Neapolitan harmony

[belvoce]

When a piece is described as having "fleeting Neapolitan harmony," what does Neapolitan refer to?

[benji]

Naples, Italy.
That or the juxtaposition of two to four different flavors of ice cream. I guess the latter could be stretched to apply to a piano melody in some way.

[bet33]

it has to do with the pieces harmonic progression, and neapolitan chords... they are essentially a modal borrowed chord from parrallel phrygian... its hard to explain in a short paragraph... and I understand this in a more comtemporary vein then i think you have looked into... I see these chords as bIImaj7 9 #11 13 chords borrowed from phrygian chord scales... where as traditional harmony will be  a bit more precise when and how the chord should be used... and usually in which inversion (being neapolitan 6 chords- first inversion)...

hopefully someone with more time and more expertise in traditional harmony will answer your question... this might give you an idea of what is being said...

[allchopin]

A good example of a Neopolitan 6th is the ending chord of Chopin's 10/2

[ChiarinaWieck]

A neapolitian chord is a chord built on the flat second scale degree. Usually occuring in minor keys, they move typically like this - N6 V i. Schubert's music is full of these. Check out the b section of his impromptu no.2 from Op.90 for several examples.

[bernhard]

When a piece is described as having "fleeting Neapolitan harmony," what does Neapolitan refer to?

Yes, as Benji pointed out, Neapolitan means “from Naples” (Italy). Who knows what a “Fleeting Napolitan harmony” refers to? Here are four possibilities:

1. There is the Neapolitan School which refers to a 18th century school of composition centred around Naples and the composers who studied there. Like the “Russian School” is one of these terms that catches but which on close scrutiny doesn’t seem justified. Anyway, the “Neapolitan School” comprised the likes of Alessandro Scarlatti (father of Domenico, who wrote the keyboard sonatas), Pergolesi, Cimarosa, and others, who ironically enough, were active outside Naples.

2. There is the Neapolitan sixth, which is a chord.

Why it is called a “Neapolitan” is unkown, since it has nothing to do with the Neapolitan School, nor was it used in any prominent way by the composers associated with it. It is basically a chromatic chord. A chromatic chord is a chord that uses notes not present in the scale.

For instance, if you take the C major scale it has neither sharps nor flats. Now build a triad on the supertonic: You get D-F-A (all notes belonging to the C major scale). Now flat the supertonic: Db-F-A. Now you have created a chromatic chord, since Db is not part of the C major scale. Now go one step further and make this chord a major chord by flatting the A as well: Db – F – Ab. Although this is the tonic major triad in the scale of Db major, in C major it is a chromatic chord, since neither Ab or Db belong to C major. Now invert it, so that you have the first inversion of this chord: F – Ab - Db. If you have a piece in C major and this chord suddenly appears, it will be considered a chromatic chord, on account of the two flats.

This very chord – described technically as the first inversion of the major triad built on the flatted supertonic is the Neapolitan sixth.

Now if you go to the piano and play F Ab Db, followed by E – G – C, you will see how strong this is. With three descending semitones (F moving to E, Ab moving to G and Db moving to C), this chromatic chord landslides into the key of C major.

Purcell, and Corelli used it in the 17th century (well before the Neapolitan School existed).

3. “Neapolitan” (or Napolitaine in French) refers to a kind of Madrigal current in the 16th century, and whose greatest master was Giovanni de Nola who died in Naples in 1570.

4. Finally, “Napolitana” is the name given to a style of music hall-song in the early 20th century, whose characteristic is to have the verse in a minor scale and the chorus in a major scale.

Take your pick.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[kulahola]

Yes, as Benji pointed out, Neapolitan means “from Naples” (Italy). Who knows what a “Fleeting Napolitan harmony” refers to? Here are four possibilities:

1. There is the Neapolitan School which refers to a 18th century school of composition centred around Naples and the composers who studied there. Like the “Russian School” is one of these terms that catches but which on close scrutiny doesn’t seem justified. Anyway, the “Neapolitan School” comprised the likes of Alessandro Scarlatti (father of Domenico, who wrote the keyboard sonatas), Pergolesi, Cimarosa, and others, who ironically enough, were active outside Naples.

2. There is the Neapolitan sixth, which is a chord.

Why it is called a “Neapolitan” is unkown, since it has nothing to do with the Neapolitan School, nor was it used in any prominent way by the composers associated with it. It is basically a chromatic chord. A chromatic chord is a chord that uses notes not present in the scale.

For instance, if you take the C major scale it has neither sharps nor flats. Now build a triad on the supertonic: You get D-F-A (all notes belonging to the C major scale). Now flat the supertonic: Db-F-A. Now you have created a chromatic chord, since Db is not part of the C major scale. Now go one step further and make this chord a major chord by flatting the A as well: Db – F – Ab. Although this is the tonic major triad in the scale of Db major, in C major it is a chromatic chord, since neither Ab or Db belong to C major. Now invert it, so that you have the first inversion of this chord: F – Ab - Db. If you have a piece in C major and this chord suddenly appears, it will be considered a chromatic chord, on account of the two flats.

This very chord – described technically as the first inversion of the major triad built on the flatted supertonic is the Neapolitan sixth.

Now if you go to the piano and play F Ab Db, followed by E – G – C, you will see how strong this is. With three descending semitones (F moving to E, Ab moving to G and Db moving to C), this chromatic chord landslides into the key of C major.

Purcell, and Corelli used it in the 17th century (well before the Neapolitan School existed).

3. “Neapolitan” (or Napolitaine in French) refers to a kind of Madrigal current in the 16th century, and whose greatest master was Giovanni de Nola who died in Naples in 1570.

4. Finally, “Napolitana” is the name given to a style of music hall-song in the early 20th century, whose characteristic is to have the verse in a minor scale and the chorus in a major scale.

Take your pick.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

bullet points: the return...

[janice]

Now if you go to the piano and play F Ab Db, followed by E – G – C, you will see how strong this is.

As a teacher once said during a music theory class "That Neopolitan 6th pulls you into the tonic chord--like a suction cup".  (A classmate wrote down all of the dumb things that this teacher said, then printed them out and passed them around!  It was funny, I guess you had to be there!)

[reinvent]

Thanks, Bernhard!
You sure beat "Tonal Harmony" by Kosta and Payne's description for me.  I can read for hours in there and come up finally with something that can be put in a few paragraphs.
 Thanks for being simple and comprehensive!

[bernhard]

Thanks, Bernhard!
You sure beat "Tonal Harmony" by Kosta and Payne's description for me.  I can read for hours in there and come up finally with something that can be put in a few paragraphs.
 Thanks for being simple and comprehensive!

You are welcome.