On Jul 2, 2007, at 9:58 AM, A-NO-NE Music wrote:
Christopher Smith / 2007/06/30 / 04:07 PM wrote:
A major chord with a suspended 4 and 2 is not that uncommon;
I guess we agree not to agree :-)
Sus 4 and 2 isn't in my book. It has to be us 4 (add 9).
Well, really, ALL extensions are actually suspensions that we just
decided didn't need to resolve. Having the note of resolution present
at the same time as the suspension just makes it an added tone (like
the 6-5 suspension in Ravel's time turning into a major chord with an
added 6th.) The "add9" is a formerly unresolved 9-8 suspension. We
also decided that suspensions didn't necessarily need to be prepared
by a consonant unison in the previous chord (the true classical
suspension)
The sus4 just happened to be one of the last suspensions to have its
note of resolution included, and chord nomenclature was getting
solidified at that time, so "sus" now means "sus4" exclusively. In
modern jazz the 3rd and 4th often show up in the same chord as a late
addition to tonal harmony, but because of our stupid system of chord
symbols, we have to write "Csus4add3" or "Cadd4" or some such kludge.
Things get very unwieldy when writing music that straddles
traditional and modern approaches. The Bb4/2 resolving to Bb IS a
very common chord, and calling the C in that chord an "add9" when it
is clearly suspended and resolved is not in keeping with the clearest
nomenclature, IMO.
However, that being said, I don't think anyone would be confused by
the pitch content of either chord name.
Christopher
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