COMPOSITION 1 –

STYLE STUDIES: WEEK 8

DR JAMES COOK, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
TWO-PART INVENTIONS: INVERTING THE OPENING
MATERIAL
• At the start of an invention, and at subsequent entries of the same material, the material
is inverted between the hands.
• The stuff in the right hand ends up in the left and the stuff in the left hand ends up in the
right
• To make this work, we have to write invertible counterpoint at the octave
• This means the lines make contrapuntal sense no matter what is the bottom and what is
the top
INVERTIBLE COUNTERPOINT

• Mainly, we must be careful with 5ths. When these are inverted they become a dissonant
4th and therefore must be treated as a dissonance

• This example is bad counterpoint. When inverted, the circled 5th becomes a 4th, which is
not treated as a dissonance.
INVERTIBLE COUNTERPOINT:

• 4ths are only acceptable when used as suspensions or as ornamental notes.

• 3rds become 6ths and 6ths 3rds – so these are fine
• All other dissonances are still dissonances
• Only the 5th turns from a consonance to dissonance when inverted
• In practice, this means that 5ths have to be treated as a dissonance if you intend to use it
in invertible counterpoint, as they will become 4ths when positions are changed
MODULATING:

• Two-part inventions are primarily about moving smoothly from one key to another via a chain
of chords.
• Appearances of the opening material alternate with modulating passages (episodes) based on
scales or arpeggios, where possible derived from the opening material.
• Manipulating figuration or passagework to move via a circle of fifths or similar progression is
what is at the heart of this sort of exercise.
• In designing the figuration keep within the notes of the chord, or use scalic passages so as to
move smoothly on to the next chord. That usually means not anticipating notes of the
following chord in the previous figuration.
MODULATING:

• The figuration is based on chords, not keys, so keep accidentals in accordance with the key you start
in, until you need to introduce new accidentals for the new key.
• In minor keys you may need to introduce extra accidentals to sharpen the 5th degree and to avoid an
augmented 2nd between the 6th and 7th degrees (sharpen both when ascending, flatten both when
descending, following the melodic minor scale).
• In modulating passages keep a consistent harmonic rhythm to start with, normally one chord per bar of
2/4 or 2/4 and two chords per bar of 4/4. Once you get near your goal, the harmonic rhythm can
quicken, especially if you repeat the last few chords.
• In designing a chord sequence, it can be useful to work both backwards from your goal key chord, via its
chords V and II, and forward from your starting chord, and see how best to bridge the gap in the middle.
BACH CHORALES
MORE ON CADENCES
AN EXAMPLE CHORALE
AN EXAMPLE CHORALE (SOME OF WHICH WE
HAVE WORKED ON):
Analyse the
cadences
CADENCES: BASIC ANALYSIS

Overall key: Bb maj

Bb: II7b V ivob V F: V7 I Bb: V7 I Bb: V (pass.7) I

F: V7b I viiob I
MODULATIONS

Bb: (I) II7b V ivob V F: V7 I

F: (V) V7b I viiob I

• Most modulations move to the dominant.

• Achieve a modulation by raising the leading note of the target key.
• Confirm a modulation by cadencing in the new key.
• ii and IV (i.e. PDs) in the tonic key become V and vii (i.e. Ds) in the dominant key.
 TENDENCY TONES
Definition: ‘unstable’ scale degrees that resolve onto adjacent ‘stable’ scale
degrees, esp. 7-1, 4-3, 2-1.
NB Scale deg 7 can
also resolve to sd 5 if
This cadence is made weaker by tendency tones not resolving quite as they usually would.
1 is impossible.
However, due to the closeness of the parts, we hear the B in the soprano resolving to the A in the alto (correctly)
and the E in the Alto resolving to the F in the tenor (correctly). This also acts as the resolution of the B in the tenor.

?
?

F: V7b I viiob I F: V7 I Bb: V7 I Bb: V8 - 7 I

• Make sure you always resolve tendency tones correctly at cadences.
• Scale degree 7 is the Leading Note; it must always resolve correctly.
• Scale degree 4 is usually the 7th of V7; it is a dissonance and must always resolve
correctly.
DOMINANT SEVENTHS (V7)
• The 7th in V7 is a tendency tone: it is the scale degree 4 in 4-3 (see previous slide).
• The 7th in V7 creates a dissonance which must be prepared and resolved correctly.

F: V7b I viiob I F: V7 I Bb: V7 I Bb: V pass. 7 I

• To use V7 on a strong beat, sd4 (= the 7th) must appear in the same voice in the
previous harmony.
• Alternatively, the 7th may appear on a weak beat as a passing note.
• The 7th MUST resolve down by step.
DISPOSITIO: HARMONIC PACING

F: V7b I viio6 I F: V7 I Bb: V7 I Bb: V pass. 7 I

Task:
Order these cadences from weak to strong.
What musical features can weaken a cadence?
What features can strengthen one?
DISPOSITIO: HARMONIC PACING

?
?

F: V653 I viio6 I F: V7 I Bb: V7 I Bb: V8 - 7 I

A.
• From an inversion • Roots in bass • Roots in bass • Roots in bass
• Onto a weak beat • Sds 4 and 7 resolved • Sds 4 and 7 resolved • 2-1 movement in sop
B. • No 5th in chord V7 so • No 5th in chord V7 so • Sds 4 and 7 resolved
• From a substitute chord 2-1 mvt missing 2-1 mvt missing • Complete harmonies
(vii) in inversion
• Leading note (sd 7) does Strong I
not resolve
• Sd 4 does not resolve Mid V I
Key:
Weak V Blue = weakens cadence
Green = strengthens cadence