More about Suspensions

Question 1

three part process

Answer 1

• preparation must be a consonant pitch
• retain the pitch as a dissonance in the new chord
• resolve the pitch down by step to a consonant pitch in the new chord

Question 2

how it is used

Answer 2

• can be a tied suspension
• included in a longer note value with smaller rhythmic valued notes moving
• can be re-articulated suspension

Question 3

suspensions

Answer 3

• names of suspension imply their placement in the chord and the chord’s inversion
• 7-6 requires the new chords to be in first inversion
• • resolves to a first-inversion triad
• 4-3 and 9-8 resolve into a root position chord
• • 4-3 often occurs at the V-I AC
• most suspensions occur in the upper three voices
• it is possible for the bass to be involved in a 2-3 suspension
• • going to move into a first inversion chord or a root position chord
• • suspensions in bass voice is harder to identify in analysis
• the main change in suspension in 4-part writing is the opportunity for combined suspension to take place. “double suspension” involves tow suspensions simultaneously
• “retardation” follows the same rules as a suspension, but it resolves upward
• • uses leading tone to resolve to tonic as an example, 7-8 suspension
• • they are the mirror image of suspensions
• • often used simultaneously with suspensions for greater effect
• chains of suspensions are still commonly used
• • since we have four parts, we can overlap chains in two parts
• suspensions can be embellished by adding more notes prior to the resolutions
• the resolved pitch can also be further embellished before completely coming to rest
• • lower neighbor commonly used

Question 4

the three steps a suspensions must follow, in which order

Answer 4

• preparation, retention, release

Question 5

like other embellishing tones, the purpose of suspensions is to create interest through dissonance

Answer 5

• true

Question 6

7-6 suspensions resolve into inversion chords, whereas 9-8 and 4-3 suspensions resolve into ________ chords

Answer 6

• root position

Question 7

a suspensions that resolves upward is called a ______

Answer 7

• retardation