Harmony for Classical Guitar (preview)

Credits Cover artwork: Pen and Pipe by Juan Gris Musical examples: Vicente Asencio, Suite Valenciana (1st mvt), © 1973

by Edizioni Bèrben – Ancona, © 2019 by Edizioni Curci S.r.l.

Dusan Bogdanovic, Stirfry, © 2002 LES ÉDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN (SOCAN), Reprinted under permission

Dusan Bogdanovic, Book of the Unknown Standards, © 1998 LES ÉDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN (SOCAN), Reprinted under permission

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Caprichos de Goya (no. 1), © 1971 by Edizioni Bèrben – Ancona, © 2019 by Edizioni Curci S.r.l.

Dusan Bogdanovic Tombeau de Purcell, © 2004 LES ÉDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN (SOCAN), Reprinted under permission

Milcho Leviev, Dancing Women © 1996 LES ÉDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN (SOCAN), Reprinted under permission

Dusan Bogdanovic, Sonata no. 2 (2nd mvt.), © 1986

by Edizioni Bèrben – Ancona, © 2019 by Edizioni Curci S.r.l.

Milcho Leviev, A Child’s Day, © 1996 LES ÉDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN (SOCAN), Reprinted under permission

Dusan Bogdanovic, Variaciones casi Latinas, © 1999 by Edizioni Bèrben – Ancona, © 2019 by Edizioni Curci S.r.l.

Astor Pizzolla, Cinco Piezas, © 1982 by Edizioni Bèrben – Ancona, © 2019 by Edizioni Curci S.r.l.

Dusan Bogdanovic, Little Café Suite, © 2018 LES ÉDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN (SOCAN), Reprinted under permission

William Turner Walton, Bagatelle No.1 from Five Bagatelles, © Oxford University Press 1974.

Extracts reproduced by permission. All rights reserved

Dusan Bogdanovic, In Winter Garden, © 2018 LES ÉDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN (SOCAN), Reprinted under permission

William Turner Walton, Bagatelle No.3 from Five Bagatelles, © Oxford University Press 1974. Extracts reproduced by permission. All rights reserved

While the Publisher has made every effort to acknowledge copyright holders, if any have been inadvertently omitted the publisher will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements at the first opportunity. © 2021 by Edizioni Curci S.r.l. – Milano All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form EC 12251 / ISBN: 9788863953534 Printed in Italy in 2021 by PressUp S.r.l. – Rome

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

3

Preface

54

Chapter I:

Triads

75

Chapter II:

Inversions of the Triads

15 13

Chapter III:

Seventh Chords with Inversions

24 26

Chapter IV:

Ninth, Eleventh and Thirteenth Chords

36 34

Chapter V:

Non-harmonic Tones

47 45

Chapter VI:

Harmonic Functions and Relationships

59 57

Chapter VII:

Diatonic Modulation

62 60

Chapter VIII:

Secondary Dominants

69 67

Chapter IX:

Alterations

77 75

Chapter X:

88 86

Chapter XI:

The Altered Seventh, Ninth, Eleventh and Thirteenth Chords Enharmonic and Chromatic Modulation

Chapter XII:

Sequences

106 104

Chapter XIII:

Supplementary Exercises

119 117

Appendix I:

Seventh Chord Inversions

125 123

Index of Musical Examples References

95 93

127 125 133 128

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3

Preface Asking general questions had always led only to limited answers. By contrast, asking limited questions turned out to provide more and more general answers.

F. Jacob, Of Flies, Mice and Men1 We reprove him (J. S. Bach) for having hitherto made many curious variationes in the chorale, and mingled many strange notes in it, and for the fact that the Congregation has been confused by it.

Bach reprimanded for improper playing, Arnstadt, February 21, 17062

In my past efforts at creating theoretical texts I have consciously avoided the subject of harmony for guitar.

Since there is such a wealth of material on the guitar harmony, I felt there was no need to add yet another text to an otherwise overfilled shelf of overweight and over-elaborated-on subjects. My work with both classical and jazz players however, has often revealed gaps in certain areas of harmonic praxis: as much as fluid chord manipulation is common in jazz, clear contrapuntal thinking is not always a given; the classical guitar approach, on the other hand, mostly relies on the written word and in general lacks application of the theory.

This work, I hope, will remedy this situation a little. Although the examples given here are primarily from the classical guitar repertoire, the methodology, I think, is logical and general enough to encompass several idioms simultaneously. The harmonic sequences, for example, are applicable to both figured bass and improvisation covering several historic periods and harmonic languages; the Appendix no.1 shows different types of seventh chords in inversions and in several different positions and fingerings that have general application too. Finally, given examples and exercises can be practiced and understood by either classical or jazz musicians.

Despite some glaring biases3 in choosing material for this book, I have made an effort to give enough stylistic and aesthetic variety in order to make it both informative and interesting for guitarists of diverse orientations and tastes. In addition to the better-known works from the guitar repertoire, I have also occasionally included quirky transcription and arrangement examples such as fragments from W.A. Mozart’s Lacrimosa, J.S.Bach’s organ works, piano Preludes by C. Debussy or jazz pieces by M. Leviev. This is partially due to my affection for this music and partially due to my attempt to expand what seems to me a somewhat limited harmonic content of the usual guitar repertoire.

In the late seventies and early eighties I was very much involved in what, at the time, seemed like pioneering work of expanding stylistic boundaries and synthesizing new aesthetic amalgams. At the present moment, however, the worlds of classical, jazz and ethnic (world) music appear on the road to becoming an aesthetically incongruous blend, and what seemed at an earlier time an attractive proposition, looks to me less and less interesting and satisfying. Consequently, asking limited questions at this point might be one of the most useful contributions towards constructing a solid musical ground out of which other flightier and more imaginative creative adventures can be built.

My heartfelt thanks to Samuele Pellizzari, Laura Moro and Edizioni Curci for publishing this book. Also, my gratitude to Maarten Vandenbemden for his great help in editing this work.

Dusan Bogdanovic Geneva, 2008

1

Jacob F. 1998, Of Flies, Mice and Men, Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

2

The Bach Reader, 1972, edited by H. T. David and A. Mendel, W. W. Norton & Company, New York.

3

Examples from music by J.S. Bach make up almost a quarter of the whole index and G. Regondi is not far behind.

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Chapter I Triads Triads do not represent a separate magic, only a more potent version of the only magic in town.

W.A. Mathieu4

Voice Ranges Traditionally, harmony is written for four voices (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), whose usual ranges are given below. This textbook however, is intended for guitar players; therefore, while I have retained the four-voice setting, the voice ranges will fluctuate to accommodate the specific tuning and range of the instrument.

Example 1.1

Intervals Essentially, the understanding of intervals is based on the overtone series. The closer an interval is to the fundamental, the more stable and consonant it appears; the further it is, the less stable and more dissonant it appears. Therefore, a “kinship system” of intervals is organized according to the closeness or distance of overtones to the fundamental. The perfect consonances, which are the closest to the fundamental, are: the prime, the fifth and the octave, the imperfect: the third and the sixth. Dissonances, which are the farthest from the fundamental, are: the major and the minor second, the perfect fourth,5 the major and the minor seventh and all the augmented and diminished intervals.

Example 1.2

4

Mathieu, W.A. 1997, Harmonic Experience, Inner Traditions International, Rochester, p.360.

The perfect fourth is considered dissonant when there is no other interval below it; consonant, when there is a third or a fifth below it.

5

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Further on, the intervals of a scale can be classified into: perfect (unison, fourth, fifth, and the octave), and major or minor-second, third, sixth and seventh (see the above example).

A major or perfect interval raised for a half step is an augmented interval; a minor or perfect interval lowered for a half step is called diminished.

Modes Modal scales historically precede diatonic scales, and although they form the essential vocabulary of much folk music as well as Renaissance contrapuntal thinking (in the guise of ecclesiastic or church modes), their use in traditional harmony is usually exceptional and rather limited6.

It is important to mention that all of the idiosyncrasies of modes have been reduced in traditional harmony to only major (Ionian) and minor (Aeolian) modes. The following example shows the ecclesiastic modes given from keynote C. Example 1.3

Diatonic Scales The scales that are the cornerstone of traditional harmonic values are called diatonic and include major (example 1.4a) and three types of minor scales: natural (b), harmonic (c), and melodic (d). As can be seen, the configuration of whole-tones and halftones varies from one scale to the other. The melodic minor, whose ascending and descending variants differ, is a special case among the diatonic scales, but not among modal systems (Indian ragas, for example).

6

Despite discouraging influence of some writers on this subject, notably H. Schenker and A. Schönberg, modal thinking has not only survived in the guise of ecclesiastic modes, but is widespread in various syntheses and levels of complexity from contemporary classical music to jazz.

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Example 1.4

Scale Degrees Tonic (I), Subdominant (IV), and Dominant (V) are called tonal degrees of a scale; they are the principal harmonic actors outlining a key or tonality. 7 Modal degrees (III and VI), on the other hand, do not affect tonality, but bring a sense of mode, since they differ in major and minor. Because of its prominence in the VII-I movement, the leading tone is also one of the critical degrees and that requires special handling in harmonic resolution.8 Triad Types The simplest type of chord called the triad is built by superposition of two thirds. The four types of triads used as building blocks of the traditional harmony are: a) major, b) minor, c) augmented and d) diminished (example 1.5).

Example 1.5

Spacing The spacing of the voices, as shown bellow in example 1.6, can be in: a) close position and b) open position. In close position, no tone of the same triad can be inserted between soprano, alto and tenor, while in open position, it can.

According to Piston: “The supertonic should (therefore) be included in the list of tonal degrees, since it partakes of both dominant and subdominant characteristics, but should be distinguished from I, IV, and V as having much less tonal strength. (W. Piston, 1987, p.55)

7

According to another classification, this by Susan Andre-Marchal, degrees divide into three categories: 1. Tonal degrees (I, IV, V), 2. Second order degrees (II, VI), 3. Third order degrees (III, VII). (S. AndreMarchal 1974, p. 1)

8

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Example 1.6

Doubling The doubling of the triad notes as shown, can include: a) double root, b) triple root and third, c) double fifth, and d) double third. While the preferred doubling is of the root, doubling of the third and the fifth is done according to the harmonic function of the note or the logic of voice leading. The doubling of the leading tone in Dominant function is avoided, except in sequences.

Example 1.7

Triads in Scales Triads can be built on all scale degrees. The example 1.8 shows all the triads in major and minor scales. In major: I, IV and V are major triads, II, III and VI are minor and VII is diminished. In harmonic minor, I and IV are minor triads, V and VI major, II and VII diminished and III augmented; in melodic minor: I and II are minor, IV and V major, VI and VII diminished and III augmented (the descending form of melodic minor is the same as in the natural). The natural minor scale is built on the sixth degree of the major and contains all the triads so far mentioned, except that they are assigned to different degrees: I, IV and V are minor, III, VI and VII are major and the II is diminished.

Example 1.8a

Example 1.8b

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Triads in Root Positions The following examples show some common chords built on triads in root positions used on the instrument. While example 1.9 shows the five chord patterns in an easy mnemonic order (CAGED), example 1.10 shows all the triad types in close and open positions.

Example 1.9

Example 1.10

Rules of Motion There are three possible movements of voices: a) direct, b) contrary, and c) oblique (example 1.11). Direct motion is the movement of voices in the same direction; contrary motion is the movement of voices in opposite directions; in oblique motion, one voice moves while the other remains static.

Example 1.11

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In traditional harmony, one should avoid: parallel octaves, fifths and unisons.9 Direct (hidden) fifths and octaves, which are brought by direct motion from smaller intervals (example 1.12a-c), are also avoided, unless they occur in the same harmony (d), between interior voices, or between an interior and one of the outer voices (f, g), and if the upper voice proceeds with a gradual movement (e). Crossing of voices should also be avoided (h).

Example 1.12

Progressions Example 1.13 shows all the basic harmonic progressions, including bass movement of a fourth, fifth, third and a second. In general, if two triads have one or more notes in common, one should repeat the common notes, while moving the remaining notes to their nearest positions (a-c). In the case of no common notes between the triads, one should move the upper three voices to their nearest position opposite to the bass (d). Note that, since the traditional resolution of the leading tone is into the octave, the progression of V-VI results in VI with a doubled third (the example f should be avoided because of the wrong resolution of the leading tone).

Example 1.13

The following two examples are both transcribed from piano literature: the first, an excerpt from I. Albeniz’s Cordoba, shows use of triads in root positions with traditional voice leading; the second, an excerpt from Debussy’s Prelude Canope, illustrates an Impressionist use of triadic harmonies in a modal context. Note that Albeniz, in his progression, uses both natural and harmonic minor.

J. S. Bach calls parallel octaves and fifths “the greatest mistakes in music”, The Bach Reader, 1972, p. 392.

9

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Appendix I Seventh Chord Inversions Since seventh chord inversions are crucial for figured bass on the guitar, I have included an additional appendix consisting of all the nine seventh chord types shown in different positions on the fingerboard. Examples a-f show chords in two different voicings: the note in tenor of the upper staff is moved to soprano of the lower. In consequence, all the chords in the upper staff are played on contiguous strings, while all the chords of the lower staff are not.

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124 124 © 2021 by Edizioni Curci S.r.l. – Milano All rights reserved

ex no.

page no.

Canope (Preludes II)

1.15

11

La fille aux cheveux de lin (Preludes I)

3.22

31

Des pas sur la neige (Preludes I)

4.24

41

Des pas sur la neige (Preludes I)

10.16

92

Dowland, J.

Forlorn Hope Fancy

8.11

71

Gilardino, A.

Colloquio con Andres Segovia

5.18

50

Giuliani, M.

Sonata Op. 15 (1st mvt.)

2.18e

17

Sonata Op. 15 (2nd mvt.)

9.4

Sonata no. 9, Hob.XVI/4 Sonata no. 9, Hob.XVI/4

composer

piece

Debussy, C.

Haydn, J.

Jose, A.

Fantasia no. 30

5.20

50

Ricercar no. 34

12.3a

106

Ricercar no. 34

12.3b

106

Fantasia no. 38

12.4

106

Monteverdi, C.

Si ch’io vorrei morire

12.5

107

Mozart. W. A.

Lacrimosa (Requiem) K626

8.7

70

76

Narvaez, L. de

Fantasia 2bis

12.2

105

7.4

62

Piazzolla, A.

Cinco piezas

4.10

37

11.14

98

Cinco piezas

4.17

39

Cinco piezas

8.14

72

Variations sur Folia de Espagna (no. 14)

2.14

16

Sonata no. 3

3.19

30

Sonata no. 3

4.16

39

Sonata no. 1

4.23

41

Sonata no. 3

5.3

46

Theme, varie et Finale

9.11

78

Theme, varie et Finale

10.12

90

Theme, varie et Finale

10.17

92

Purcell, H.

When I am Laid in Earth

8.12

72

Regondi, G.

Reverie Nocturne

2.19

18

Reverie Nocturne

3.13

28

2me Air Varie

3.15

29

Etude no. 4(b)

4.7

36

Etude no. 6

4.9

37

5.24

51

Sonata (3 movt.)

5.27

52

Sonata (3rd movt.)

7.13

65

Sonata (1 mvt.)

9.15

79

Sonata (1st mvt.)

10.6

88

Sonata (3rd movt.)

10.9

89

Sonata (1st mvt.)

11.8

96

Sonata (1st mvt.)

11.10

97

Sonata (2nd mvt.)

11.18

100

Sonata (1st mvt.)

12.15

111

Dancing Women

3.21

31

A Child’s Day

10.7

88

A Child’s Day

11.9

96

2.18c

17

Liebeslied

5.29

53

Liebeslied

9.22

82

st

Mertz, K.

page no.

Sonata (1 mvt.) st

rd

Leviev, M.

ex no.

An die Entfernte

composer

piece

Milano, F.C. da,

Ponce, M. M.

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