Unit 2-2: Voiceleading I & V

Objectives

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

Identify the range, clef, and ordering for each voice in a SATB chorale or keyboard style voicing.
Describe guiding principles for voice-leading tonic and dominant harmonies in a four-voice common-practice style.
Demonstrate voice leading principles by partwriting 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.
Harmonize a short melody using I and V chords in 4-voices chorale or keyboard style.
Compose a Perfect Authentic, Imperfect Authentic, or Half Cadence in four voices using root-position tonic and dominant harmonies given a melody or soprano line.

Preparation for Class

Read:

Voice Leading (Katlin Bove)
Introduction to Harmony, Cadences, and Phrase Endings (John Peterson, OMT)
- - Read from "Writing Authentic Cadences (with triads only)" to the end.
Part Writing Guidelines (Ralph Turek, Theory for Today's Musician, pp. 680–681)

Watch

Partwriting V to I (Root Position)
Sarah Louden (12 mins)

Voice Leading in Keyboard Style
Seth Monahan (21 mins)

Study Aids

Handouts: Partwriting Summaries

Source: Toby Rush, Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People

Source: Nancy Rogers (Florida State)

Common Voice Leading Errors

Source: Sarah Louden (NYU)

Common-Practice Partwriting Checklist

Harmonic Flowcharts for Major and Minor
From Robert Hutchinson, Music Theory for the 21st Century Classroom

Cadences with I and V
Source: Timothy Rolls (Theory II: Cadences)

In-Class Activities

Discussion

Discussing Basics: Discuss voiceleading considerations for tonic and dominant chords as a class or in groups:
- - What is the range, clef, and ordering for each voice in an SATB chorale style texture. How does that compare to keyboard style voicing?
  - What are the main guiding principles for moving voices between tonic and dominant harmonies in 4-voice common-practice style?
  - Summarize these main points in your own words in your notes to use as you work.

Activities

Practice Worksheets:
- - Worksheet 1 (PDF, docx.): Partwrite perfect authentic, imperfect authentic, and half cadences using only I and V chords in major and minor. (Open Music Theory)
  - Worksheets 2-4 (San Francisco Conservatory)
    - - Worksheet 2: Harmonize a 3–4 note melody line with I and V chords in major.
      - Worksheet 3: Harmonize a 3–4 note melody line with i and V chords in minor.
      - Worksheet 4: Voice Leading and Chord Construction.
Analysis in Repertoire: See the anthology sections below for additional practice identifying root-position tonic and dominant chords in examples from the repertoire and identifying PAC, IAC, and HC.
Harmonization: Harmonize the opening melody of "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof using only tonic and dominant chords. Identify the Roman numeral on the blanks below the staff and chord function below the Roman numerals (T or D). Then, harmonize the progression using 4-part keyboard or chorale-style voicing. Label all cadences by type above the staff as PAC, IAC, HC. See the worksheet here: PDF | MuseScore.
Harmonizing Cadences with V: Given a melody, compose a harmonic cadence.
- - Navigate to one of the following Sight-Singing Anthology pages: Melodic Skips in 1/3/5, 7 & 2, or 4 & 6.
  - Locate a melody that ends with melodic motion characteristic of an IAC or PAC cadence. Identify the melodic note(s) in the melody that support the V-I cadential motion.
  - Write a 4-voice harmonic accompaniment in keyboard or chorale style for the cadence (only) of the melody that uses these tones in the soprano line. Use the harmonic rhythm provided by the melody.
Composition: Compose a 4-bar composition with a melody and rhythmic accompaniment that uses only tonic and dominant chords. See the worksheet here with steps and a template. For extra practice with phrase models, extend your composition to 8 bars and try composing a sentence or a parallel period.

Repertoire for Practice

Analysis with I, V: Examples for analysis that use root position I and V chords.
Phrase Model: See the first section "T - D - T" for examples with just tonic and dominant.
Cadences (continued practice): Examples from the repertoire for identifying PAC, IAC, and HC. See the first section: "Authentic and Half Cadences"

Anthology: I, V

Anthology: Basic Phrase Model

Anthology: Cadences

Assignment

Assignment 2-2

NEXT STEP

Next Lesson: Cadences with V7

Practice

Musition:
- Cadence: Levels 6
- Chord Progressions: Level 2
- Four-Part Writing: Levels 1a–4b
- Harmonization: Levels 1a, 1b

Want to learn more?

Consider how voice leading works from a rock perspective in this article by Brad Osborn: "Rock Harmony Reconsidered: Tonal, Modal and Contrapuntal Voice‐Leading Systems in Radiohead."

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