Chromatic mediant

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Chromatic mediants in C major and a minor
Chromatic submediants in major (all the progressions below are tonic–x–tonic, vi = I–vi–I)
vi
VI
♭VI
♭vi
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In music, chromatic mediants are "altered mediant and submediant chords."[1] A chromatic mediant relationship defined conservatively is a relationship between two sections and/or chords whose roots are related by a major third or minor third, and contain one common tone (thereby sharing the same quality, i.e. major or minor). For example, in the key of C major the diatonic mediant and submediant are E minor and A minor respectively. Their parallel majors are E major and A major. The mediants of the parallel minor of C major (C minor) are E♭ major and A♭ major. Thus, by this conservative definition, C major has four chromatic mediants: E major, A major, E♭ major, and A♭ major.

There is not complete agreement on the definition of chromatic mediant relationships. Theorists such as Allen Forte define chromatic mediants conservatively, only allowing chromatic mediant chords of the same quality (major or minor) as described above. However, he describes an even more distant "doubly-chromatic mediant" relationship shared by two chords of the opposite mode, with roots a third apart and no common tones; for example C major and E♭ or A♭ minor, and A minor and C♯ or F♯ major.[2] Other less conservative theorists, such as Benward and Saker, include these additional chords of opposite quality and no shared tones in their default definition of chromatic mediants. Thus, by this more permissive definition, C major has six chromatic mediants: E major, A major, E♭ major, A♭ major, E♭ minor and A♭ minor.

When a conservative chromatic mediant relationship involves seventh chords, "...the triad portions of the chords are both major or both minor."[3] This pertains to the more permissive definition of chromatic mediant relationships as well.

Common-tone modulation between chromatic mediants in Mozart's K. 475 (1785)[4]

Chromatic mediants are usually in

secondary dominants, or sometimes create a complete modulation.[1]

Secondary dominant (V/ii resolving to ii) vs. chromatic mediant (VI progressing to I)
Chromatic mediants in major (I–x–I)
iii
III
♭III
♭iii
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Chromatic mediants in minor (i–x–i)
III
iii
♯III
♯iii
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Chromatic submediants in minor (i–x–i)
VI
vi
♯VI
♯vi
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Some chromatic mediants are equivalent to altered chords, for example ♭VI is also a borrowed chord from the parallel minor, VI is also a secondary dominant of ii (V/ii), and III is V/vi, with context and analysis revealing the distinction.[1]

Chromatic mediant from Tchaikovsky's Chant sans paroles, Op. 2, no. 3, mm. 43–45 (1867). Note ♭VI in root position (over the tonic pedal) and the repeated return to I (D♭ and F, respectively), characteristic of chromatic mediant root movement.[1]

Chromatic mediant chords were rarely used during the

deceptive cadence, in part due to their rarity and in part due to their chromaticism (they come from 'outside' the key),[5] while another says they are so rare that one should first eliminate the possibility that one is looking at a diatonic movement (presumably, borrowing), then make sure that it is not a secondary chord, and then, "finally," one may consider, "the likeliness of an actual chromatic mediant relationship."[6]

Chromatic mediant (♭VI) in Brahms's Symphony No. 3, II (1883)[7]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-07-310188-0
    . "Always look carefully to determine the function of the chord."
  2. ISBN 0-03-020756-8
    . "Two triads are said to exhibit a chromatic mediant relationship if they are both major or both minor and their roots are a 3rd apart."
  3. ISBN 0-07-035874-5
    .
  4. ^ Kostka and Payne (1995), p. 321.
  5. ISBN 9780262083454
    .
  6. ISBN 9781880157206
    .
  7. ^ Benward and Saker (2009), p. 204
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