10.1 Secondary Dominants and Leading Tone Chords

Secondary dominants and leading tone chords are game-changers in music. They add spice to your harmonic palette, letting you temporarily shift focus to other chords. Think of them as musical plot twists that keep things interesting.

These chords are part of the bigger picture of chromatic harmony. They're like secret passageways between keys, giving you more options to create tension and resolution in your music. Mastering them opens up a world of creative possibilities.

Secondary Dominants and Leading Tone Chords

Identifying Secondary Dominants

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• Secondary dominants are chromatically altered chords that temporarily tonicize a diatonic chord other than the tonic
• Notated with a slash, such as V/V or V7/ii
• Identification requires analyzing the chromatic alterations and determining the temporary key center
  • In the key of C major, a D major triad (D-F#-A) would be a V/V, as the F# is a chromatic alteration that tonicizes the dominant (G major)

Identifying Secondary Leading Tone Chords

• Secondary leading tone chords, like viio7/V or viio/ii, also temporarily tonicize a chord other than the tonic
• Contain the leading tone of the tonicized key
• Identification requires analyzing the chromatic alterations and determining the temporary key center
  • In the key of C major, an F# diminished triad (F#-A-C) would be a viio/V, as it contains the leading tone (F#) of the dominant key

Function and Resolution of Secondary Chords

Function of Secondary Dominants

• Function as temporary dominants of a diatonic chord, creating a brief tonicization
• Typically resolve to the diatonic chord a fifth below
  • V/V resolves to V
  • V7/ii resolves to ii
  • V/vi resolves to vi
• Resolution is often followed by a return to the original key, creating a sense of harmonic tension and release

Function of Secondary Leading Tone Chords

• Have a similar function to secondary dominants, acting as the leading tone chord of the temporary key
• Resolve to the diatonic chord a half-step above the root of the leading tone chord
  • viio/V resolves to V
  • viio7/ii resolves to ii
  • viio/iii resolves to iii
• Resolution is often followed by a return to the original key, creating a sense of harmonic tension and release

Composing with Secondary Chords

Incorporating Secondary Dominants

• Consider the harmonic context and the desired temporary tonicization when composing with secondary dominants
• Secondary dominant should be approached and resolved appropriately
  • Example progression: I - V/ii - ii - V - I
• Be mindful of voice leading to ensure smooth transitions between harmonies

Incorporating Secondary Leading Tone Chords

• Can add harmonic interest and tension to a progression
• Often appear as diminished triads or fully diminished seventh chords
  • Example progression: I - viio/V - V7 - I
• Be mindful of voice leading to ensure smooth transitions between harmonies

Combining Secondary Dominants and Leading Tone Chords

• Can create more complex chromatic harmonies and modulations
  • Example progression: I - V/vi - vi - viio/ii - ii - V7 - I
• Be mindful of voice leading to ensure smooth transitions between harmonies

Diatonic vs Chromatic Harmony

Diatonic Harmony

• Diatonic harmonies are chords that belong to the key signature of the current key, using only the notes of the corresponding scale
  • In C major, the diatonic triads are C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, and Bdim
• Analyzing the absence of accidentals helps identify diatonic harmonies

Chromatic Harmony

• Chromatic harmonies are chords that include notes outside of the current key signature, often featuring accidentals
  • Secondary dominants, leading tone chords, borrowed chords, and Neapolitan sixths are examples of chromatic harmonies
• Analyzing the presence of accidentals and their harmonic function helps identify chromatic harmonies
• Add color, tension, and variety to a musical composition but should be used judiciously to maintain a sense of tonal center
• Understanding the context and resolution of chromatic harmonies is essential for proper analysis and composition