In C major, a composer uses a borrowed iv chord (F minor), which introduces Ab (♭6̂). According to standard voice-leading principles, where does the Ab most naturally resolve?
AUp by half step to A natural, following the tonic direction
BDown by half step to G (5̂), following the principle that lowered tones resolve downward
CUp by a whole step to Bb, preparing the next borrowed chord
DThe Ab has no particular resolution tendency and can move freely to any chord tone
Chromatic alterations resolve in the direction of their alteration: raised notes (sharps) tend upward; lowered notes (flats) tend downward. The Ab (♭6̂) is a lowered note, so it resolves down by half step to G (5̂). This creates the characteristic smooth, bittersweet resolution of modal mixture. Leaping away from the borrowed tone destroys the expressive effect and creates harshness.
Question 2 Multiple Choice
A piece in G major arrives on an Eb major chord (♭VI, borrowed from the parallel minor). What is happening harmonically?
AThe piece has modulated to Eb major; G is no longer the tonic
BA borrowed chord creates a momentary darkening through modal mixture while G remains the tonal center
CThe ♭VI chord functions as a dominant substitute, preparing a return to G
DThis chord brightens the harmony by raising the sixth scale degree of G major
Modal mixture preserves the tonal center. The Eb major chord borrows from G minor (parallel minor), importing Eb — a note G major does not contain — for expressive color. The key does not change; only the modal flavor shifts momentarily to darker territory before returning to G major's diatonic chords. This is the defining feature that distinguishes mixture from modulation.
Question 3 True / False
A borrowed chord in a major key preserves the tonic while momentarily shifting the modal color by importing tones from the parallel minor.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: True
This is the definition of modal mixture. The tonal center remains fixed — both C major and C minor revolve around C. Borrowing a chord from C minor into a C major passage creates a darkening effect without abandoning the tonic. The key is that the borrowed chord resolves back to the diatonic chords of the home key, confirming that no modulation occurred.
Question 4 True / False
When writing a borrowed iv chord in a major key, the chromatic tone introduced (♭6̂) can be moved by leap to any convenient chord tone, as its expressive effect comes from the chord quality alone.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
The expressive effect of modal mixture depends critically on smooth voice leading around the chromatic tone. The ♭6̂ must resolve by step (typically down to 5̂), following the principle that lowered chromatic alterations resolve downward. Leaping away from it creates harshness and loses the characteristic tender, bittersweet quality that makes borrowed chords so expressive. The chord quality contributes, but the resolution seals it.
Question 5 Short Answer
What distinguishes borrowed chords (modal mixture) from modulation, and why does the distinction matter for analysis?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: In modal mixture, a chord is borrowed from the parallel mode (same tonic, different mode) and the piece resolves back to the home key — the tonal center never changes. In modulation, the tonal center itself shifts to a new key. The distinction matters because it determines whether you mark a passage as a temporary color change (mixture) or a structural arrival in a new key (modulation). Misidentifying mixture as modulation leads to overcounting key areas and misreading the harmonic architecture.
A reliable test: does the music confirm the new pitch as tonic (through cadential formulas)? If the Eb major chord in G major resolves back to G major chords without a perfect authentic cadence in Eb, it is mixture. If the music establishes Eb with its own dominant-tonic motion and cadences, it has modulated.