Klarinet Archive - Posting 000153.txt from 2001/06

From: "Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] ....more about harmony
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 01:08:42 -0400

Bill Wright was questioning an E half-diminished chord in the song
attributed to Bach, "Bist Du Bei Mir." I took a look at the sheet music,
and notice that the chord in question precedes a Bb major chord in second
inversion, part of a modulating passage which will ultimately cadence in Bb
major, the dominant of the principal key of the piece. Thus, the chord
fulfills two functions: the E natural in the bass provides a rising
chromatic bass line, and the chord functions as a secondary diminished
seventh of the F chord, which as the dominant of the dominant turns out a
little later to be a major triad rather than the usual minor supertonic
triad. In other words, everything in the passage is consistent with
functional tonal harmony. As I mentioned, it is through the analysis of
passages such as this one that theory as we know it developed. Thanks,
J.S.!

Ed Lacy
EL2@-----.edu

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