Dominant (music) Article Index for
Dominant
Website Links For
Dominant
 

Information About

Dominant (music)




As defined by Joseph Fétis the ''dominante'' was a seventh chord over the first note of a descending perfect fifth in the '' Basse Fondamentale '' or root progression, the common practice period Dominant Seventh he named the ''dominante tonique''.

A Cadential dominant chord followed by a Tonic chord (the chord of the key of the piece) produces an Authentic Cadence . If the Root s are in the Bass and the tonic is in the highest voice, it is a Perfect Authentic Cadence .

"Dominant" also refers to a relationship of musical keys. For example, relative to the key of C major, the key of G major is the dominant. Music which modulates (changes key) often modulates into the dominant. Modulation into the dominant key often creates a sense of increased tension; as opposed to modulation into Subdominant (fourth note of the scale), which creates a sense of musical relaxation (because the tonic key is the dominant of its subdominant key: in F major, the dominant is C).

The dominant Diatonic Function has the role of creating instability that requires the tonic or goal-tone for release. The dominant may also be considered the result of a transformational operation applied to the tonic that most closely resembles the tonic by some clear-cut criteria such as common tones (Perle 1955 cited in Wilson 1992, p.37-38).


SEE ALSO



RESOURCES

  • Dahlhaus, Carl. Gjerdingen, Robert O. trans. (1990). ''Studies in the Origin of Harmonic Tonality'', p.143. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691091358.

  • Wilson, Paul (1992). ''The Music of Béla Bartók''. ISBN 0300051115.

  • ---Perle, George (1955). "Symmetrical Formations in the String Quartets of Béla Bartók", ''Music Review'' 16: 300-312.