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There are three types of Augmented 6th chord the German, the Italian, and the French. Most chords are named for the intervals they contain or their function, but these seem like just arbitrary names for chords. Why are the augmented chords named for their respective countries and is there an alternative name for each that better captures how they are constructed?

user45266
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Dom
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  • I haven't heard these terms before. Can you maybe spell out an example of each? – Eichhörnchen Jun 18 '14 at 20:52
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    @Deannakov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_sixth_chord – Dom Jun 18 '14 at 20:55
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    Do you mean to ask why they are called Augmented 6th chords or why they are called German/Italian/French? – Basstickler Jun 18 '14 at 20:59
  • @Basstickler Why they are called German/Italian/French. I understand why they are called Augmented 6th chords. – Dom Jun 18 '14 at 21:01
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    It's worth noting that these aren't the only Augmented-6th chords, just the most common. The Tristan chord is probably the most famous exception, but the so-called "Eulenspiegel" chord (an enharmonic variant of the Tristan), and the "Swiss" +6 (an enharmonic variant of the German) are also talked about. Also worth noting that this is an age-old question that music-theoretical historians still argue about. I suspect that the only truly honest answer to the question is "We don't know." Anyone that can actually prove a definite answer would become justifiably famous! – Pat Muchmore Jun 18 '14 at 21:45
  • I had a theory teacher that gave us an interesting way to remember. It does play on some stereotypes and some of his personal opinions, so it may not work for everyone. German: Enharmonically equivalent to a dominant chord and the German's have been rather Dominant in their past (World Wars). French: Contains the two TriTones, which are sexy, like the French. Italian: Contains only 3 notes, compared to the 4 notes in the other two, and is boring, like Italian music... I know it's not politically correct but I still remember from 10 years ago and never encounter them in my real world experience – Basstickler Jun 19 '14 at 14:05
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    In French music schools there are no such things as french/german/italian chords, only "augmented sixth" chords. There are many ways to write augmented sixth chords (not only three), as there are many ways to write Napolitan (IIb) chords. – Alexandre C. Jun 19 '14 at 21:21
  • I didn't know this term. If I write the chord sequence in the key of C | Ab7 G7 | C | - is that more or less the same thing (the final C could be major or minor, and the G dom 7 can be voiced with repeated G in the bass)? – danmcb Jan 21 '20 at 12:34

5 Answers5

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You would think the German, French, and Italian 6th chords are so named by the historical context in which they first appeared. (See also Neapolitan sixth chord, and the "Tristan Chord".)

However, the more I research this, it appears the names German, French, and Italian are likely arbitrary. Here are two citations that support this:

1)

"...theorists disagree on their precise origins and have struggled for centuries to define their roots, and fit them into conventional harmonic theory..."

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_sixth_chord

2)

"Why the national names? No particular reason, it seems. But they had to be called something. Frank, Suzie, and Jack would have done as well."

source: http://www.ars-nova.com/Theory%20Q&A/Q38.html

My recollections from undergraduate music theory (many decades ago) are that these were introduced in operas from each nation, but this appears wonky now.

However the "Neapolitan" 6th does have a specific origin:

"The chord is called "Neapolitan" because it is associated with the Neapolitan School, which included Alessandro Scarlatti, Pergolesi, Paisiello, Cimarosa, and other important 18th-century composers of Italian opera"

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neapolitan_chord

I found a summary of a book that details "...Augmented Sixth from Monteverdi to Mahler" (Mark Ellis, Kirklees College and Huddersfield University, UK):

http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9780754663850

Thomas N
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filzilla
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The names Italian, French and German have a sure and certain origin. They were coined by John Wall Callcott in his "A musical grammar", oublished in 1806. Or, better, he quotes the first (italian) from tradition, and coins himself the other two. Very simple!!

Federico Augusto Agostinelli
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  • Oh, interesting! Do you by any chance have a link to that text? – Richard Jan 21 '20 at 13:14
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    I think I found it on page 237. It wasn't keyword searchable as "augmented sixth" but rather "extreme sharp sixth". https://books.google.com/books?id=ESc_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA237 – Michael Curtis Jan 21 '20 at 16:39
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Note that the French sixth contains notes belonging to a whole-tone scale. Despite the strong temptation to draw a parallel to the French impressionist school, famous for their use of this scale (e.g. Debussy's Voiles), I concur with the previous poster that this is most likely a coincidence.

ninemileskid
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in German they are named by the intervals. ü6,ü56,ü34 (whereby ü = übermässig, that means augmented 6th

Italian: ü6 = aug 6th

German: ü56 = aug 5th6th

French: ü34 = aug 3rd4th

Albrecht Hügli
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The term augmented sixth is ambigious to me. Sometimes it refers to the 6th being augmented, and sometimes the 5th being augmented with a major 6th.

There are three types of Augmented 6th chord the German, the Italian, and the French. - Dom asked Jun 18 '14 at 19:49

What about the conventional augmented sixth chords, which have a major 6th and an augmented 5th? e.g. C-E-G#-A with functions R-3-5#-6 as can be played in C Lydian Augmented.

Do you mean to ask why they are called Augmented 6th chords or why they are called German/Italian/French? – Basstickler Jun 18 '14 at 20:59

It is interesting, though, that they call these chords augmented sixth. Other augmented chords do not refer to the extension note being augmented: e.g. Caug7 which has an augmented 5th and a minor 7th.

is there an alternative name for each that better captures how they are constructed? - Dom asked Jun 18 '14 at 19:49

If we apply contemporary chord names based on enharmonics of the major scale:

  • german: dom7
  • italian: dom7(no5)
  • french: dom7(b5)