Hi all, welcome to my third music blogging assignment and the song discussed today will be a japanese pop song entitled Ashita Hareru Kana. I managed to get a copy of this score by luck and so i decided to use this song. This song To prevent any copyright issues, instead of putting the video up here, I will provide the link to the video which is attached below, pls check it out! : )
For my analysis, i would like to break this song into a few segments namely,
Introduction Bars 1-4
Verse Bars 5-20
Pre-Chorus Bars 21-29
Chorus Bars 30-52
My analysis of the Verse:
Chord Progression &: I-V6-I- (Tonic Expansion)
Functional Analysis I-ii-V-I- (T-PD-D-T)
I-iii-vi-ii-iv-iii-vi-ii-iv- (See Below)
I-iii-vi-iii-ii-iii6-I- (See Below)
I-iii-II-ii-IV-iii-vi-ii-V-I (T-PD-D-T)
Comments:
The chords identified in yellow above seem to be secondary mixtures and in the part where I did not identify the functional progression, the progression seems rather interesting where it moves from a major tonic to a series of minor chords then back to a major chord again. This produces a minorish quality in this segment of the song which I think the composer waned for the sad effect.
My analysis of the Pre-Chorus:
Chord Progression & : I-IV-V- (T-PD-D-)
Functional Analysis I- vi-ii-V- (T-PD-D-)
I-IV-V- (T-PD-D-)
I-vi-II-vi/ii-V-I (T-PD-D-T)
Comments:
The Pre-Chorus is quite straight forward where the chords generally move from T-PD-D-T. The chord in yellow is again a secondary mixture and there is the use of a tonicized chord to lengthen the PD.
My analysis of the Chorus:
Chord Progression& : I-V6-IV6-V-iii-vi-ii-V- (T-D expansion-PD-D-)
Functional Analysis I-V6-IV6-V-iii-vi-ii-IV/iiib-V/iiib- (T-D expansion-PD-D-)
I-I-I-V6-IV6-V6-iii-vi-ii-V- (T-D expansion-PD-D-)
I-V-IV-V-viio-iii-vi-ii-V- viio/vi - (T- D expansion- PD-D-)
i/vi - iv/vi -I-(T expansion)
i/vi - iv/vi -I ( T expansion)
Comments:
The general pattern of the chorus is T-D expansion-PD-D-T. The D expansion also shows that there is a decending bass line when it occurs. In the fourth phrase, the dominant and the dominant substitute is used to lengthen both the D expansion and the D. The song ends with a tonic expansion using the plagal cadence repeated two times. The second time the plagal cadence repeats, on the score, there is no direct sign to show a tonicization but i choose to see it that way as to conclude the tonic expansion using the plagal cadence.
Thanks for reading and I am awaiting your comments.
3 comments:
Joel,
Good start. A couple of refinements needed:
i. your harmonic analysis of both the verse and pre-chorus needs to reflect the chord inversions
ii. note that secondary mixture refers to diatonic chords whose chord type is changed, whereas primary mixture are borrowed chords from the parallel key.
iii. Enharmonic respelling (and your ears) will help you recognize what you've curiously labelled as IV/iiib and V/iiib (I presume you mean /bIII in both cases)
iv. re-examine the function of the C# in bar 2 of p. 2
v. For me, what you labelled as II-vi/ii-V is by far the most interesting harmonic moment in this song. Listen to the harmonic directions and see if you would interpret it differently
Finally, i agree with you that the song ends with a strong plagal feel. However, I would simply analyze the final three chords ad vi-ii7-I, taking ii7 as a substitute chord for IV (which explains the plagal character).
Joel,
Good start. A couple of refinements needed:
i. your harmonic analysis of both the verse and pre-chorus needs to reflect the chord inversions
ii. note that secondary mixture refers to diatonic chords whose chord type is changed, whereas primary mixture are borrowed chords from the parallel key.
iii. Enharmonic respelling (and your ears) will help you recognize what you've curiously labelled as IV/iiib and V/iiib (I presume you mean /bIII in both cases)
iv. re-examine the function of the C# in bar 2 of p. 2
v. For me, what you labelled as II-vi/ii-V is by far the most interesting harmonic moment in this song. Listen to the harmonic directions and see if you would interpret it differently
Finally, i agree with you that the song ends with a strong plagal feel. However, I would simply analyze the final three chords ad vi-ii7-I, taking ii7 as a substitute chord for IV (which explains the plagal character).
Hi,
Yes, Dr. Chong, the silent one is silent no more. :P
Joel,
1. FYI, your youtube link is no longer relevant coz the video's been removed from the site.
2. The 2nd chord of the intro looks a little curious. Considering there's supposed to be a plagal feel, is it possible that it's actually connected to the chord that follows immediately after, by a 2-3 suspension perhaps?
3. Just to check, how did you arrive at the chord II (which you have labelled as a mixture harmony) in the verse?
4. In F major, couldn't the Bb minor chord be considered either a primary or secondary mixture?
5. It looks to me as if the V6 chord in the verse's 1st bar could be just passing, rather than dominant in function, from I to vi (how did you get chord I?), then by circle of 5ths to ii6/4, V4/3, I.
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