Looking for the “Harp” Quartet

1. SUBSTITUTE THE PASSAGE BELOW FOR PARAGRAPH 4 ON PAGE 153

Finally, there are two issues of critical importance. (1) Pedal tones: tonicization of the new key will only be partial if it occurs during the sounding of a pedal tone. (2) Stepwise tonicizations: even with all three necessary conditions present – a new operative pitch field with a 4:7 dominant harmony and a subsequent tonic in the new key – tonicization of the new key may be experienced as partial if it occurs within a stepwise succession of tonicizations. This is more likely the case if the stepwise tonicization(s) occur in association with a melodic sequence.

In ex. 7.5a, the tonicized D major of bar 15 is rendered partial by virtue of its position within a stepwise succession of tonicizations (partial, in this case): (e)—D—(C). Thus the structural harmonic motion—which moves by fifth away from the tonic E minor (bar 10) to A minor (bar 12)—does not continue on to D major in bar 15.

For an example of a pedal tone rendering an otherwise full tonicization partial, see the discussion of the Forlane from Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066, in the Appendix.

2. THE EXAMPLE ON PAGE 178 IS MISLABELLED. THE CAPTION SHOULD READ:

Example 8.6. Dynamic Analysis (Level F) of Beethoven, String Quartet, Op. 74, “The Harp,” 2nd mvt., Adagio ma non troppo

3. REPLACE PAGE 156, PARAGRAPH 4, TO PAGE 157 PARAGRAPH 1 INCLUSIVE, WITH:

Finally, for the tonicization by fifth to create broad-scale impulse, the 3rd scale degree of the tonicized key must be in the pitch field of the home key. In a work in C major, the first ascending fifth is G. The 3rd scale degree of a key in which G is the tonic is some kind of B. The B that participates in the pitch field of the home key of C major is B-natural, which is the 3rd scale degree of G major, not G minor. Thus in the energy-producing succession of ascending fifths from a home key of C major, the mode of the tonicized G is major. Likewise the second fifth is D minor, whose third, F-natural, participates in the pitch field of C major; the next fifth is A minor, then E minor, B minor, F# minor, C# minor, and G# minor. The succession of descending fifths from C major that creates broad-scale impulse would include F major, Bb major, Eb major, Ab major, and Db major, all of whose 3rd scale degrees participate in the pitch field of the home key.

While a minor-mode key requires the 7th scale degree in the ascending position to be established on a local level, on a structural level the 7th scale degree functions in its descending position. If the home key is C minor, broad-scale impulse by ascending fifth will result from the tonicization of G minor, whose third is Bb, the lowered 7th of the home key, not G major, whose third is B-natural, the raised 7th scale degree of the home key. Continuing the succession of ascending fifth tonicizations, G minor is followed by D minor, A minor, E minor, and B minor. From the home key of C minor, broad-scale impulse by descending fifth will result from the tonicization of F minor, Bb major, Eb major, Ab major, Db major, Gb major, Cb major, and Fb major.

Note that in works whose home key is major, the succession of ascending fifths whose third belongs to the home key extends to eight keys, while the succession of descending fifths whose third belongs to the home key extends to only five keys. This is reversed in works whose home key is minor: the succession of descending fifths whose third belongs to the home key extends to eight keys, while the succession of ascending fifths whose third belongs to the home key extends to only five keys. For this reason, works with a major home key tend to create broad-scale impulse with successions of ascending fifths, and works with a minor home key tend to create broad-scale impulse with successions of descending fifths.

In the rare instances in which the succession of impulse-generating fifth tonicizations extends further, the next key takes its mode from that of the previous one. Thus, continuing the ascending succession from C major, G# minor would be followed by D# minor, A# minor, and so on. Continuing the descending succession, Db major would be followed by Gb major, Cb major and so on.

C Major ascending:       G, d, a, e, b, f#, c#, g#, (d#, a#, etc.)
C Major descending:     F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, (Gb, Cb etc.)
C Minor ascending:      g, d, a, e, b, (f#, c#, etc.)
C Minor descending,     f, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb (Bbb, Ebb, etc.)