chord progr. in time of Bach?

[mattie]

and there it is on page 32 until the end;
just what i was looking for.
Thanks nuffink!!!

by the way; also a nice map of major mode harmony by Kostka and Payne
on page 37.

[kovacs]

A good example of how this leads to problems is what people today call a suspended fourth chord. People use this chord without the attendant voice leading, that is, they neither prepare nor resolve it. Which is fine, but it isn't a suspension.

According to wikipedia that *is* the modern definition of a suspended chord (or rather one of two alternative suspended chords), and yes, it *isn't* a suspension. But who said it was It only goes to show that terms change.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspended_chord

[canadianlight]

The root notes of chords were recognized, but as scale degrees as opposed to the root notes of chords per se. The 'vertical columns' known as chords in our time weren't really recognized as such before Rameau, and there are still those who think that Rameau got it all wrong (cf. Heinrich Schenker and his minions). There were progressions, certainly, but it makes more sense to look at them in terms of figured bass or thoroughbass than chords.

But even schenker seems to be a variation of the same thing as Rameau. What were the original rules that regulates the progression of the continuo line (as to how the composers were taught back then)

[tapper mike]

Where's halfstep when you need him? I'm sure he'd love to reoount his stories of studying counterpoint

[jancivil]

for instance, you mention second inversion, which you're restricted to for the cadence:

the I6/4 to V in a cadential point to V comes down to JS Bach as figured bass in a contrapuntal context. The 6 and 4 move to 5 and 3.

IN C: E a sixth above the bass G [6] and the C a fourth above the bass [4] move to D [5], B [3]

that preceded chord progressions historically.

[KBSoundSmith]

You've received a number of good responses so far, but let me try to condense things:

It is not your goal in the study of counterpoint to learn harmonic language; it's important and related, but it isn't primary. Simple harmonies are sufficient so you can focus on your actual goal.

Your goal is to learn two primary things: 1) Melodic writing; and 2) voice-leading. The restrictions placed on you are for those specific purposes.

jancivil gave you the textbook example of a I6-4 to V(5-3) cadence. In fact, it may be helpful to imagine that as not a progression of a I chord to a V chord, but instead as accented non-chord tones resolving downward by step (that is, melodic/voice-leading resolution). That is fundamentally what figured-bass is: the description of voice-leading above the bass note.