Augmented sixth chord

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Augmented sixth chord

An augmented sixth chord contains the interval

Interval (music)

In music theory, the term interval describes the relationship between the pitch of two notes.Intervals may be described as:*vertical if the two notes sound simultaneously...
of an augmented sixth

Augmented sixth

An augmented sixth is one of three musical intervals that span six diatonic scale degrees. The prefix 'augmented' identifies it as being the largest of the three intervals; the others being the major sixth and minor sixth, which are one and two semitones smaller, respectively....
above its "root." This chord

Chord (music)

In music and music theory a chord is a set of two or more different note that sound simultaneously. Most often, in European-influenced music, chords are tertian Sonority that can be constructed as stacks of thirds relative to some underlying musical scale....
has its origins in the Renaissance

Renaissance

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe....
, further developed in the Baroque

Baroque music

Baroque music describes a period or style of European classical music approximately extending from Dates of classical music eras. This era is said to begin in music after the Renaissance music and was followed by the Classical music era....
, and became a distinctive part of the musical style of the Classical

Classical period (music)

The dates of the Classical period in Western music are generally accepted as 1750 to 1825. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the 9th century to the present....
and Romantic periods.

Chord construction
The augmented sixth interval is typically between the sixth degree of the minor scale (henceforth 6) and the raised fourth degree (henceforth 4).

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Encyclopedia

An augmented sixth chord contains the interval

Interval (music)

In music theory, the term interval describes the relationship between the pitch of two notes.Intervals may be described as:*vertical if the two notes sound simultaneously...
of an augmented sixth

Augmented sixth

Chord (music)

Renaissance

Baroque music

Classical period (music)

Chord construction

The augmented sixth interval is typically between the sixth degree of the minor scale (henceforth 6) and the raised fourth degree (henceforth 4). With standard voice leading

Voice leading

In musical composition, voice leading is the term used to refer to a decision-making consideration when arranging voices , namely, how each voice should move in advancing from each chord to the next....
, the chord is followed directly or indirectly by some form of the dominant

Dominant (music)

In music, the dominant is the fifth degree of the Scale . For example, in the C major scale , the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord uses the notes G, B, and D....
chord, in which both 6 and 4 have resolved

Resolution (music)

Resolution in western tonal music theory is the "need" for a sounded note and/or chord to move from a Consonance and dissonance to a Consonance and dissonance ....
to the fifth scale degree (henceforth 5). This tendency to resolve outwards to 5 is why the interval is spelled as an augmented sixth, rather than enharmonic

Enharmonic

In modern music and musical notation, an enharmonic equivalent is a note , interval , or key signature which is equivalence to some other note, interval, or key signature, but "spelled", or named, differently....
ally as a minor seventh

Minor seventh

A minor seventh is the smaller of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span seven diatonic scale degrees. The prefix 'minor' identifies it as being the smaller of the two , its larger counterpart being a major seventh....
(6 and 5). Although augmented sixth chords are more common in the minor mode

Major and minor

In music, the adjectives major and minor can describe a scale , key , chord , or interval . For intervals, the terms refer to a difference in their relative width, major referring to notes somewhat further apart; the other terms are classifications based on the use of certain intervals, especially the major or minor third....
, they are also used in the major mode by borrowing

Borrowed chord

A borrowed chord is a chord borrowed from the parallel key. If the root of the borrowed chord is not in the original key, then they are named by the Accidental ....
6 of the parallel minor scale.

Standard harmonic function

From the Baroque to the Romantic period, augmented sixth chords have had the same harmonic function

Diatonic function

A diatonic function, in tonality music theory, is the specific, recognized role of each note and chord in relation to the key .Three general and inseparable essential features of harmonic function in tonal music are:...
: as a chromatically altered predominant
Predominant

A predominant chord in musical theory is any chord which leads naturally to a dominant chord. Common predominant chords are supertonic, subdominant, vi, and secondary dominant....
chord (typically, an alteration of ii
Supertonic

In music or music theory, the supertonic is the second degree or note of a diatonic scale . For example, in the C major scale , the supertonic is the note D; and the supertonic chord uses the notes D, F, and A....
, IV
Subdominant

In music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance "below" the Tonic as the dominant is above the tonic - in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant....
, vi⁷
Submediant

In music, the submediant is the sixth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is a third below the Tonic , in contrast to the mediant being a third above the tonic....
or their parallel

Parallel key

In music, the parallel minor or tonic minor of a particular major key is the minor key with the same Tonic ; similarly the parallel major has the same tonic as the minor key....
equivalents in the minor mode) leading to a dominant

Dominant (music)

In music, the dominant is the fifth degree of the Scale . For example, in the C major scale , the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord uses the notes G, B, and D....
chord. This movement to the dominant is heightened by the semitonal

Semitone

A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone,Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and others use "half tone".One source says that step is "chiefly US", and that half-tone is "chiefly N....
resolution of both 6 to 5 and 4 to 5; essentially, these two notes act as leading-tone

Leading-tone

In music theory, a leading-note is a note or pitch which resolution or "leads" to a note one semitone higher or lower, being a lower and upper leading-tone, respectively....
s. This characteristic has led many analysts to compare the voice leading of augmented sixth chords to the secondary dominant

Secondary dominant

Secondary dominant is a type of chord used in musical harmony. It refers to a Dominant of a degree other than the Tonic , with V7/V, the dominant of the dominant, "being the most frequently encountered"....
V of V because of the presence of 4, the leading-tone of V, in both chords. In the major mode, the chromatic voice leading is more pronounced because of the presence of two chromatically altered notes, 6, as well as 4, rather than just 4 in the minor mode.

During the Romantic period

Romantic music

In music, romanticism is a term, often considered misleading, and concept derived from literature traditionally defined by attributes including, "interest in nature, medieval chivalry, mysticism, [and] remoteness [ Social alienation and Solitude]"....
, the augmented sixth harmony increased in ambiguity as composers explored other functional possibilities outside of its role as a predominant. See #Extended functions.

Variants

There are several variants of the augmented sixth chord. Though each is named after a European nationality, theorists disagree on their precise origins and have struggled for centuries to define their roots, and fit them into conventional harmonic theory.

Italian sixth

The Italian sixth (It or It) is derived from iv with an altered fourth scale degree, 4: 6, 1 and #4; A–C–F in C major. This is the only augmented sixth chord comprising just three distinct notes; in four-part writing, 1 is usually doubled, because it is the only stable member of the chord.

Examples

The second movement of Beethoven's piano sonata in F-sharp major
Piano Sonata No. 24 (Beethoven)

The Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp major, Opus 78, nicknamed "? Th?r?se" was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1809. It consists of two movements:...
, op. 78, begins with an Italian sixth chord:

French sixth

The French sixth (Fr or Fr) is similar to the Italian, but with an additional tone, 2: 6, 1, 2, 4; A–C-D–F in C major. This chord is called "French" because its notes are all contained within the same whole tone scale

Whole tone scale

In music, a whole tone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from its neighbours by the interval of a whole step. There are only two whole tone scales, both six-note or Hexatonic scale scales:...
, lending a sonority common to French music in the 19th century.

Examples

Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, Conducting, theatre director and essayist, primarily known for his operas . Unlike most other great opera composers, Wagner wrote both the scenario and libretto for his works....
's famous Tristan chord
Tristan chord

The Tristan chord is a chord made up of the notes F, B, D and G. More generally, it can be any chord that consists of these same Interval s: augmented fourth, augmented sixth, and augmented second above a root ....
(indicated below with Tr) from the opening of his opera, Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde

Tristan und Isolde is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German language libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Stra?burg....
, can be interpreted as a French sixth in the key of A minor (F-A-B-D) an upwardly resolving appoggiatura in the upper voice. Note that the D resolves downwards to D instead of E:

German sixth

The German sixth (Gr or Ger) is also like the Italian, but with an added tone 3: 6, 1, 3, 4; A–C-E–F in C major. In Classical music, however, it appears in much the same places as the other variants, though perhaps less used because of the contrapuntal difficulties outlined below. It appears frequently in the works of Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical music era and Romantic music eras in classical music, and remains one of the most acclaimed and influential composers of all time....
.

It is more difficult to avoid parallel fifths when resolving a German sixth chord to the dominant, V. These parallel fifths, referred to as Mozart fifths
Consecutive fifths

In music, consecutive fifths are progressions in which a perfect fifth is followed by a different perfect fifth between the same two musical parts : for example, from C to D in one part along with G to A in a higher part....
, were occasionally accepted by common practice

Common practice period

The common practice period, in the history of European art music , spanning the Baroque Music, Classical music era, and Romantic Music periods, lasted from about 1600 until about 1900....
composers. There are two ways they can be avoided:

The 3 can move to either 1 or 2, thereby generating a Italian or French sixth, respectively, and eliminating the perfect fifth between 6 and 3.
The chord can resolve to a "six-four" chord, functionally either as a cadential six-four
Inversion (music)

In music theory, the word inversion has several meanings. There are inverted chords, inverted melodies, inverted intervals, and inverted voices....
intensification of V, or as the second inversion of I
Inversion (music)

In music theory, the word inversion has several meanings. There are inverted chords, inverted melodies, inverted intervals, and inverted voices....
; the cadential six-four, in turn, resolves to a root-position V. This progression
Chord progression

A chord progression is series of chord s played in order. Chord progressions are central to most modern music and the principal study of harmony....
ensures that, in its voice leading, each pair of voices moves either by oblique motion or contrary motion
Contrary motion

In music theory, contrary motion is the general movement of two melody in opposite directions. That is, when one of the lines moves up, the other line moves down....
and avoids parallel motion
Parallel motion

This article concerns parallel motion in mechanics. For parallel motion in music, see the article Contrary motion.The parallel motion is a linkage invented by the Scotland engineering James Watt in 1784 for his double-acting steam engine....
altogether. In minor modes, both 1 and 3 do not move during the resolution of the German sixth to the cadential six-four. In major modes, 3 can be enharmonic
Enharmonic

In modern music and musical notation, an enharmonic equivalent is a note , interval , or key signature which is equivalence to some other note, interval, or key signature, but "spelled", or named, differently....
ally respelled as 2 if it resolves upwards to 3, similar in voice leading to the resolution of French sixth to the cadential six-four. This respelled chord is sometimes referred to as the English, Swiss or Alsatian sixth chord.

Examples

A German sixth can be found in the high passage heard twice in the "Passepied" from Debussy's Suite Bergamasque.
A German sixth chord from Michael Haydn
Michael Haydn

Johann Michael Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Classical music era, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn....
's Requiem in C minor, first movement:

Other variants

Other variants of augmented sixth chords are sometimes found in the repertoire, and are sometimes given whimsical geographical names. For example, a chord comprising 4, 6, 7, and 2 is called by one source an Australian sixth. Such anomalies usually have alternative interpretations.

"Inverted" augmented sixth chords

Augmented sixth chords are occasionally used with a different chord member in the bass. Since there is no consensus among theorists that they are in root position in their normal form, the word "inversion" isn't necessarily accurate, but is found in some textbooks, nonetheless. Sometimes, "inverted" augmented sixth chords occur as a product of voice leading.

Examples

Tchaikovsky's, Symphony no. 5 (op. 64, I), Allegro con anima (bars 3–4).
The following excerpt shows an augmented sixth chord in inversion used by Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and organ whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque music period and brought it to its ultimate maturity....
. At the end of the second measure, the augmented sixth is inverted to create a diminished third
Diminished third

In music, a diminished third is the interval produced by flattening a minor third by a chromatic semitone. In equal temperament it is enharmonic with the major second, both having a value of 200 cent s....
or tenth between the bass and the soprano (C-E); these two voices resolve inward to an octave:

"Roots" of augmented sixth chords

Theorists vary in their treatment of the roots of augmented sixth chords.

Extended functions

In the late Romantic period and other musical genres, especially jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a primarily American musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
, other harmonic possibilities of augmented sixth variants and sonorities outside its function as a predominant

Predominant

A predominant chord in musical theory is any chord which leads naturally to a dominant chord. Common predominant chords are supertonic, subdominant, vi, and secondary dominant....
were explored, exploiting their particular properties. An example of this is through the "reinterpretation" of the harmonic function of a chord: Since a chord could simultaneously have more than one enharmonic spelling with different functions (i.e., both predominant as a German sixth and dominant as a dominant seventh), its function could be reinterpreted mid-phrase. This heightens both chromaticism

Chromaticism

In music, chromaticism is a compositional technique interspersing the primary diatonic pitches and chords with other pitches of the chromatic scale....
by making possible the tonicization

Tonicization

Enharmonic equivalency of the French sixth

The French sixth has two characteristics in common with the diminished seventh chord

Diminished seventh chord

A diminished seventh chord is a four note chord comprising a diminished chord plus the interval of a diminished seventh above the root . Thus it is , or enharmonically , of any major scale; for example, C diminished-seventh would be , or enharmonically ....
:

Both chords are constructed of two superimposed tritones; in the French sixth, between 6-2 and 1-4. Thus, both have inversional symmetry
Inversion (music)

In music theory, the word inversion has several meanings. There are inverted chords, inverted melodies, inverted intervals, and inverted voices....
;
Both are enharmonic
Enharmonic

In modern music and musical notation, an enharmonic equivalent is a note , interval , or key signature which is equivalence to some other note, interval, or key signature, but "spelled", or named, differently....
ally equivalent at the tritone
Tritone

The tritone is a musical interval that spans three major second. The tritone is the same as an augmented fourth, which in equal temperament is enharmonic to a diminished fifth....
; i.e., both chords transposed up or down a tritone will result in the same pitches as the original.

As with the diminished seventh chord, the latter property allows the chord to be used in modulating to very remote keys. For instance, 6, 1, 2, 4 could be reinterpreted as 2, 4, 5, 7, i.e., the French sixth of the IV key area, displaced an interval of a tritone relative to the tonic key, I.

Dominant functions

All variants of augmented sixth chords are closely related to the applied dominant V⁷ of II; both Italian and German variants are enharmonically identical. For example, in the key of C, the German sixth chord, A–C-E-F, could be reinterpreted as A-C-E–G, the applied dominant of D.

French sixth sonority as dominant

In jazz, the French sixth sonority functions as a dominant

Dominant (music)

In music, the dominant is the fifth degree of the Scale . For example, in the C major scale , the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord uses the notes G, B, and D....
instead of a predominant chord; exploiting the enharmonically equivalent property of the French sixth is a common technique is referred to as tritone substitution

Tritone substitution

In jazz music, a tritone substitution is the use in a chord progression of a Seventh chord#The dominant seventh that is three whole step away from the original dominant seventh chord....
.

The French sixth sonority, for example A, C, D, F in the key of C, is interpreted as a specific variation of a dominant seventh chord in the following keys:

V⁷ of D with 4; A as the root: A, C, D, G; or
V⁷ of G with 4; D as the root: D, F, G, C.

This chord is called the Lydian dominant (A⁷¹¹, D⁷¹¹).

Augmented sixths built on scale degrees other than 6

The augmented sixth chord may be built on notes other than 6. Often, this is the result of a temporary tonicization

Tonicization

In music, tonicization is the treatment of a pitch other than the overall Tonic as a temporary tonic in a musical composition. Tonicization is achieved through the use of the scale and harmonies of the tonicized key....
, and the resulting augmented sixth chord is borrowed from the key of the secondary dominant which follows it. However, there are examples in the literature of these chords appearing without such a context. Schubert used it in some of his last compositions in dramatic final cadences

Cadence (music)

In Classical music musical theory, a harmonic cadence is a chord progression of two chord s that Conclusion a phrase , section , or composition of music....
.

Examples

An Italian sixth chord built on scale degree 2 in Schubert's piano sonata D. 959
Schubert's last sonatas

The three piano sonatas numbered 958 through 960 in Otto Erich Deutsch's catalogue of Franz Schubert's complete works are the composer's last major compositions for the piano, often referred to in short simply as Schubert's last sonatas....
, preceded by a II chord in root position (B-D-F). Instead of functioning as a predominant, here, both the II and the Italian sixth chord serve in a sort of "neighbour
Nonchord tone

A nonchord tone, nonharmonic tone, or non-harmony note is a Note in a piece of music which is not a part of the chord that is formed by the other notes sounding at the time....
motion," or "plagal cadence" (usually I-IV-I) in the coda
Coda

Coda can denote any concluding event, summation, or section. It may also refer to:Music*Coda, a passage which brings a movement or piece to a conclusion through prolongation...
. I-II-(It⁺⁶)-I:

Augmented sixth chord

Chord construction

Standard harmonic function

Variants

Italian sixth

Examples

French sixth

Examples

German sixth

Examples

Other variants

"Inverted" augmented sixth chords

Examples

"Roots" of augmented sixth chords

Extended functions

Enharmonic equivalency of the French sixth

Dominant functions

French sixth sonority as dominant

Augmented sixths built on scale degrees other than 6

Examples

See also