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In music theory
Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory": The first is the "Elements of music, ...
, a predominant chord (also pre-dominant) is any chord which normally resolves to a dominant chord.Benward & Saker (2009). ''Music in Theory and Practice: Volume II'', Glossary, p.359. Eighth Edition. . "Any chord in functional harmony that normally resolves to the dominant chord." Examples of predominant chords are the subdominant
In music, the subdominant is the fourth tonal degree () of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance ''below'' the tonic as the dominant is ''above'' the tonicin other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdomina ...
(IV, iv), supertonic
In music, the supertonic is the second degree () of a diatonic scale, one whole step above the tonic. In the movable do solfège system, the supertonic note is sung as ''re''.
The triad built on the supertonic note is called the supertonic ...
(ii, ii°), Neapolitan sixth and German sixth. Other examples are the secondary dominant
A secondary chord is an analytical label for a specific harmonic device that is prevalent in the tonal idiom of Western music beginning in the common practice period: the use of diatonic functions for tonicization.
Secondary chords are a ...
(V/V) and secondary leading tone chord. Predominant chords may lead to secondary dominants. Predominant chords both expand away from the tonic ''and'' lead to the dominant, affirming the dominant's pull to the tonic.Cleland, Kent D. and Dobrea-Grindahl, Mary (2013). ''Developing Musicianship Through Aural Skills: A Holistic Approach to Sight Singing and Ear Training'', p.255. Routledge. . Thus they lack the stability of the tonic and the drive towards resolution of the dominant. The predominant harmonic function
In mathematics, mathematical physics and the theory of stochastic processes, a harmonic function is a twice continuously differentiable function f\colon U \to \mathbb R, where is an open subset of that satisfies Laplace's equation, that i ...
is part of the fundamental harmonic progression of many classical works. The submediant (vi) may be considered a predominant chord or a tonic substitute.Caplin, William E. (2013). ''Analyzing Classical Form: An Approach for the Classroom'', p.10. Oxford. .
The dominant preparation is a chord or series of chords that precedes the dominant chord in a musical composition. Usually, the dominant preparation is derived from a circle of fifths progression. The most common dominant preparation chords are the supertonic
In music, the supertonic is the second degree () of a diatonic scale, one whole step above the tonic. In the movable do solfège system, the supertonic note is sung as ''re''.
The triad built on the supertonic note is called the supertonic ...
, the subdominant
In music, the subdominant is the fourth tonal degree () of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance ''below'' the tonic as the dominant is ''above'' the tonicin other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdomina ...
, the V7/V, the Neapolitan chord (N6 or II6), and the augmented sixth chords (e.g., Fr+6).
In sonata form
The sonata form (also sonata-allegro form or first movement form) is a musical form, musical structure generally consisting of three main sections: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. It has been used widely since the middle of t ...
, the dominant preparation is in the development, immediately preceding the recapitulation. Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
's sonata-form works generally have extensive dominant preparation — for example, in the first movement of the '' Sonata Pathétique'', the dominant preparation lasts for 29 measures (mm. 169–197).
List
*First inversion augmented mediant **III+ *Augmented dominant **V+ * Augmented sixths **Fr **Ger *Second inversion tonic **I **i *Subdominant **IV **iv *Submediant **vi, stepwise to dominant *Supertonic and secondary dominant **ii **II (V/V) Caplin, William E. (1998). ''Classical Form: A Theory of Formal Functions for the Instrumental Music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven'', p.23. Oxford. . **ii **vii7/V **IIGallery
See also
* Approach chord * Harmonic rhythm * Passing chordSources
Chord progressions Chords Diatonic functions {{music-theory-stub