Connexions module: m35093 1
Circular and Linear Progressions
∗
Robert McClure
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†
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A
circular progression
cycles the same harmonic pattern over and over again: The harmonies revolve like
a spinning merry-go-round.
Circular progressions
are common in commercial music. The theme song from the television series
The Oce is based on one.
Example 1
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Circular progressions
are also ubiquitous in improvisatory and participatory music: They allow for in-
dependence and spontaneity within a shared, reliable framework. Jazz's
12-bar blues
and
Boogie-
Woogie
bass-line are iconic examples.
Example 2
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In classical music, chaconnes, passacaglias and theme and variations incorporate circular progressions. Each
time the progression is played, it is expressed in a new way. This excerpt from Georg Friedrick Handel's
Passacaglia in g-minor
cycles the harmonic progression four times.
Example 3
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In this excerpt from Sergei Prokoev's
Violin Concerto No. 2
, the solo violin traces its languorously
evolving melody over a
circular progression
, which cycles eight times. Only in the last cycle is there is a
small change in the
harmonic progression
.
Example 4
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On the other hand, a
linear progression
keeps changing, incorporating new chords and patterns. This
excerpt from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's
Piano Concerto No. 24 in c-minor
is a
linear progression
.
∗
Version 1.1: Aug 12, 2010 2:37 pm GMT-5
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