A translation of Della legatura di Nona or the suspension of the ninth in Fedele Fenaroli’s Partimenti ossia basso numerato, Book III, Naples (1775) Ed. Gjerdingen, with adaptions to the guitar.
On the Preparation of the Ninth
The 9th can be prepared either by the 3rd or by the 5th.
1. Preparation by the third
Requires the partimento to ascend by step. For example, from ① to ②, ③ to ④, or ⑦ to ①.
(Refer to example A: ① → ②, B: ③ → ④ and C: ⑦ → ①)
2. Preparation by the fifth
Involves the partimento either ascending by a 4th or descending by a 5th. For example, from ① to ④, or from ⑤ to ①.
(Refer to example D: ① → ④ and E: ⑤ → ①)
Fenaroli argues that the dissonance of a 9th is always supported by the 10th (the implied 3rd) and the 5th, as long as the bass remains stationary and does not move by the same intervallic motion. The 9th can resolve to an octave, a 3rd, or a 6th, depending on how the partimento proceeds. However, due to the idiomatic limitations of the guitar, one sometimes needs to omit the 3rd or the 5th, and instead imply it.
3. Resolving to an octave
To resolve to an octave, the partimento stays on the same note as the one that bore the tied 9th (see examples A-C).
4.Resolving to a third
To resolve to a 3rd, the partimento descends by a 3rd or ascends by a 6th.
(Refer to example F: ① → ②, G: ③ → ④), H: ⑦ → ①, I: ① → ④ and J: ⑤ → ①)
Note: In example H and J, I have treated the ⑥ as an passing dominant to ⑤.
5. Resolving to a sixth
To resolve to a 6th, the partimento ascends by a 3rd or descends by a 6th.
(Refer to example K: ① → ②, L: ③ → ④), M: ⑦ → ①, N: ① → ④ and O: ⑤ → ①)
Note: In Partimenti ossia basso numerato, Book III (ed. Gjerdingen), only examples in the major key are provided. I have applied the same principles to the minor key examples below.
Now follows a quite lengthy section with each of the variants A through O,
presented in six common major and minor key signatures.
This concludes this essay on the suspension of the nine as instructed by Fedele Fenaroli in his Partimenti ossia basso numerato. You can download this essay as a PDF for free.
Karl Michelson 