What are Secondary Dominants? GRADE 7 MUSIC THEORY Dr. Declan Plummer Lesson 4: Secondary Function Chords 1. They are the most common type of altered chord since the chromatic note creates a functional dominant harmony 2. The normal dominant chord (V) acts as the 5th chord of the tonic chord (I). Secondary dominants act as the 5th chord of any other major or minor chord besides the tonic chord: Major Keys Minor Keys V/ii or V 7 /ii V/iv or V 7 /iv V/iii or V 7 /iii V/V or V 7 /V V 7 /IV V 7 /VI V/V or V 7 /V V/VII or V 7 /VII V/vi or V 7 /vi Progression without secondary dominants 7 Progression with V/V and V 7 /IV secondary dominants
3. Secondary dominants often give the effect of a V-I cadence in a key other than the tonic. In other words they act as the dominants of the chords that usually follow them. 4. Secondary dominants are used primarily for colour instead of modulation,so they are followed by chords which continue in the old key, with the foreign note quickly cancelled. 5. Chromatic note in a secondary dominant chord should not be doubled. (V - I) (V - I) Kinderscenen ( Träumerei ) by Schumann 0:16 9 6 F major: I V /V I V ii 6 V/ii ii V I 7 4 Prelude No.7 (Op.28) by Chopin Start A major I V 7 /ii ii 6. Secondary Dominants are usually followed by the chord for which they act as the dominant: so V/ii or V 7 /ii is usually followed by chord ii, V/V or V 7 /V is usually followed by chord V This creates the authentic cadence relationship between both chords, with the second chord acting as a temporary tonic. This is known as tonicization. So in, a V 7 /ii - ii progression is tonicizing chord ii (DFA), by creating an authentic cadence in D minor between both chords. Notice how the chromatic note acts as a leading note moving upwards and the 7th of V 7 /ii acts a normal 7th and falls! (V - I) in D minor 7. Secondary Dominants can also be followed by a seventh chord or another secondary dominant chord that use the same expected root. notice that if a seventh chord follows a secondary dominant the chromatic note no longer rises!
Secondary Dominants in Major Keys 9. There are some chords that don t have secondary dominants, so you can t tonicize them: In major keys you can t tonicize vii o In minor keys you can t tonicize ii o, III + or vii o Therefore the following secondary dominant chords don t exist: V/vii o, V/ii o and V/III + - WHY? Remember that secondary dominants and the chords that usually follow them create the feeling of an authentic cadence in a new key (tonicization), and keys can only be major or minor! 8. V/IV is not a great secondary dominant because it is a normal diatonic chord (the tonic chord). You need a V 7 chord to get the chromatic note (B$) and achieve the proper effect. V 7 /IV is better! For example: V/vii o - vii o in is not possible because vii o is a B diminished chord, and it can t be tonicized because there is no such key as B diminished! vii o is too unstable to be used to create a new tonic. This same logic applies to all vii o, ii o, III + chords. Hark the Herald Angels Sing Secondary Dominants in Minor Keys o o
Identifying Secondary Dominants 1. If you encounter an altered chord in a passage of music, chances are good that it will be a secondary dominant: Is the chord a major triad or major chord with a minor 7th? If not, then it cannot be a secondary dominant. Note that major chords with a minor 7th are almost always dominant seventh chords (V 7 ). Find the note a perfect 5th below the root of the altered chord. Would a major or minor triad built on that note belong in this key? If so, the altered chord is a secondary dominant. 2. Context matters! A secondary dominant will usually resolve to its temporary tonic. This may also help you identify the secondary dominant chord. Secondary dominants can also be inverted! Secondary Leading-Note Chords 1. It is important to remember that V and vii o are closely related. Both can both function as dominants and be used at cadences, but V is more powerful that vii o, as its root is a P5 above tonic. V vii o V I vii o6 I Secondary Leading-Note Chords Secondary Leading-Note Chords Major keys 2. The relationship between V and vii o is even more apparent when we add 7ths to each chord to make V 7 and vii ø7. V 7 vii ø7 3. As a result of the similarity between V (7) and vii o(7) or vii ø(7), any chord that can be tonicized by a secondary dominant can also be tonicized by a secondary leading-note chord as well! half-diminished sevenths only used for major tonicisation
Secondary Leading-Note Chords Minor keys Identifying Secondary Leading-Note Chords 1. If you encounter an altered chord in a passage of music, and it is not a secondary dominant, there is a good chance it will be a secondary learning-note chord. Identical to ii o half-diminished sevenths only used for major tonicisation Identical to ii ø7 Is the chord a diminished triad, or a diminished seventh chord or a half-diminished seventh chord? If not, then it cannot be a secondary leading-note chord. Note that fully diminished chords are almost always leading-note seventh chords (vii o7 ). Find the note a minor 2nd above the root of the altered chord. Would a major or minor triad built on that note belong in this key? If so, the altered chord is a secondary leading-note chord. 2. Context matters! A secondary leading-note chord will usually resolve to its temporary tonic. This may also help you identify the secondary leading-note chord. Mozart s Requiem - Lacrimosa bars 5-8 0:31