Jamin Hoffman writes: >Dear all - > >Pardon me for asking what should be a simple question - BUT: > >One of my theory teachers once told me the three most common intervals of >root movement in chord progressions. I know I ought to be able to figure >this out through reasoning and other thought processes, but I think it's one >of those things I have thought about so much that I have confused myself. > >Are they: > >1. Down by fifths, >2. Up by seconds, and >3. Down by thirds (in that order)? > >What confuses me is the Pachelbel Canon, which he used as an example, but it >goes down by fourths, not fifths - but the dominant/tonic (down by fifths) >is generally recognized as the strongest root movement, right? [You can see >how I have talked myself out of what should be a simple line of reasoning.] > >BTW - The reason I started thinking about this again (recently) is a recent >story on NPR about a woman who wrote a song that has become embedded in the >folk song culture - and one of the reasons they gave for its success was its >root movement, which parallels the Pachelbel Canon. > >Thanks - > >Jamin Hoffman >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Jamin, Schenker holds that the only really strong root movement is by falling fifth (or rising fourth). The Plagal Cadence, however, in my ear is also very strong. Much of Renaissance music treats the falling fourth (or rising fifth) as if it is just as strong as the authentic root movement. Pachelbel's Canon has falling 4ths until the final cadence, a half cadence. The only authentic cadence comes at the very end of the piece. I - V, vi - iii, IV - I, IV - V :|| The sequences elevate the falling fourth for me. My two cents, of course. Hal -- Harold Owen 2830 Emerald St., Eugene, OR 97403 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit my web site at: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~hjowen FAX: (509) 461-3608 _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
