Suspensions occur when a note or notes from one chord are held over (suspended) to the next chord, creating a dischord. This dischord is resolved by the dissonant note falling by step. The suspension should be prepared on a weak beat, suspended the on the stong beat and resolved onto the next weak beat.
Notice that this can also be written :
This shows the close connection between the suspension and the appoggiatura. The 4 - 3 Suspension
a ) The suspension is prepared b ) The suspension c ) The resolution In this example of a 4 - 3 suspension
the dissonant fourth, falls by one step in the following chord to the
third, thus making a concord. The 6 -5 Suspension
In this example of a 6 - 5 suspension this dissonant 6 falls to the 5th of the tonic chord. The 9 - 8 Suspension
If the suspension is a 9 - 8, this colours a triad in root position. In this example the dissonant ninth above the bass note resolves to the octave of the following chord. Double and Triple Suspensions In keyboard and orchestral harmony of the classical period use is made of double and sometimes triple suspensions. This is an example of a double suspension.
This is an example of a triple suspension.
Notice in the above example the b rises to the tonic c. This is strictly known as a Retardation. The usual example of a single retardation occurs in the minor key where the retarded leadning note forms an augmented triad with the tonic chord and resolves upwards as shown.
a ) Note of preparation b ) Retardation c ) Resolution (Upwards) |
