Chorale Style: Soprano and Bass Lines

 

Lesson 15

March 9th, 2021

Lesson 15

Lecture notes:
  • The soprano voice functions as the traditional melody in a tonal counterpoint, while the bass provides a tonal function.
  • The principles of strict counterpoint are still recognized after the eighteenth century. 
  • A combination of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements that create a sense of closure is called a cadence.
  • A cadence is a progression of two chords that ends a phrase, section, or piece of music.
  • Chordal dissonance refers to dissonant intervals found in the dominant seventh chord.
  • Melodic embellishments include passing tones, neighbor notes, and a consonant or chordal skips.


The above image shows a two-part chorale harmony in the key of G minor.


The above image shows two different types of cadences. The first one resolves down from the supertonic to the tonic in the soprano line and resolves up from the seventh (leading tone) to the tonic in the soprano line.

The above video explains the difference between species counterpoint and the 18th-century chorale style.


The video above explains how to create a soprano/bass chorale and how to embellish either line.


The above photo is the intro to Brown Skin Girl by Beyonce. The top line is a harmony I wrote over the original music, which is the bottom line.


This is me playing the top line of the photo above from Brown Skin Girl.

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