Suspension and Retardation
A held note that becomes dissonant over a new chord and then resolves by step
Related
A suspension holds a note from the previous chord into a new one, where it is first consonant and then dissonant, and finally resolves downward by step; a retardation has the same shape but resolves upward. The process has three stages — preparation, suspension and resolution.
Figures such as 9–8, 7–6 and 4–3 show the intervals of suspension and resolution. Suspensions usually fall on a strong beat and are common in counterpoint and cadences; retardations are rarer and usually in an upper voice. A suspension can also occur in an inner voice, with subtler tension.
Not every long note is a suspension. It needs preparation and resolution, normally downward; an anticipation arrives early instead of staying late, while an appoggiatura has no preparation. Write out all three stages to see where the dissonance comes from and goes.
Sources
- 定义、标记与解决参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Suspension"；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.