Rameau

Some Rameau harmonics ideas enhanced

by melodics decorations as founded

in the first book for clavichord of 1706.

I. Introduction:

The purpose of this paper is to show how by means of

some melodics decorations, specially by trills, Rameau

enhances his harmonic language in the 1706 pieces for

clavichord.

¿Does Rameau mention something about this, in his

Traité de l’armonie?

II. Some Rameau harmonics ideas enhanced by melodics decorations as

founded in the 1 st book for clavichord of 1706

1. Trills that enhance the 3rd of the I chord

2. Trills that enhance the 5th of the I chord

3. Trills that enhance the 3rd of the V7 chord

4. Trills that enhance the 7th of the V chord

5. Trills that enhance the leading tone of the piece

6. Trills that enhance the transitory modulations to the V V

6. 1.By singing the 3rd

6. 2. By singing the 5th

7. Trills that enhance the finalis of the mode

8. Trills that enhance the 5th of the IV which in turns is the finalis of the mode

9. Trills that enhance the ascending melodic gesture of the minor mode

10. Double cadence decoration to highlight the leading tone of the V

11. Trills that by preparing contribute to enhance the cadences and therefore

help to delineate the phrases and the form; sung almost always by the

soprano voice.

From numbers in to 10 I present a chart with: the name of the piece, the page

N°, the tonal range, the form of the piece, the voice that sing the decoration and

the measure number where it is placed.

For N°11 I present the ten pieces with the main cadentials preparations, by

using the decimal system.

1) Trills that enhance the 3rd of the I chord (The 3rd gives the character to the chord)

Name of the piece Page number Tonal range Form Voice Measure number Others

Prélude 5 - 6 a minor AB Soprano Preparation to the final cadence

Allemande 7 - 8 a minor II:A:II:B:II Soprano 2,4,6

2éme Allemande 8 - 10 a minor AAII:B:II Soprano 29 It is the major 3rd

Courante 10 - 11 a minor II:A:IIBCBCC Soprano 5 It is the minor 3rd

Courante 10 - 11 a minor II:A:IIBCBCC Soprano 12, 22 It is the major 3rd

Gigue 12 - 13 a minor AII:B:II Soprano 6, 25

1ére Sarabande 13 - 14 a minor AA’BA’’A’’ Soprano 3,10,14,18 It is the minor 3rd

2éme Sarabande 14 - 15 A major - minor

II:A:II:B:IICA’ Soprano 11,19, 26

Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major ABACA Soprano 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 36, 37

Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major ABACA Soprano 44, 45, 72, 73, 74 Part C in f# minor

2) Trills that enhance the 5th of the I chord. (The 5th of the I corresponds to the V of the key tone)

Name of the piece Page number

Tonal range Form Voice Measure number

Others

2éme Allemande 8 - 10 a minor AAII:B:II Soprano 32, 34

Courante 10 - 11 a minor II:A:IIBCBCC Soprano 12



Gavotte 17 - 18 a minor II:AA:IIBAACAACAA Soprano 10,27,43

3) Trills that enhance the 3rd of the V 7 Chord. ( the 3rd of the V is the leading tone)


Tonal range

Form Voice Measure number Others

Prélude 5 a minor AB Bass

2éme Allemande 8 - 10 a minor AAII:B:II Soprano 37


Gigue 12 - 13 a minor AII:B:II Soprano 4, 12, 23, 32, 37

1ére Sarabande 13 - 14 a minor AA’BA’’A’’ Soprano 2, 6, 12

2éme Sarabande 14 - 15 A major – minor

II:A:II:B:IICA’C’C’ Soprano 4, 18, 22, 28

Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major AABAACAA Soprano 52 Part C in f# minor

Menuet 19 a minor II:A:II:B:IIABA’ Soprano 4, 20 ,34

4) Trills that enhance the 7th of the V chord ( the 7th gives the character to the chord)

Name of the piece

Page number

Tonal range


Allemande 7 - 8 a minor II:A:II:B:II Soprano 17

Gigue 12 - 13 a minor AII:B:II Soprano 32

Gavotte 17 - 18 a minor II:A:II:A’ Soprano 1,5,17,21,33,37,49,53 II:AA:IIBAACAACAA(internal form)

5) Trills that enhance the leading-tone.


Tonal range




Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major AABAACAA Soprano 7, 39, 75 Used as a turning tone

6) Trills that enhance the transitory modulation to the V V

6.1 by singing the 3rd which is the leading tone of the V key


Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major AABAACAA Soprano 23

6.2 by singing the 5th


Prélude 6 A minor AB Soprano 14

7) Trills that enhance the finalis of the mode.



Allemande 7 - 8 a minor II:A:II:B:II Bass 9



Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major AABAACAA Soprano 56 Harmony is implied part C in f # minor

8) Trills that enhance the 5th of the IV which in turns is the finalis of the mode.

Name of the piece

Page number Tonal range Form Voice Measure number Others

Gavotte 17 - 18 a minor AA’A’’A’’ Soprano 25, 41 II:AA:IIBAACAACAA(internal form)

9) Trills that enhance the ascending melodic gesture of the minor mode

Name of the piece

Page number Tonal range Form Voice Measure number Others

Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major ABACA Soprano 50 Part C in f# minor

10) Double cadence decoration to highlight the leading tone of the V


Vénitienne 15 - 17 A major ABACA Bass 19, 21

11) Trills that by preparing contribute to enhance the cadences and therefore help to

delineate the phrases and the form; sung almost always by the soprano voice.

11. 1. Prélude

11. 2. Allemande

11. 3. 2éme Allemande

11. 4. Courante

11. 5. Gigue

11. 6. 1ére Sarabande

11. 7. 2éme Sarabande

11. 8. Vénitienne

11.9. Gavotte

11. 10. Menuet

11.1. Prélude

11.1.1 Close of the 1st Section

11.1.1.1. The 3rd of the I chord. 2nd voice.

11.1.1.1.1. The 7th the V7 chord. 2nd voice.

11.2. Allemande

11.2.1 Measure 13. Close of the 1st section

11.2.1.1. Finalis of the a minor mode. Bass line

11.2.1.2. 5th of the V chord. Soprano line V

11.2.2. Measure 27. Close of the 2nd section

11.2.2.1. The 3rd of the V7 chord. Soprano line

11.3.2éme Allemande

11.3.1. Measure 12

11.3.1.1 The 3rd of the V chord. Soprano line

11.3.1.2. The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano line V

11.3.2. Measure 25

11.3.2.1. The 3rd of the V chord. Soprano line

11.3.2.2 The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano line V

11.3.3 Measure 40

11.3.3.1. The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano line

11.4. Courante

11.4.1. Measure 8

11.4.1.1. The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano line V

11.4.2. Measure 18

11.4.2.1 The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano line

11.4.3 Measure 28

11.4.3.1 The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano line

11.4.4 Measure 33

11.4.4.1 The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano part

11.5 Gigue

11.5.1. Measure 20

11.5.1.1 The 5th of the V chord. Soprano voice V

11.5.2. Measure 45

11.5.2.1. The 3rd of the I 6 chord. Soprano voice 4

11.6. 1ére Sarabande

11.6.1. Measure 15

11.6.1.1. The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano voice

11.6.2 Measure 19

11.6.2.1. The 5th of the V chord. Soprano voice 9

7

11.7. 2éme Sarabande

11.7.1. Measure 7

11.7.1.1. The 7th of the VII 6 Soprano voice V 5

11.7.2. Measure 16

11.7.2.1. The 5th of the V chord. Soprano voice

11.7.3. Measure 30

11.7.3.1. The 3rd of the I chord. Soprano voice

11.7.4. Measure 31

11.7.4.1. The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano voice

11.7.5. Measure 34

11.7.5.1. The 3rd of the I chord. Soprano line

11.7.6. Measure 35

11.7.6.1. The 5th of the V7 chord. Soprano line

11.8. Vénitienne Soprano voice

11.8.1. Measure 15

11.8.1.1. The 3rd of the V7 chord

11.8.2. Measure 47


11.8.3. Measure 79

11.8.3.1. The 5th of the V7 chord

11.8.4. Measure 80

11.8.4.1. The 3rd of the I chord

11.8.5. Measure 81

11.8.5.1. The 3rd of the I chord 6 4

11.8.6. Measure 83


11.9. Gavotte Soprano Line

11.9.1. Measure 3 11.9.8. Measure 39

11.9.1.1. The 3rd of the VII chord 11.9.8.1. The 3rd of the I chord


11.9.2. Measure 7

11.9.2.1 The 3rd of the I chord 11.9.9. Measure 47

11.9.2.2. The 5Th of the V7 chord 11.9.9.1. The fundamental of the VII 6 chord 5

11.9.3. Measure 15 11.9.10. measure 51

11.9.3.1. The 5th of the VII7 chord 11.9.10.1. The 5th of the V6 chord

11.9.4. Measure 19 11.9.11. Measure 55

11.9.4.1. The 3rd of the VII chord 11.9.11.1. The 3rd of the I chord


11.9.5. Measure 23

11.9.5.1. The 3rd of the I chord


11.9.6. Measure 31

11.9.6.1. The fundamental of the VII 6 chord

5

11.9.7. Measure 35

11.9.7.1. The 3rd of the VII chord

11.10. Menuet

11.10.1. Measure 7

11.10.1.1 The fundamental of the IV6 chord. Soprano line

11.10.2. Measure 23

11.10.2.1. The fundamental of the IV6 chord. Soprano line

11.10.3 Measure 35

11.10.3.1 The 5th of the V chord. Soprano voice

Rameau

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