CHORDS IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR ORIGIN 267 



The thorough-bass mark of the ground-form or 

 first position of a supersixth-chord is 5, of that of a 

 subsecond-chord is 2. These chords being combina- 

 tions of four tones naturally have four positions both 

 in close and open voicing. Since a combination of 

 the same four tones is now a supersixth-chord and now 

 a subsecond-chord, now reports itself in major, now 

 in minor, since each such chord may appear in one of 

 four positions either in close or open voicing, how is 

 it possible to tell which is which? Always by the 

 report of regnant harmony, which is absolute. The 

 chords 1 + 6 in major and /-f2 in minor are com- 

 binations of the same four tones and will serve to illus- 

 trate all these points. Both are presented below, 



a) In Major h) In Minor 



5 3 1 



Close 



Open 



