In music theory, a predominant chord (also pre-dominant) is any chord with predominant (subdominant) function, normally resolving to a dominant chord.Benward & Saker (2009). Music in Theory and Practice: Volume II, Glossary, p.359. Eighth Edition. . "Any chord in functional harmony that normally resolves to the dominant chord." Examples of predominant chords are the subdominant (IV, iv), supertonic (ii, ii°), Neapolitan sixth and German sixth. Other examples are the secondary dominant (V/V) and secondary leading tone chord. Predominant chords may lead to secondary dominants.Benjamin, Thomas; Horvit, Michael; Koozin, Timothy; and Nelson, Robert (2014). Techniques and Materials of Music, p.149, 176. Cengage Learning. . Predominant chords both expand away from the tonic and lead to the dominant, affirming the dominant's pull to the tonic.Cleland, Kent D. and Dobrea-Grindahl, Mary (2013). Developing Musicianship Through Aural Skills: A Holistic Approach to Sight Singing and Ear Training, p.255. Routledge. . Thus they lack the stability of the tonic and the drive towards resolution of the dominant. The predominant harmonic function is part of the fundamental harmonic progression of many classical works.Bartlette, Christopher, and Steven G. Laitz (2010). Graduate Review of Tonal Theory, pp.73–6. New York: Oxford University Press. The submediant (vi) may be considered a predominant chord or a tonic substitute.Caplin, William E. (2013). Analyzing Classical Form: An Approach for the Classroom, p.10. Oxford. .
The dominant preparation is a chord or series of chords that precedes the dominant chord in a musical composition. Usually, the dominant preparation is derived from a circle of fifths progression. The most common dominant preparation chords are the supertonic, the subdominant, the V7/V, the Neapolitan chord (N6 or II6), and the augmented sixth chords (e.g., Fr+6).
In sonata form, the dominant preparation is in the development, immediately preceding the recapitulation. Ludwig van Beethoven's sonata-form works generally have extensive dominant preparation — for example, in the first movement of the Sonata Pathétique, the dominant preparation lasts for 29 measures (mm. 169–197).
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First inversion augmented mediant III+ Augmented dominant V+ Augmented sixths Fr Ger Second inversion tonic I i
Subdominant IV iv Submediant vi,Benjamin, Horvit, Koozin, and Nelson (2014), p.253. stepwise to dominantForte, Allen (1979). Tonal Harmony in Concept and Practice, p.95. 3rd edition. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. . "Similarly, VI often serves as a stepwise dominant preparation." Supertonic and secondary dominant iiBenjamin, Horvit, and Nelson (2007), p.239. "A progression analogous to IV-V." II (V/V)Caplin, William E. (1998). Classical Form: A Theory of Formal Functions for the Instrumental Music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, p.23. Oxford. . ii vii7/V II
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See also Approach chord Harmonic rhythm Passing chord
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