Unresolved Six-Four Chords in Beethoven

Benjamin Graf, University of North Texas

Gabriel Fankhauser's discourse on cadential six-four chords systematizes "deviant" V64 chords that do not resolve according to the paradigmatic dominant complex voice-leading behaviors (i.e. V64--53). Fankhauser's lexicon of harmonically and contrapuntally deviant six-four chords, however, does not explore the implications of genuinely unresolved cadential six-four chords. Therefore, as an addition to his systematic catalogue of aberrant six-four chords, I explore the significance of two types of unresolved six-four chords, using representative examples from Beethoven: 1) cadential six-four chords that elide directly into tonic without ever reaching a rootposition dominant, paradoxically conveying both V64 and I64, and 2) cadential six-four chords followed by a departure to harmony that is neither V nor I in any inversion. The first movement of Beethoven's E minor piano sonata (Op. 90) and the last movement of his Eighth Symphony serve as case studies for the two types of unresolved six-four chords. In my analyses, I demonstrate how the unresolved cadential six-four chords illuminate central compositional problems in each of their respective movements, highlighting issues that even left Schenker at a theoretical crossroads. Thus, my exploration of unresolved six-four chords not only contributes to the existing lexicon of "deviant" six-four chords, but also sparks deeper inquiry regarding the interpretation form and structure in Beethoven's music.