Klarinet Archive - Posting 000182.txt from 2001/06

From: "Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] ....more about harmony
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 12:18:04 -0400

<<<Could you post a few words about the phrase "dominant of the
dominant.>>>

For a direct and straightforward example, look at the relationship between a
C major chord, and all of the chords which stand in a dominant relationship
to it. Those include the dominant triad and its various transformations (V,
V7, V9, V7#5, V7b5, and many more), and the leading tone triad in its
various forms (vii, vii7, vii7b5) (these should all be diminished chords but
I don't have the capability on this system of writing the symbol for
diminished - a superscript "o"). All of these chords have a natural
tendency to progress or resolve to the C major chord.

Now, in whatever position in a key the C major (and c minor) chord might
exist, the same set of dominant-function chords can apply to it, and in such
cases where the C chord is not the tonic, the relationship is called
"secondary dominant" (or "secondary diminished seventh). Thus, in the key
of F, the C chord is the dominant, and all the G-related chords would be
consider secondary dominants. In the key of G, the C chord is the
subdominant, and the chords which stand in the dominant relationship to it
would be "dominant of the subdominant" or "secondary dominant of the
subdominant."

For more information, there is a good set of theory lessons on the web. Go
to: http://musictheory.halifax.ns.ca/index.html

Ed Lacy
University of Evansville
EL2@-----.edu

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