Passamezzo moderno - Definition

The passamezzo moderno (modern half step) was "one of the most popular harmonic formulae in the Renaissance period, divides into two complementary strains thus:"

I|IV|I|V||I|IV|I-V|I||

(Middleton 1990, p.117).

Which is as follows in C Major:

C|F|C|G||C|F|C-G|C||

However, Van der Merwe (1989) considers the repeating chord progression of the twelve bar blues to be derived from the passamezzo moderno, and more recent examples include The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" (ibid, p.117-8).

External link

• Musica Viva: The Encyclopedia of music: Passamezzo (http://www.musicaviva.com/encyclopedia/display.tpl?phrase=passamezzo)

Source

• Middleton, Richard (1990/2002). Studying Popular Music. Philadelphia: Open University Press. ISBN 0335152759.
  • Van der Merwe, P. (1989). Origins of the Popular Style. Oxford.