Unit Objectives

By the end of this unit, students will be able to: 

• Explain Harmonic Function: Define harmonic function in the context of common-practice Western Art music and its role in shaping musical phrases within tonal music.

• Categorize Diatonic Chords: Categorize diatonic chords into their primary functional groups: tonic (T), dominant (D), and predominant (PD); explain the characteristics of each group.

• Analyze Phrase Structure: Describe the structure and components of the phrase model and how it relates to harmonic syntax. Identify examples of perfect authentic (PAC), imperfect authentic (IAC), and half cadences (HC) in examples from the repertoire and describe the effect of each on phrase structure.

• Apply Voice-leading Principles: Identify the range, clef, and ordering for each voice in a SATB chorale or keyboard style voicing. Demonstrate voice leading principles by part-writing progressions with root-position tonic and dominant chords in four-voice SATB chorale and keyboard style in both major and minor keys. Analyze voice leading and chord function in examples from the repertoire incorporating root position tonic and dominant chords.