Extended harmonies

Definition

Extended harmonies refer to chords that go beyond the traditional triads, incorporating additional notes such as the seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth. These harmonies create richer textures and more complex emotional expressions in music, allowing composers to convey nuanced moods and atmospheres. In modern music, especially within the context of Impressionism, extended harmonies serve as a tool for creating ambiguity and fluidity, contributing to the genre's characteristic soundscape.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Extended harmonies became particularly prominent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as composers sought to move away from conventional tonality.
2. In Impressionism, composers like Debussy and Ravel frequently used extended harmonies to evoke specific images or sensations, contributing to the genre's dreamlike quality.
3. These harmonies often blur the boundaries between major and minor tonalities, enhancing the ambiguity that is a hallmark of Impressionist music.
4. Extended harmonies can be achieved by adding notes to basic triads or through complex voice leading techniques that create tension and resolution.
5. The use of extended harmonies in Impressionism reflects a departure from strict harmonic progression, allowing for more fluid and open-ended musical forms.

Review Questions

• How do extended harmonies enhance the emotional expression in Impressionist music?
  • Extended harmonies enhance emotional expression in Impressionist music by introducing complexity and ambiguity. By using chords with added tones like sevenths and ninths, composers can create rich textures that evoke a wide range of feelings. This complexity allows for more subtle shifts in mood and color, making the music feel more fluid and evocative, which is essential to capturing the essence of Impressionism.
• In what ways do composers like Debussy use extended harmonies to support their musical ideas?
  • Composers like Debussy employ extended harmonies to create atmospheric soundscapes that reflect their artistic intentions. By incorporating chords with added extensions, Debussy constructs a sense of fluidity and movement in his music, which aligns with the Impressionist goal of depicting fleeting moments or sensations. This approach allows him to break away from traditional harmonic constraints, enabling greater freedom in musical expression.
• Evaluate the impact of extended harmonies on the development of modern music genres following Impressionism.
  • The impact of extended harmonies on modern music genres has been profound and far-reaching. Following Impressionism, many composers began to explore these harmonies in jazz, pop, and contemporary classical music, leading to innovative chord progressions and improvisational techniques. This exploration has influenced various styles by encouraging a departure from conventional tonality and embracing richer harmonic textures that continue to resonate in today's musical landscape.

Related terms

Tertian Harmony: A system of harmony based on the stacking of thirds to form chords, typically used in traditional Western music.

Polychord: A harmonic structure that combines two or more distinct chords played simultaneously, creating a complex and layered sound.

Modal Harmony: A type of harmony derived from modal scales rather than the traditional major and minor scales, offering different tonal possibilities.