[Smt-talk] A Reply to Prof. Väisälä on harmonic and teaching problems

[Olli Väisälä]

A couple of comments concerning Dimitar Ninov's observations and  
questions:

First, an answer to DN's following question:

> How many books in English have you found that have a chapter  
> devoted to free resolution of the dominant seventh chord? Secondly,  
> free resolution does not only encompass the V2-I6 connection; there  
> are other cases that involve such resolutions as V7 to I6; V7/V to  
> V7, V7 to I with descending scale degrees 5-3 in the melody, etc.  
> None of these cases have been discussed in any recently published  
> book that I have reviewed.

I don't claim to know much about harmony books in English in general,  
but the third edition of Aldwell and Schacter's Harmony and Voice  
Leading discusses "Expanded Treatment of Seventh Chords" in Unit 24,  
Sections 9–12, identifying several types of freer resolution,  
including V7–I6. Moreover a freedom in V4/3–I6 progressions is  
identified in Unit 8, Section 4. The V7/V–V7 combination is touched  
upon at least in Unit 25, Section 16. Unfortunately, I don't have the  
latest fourth edition at hand; the above information about units and  
sections only concerns the 3rd edition.

Then, a further comment on the discussion that DN started by writing:

> Let me provide a general example of scholastic limitation versus  
> some idiomatic practices in classical music. There are numerous  
> cases of free resolution of the dominant seventh chord; a  
> resolution that may affect any of the chord members, including the  
> seventh itself. For instance, the seventh may move upward, or some  
> other chord member may leap in an upper voice. Occasionally, a  
> simultaneous leap of two or even three upper voices may be  
> observed, and the sound is idiomatic (for example, Beethoven, Piano  
> Sonata in f, Op. 2, No.1, second movement, measure 6). In most of  
> these free resolutions, the tonic appears as a sixth chord and  
> covers the exceptional situations. There are also situations where  
> the tonic is in root position.


Since the example DN chose for illustrating free resolutions of V7  
resolves the seventh quite regularly by step (V2–I6), and since I had  
never heard of "scholastic" textbook rules forbidding the leaps of  
other voices, I asked:

>
> This is mystifying. Is there really a "scholastic" rule somewhere
> that forbids leaps of upper voices in a V2–I6 resolution? I had
> not heard of it. In any case, Aldwell & Schachter describe such leaps
> "very characteristic" in the soprano.”

DN answered:

>
> There is no scholastic rule concerning that, but I am certain that,  
> generally, free resolution of V7 is not taught explicitly, at least  
> in the United States.


Hence it seems that (1) DN's Beethoven example did not at all  
illustrate the point it was chosen to illustrate, and (2) DN is  
"certain" about the teaching in the USA without knowledge of one of  
the most well-known American textbooks (let alone knowledge of what  
actually happen in classrooms).

Mr. Ninov, I am afraid that such features will not contribute to the  
level of discussion here or to other people's willingness to discuss  
with you. Moreover, given that you have repeatedly questioned your  
colleagues' practical abilities, the discrepancy between your  
Beethoven example and what it was supposed to illustrate does appear  
curious.

Olli Väisälä
Sibelius Academy
ovaisala at siba.fi