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In music, an augmented triad is a triad
Triad (music)

In music and music theory, a triad is a three-note chord that can be stacked in thirds. Its members, when actually stacked in thirds, from lowest pitched tone to highest, are called:...
 consisting of two major third
Major third

A major third is one of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span three diatonic scale degrees, the other being the minor third. It is denoted 'major' because it is the larger of the two: the major third is a leap of four semitones, the minor third three....
s.

eas a major triad
Major chord

In music theory, a major chord is a chord having a Root , a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a major Triad ....
, such as C-E-G, contains a major third
Major third

A major third is one of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span three diatonic scale degrees, the other being the minor third. It is denoted 'major' because it is the larger of the two: the major third is a leap of four semitones, the minor third three....
 (C-E) then a minor third (E-G), with the interval of the fifth (C-G) being "perfect", the augmented triad sharpens that fifth (to an augmented fifth
Augmented fifth

An augmented fifth is a musical interval that spans five Musical scale degrees and consists of eight semitones. The prefix "augmented" identifies it as being one semitone larger than the perfect fifth....
), becoming C-E-G.

If an octave from the root is added, the resulting chord (C-E-G-C) contains also a diminished fourth (G-C); this is the 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....
 equivalent of a major third, so the full-octave chord is, in effect, three major thirds.

In just intonation
Just intonation

In music, just intonation is any musical tuning in which the frequency of notes are related by ratios of whole numbers. Any interval tuned in this way is called a just interval; in other words, the two notes are members of the same harmonic series ....
, the interval between two major thirds and an octave, 2/(5/4)2, is 32/25, which is flatter by a septimal kleisma
Septimal kleisma

In music, the ratio 225/224 is called the septimal kleisma .Another name for it is the marvel comma, since the temperament tempering it out is sometimes called the marvel temperament, ....
 of size 225/224 than the septimal major third
Septimal major third

In music, the septimal major third , also called the supermajor third and sometimes Bohlen-Pierce third is the musical interval exactly or approximately equal to a 9:7 ratio of frequencies....
 with ratio 9/7.






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Encyclopedia


In music, an augmented triad is a triad
Triad (music)

In music and music theory, a triad is a three-note chord that can be stacked in thirds. Its members, when actually stacked in thirds, from lowest pitched tone to highest, are called:...
 consisting of two major third
Major third

A major third is one of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span three diatonic scale degrees, the other being the minor third. It is denoted 'major' because it is the larger of the two: the major third is a leap of four semitones, the minor third three....
s.

Harmonic considerations

Whereas a major triad
Major chord

In music theory, a major chord is a chord having a Root , a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a major Triad ....
, such as C-E-G, contains a major third
Major third

A major third is one of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span three diatonic scale degrees, the other being the minor third. It is denoted 'major' because it is the larger of the two: the major third is a leap of four semitones, the minor third three....
 (C-E) then a minor third (E-G), with the interval of the fifth (C-G) being "perfect", the augmented triad sharpens that fifth (to an augmented fifth
Augmented fifth

An augmented fifth is a musical interval that spans five Musical scale degrees and consists of eight semitones. The prefix "augmented" identifies it as being one semitone larger than the perfect fifth....
), becoming C-E-G.

If an octave from the root is added, the resulting chord (C-E-G-C) contains also a diminished fourth (G-C); this is the 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....
 equivalent of a major third, so the full-octave chord is, in effect, three major thirds.

In just intonation
Just intonation

In music, just intonation is any musical tuning in which the frequency of notes are related by ratios of whole numbers. Any interval tuned in this way is called a just interval; in other words, the two notes are members of the same harmonic series ....
, the interval between two major thirds and an octave, 2/(5/4)2, is 32/25, which is flatter by a septimal kleisma
Septimal kleisma

In music, the ratio 225/224 is called the septimal kleisma .Another name for it is the marvel comma, since the temperament tempering it out is sometimes called the marvel temperament, ....
 of size 225/224 than the septimal major third
Septimal major third

In music, the septimal major third , also called the supermajor third and sometimes Bohlen-Pierce third is the musical interval exactly or approximately equal to a 9:7 ratio of frequencies....
 with ratio 9/7. While septimal meantone temperament
Septimal meantone temperament

In music, septimal meantone temperament, also called standard septimal meantone or simply septimal meantone, refers to the Temperament of limit musical intervals by a meantone temperament tuning in the range from fifths flattened by the amount of fifths for 12 equal temperament to those as flat as 19 equal temperament, with 31 equal...
 tempers out the septimal kleisma, some other temperaments, for example miracle temperament
Miracle temperament

In music, miracle temperament is a regular temperament Temperament invented by George Secor which has as a generator an interval, called the secor, that serves as both the 15:14 and 16:15 semitones....
, do so also, and in all of these temperaments the augmented triad may be identified with a circle of two major and one septimal major thirds, making up an octave.

In tonal music


The augmented triad differs from the other kinds of triad (the major triad
Major chord

In music theory, a major chord is a chord having a Root , a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a major Triad ....
, the minor triad
Minor chord

In music theory, a minor chord is a chord having a Root , a minor third, and a perfect fifth.When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a minor Triad ....
, and the diminished triad
Diminished chord

A diminished triad chord is a Triad consisting of a minor third and a diminished fifth above the Root ? if built on C, a diminished chord would have a C, an E and a G....
) in that it does not naturally arise in a diatonic scale
Diatonic scale

In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps, in which the half steps are maximally separated....
. Although it could be conceptualized as a triad built on the third degree of a harmonic minor scale or melodic minor scale, it virtually never occurs in this way (since any chord on the third degree is itself rare, usually being a new tonic).

This makes the augmented triad a special chord that touches on the atonal
Atonal

Atonal may refer to:*AtonalityAtonal or Atonaltzin may refer to:*Atonal I*Atonal II...
. Its uses to 'suspend' tonality are famous; for example, in Liszt
Liszt

Liszt may refer to:*Franz Liszt, Hungarian composer and pianist*Anna Liszt, mother of composer Franz Liszt*Adam Liszt, father of composer Franz Liszt...
's Faust Symphony
Faust Symphony

A Faust Symphony in three character pictures , List of compositions by Franz Liszt , or simply the "Faust Symphony", was written by Hungary composer Franz Liszt and was inspired by Johann von Goethe's drama, Goethe's Faust....
 and in Wagner's Siegfried Idyll
Siegfried Idyll

The Siegfried Idyll, one of Richard Wagner's few non-operatic works, is a symphonic poem lasting approximately twenty minutes for chamber orchestra....
. However, the augmented triad occurs in tonal music, with a perfectly tonal meaning, since at least Beethoven. It results diatonically in minor mode from a dominant chord where the fifth (the second degree) is replaced by the third degree, as an anticipation of the resolution chord. Beethoven's 9th symphony features such a chord at key moments in the slow movement. Brahms's Tragic Overture
Tragic Overture

The Tragic Overture , opus number 81, is a concert overture for orchestra written by Johannes Brahms during the summer of 1880. Brahms chose the title "tragedy" to emphasize the turbulent, tormented character of the piece, in essence a free-standing symphonic movement, in contrast to the mirthful ebullience of a companion piece he wrote...
 also features the chord prominently (A-C-F), in alternation with the regular dominant (A-C-E). In this example one can also see other aspect of the appeal of the chord to composers: it is a 'conflation' of the fifth degree and the third degree, the usual contrasting keys of a piece in the minor mode.

With the lead of Schubert (in his Wanderer Fantasy
Wanderer Fantasy

The Fantasie in C major, Op. 15 , popularly known as the Wanderer Fantasy, is a four-movement fantasy for solo piano composed by Franz Schubert in November 1822....
), Romantic composers started organizing many pieces by descending major thirds, which can be seen as a large-scale application of the augmented triad (although it probably arose from other lines of development not necessarily connected to the augmented triad). This kind of organization is common; in addition to Schubert, it is found in music of Liszt, Rimsky-Korsakov, Louis Vierne
Louis Vierne

Louis Victor Jules Vierne was a renowned French organ ist and composer. He was born October 8, 1870 in Poitiers and died June 2, 1937 in Paris....
 and Wagner, among others.

See also


  • Augmented chord
    Augmented chord

    In general, an augmented chord is any chord which contains an augmentation interval . An augmented sixth chord, for instance, has an augmented sixth between the highest and lowest notes....
  • Diminished chord
    Diminished chord

    A diminished triad chord is a Triad consisting of a minor third and a diminished fifth above the Root ? if built on C, a diminished chord would have a C, an E and a G....