suspension

theorysus-PEN-shunfrom Latin

A note held from one chord into the next, creating a brief dissonance before resolving.

In Depth

A suspension occurs when a note from one chord is held over (suspended) into the next chord, where it clashes with the new harmony before resolving down by step to a chord tone. The three stages are preparation (the note as a consonance), suspension (the held note as a dissonance), and resolution (the step downward to consonance). Suspensions create some of the most expressive moments in tonal music. The brief dissonance adds a touch of longing or tension before the satisfying resolution. Chains of suspensions, where one voice resolves while another suspends, create a cascading effect that is particularly beautiful in Renaissance and Baroque choral music. The 4–3 and 7–6 suspensions are the most common types.
Did you know?

The opening of Bach's St. Matthew Passion features chains of suspensions so emotionally charged that it has been described as the sound of humanity weeping.

Related Terms

resolutiondissonance

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