apart : see Ex. 40.

13. If a bass-notecan be harmonised as either i or $ prefer $ unlesscontext forbids. Consider he following :

The opening bar (c, D, E) will be treated as indicated in para. 12. The F canbe either IV or IIb, so prefer the latter. The following D cbrrld be either II orvIIb, but the latter is not possible,since the G which fouows must 6e V, for thefirst chord of the cadence-; _we know (para. 9 (a)) that vllb-v ii a badprogression,so the D must be II. Hence tlie solutiori ii :

Ex. 44.

r v [b l b I I b n v

E.r. 45.

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Exampleswill make this clear. (a), (D), and (c) in Ex. 48 correspondrespectively o the points iust mentioned. AU are " possiblc" melodiesabovethegiven bass.Ex. 48.

At (c) only three notes-- B, C, and D - are used for the whole " melody."16. There is no obiection to the use oI repeatednotes in a melody,many are undesirable,as they tcnd to hold up nrovement, and prevent" flow."17. The completed working of Ex. 47 :

Ex. 4 f.

but tooa good

18. The melody used n Ex.47 is not , as has a l readybeenshown, he onlyone possible. Any given bass s capableof prodrrcingat least two or three differcntmelodies,all equally effective. Another working is giverr below. using the samcchord-basis. It should be analysed n the l ight of the precedingparagraphs.Ex. 5(1.

19. Henuot . t tset roN F MEr-ontes.The first and principal requisite isprogression. Note the following points :(a) The three lnatters mentioned n

a good bass implying a strong chord-para. 15, which apply equally to a bass.

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(bJ bass.....iII b


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For the remainingnoteswe have to try out the variouspossibilities-in aclrcasc,continually beanng rn mind the matters already dealt with in connectionwith harmonisation For example, he note A (r) can have as possiblebassnotesA, F. D, or C. High C is uncomfortably near the soprano,and low C gives anungainly tgap oI a 6th, so these notesare drscarded. D producesan exposed5th..{ is possible,hough there is no need o repeata bassnote rf it can bi avoided.SoF is chosen, eing akenas he bassof IV. This gives oots allinga 3rd (A to F)whichwe alreadyknow to begood. The othernotes n the melodymust be treatedon similar lines.' A completedworking, wrth inner parts added,could be:

rtb v vI ry vltb lb vllb I tlb v vlNoto (a) 'Ihe use of minims to avoid unnecessaryepeatednotes.(6) 3rd of IIa doubled this is permissrble, nd is necessaryn order toavoid consecutives.(c) The bass s melodiousand has a Bd curve.

26. The example lust dealt with was spc'cially framed to show theapplicationof as many porntsas possiblewithrn a hmrted space. It neednot beanticipated that all the exerciseswhich follow will work out quite so simply ;but the method of working demonstrated hould be followedas far as possiblenall cases.Eretciscs: (l) r\dd S. A. T. to the lollowing basses, ompleting S. first. Theslurs show plrrase-lengths,ach phraseending with a cadence.(N.B.-Avoid IIa in minorkeysl . r ,a l . l - , - . f t -

Ex. 59


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fyh04-1st inversion (with notes)

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