Post by alex on Sept 25, 2005 10:21:44 GMT -5
First of all i have to tell you that '6th' means first inversion..
[Taken from Walter Piston's "Harmony"]
The major triad whose root is the chromatically lowered second degree of the scale is known as the Neapolitan sixth. It is difficult to say what is "Neapolitan" about this chord, but the name is universally accepted.
In the eighteenth century it was used primiraly in its first inversion hence the sixth. Late in the nineteenth centruy the chord was called a Neapolitan sixth even when it was used in root position.
Far from wishing to discard a designation so securely established. We shall welcome the convienience of the identifying label attatched to this chord. In this way we may be permitted the unscientific but but quite understandable expression. "the Neapolitan sixth in root position", and the use of the commonly accepted symbol N in lineu of the roman numeral II. When the roman numberal is used instead of N for the Neapolitan, as in the examples in this book, it should be preceeded by a small minus sign at the upper left, indicating chromatic lowering of the root.
The Neapolitan sixth is a major triad and therefore is not a dissonant chord. However, the chromatic alteration of the second degree gives that a tone downward tendancy, so that it makes for a downward resolution as though it were a dissonant tone.
Allthough derived from the minor scale, and most often used in the minor mode, the Neapolitan sixth is also freely used in the major mode as well.
It is a chord of strongly subdominant character (IV), progressing most frequently to some form of the dominant chord. Note that the bass is the best tone to double, as it is a tonal degree (for four part writing).
In any resolution to V, the preffered voice leading of the altered second degree is downward by a skip of the diminished third. It is unusual for this tone to move upwards in a resolution.
[Taken from Walter Piston's "Harmony"]
The major triad whose root is the chromatically lowered second degree of the scale is known as the Neapolitan sixth. It is difficult to say what is "Neapolitan" about this chord, but the name is universally accepted.
In the eighteenth century it was used primiraly in its first inversion hence the sixth. Late in the nineteenth centruy the chord was called a Neapolitan sixth even when it was used in root position.
Far from wishing to discard a designation so securely established. We shall welcome the convienience of the identifying label attatched to this chord. In this way we may be permitted the unscientific but but quite understandable expression. "the Neapolitan sixth in root position", and the use of the commonly accepted symbol N in lineu of the roman numeral II. When the roman numberal is used instead of N for the Neapolitan, as in the examples in this book, it should be preceeded by a small minus sign at the upper left, indicating chromatic lowering of the root.
The Neapolitan sixth is a major triad and therefore is not a dissonant chord. However, the chromatic alteration of the second degree gives that a tone downward tendancy, so that it makes for a downward resolution as though it were a dissonant tone.
Allthough derived from the minor scale, and most often used in the minor mode, the Neapolitan sixth is also freely used in the major mode as well.
It is a chord of strongly subdominant character (IV), progressing most frequently to some form of the dominant chord. Note that the bass is the best tone to double, as it is a tonal degree (for four part writing).
In any resolution to V, the preffered voice leading of the altered second degree is downward by a skip of the diminished third. It is unusual for this tone to move upwards in a resolution.
