What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

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What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Mike Bracchi » 18 May 2012 17:50

Why 'Tierce-de-Picardie .... there's no great philosophical reason other than I was stuck for a name; I then thought, what ever I call the site it should be named after a 'musical-term'

Spoilt for choice I closed my eyes and just hit the mouse button as I scrolled down the page of a musical term dictionary ... and there it was in front of me:

Tierce-de-Picardie

In music a Tierce de Picardie (meaning Picardie's third) is a major chord at the end of a piece of music in a minor key.

In the 16th a 17th centuries this was a very common way to end a piece in a major key. There is a scientific explanation for this.

Music in the minor sounds melancholy or disturbed in comparison to the major because the third note of the scale is flattened (lowered by a semitone). In the harmonic series this minor third is the 17th harmonic which sounds dissonant against the fundamental (first note of the scale). This means that ending in the major gives a sense of relief after the tension of the minor.

In a piece in A minor, for example, where the third note of the scale is C natural, in a Tierce de Picardie the final chord will include a C sharp, changing the chord from A minor to A major.

Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony" is in C minor but the last movement is in the major. This is not a Tierce de Picardie in this case, as the term applies only when just the last chord alters. The term was introduced in 1767 by Rousseau in his "Dictionnaire de musique" (Dictionary of Music).
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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 22 Sep 2017 08:33

Came across the above .. from 2012 when Mike first set up the TDP site. Interesting!

I was going to say that the most famous 'Tierce-de-Picardie' was that final chord in Greensleeves. But I have looked for this on YouTube and couldn't find a single example of where they actually did that!

And then finally, I did find a clip illustrating a tierce-de-picardie in Greensleeves:



The tierce-de-picardie occurs at about 0:41 (at the end of the main melody). And again at the end (and probably elsewhere in between).

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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 22 Sep 2017 09:42

What is a Picardy Third? Music Theory Lessons

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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Mike Bracchi » 22 Sep 2017 09:48

An example of a popular song with Picardy Third/Cadence is Seal's 'Kiss From A Rose' which incidentally, is also a great piece for a keyboard arrangement ;)

Regards,

Mike

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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 11 Jan 2018 09:34

Talking to Don Wherly (DonW) (who knows about these things) here is another 'Tierce-de- Picardie' he suggested I check out.

The carol O come, O come Emmanuel, which in this clip is sung by Enya. It's had nearly 6 million 'views', so is well worth a listen. But if you haven't the time to hear the whole thing, just skip to the end to hear that last 'major' chord.



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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby papadeedee » 11 Jan 2018 12:29

A taste of Honey by The Beatles.

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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 11 Jan 2018 12:56

Brian,

Thanks for that. Only just a Tierce-de-Picardie .. on the very last chord! They could have played a major chord on the very last word of the song, rather than waiting for the 'repeat' of the end phrase, which would have come over better.

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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 05 Apr 2018 12:48

Here is another 'Tierce-de-Picardie', in a post put up by Rev Tony Newnham.



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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 15 Oct 2019 22:57

Here's another song played in a Minor key.

The Green Leaves of Summer (onscreen lyrics) by The Brothers Four



In the YouTube video above, the piece is played in Eb minor and The Brothers Four do an INTRO with the Tierce de Picardie they have at the end. Eb minor followed by Eb major (twice). Click the below to listen to this. I have put the 'Intro' they have at the beginning, followed by the Tierce de Picardie 'ending'.

Tierce de Picardie chords in Green Leaves of Summer



No doubt the purists would say that this isn't a Tierce de Picardie as a Tierce de Picardie is a replacement of that last minor chord with a major one .. and here we are using both!

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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 03 Jul 2021 22:02

Video from David Bennett on 'Tierce-de-Picardie'.

Picardy Third: When Minor Resolves to the Major Chord

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Re: What's In The Name ... Tierce-de-Picardie

Postby Hugh-AR » 03 Jul 2021 22:05

The World's Most Hopeful Chord - Picardy Third [Songwriting Lesson / Composition / Music Theory]

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