Secondary Dominants

   

Lesson 24

October 28th, 2021

Lesson 24

Lecture notes:
  • Chords that act as a dominant and resolve to a scale degree other than the tonic are called secondary dominants.
  • Secondary dominants are sometimes called "applied dominants" because they are applied to a chord other than the tonic.
  • Secondary dominants in major keys can be thought of as an altered ii (predominant) chord. You would raise the third by a half step to give the chord a major or dominant function in this particular chord, creating a secondary dominant chord. This chord would ultimately be labeled as V/V or V7/V and not II or II7.
  • Secondary dominant chords temporarily change the key of a piece of music very briefly by creating a temporary tonic chord that was not the original tonic chord of the original key.
  • An example of a V7/V - I chord in the key of F major would be (G, B, D, F / C, E, G, C - F, A, C, F.) The highlighted B in the sequence of letters for the G chord indicates that the B was raised by a half step to make the chord function as a dominant chord. Originally in the key of F major, the B is flattened, but to create the dominant function, the B was raised by a half step.
  • Tonicization is the effect of a secondary dominant resolving to the temporary tonic in a piece of music.
  • Tonicization lasts very briefly in a piece of music and does not completely change the key of a song. After its function or task is completed, the regular role and function of the original key are continued as usual.
  • A modulation has a more significant structural prominence on music than tonicization. This is because modulations permanently change the key of a song for its duration or until another modulation occurs.
  • Secondary dominants not only resolve to the V chord in a diatonic scale but also to qualifying major or minor chords.
  • Tonicization can only occur with major or minor triads in a diatonic scale.
  • Diminished triads can not be tonicized because that chord is unstable and gives a leading or pulling sound that wants to resolve.
  • Chord seven would not be tonicized in a major key because it is a diminished chord in a diatonic major scale.
  • Chords two and seven would not be tonicized in a minor key because they are diminished in a diatonic minor scale. However, the seventh-degree chord can be tonicized by making it a major triad. Moreover, tonicizing the seventh-degree chord is not a common practice.
  • The triads tonicized in a diatonic major key are chords ii, iii, IV, V, and vi.
  • The triads tonicized in a diatonic minor key are chords III, iv or IV, V or v, VI, and VII.

In the photo above, you can see the secondary dominant chords in the key of C major. In the key of C, the G would be the fifth degree of C, and D would be the fifth degree of G. You can also see where the third degree of the D7 chord was raised from F to F# to create the dominant seventh function. (Photo Credit: Willie Myette, https://musictheoryonline.com/secondary-dominant-chords-what-are-they/)


In the photo above, the secondary dominant is vividly explained, and examples are given on how to create them using the key of D major. (Photo Credit: Dan Lijnders, https://www.scribd.com/document/478086450/Secondary-Dominants-Explained)


The video above explains what secondary dominants are, and the presenter uses the key of F major to give examples. The presenter also uses the piano as an audible aid and a sketch of music on the board that he played to teach the function and makeup of secondary dominant chords. (Video Credit: Music Matters, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVQiE441t2M)


The video above explains what a secondary dominant is and how to create them. The presenter also explains tonicization, and he shows how the secondary dominants are formed with a chart using G major as the primary or tonic key. The presentation had a few spurts of audible piano examples, but it mainly had visual aids showing the different aspects of the topic he was teaching about. (Video Credit: Jesse Strickland, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1xEl6uTwqg)


The photo above is a set of secondary dominant chords that I wrote in the keys of C major, E minor, and Bb major.


The video above is me playing the secondary dominant chords from the photo above the video.


The photo above is the music for the song "When I Fall In Love." I've circled the areas where the secondary dominants are.


The video above is me playing the song "When I Fall In Love" from the photo above the video.

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