Picardy third

However, not “sharp” in the desired sense, the one relating to a raised pitch, but in the sense of a sharp blade, which would thus completely discredit the word picart as the origin for the Picardy third, which also seems unlikely considering the possibility that aigu was also used to refer to a high(er)-pitched note, and a treble sound, thus perfectly explaining the use of the word picarde to designate a chord whose third is higher than it should be.

In medieval music, such as that of Machaut, neither major nor minor thirds were considered stable intervals, and so cadences were typically on open fifths.

1 in B-flat, BWV 825, to exemplify "the range of expression then possible, the subtle variety of inflections of sentiment contained with a well-defined framework".

"[11] Many passages in Bach's religious works follow a similar expressive trajectory involving major and minor keys that may sometimes take on a symbolic significance.

For example, David Humphreys (1983, p. 23) sees the "languishing chromatic inflections, syncopations and appoggiaturas" of the following episode from the St Anne Prelude for organ, BWV 552 from Clavier-Übung III as "showing Christ in his human aspect.

Moreover the poignant angularity of the melody, and in particular the sudden turn to the minor, are obvious expressions of pathos, introduced as a portrayal of his Passion and crucifixion":[12] Notably, Bach's two books of The Well-Tempered Clavier, composed in 1722 and 1744 respectively, differ considerably in their application of Picardy thirds, which occur unambiguously at the end of all of the minor-mode preludes and all but one of the minor-mode fugues in the first book.

"[16] The fierce C minor drama that pervades the Allegro con brio ed appassionato movement from Beethoven's last Piano Sonata, Op.

111, dissipates as the prevailing tonality turns to the major in its closing bars "in conjunction with a concluding diminuendo to end the movement, somewhat unexpectedly, on a note of alleviation or relief".

[18] Susan Wollenberg describes how the first movement of Schubert's Fantasia in F minor for piano four-hands, D 940, "ends in an extended Tierce de Picardie".

[citation needed] A notable structural employment of this device occurs with the finale of the Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony, where the motto theme makes its first appearance in the major mode.

Picardy third ending an Aeolian (natural minor) progression
Schütz "Heu mihi, Domine" from Cantiones Sacrae , 1625
Schütz "Heu mihi, Domine" from Cantiones Sacrae , 1625
From Ich habe genug , BWV 82
William Byrd, Pavane "The Earl of Salisbury", 1612
William Byrd , Pavane "The Earl of Salisbury", 1612 02
J. S. Bach, Jesu meine Freude , BWV 81.7, mm. 12–13
Picardy third, in blue, in Bach: Jesu, meine Freude (Jesus, My Joy), BWV 81.7, mm. 12–13. [ 10 ]
Bach, Allemande from Partita 1, bars 13–18
Bach Allemande from Partita 1, bars 13–18
From Bach "St Anne" Prelude for Organ, BWV 552, bars 118–130
From Bach "St Anne" Prelude for Organ, BWV 552, bars 118–130
Mozart, Piano Concerto 21, K. 467, slow movement, bars 83–93
Mozart, Piano Concerto 21, K467, slow movement, bars 83–94
Beethoven, Piano Sonata, Op. 111, first movement concluding bars
Beethoven, Piano Sonata, Op. 111, first movement concluding bars
Schubert, "Gute Nacht", piano link to final verse
Schubert, "Gute Nacht", piano link to the final verse
Schubert Fantasia in F minor bars 98–106
Schubert Fantasia in F minor bars 98–106