The Mystery of the Espèce - Dalcroze Society of America (original) (raw)

Introduction

Émile Jaques-Dalcroze used the term espèce (French for “species”) to describe all varieties of pitch sets, including dichords, trichords, and heptachords (among others), which outline and define all qualities of seventh chords. To understand the espèces requires a thorough understanding of the do-to-do scales, pitch sets (dyads, trichords, etc.), and the four species of triads (major, minor, augmented, and diminished), including the inversions of the pitch sets and triads.

Historically, the dissonance of a seventh above the root note provided a much-sought-after resistance or tension in music, allowing a release to form a conclusion or a resolution at the cadence. The seventh became a vehicle for more expressive phrases full of different types of tension and release.

Once Jaques-Dalcroze started teaching, he recognized the complexity of the seventh chords. To better serve his teaching, he organized them into seven species in a specific hierarchy based on their resolutions. Jaques-Dalcroze identified seven species: four in major and harmonic minor keys and the remaining three only in harmonic minor.

Jaques-Dalcroze’s teaching process for the espèce involves learning them aurally, physically, vocally, and at the piano, all simultaneously. The goal is to incorporate the espèce into piano improvisation to provide color and sophistication to the music.

When learning from Jaques-Dalcroze, avoid comparing previous knowledge with what and how he taught. When learning the espèce, I use numbered espèce, as defined by Jaques-Dalcroze, instead of traditional names (half-diminished. major-minor, minor-minor), which will simplify the theory. Also, learning one species at a time and all the inversions in all keys will provide a solid foundation, especially when improvising. Writing the chords and the resolutions out using color on staff paper, kept in a binder, is another way of infusing them into the memory. In the future, the notebook will be invaluable for practice.

Nomenclature

The nomenclature in the Dalcroze world differs from the usual North American practice. There are two types of Roman numerals: melodic function and harmonic function.

  1. The melodic functions refer to the scale degrees, using upper and lowercase figures.
    • Major modes: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII.
    • Natural minor mode: i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii
    • Harmonic minor scale: i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, VII (raised VII)
    • Melodic minor ascending: i, ii, iii, iv, v, VI, VII (raised VI and VII)
    • Melodic minor descending: vii, vi, v, iv, iii, ii, i
  2. The harmonic functions display the scale degree and the species.

For example, iii7 indicates that the chord is minor, whose root is the III scale degree. The seven means the chord has four pitches: root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th. Augmented chords are usually identified with the + next to an uppercase numeral (III+7 ) and a diminished chord with the ° next to a lowercase numeral (vii°7). Also, a slash through the 7 indicates a diminished seventh above the bass note, the usual Dalcrozian nomenclature.

Considerations

Due to space limitations, only the first five espèce will be discussed in this article, the same identified by most classical musicians. The five espèce have specific conventions when resolving. Therefore, some basic acuities should first be understood.

  1. Three markers identify each pitch in a seventh chord:
    • The property (root, 3rd, 5th, or 7th)
    • The scale degree number I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII (tonic, supertonic, submediant)
    • The voice (soprano, alto, tenor, or bass)
  2. Two types of resolution exist (see the chart above):
    • Type 1: The 5th and 7th both descend
    • The 5th falls by a whole step (except in the fifth espèce)
    • The 7th falls by a half or whole step, depending on the chord’s espèce and function
    • Type 2: Only the 7th descends, by a half or whole step
  3. All espèce invert and, in doing so, create bubbles (2nds).

The Bubble

Inverted chords create bubbles or, in French, bulles, which are major, minor, or augmented dyads. The bubble’s top pitch is the root note (colored black), and the bottom is the 7th (orange). The chord’s 5th (blue) is a third below the bubble, and when the bubble is at the bottom, the 5th is in the soprano. The bubble on top indicates the first inversion (6/5), the middle is the second inversion (4/3), and the bottom is the third inversion (4/2 or 2).

The First Espèce: The Dominant Seventh Chord

The first espèce is more commonly referred to as a dominant seventh chord, and is the only espèce that resolves to a tonic triad. Since the tonic triad only has three pitches for four voices, two of these voices will double the tonic pitch.

Within the first espèce resolution, the root of the chord remains stationary. The three other pitches travel to the tonic chord; the 3rd rises by a half step, and the 5th and 7th fall. In this espèce in either mode, and the 5th falls by a whole step.

First Espèce in G Major

Built on Scale Degree V

Encourage the students to explore the natural movement of each pitch within a chord by utilizing their understanding of voice leading. To implement this strategy, divide the class into groups of four friends, where each individual sings a specific voice within the chord: bass, tenor, alto, and soprano. The group arranges itself in line with the appropriate spacing of a piano keyboard. Imagine the right-hand fingers representing the singers with the thumb playing the chord’s bass, the index playing the tenor pitch, the middle finger playing the alto, and the little finger playing the soprano.

The piano sounds the chord as each participant sings their pitch in an arpeggio from the bass upward, utilizing function numerals. Students determine the pitch resolution by moving to their right, left, or remaining in place, depending on their pitch’s natural tendency. If they have been working with melodic functioning and the scale’s minor dyad cadence, the students will move the IV (the 7th of the chord) to III and the VII (the 3rd of the chord) to I as a natural occurrence. The dominant pitch (V), the chord’s root, will be tonic-bound, a natural occurrence, but instead, ask these students to remain stationary and become the common tone. The II scale degree (the chord’s 5th) descends to the tonic.

Repeat this activity many times, with the students switching roles each time. Becoming familiar with this exercise early on will facilitate using it in the more advanced espèce resolutions. Remember to sing in the correct key using pitch placement (re, fa-sharp, la, do or d, f-sharp, a, c). Also, sing the chords from the top down or in block form. Be sure to perform each resolution on the piano using the right hand. If desired, the left hand may play a dominant-tonic pattern in the given key. Students should also take on the role of the teacher, producing the chords on the piano for the class.

Afterward, introduce a song or a piece incorporating the specific espèce (compose them when possible). Singing, moving, and reading a score containing the concept carries the experience into the music, which is an excellent way of solidifying the experience in the mind, ear, and body.

Inversions of the First Espèce

Again, think of the right hand on the piano keyboard. The chord sounds in the first inversion by playing the bubble (2nd) on top. Identifying the bubble’s placement is often challenging and may need some attention. As the chords sound, the groups arrange themselves on their imaginary keyboards across the floor, hopefully with a “bubble” on the top, formed by the alto and soprano (the fourth and fifth fingers) (Stevenson, 2023).

As stated earlier, the first inversion resolves to the root position tonic triad with two tonics shared by the bass and tenor. The second inversion, with the bubble in the middle, opens to a complete triad with the bass and soprano singing the tonic an octave apart. With the bubble at the bottom, the third inversion resolves to the first inversion tonic triad with the tonic shared by the soprano and tenor.

Repeat the above activity in the second and third inversions. Continue identifying the different inversions until the students are fluid in forming the bubble on the correct pitches. Work on the resolutions of the inversions in every major and minor key.

These resolutions must be deeply embedded into the fiber of each student before moving on to the second espèce, which happens to resolve to the first; every espèce eventually finds its way to the first.

The Second Espèce: The Half-Diminished Seventh Chord

This structure builds on the VII in major and the ii in harmonic minor. In major, the melodic functions are VII, II, IV, and VI, while in harmonic minor, they are ii, iv, vi, and i, spelling a diminished triad plus a minor seventh.

In major, the 7th falls alone by a half-step, but in minor, the 5th and 7th fall together; the 5th by a whole step and the seventh by a half-step. The chord then lands on a first espèce chord, which resolves to the tonic.

Notice how second espèce chords resolve to a first espèce chord; especially taking care to see where the bubble moves to (e.g. from top to middle, etc.)

Second Espèce in E Major

Built on Scale Degree VII

Second Espèce in C# Minor

Built on Scale Degree ii

Learning the resolutions by memory is critical for solfège and improvisation:

The resolutions’ fingering patterns are repeatable in every key. Singing, moving, and playing (using the right hand) simultaneously will reinforce the body, ear, eye, and fingers. Eventually, the left hand learns to play a walking bass as the right hand travels through the various espèce and the inversions almost automatically.

The Third Espèce: The Minor-Minor Seventh Chord

The third species is complex, involving the chords built on scale degrees III, VI, and II in major mode and the iv in harmonic minor. The 5th falls always falls by a whole step. When resolving iii7 or vi7, the 7th also falls by a whole step; however, when resolving the ii7 chord, the 7th falls by a half-step. In the example below, observe how the chords progress when beginning on the iii7, moving to vi7, ii7, V7, and finally to the tonic triad.

In this example, the resolution pattern (a sequence of descending 5ths) features three third espèce seventh chords in a row; the voice-leading tendencies of each pitch are the same no matter the root of the chord (III, VI, or II).

Third Espèce in C Major

Built on Scale Degree III

Look carefully at “Using the Third Espèce to Modulate” (below), where the third espèce chord becomes a pivot chord, allowing for a smooth modulation to a key a whole step down. Any iii7 chord can become a vi7 or a ii7 at any point in the music. Allow the students to try this progression in their groups, then at the keyboard.

Using the Third Espèce to Modulate

The third espèce in minor mode, the iv7, is less complex than the major. The 7th alone falls by a half-step as opposed to the whole step it falls when in major. Note that it moves backward to the second, then the first, and home to the tonic chord: third, second, first, tonic.

Third Espèce in A Minor

Built on Scale Degree iv

The Fourth Espèce: The Major-Major Seventh Chord

The fourth espèce is unique because the 7th above the root is major and sits above a major triad; the sound is striking and unmistakable; when inverted, the bubble is a minor second. Two functions in the major scale form the fourth espèce: the subdominant and the tonic chord. In the harmonic minor, the chord sits on the submediant. The 7th alone falls in major, and the 5th and 7th fall in harmonic minor.

Fourth Espèce in F Major

Fourth Espèce in D Minor

Built on Scale Degree vi

The Fifth Espèce: The Fully-Diminished Seventh Chord

The fifth espèce exists only in harmonic minor mode and is an absolute gift to the improviser. This species is the most complex and requires time, concentration, and focus to master properly.

Built on the raised VII (VII#) scale degree, it forms a diminished triad topped with an additional minor third­—all minor thirds. When a chord contains all equidistant pitches, detecting the inversion by ear is impossible until the chord has resolved; the manner of resolution will indicate the inversion. Each pitch is active, meaning each can function as a leading tone by respelling the chord enharmonically, and when inverted by respelling, the bubble forms an augmented second. The respelling allows the same chord to exist in four different harmonic minor keys and becomes an excellent pivot chord for modulation, the gift to improvisers.

Fifth Espèce

The Four Resolutions

This example illustrates how easily a distant modulation can be formed by simply lowering any pitch by a half-step. Follow the orange note across the score: do ↘ si, la ↘ sol-sharp, sol-flat ↘ fa, and mi-flat ↘ ré. Each fifth espèce chord appears to have been inverted but has remained stationary throughout.

Conclusion

It is difficult to overstate the importance of rethinking seventh chords as species. As mentioned, Jaques-Dalcroze advocates this approach as a powerful pedagogical tool.

Make sure to include these five espèces in your regular daily practice. It takes time and dedication to master this approach, as with all Jaques-Dalcroze subjects. However, once the skill has been acquired, it will grant you greater freedom of expression and enjoyment.

Works Cited

This article was originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Dalcroze Connections, Vol. 9 No. 1.