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By Aron Bernstein 12 Comments

Weekly Music Theory Challenge 5/17/21

Show off your music theory chops with my weekly challenge! You’ll find a new question here every Monday. Please comment to post your reply.

This week’s challenge:

Here is the end of Chopin’s Prelude in G minor, Opus 28 No. 22:

Listen to Audio

What is the name of the chord circled in red? Hint: look at how the chord is spelled!

Check back on Friday, May 21st for the answer!

ANSWER for 5/17/21

German Augmented 6th Chord (also, German 6th, Ger+6)

The German sixth is a type of augmented sixth chord, most often used as a chromatic approach to the dominant (V). In the Chopin prelude, it’s followed by the cadential 6/4 chord (I 6/4), then V, and finally i.

The German 6th sounds exactly like a dominant 7th chord, but it’s spelled with an augmented 6th, instead of a minor 7th.

The augmented 6th resolves outward to an octave. While Italian or French 6th chords can resolve directly to V, the German 6th typically has to go to cadential 6/4 first, avoiding parallel 5ths.
In the above prelude, Chopin writes this German 6th a bit unconventionally, placing the 6th in the bass. But the chord still resolves as it should, to cadential 6/4.

Want to Learn More?

I have an entire series of video lessons on chords in the Chord Module!  Sign up for a monthly subscription for full access to all video lessons, worksheets, and answer keys. Also, this year I’ll be adding new lessons in the Chromatic Harmony Module. I created Breaking Barlines with one thing in mind: making music theory effective and FUN!