directedness-fifth · moss2019-tonal-harmony-beethoven

A chord transition A → B is asymmetrical if chord A proceeds more often to chord B than vice versa [ 18 ]. This has cognitive implications, as the statistical regularities of chord transitions in tonal music arguably impact on the formation of listening expectations through implicit learning [ 17 , 34 , 35 ]. ... The descending fifth is a prototypical example of an authentic transition; it is generally identified as central for tonal harmony [ 7 , 8 , 36 , 37 ] as opposed to other Western musical styles [ 38 ], especially when its goal is the tonic ( V → I , or V → i ). Further, the presence of chord types with certain features contributes to both referentiality and directedness. This applies, for instance, to dissonant chords such as seventh chords and suspensions, as they create specific expectations of the following chords