Neapolitan chord

The Neapolitan sixth chord or short Neapolitans is a characteristic side sound within the Mollsubdominante. The minor subdominant of the home key is formed instead of the fifth with the ( small ) sixth, the minor subdominant scale (in the example in A Minor: d- f -b instead of d-f -a).

The resolution of the minor sixth in the Terzton the dominant of the home key can be still a Quintton be interposed, but just this minor third ( b ' gis ') gives the connection sn- D, a special, individual staining. In this context, the Neapolitan is also used as salient sound in particular highlights of the piece of music, as he from the normal cadence ( TSDT ) stands out as a surprise sound.

In the theory of stages of the Neapolitan sixth chord is interpreted as stage II with tiefalteriertem root. One can in this connection also on the bII. Talking stage. The problem with this interpretation is that the Declaration of the II stage from much less the nature of the chord corresponds as its actual, subdominantischer ( IV stage) derivative formation. Based on the interpretation as a chord of the sixth stage II, however, the naming to explain.

The name was the sound because of its frequent use in the Neapolitan opera music of the 18th century ( Neapolitan School ), where he was initially used only in minor keys, symbolizing emotions such as sorrow, grief and pain. One of the first uses located in lamenting the end of the oratorio Jephte ( the sacrifice before the Battle vowed the first thing to meet him come out of his house, not realizing that it would be his daughter ) by Carissimi (1645 ). But Carlo Gesualdo used it already in 1595 in the final cadence of his madrigals Languisco e moro.

His real heyday of the chord in the High Baroque (Bach, Handel ) and the Viennese Classical ( Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert). From the romance of the Neapolitans was in major keys used (Sn ). This requires not only the sixth of the subdominant, but the third is tiefalteriert.

In the later history of the Neapolitan sixth chord music is also used to rapidly modulate into distant keys can. This became independent Neapolitan is known in the theory of functions with SN. Thus, in A minor, the Neapolitan sixth chord (d- f -b) as a reversal of the tonic of B flat major ( bdf ) reinterpreted.

Examples

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Passacaglia in C minor, BWV 582, fermata in the last eight clock
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata, Op 27/2 1st movement, in the third bar