MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes

Week 3: Second-inversion chords

General principles—the 4th as a dissonance

Acoustically, the perfect 4th is considered a consonant interval, having a simple frequency ratio
of 4:3. In the Middle Ages it was accepted (along with the perfect 5th and octave) as a consonant
interval (e.g. in styles such as the Medieval organum). However, with the gradual emergence of
tertian (thirds-based) harmony from the late Renaissance into to the early Baroque, the 4th came
to be classified as a dissonance. Tis classification first appears in the writing of the theorist
Johannes Tinctorus (1435–1511) in the late 15th century.

Consequently, in tonal music of the common-practice period (c. 1650–c. 1900), the perfect 4th is
considered dissonant and unstable. In practical terms, this means the perfect 4th requires careful
and specific treatment. Because it is a degree higher than the 3rd, and because tonal theory most
often requires dissonant intervals to resolve downward by step, a perfect 4th usually requires
resolution to a major or minor 3rd over the same bass note:

Ex. 3.1

In tonal common-practice music the only occasions when this “dissonant” quality really matters
is when it involves the bass line—perfect 4ths that do not involve the bass are fine. In four-part
harmony (SATB or keyboard style), for instance, because we are often doubling one note of a
triad when we create a chord, perfect 4ths (simple or compound) between the non-bass voices are
inevitable, but they need not concern us. Tey are only a “problem” when the bass is involved.

Ex. 3.2

In the example, above, only the perfect 4ths marked * create a “dissonance.” In both instances,
by definition, the chord involved is a second-inversion triad. We often call the second-inversion
triads “six-four chords,” or just “six-fours.” Tis is because of the intervallic structure of a 4th
and 6th above the bass, as indicated in the figuring for second-inversion triads: 4!.
MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Because the dissonant factor of the perfect 4th requires specific treatment, tonal harmonic theory
recognizes and allows only a very limited number uses for six-four chords. You need to learn
what they are and when to use them. Tere are four main types:

• cadential six-fours,
• passing six-fours,
• neighbouring six-fours, and
• arpeggiated six-fours.

Te first two are the most frequently found and, therefore, the most important to learn.

v Remember, six-fours cannot be used freely (unlike root-position and first-inversion triads);
you must only use them within the context of these standard types. Errors involving incorrect
use of six-fours are in the top three of basic errors committed in tonal harmony (along with
forgetting to add the accidental to the leading note in minor keys and writing parallel perfect
5ths and octaves).

Cadential six-fours—dominant vs. tonic function

As its name implies, the cadential six-four is used at cadences, where it precedes and “expands”
the dominant, either at a half or an authentic cadence. Te notes of the cadential six-four
comprise the tonic triad with its 5th in the bass line (which moves in dotted crotchets in this
example). A question arises as to its function. Consider the following period, where a cadential
six-four occurs in the second last bar.

Ex. 3.31

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Beethoven, 6 Variations on “Nel cor piu non mi sento,” WoO 70, Theme, bars 1–8.

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MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Now let’s reduce this to a more basic keyboard style and analyse it. As an experiment, try playing
the second phrase in two different ways: (1) with only the first RH chord of the second last bar
(held for both beats) and (2) with only the second RH chord of that same bar, held similarly.
What does doing this tell you about the overall harmonic function of that bar?

Ex. 3.4

As we can see from a functional analysis of the excerpt above, although constructed from notes
of I (or i), the dominant pitch in the bass of the cadential six-four clearly indicates Dominant
function, against which the upper 4th and 6th must move to the 3rd and 5th of the V. Hence, we
do not write I6"–V but, V6"=5$ instead, which better reflects the overall dominant function (D) while
also denoting the voice-leading motion of the upper parts over the fixed bass.2 Where the
cadential six-four resolves to V7, we can write V%8&'%%7*.+

Alternatively, these can be written: or (either form of notation is fine).

v I suggest you think of the cadential six-four not as a single triad, but as a composite of the
actual and its resolution to 5$.

Rhythmically, the voice-leading progression 6"=5$ invariably assumes a strong to weak metrical
pattern—the actual 6" component falling on a stronger beat than the resolving 5$.

Te cadential six-four, as an expansion of D, can be approached by chords of T or P.

Consider and play through the following examples (given in both formats):

2
Remember, the Roman numeral represents an interpretation of the active harmonic root; the figuring gives a literal
description of intervals above the bass.

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MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Ex. 3.5

Ex. 3.6

As an extension, try transposing and playing (a), (b) and (c) above into the following keys:

Ex. 3.7

Passing six-fours—expansion of a single function

Passing six-fours embellish a progression by enabling a smooth voice-leading transition between
one or two other chords (usually within the context of a single harmonic function). Tey do not
carry a harmonic function themselves; no six-four chord carries an independent harmonic
function.

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MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Passing six-fours may even be analysed using figures alone without Roman numerals. Because
passing six-fours are linear expansions (see below), we tend to place their analysis in parentheses.
Tis indicates that the function denoted by the Roman numeral is more “co-incidental” than
“structural.” As with the cadential six-four, smooth voice leading is essential.

Voice exchange

Te standard use of the passing six-four is where it “fills out” a voice exchange involving the bass
voice, as in examples (a) and (b) below. A voice exchange occurs where notes are swapped
between voices: e.g. Bf and D, in example (a); and D and F, in example (b).

In the example below in (a) the 10th (compound 3rd) between the bass Bf and soprano D
becomes a 6th (bass D and soprano Bf) as the voices exchange notes; hence it is called a “10-6”
voice exchange. In example (b), the reverse kind, a “6-10” voice exchange, occurs. Tis is also
the case (6-10) in (c), although the distribution of voices is different.

In (d) the chord appears in the context of a descending motion in parallel 6ths between bass and
soprano; the function for the passage overall is P. A voice exchange is still present (which
voices?) even though two different triads frame the progression.

Ex. 3.8

Expansion

In all the cases above, the six-four provides a linear expansion of a single function. By this we
mean that the six-four arises as a result of melodic (linear) voice-leading activity, not as a self-
standing harmony or chord in a progression.

Now, taking the first chord given in keyboard style, work out the standard voice exchanges (i.e.
expanding a single triad through change of inversion) implied and realise them, either by playing
or notating, or both (preferably).

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MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Ex. 3.9

Other six-fours

Tere are two other standard types of six-four chords that are sometimes encountered, although
they are perhaps less common than the first two, so we will go through them more quickly.

Neighbouring six-fours

Te neighbouring six-four (alternatively called the “auxiliary six-four” or the “pedal six-four”)
expands a single root-position triad by using a pair of upper neighbours to create a 5$=6"=5$ pattern
over a held bass note. Invariably it involves expanding the tonic or the dominant triad, no others.

Ex. 3.10

Two examples below show typical uses of the neighbouring six-four in instrumental contexts.

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MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Ex. 3.113

Ex. 3.124

Arpeggiated six-fours

Arpeggiated six-fours occur where the bass line moves through the different notes of a single
harmony. It is more common in instrumental than vocal music. Te resulting progression is
intelligible provided the six-four does not begin or end the arpeggiation. In such cases, overly
pedantic figuring is not necessary; while it is provided below for purposes of the example, the
music up to bar 6 would be most elegantly denoted by a solitary Roman-numeral I.

Ex. 3.135

Further exercises

Add a bass line and then additional parts for the right hand below the given melodies, finding
places where six-four chords will work.

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Haydn, Sonata in D major, Hob.XVI: 33, 1st movement, bars 1-4.
4
Mozart, Sonata in Bf major, K. 333, 3rd movement, bars 65-69.
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Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 in Ef major, op. 55 (“Eroica”), 1st movement, bars 1–8.

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MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Ex. 3.14

Ex. 3.15

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MUSC2060: Musicianship 2 | Tonal Harmony / Keyboard Skills | Class Notes Week 3

Analyse the well-known piece below using Roman numeral harmonic analysis. Make sure all
six-four chords are correctly identified. Additionally, identify how the harmonic functions (T, P,
D) are distributed (this is a little open to interpretation, but good to discuss).

Ex. 3.166

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Beethoven, 7 Variations on “God Save the King,” WoO 78, (Theme).