Before We Begin...Any questions on the homework?

Parallel MotionIntroduction

Parallel Motion

▪ In tonal music, it is important to consider the relationships between any voice in the texture with every other voice

▪ The relationships we are looking at have to do with how each pair of voices moves from chord to chord.

▪ There are 5 possibilities – static, oblique, similar, contrary, and parallel

Parallel Motion

▪ There are 5 possibilities – static, oblique, similar, contrary, and parallel

Static Oblique Similar Contrary Parallel

Parallel Motion

▪ One of the basic goals of voice leading in tonal music is to maintain INDEPENDENCE of the individual parts

▪ Because of this, voices moving in parallel motion must be given special attention

▪ Parallel 5th and Parallel 8ves are UNACCEPTABLE – (no 12ths or unisons either... they’re just 5ths and 8ves give or take an

octave.)

Parallel Motion

▪ Parallel 5th and Parallel 8ves are UNACCEPTABLE

▪ This does NOT rule out the complete DUPLICATION of a line at the octave– Common in orchestral writing

– You can double parts completely (but we won’t get to this until MUCH later once we started talking about instruments)

Parallel Motion

▪ Parallel 5th and Parallel 8ves are UNACCEPTABLE

▪ The P8 and the P5 are the most stable of intervals

▪ Linking two voices together through parallel motion at these intervals interferes with their independence

Parallel Motion

▪ Listen to these 3 examples. The THIRD does NOT include any parallel 5ths of 8ves and each voice is able to be heard.

▪ 1. 2. 3.

Parallel 5ths between Parallel 8ves between

Bass and tenor soprano and bass

Parallel Motion

▪ Objectionable Parallels: result when two parts are separated by a P5 or P8, or by their octave equivalents, move to new pitch classes that are separated by the same interval– THE SAME PARTS start and move to P5s or P8s

Parallel Motion

▪ The following examples are OK and do NOT have parallel 8ves or 5ths

1. 2. 3.

Octaves “hold” There are parallel

4ths – those are ok

5th between C (bass) and G (soprano), and between G (bass) and D (alto) in second chord. Since the 5th switched from the soprano to the alto, this is NOT parallel motion.

Parallel Motion

▪ Consecutive perfect 5ths and 8ves by contrary motion are also generally avoided. This means that a composer CANNOT “correct” parallels by moving one part up or down an octave...

Both of these are BAD!!!

Parallel Motion

▪ Unequal 5ths: result when a P5 is followed by a diminished 5th, or the reverse, in the same two voices

▪ Unequal 5ths ARE ACCEPTABLE unless they involve a diminished 5th followed by a P5 between the bass and another voice

Parallel Motion

▪ Unequal 5ths ARE ACCEPTABLE unless they involve a diminished 5th followed by a P5 between the bass and another voice

P5 – d5 – P5 P5 - d5 d5 – P5Good Good BAD!

Parallel Motion

▪ Direct (or hidden) 5th or 8ve: results when the outer parts move in the same direction in a P5 or P8, with a leap in the soprano part

▪ The aural result is similar to parallel 5ths and 8ves – you lose one of the part’s independence

Parallel Motion

▪ Direct (or hidden) 5th or 8ve: results when the outer parts move in the same direction in a P5 or P8, with a leap in the soprano part

Direct 5th Direct 8ve GOOD GOOD

Parallel Motion

▪When you compose music in the tonal style, you should avoid parallel 5ths and 8ves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Parallel Motion - Practice

▪ As a class, we will do Self Test 5-3 (document camera)

Assignment – Exercise 5-3

▪ DUE TOMORROW

▪ Tomorrow we’ll do some more dictation and review some sight-singing

▪ QUIZ ON WEDNESDAY!!!!– Principles of Voice Leading, Melodic Lines, Notating Chords, Parallel

Motion