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Hayes Music

Bach chorales, lesson 7 of 8

Passing notes and suspensions

Bach's inner parts and bass are full of quaver movement. Add it last, once the harmony is secure, and check it again afterwards.

Non-chord notes

Passing notes fill in a 3rd by step, usually on a weak half of the beat.

CorrectPassing note: C-D(B) fills the 3rd between C and E as the harmony moves from I to Ib

Auxiliary notes step away from a chord note and straight back.

CorrectAuxiliary note: G-A(A) steps up from G and straight back

Anticipations sound a note of the next chord early, usually at a cadence.

CorrectAnticipation: D-C(S) sounds the C of chord I early, over V

Suspensions

A suspension has three stages:

  1. Preparation: the note sounds as a consonance in the chord before, in the same part.
  2. Suspension: the note is held (or repeated) on the strong beat, where it is now a dissonance.
  3. Resolution: the note falls by step.

The 4-3 over V at a cadence is the most common.

Correct4-3 suspension: C(T) is prepared in IV, held over V as a dissonant 4th, then falls to B

An unprepared "suspension" is an appoggiatura. In chorale style, flag it.

The note of resolution should not sound in another part at the same time (the only exception is the bass in a 9-8). In the example above, B is not in any other part while C(T) is suspended.

Recheck the decoration

A passing note can hide consecutives. If the notes either side of a passing note make 5ths or octaves with another part, most examiners still count them. The Chorale Checker tests across every passing note you mark.

Mistake5ths across a passing note: G(T) over C(B) moves to E(T) over A(B), with B(B) in between