LESSON 12 ‘A. PRINCIPLES OF BACKGROUND WRITING ‘The past several lessons have dealt primarily with various devices re- , lating to block harmonization, i.e., the technique of concerting unde? voices to a moving melodic line in "block" fashion. 3 background writing, “harmonic background to a separate melodic line. = 7 ‘The importance of & thorough understanding Of the following material _,canniot be ove i or write effect Where melody roves,” sustain backgroun: melody sustains, move background. _ | b. As in sirigle harmonic continuity, try to establish a smooth melodic connection between éhords by a sustaining, oF moving chromatically'or.stepwise. I However, leaps may occur freely while the chord remains, the :Em7(b5) Eb? Dini G7(09). = ps 5 = Gi(b9) =F ** 65 twhere melody “and counter line attack at the same me, it is best (for the present) to keep the counter Tine at least a third, and not more than an octave from the melody.* a mi Dm7___G7(b9) c Em7(b5) AT eae iin’ the following illustration all points marked cs a - would be considered to be bad. Em7(b5)_\ AT 2 < Eb? Dm7___G7(b9) fon 4. Where melody and counter line do not attack at the same time, they may cross freely. oe eae Cn me Cae Oa Ce DC G7(b9) pfs Eb? __Dm?_c7b9)___, © 4-922 — ee 0 \i2. AFTER A LINE HAS BEEN COMPOSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRECEDING PRINCIPLES, COMPLETE A BLOCK HARMONIZATION OF THIS COUNTER-LINE. top voice of background. given melvoy- Eb? Dm? Gm7b9)_ Cc Em7(b5)_ “AT * harmonized background cs 1 as 1 _. 1 | / 4i : } { | 2am. me t Here is ancther step-by-step illustration of the constructisa ofa simple | eee 3 ee 6 : : : - Bay fo niiendty 7 Roe pot pamall 2 WeEer < top voice of hyp background a at ete ' , a Bey : Bb?, b Fm7 Bb7(b‘ Ebmaj7_E' Emi (b9} ES 5 DLE Soumnat a ec ee f : ESS ae i ! Lae [" harmonized 1 background ie a eo(At this point it would be advisable to complete Problem #1 of the lesson assignment.) —, C UNRESOLVED TENSIONS may often be used effectively in composing the QC melodic counter-line which is to aerve as the. top voice of the background. { The proper use of these tensions will create many Abilities for smooth melodic Connections bétw w and interesting - = Sp 5top voice of “| eck ground o> = Am? {D7{b9) =