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Planing, planing, over the ocean blue

fauxbourdont

N.B. top excerpt is from Bach Mass in b minor – Et Resurrexit, generic bottom is from Beethoven Mass in C – Et vitam venturi. I understand that the Bach example might not count as Fauxbourdon in its most traditional definition (as derived from the medieval polyphonic practice commonly associated with Dufay) because it consists of parallel second inversion triads rather than first inversion triads, story as found in the Beethoven example. Some might call this use of parallel triads “planing”, which I associate primarily with the impressionists and the specific color it imparts in that music – I prefer the term fauxbourdon to describe any parallel triads that occur in Renaissance/Baroque/Classical music to exempt them from the parallel fourths rule.

Also I’m not a Beethoven fan. Haters Bach off.