Augmented Sixths: The Chords that Broke Theory

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0:00 Introduction
0:42 What is an Augmented Sixth?
2:28 International Chords
6:30 Musica Ficta and the Phrygian Cadence
12:00 In Search of a Root
16:12 The Diminished Gambit
19:44 A Cog in the Sonata Machine
26:37 Towards Tristan, and Beyond
29:52 DIY Chords
31:51 The Tritone Substitution
33:39 Conclusion

📚 Sources/further reading:
“A Chord in Time: The Evolution of the Augmented Sixth from Monteverdi to Mahler” by Mark Ellis (Ashgate, 2010)
“Theory of Harmony” by Arnold Schoenberg, trans. Roy Carter (University of California Press, 1978)
“Harmony and Voice Leading” by Edward Aldwell, Carl Schachter, and Allen Cadwallader (4th Edition, Cengage, 2011)
“Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music” by Robert Gauldin (1st Edition, Norton, 1997)
“Harmonic Materials and Treatment of Dissonance in the Pianoforte Music of Frederic Chopin” by Betty Jean Thomas (PhD dissertation, Eastman School of Music, 1963): http://hdl.handle.net/1802/5429

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Classical Nerd is a video series covering music history, theoretical concepts, and techniques, hosted by composer, pianist, and music history aficionado Thomas Little.

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Music:

Richard Wagner: Prelude to Tristan und Isolde, performed by the Fulda Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Simon Schindler and available on IMSLP: https://tinyurl.com/k7dk35af
William Byrd: Ne Irascaris Domine and Civitas Sancti Tui (double motet), performed by Ensemble Plus Ultra [original upload: 3vBCSPHZnnA]
Marc-Antoine Charpentier: “O sors! sors infelix et acerb” from Mors Saülis et Jonathae, H. 403, performed by Il Seminario Musicale conducted by Gérard Lesne [original upload: p_kYMqWbOYM]
Johann Sebastian Bach: “Et Incarnatus Est” from the Mass in B Minor, BWV 232, performed by the English Concert conducted by Harry Bicket [original upload: QNGzJnqdCnY]
Robert Schumann: Novelletten, Op. 21 No. 4, performed by Dino Ciani [original upload: Zfe-UbT6G58]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 39, K. 543, Mvt. 1, performers unknown [original upload: H0x_dCrKd4w]
Joseph Haydn: String Quartet Op. 54 No. 2, Mvt. 2, performed by the Danish String Quartet [original upload: dGgmFFMFICc]
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 24 “à Thérèse,” Op. 78, Mvt. 2, performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni and available on IMSLP: https://tinyurl.com/uddakysj
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 14 in C# minor, Op. 131, Mvt. 1, performed by the Orion String Quartet and available on IMSLP: https://tinyurl.com/3pjmnw3y
Robert Schumann: “Am Leuchtenden Sommermorgen” from Dichterliebe, Op. 48, performed by Anton Belov and Lydia Brown and available on IMSLP: https://tinyurl.com/45r9dm3w
Frédéric Chopin: Mazurka in B Major, Op. 63 No. 1, performed by Christoph Zbinden and available on IMSLP: https://tinyurl.com/yxujsp95
Thomas Little: Dance! #2, performed by Rachel Fellows, Michael King, and Bruce Tippette

The other background music consists of procedurally generated chains of augmented sixth chords, representing each of the 12 transpositions of the three major varieties of augmented sixth equally.

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