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Topic: Naming chords in a score (Read 1601 times)

stillofthenight

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 53

Naming chords in a score

on: January 22, 2014, 08:25:05 AM

Look at what I circled in red.

When naming chords in a score do you have to go by what the explicit notes are in the score? In the bass it is explicitly written as F, G#, and D and then a C in the treble. Can you instead refer to the notes as F , Ab, Ebb, C and call it an Fdim7. The C is not flatted so it really wouldn't be 100% correct. You can always leave the C out though if you just wanted to go by what was in the bass , how can it be wrong?

Another name would be a Dm7b5/F, but you would have to refer to the explicitly written G# as an Ab. Why didn't Chopin just write an Ab instead of a G#?

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sondheimfan

Newbie
Posts: 5

Re: Naming chords in a score

Reply #1 on: January 23, 2014, 04:50:37 AM

If this is an assignment for a teacher, then they may have their own way that they want things done. I try and approach music by analyzing as opposed to labeling the specific chords. In this case, I would call the chord an fdim7 (common tone diminished because of the G-Sharp) and call the C in the R.H. an upper neighbor.

Others may feel differently, but if this were something I were working on, that is what I would do because it helps to understand harmonic function.