Common-Tone Modulation with Chromatic Mediants

College-Conservatory of Music • University of Cincinnati • Instructor Paul Dell Aquila
Common-Tone Modulation with Chromatic Mediants
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Common-Tone Modulation
In some modulations the hinge between the two keys is not a common chord but a single common tone.
Common-tone modulations often announce themselves clearly to the listener by isolating the common tone.
Two chords linked by common tone in a common-tone modulation often exhibit a chromatic mediant relationship.
Chromatic Mediant Relationships
The roots of the chords in a chromatic mediant relationship are a m3 or M3 apart (sometimes spelled
enharmonically). The two chords are either both major triads or both minor triads. In the case of seventh chords,
the triad portion of the seventh chords are either both major or minor.
The chromatic mediant relationship used in common-tone modulations makes it easy to modulate to foreign keys.
Mozart, Fantasia, K. 475
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College-Conservatory of Music • University of Cincinnati • Instructor Paul Dell Aquila
Common-Tone Modulation with Chromatic Mediants continued 2 of 2
Brahms, Symphony No. 4, Op. 98, II (Piano Arrangement)
Analysis Exercise: Beethoven, Trio in C Minor, Op. 1, No. 3, IV, mm. 167–173
Roig-Francolí, Workbook and Anthology for use with Harmony in Context, 2nd ed., Ch. 27, Ex. 27.2, p. 232