Johtosävelsointu

Johtosävelsointu refers to a dominant seventh chord in Finnish musical terminology. Specifically, it denotes a chord built on the leading tone of a scale. The leading tone is the seventh degree of a major or harmonic minor scale, and it has a strong tendency to resolve upwards to the tonic. When this leading tone forms the root of a dominant seventh chord, it creates a highly dissonant and tension-filled harmony. This chord typically consists of the leading tone, the third above it, the fifth above it, and the seventh above it. In the key of C major, for example, the leading tone is B. The dominant seventh chord built on B would be B-D#-F#-A. However, the term johtosävelsointu specifically emphasizes the chord rooted on the leading tone, which is often the vii chord in relation to the tonic, but its function is primarily dominant. The inherent tension in the chord drives towards resolution, usually to the tonic chord. This function is crucial in classical music and many other Western tonal traditions for creating harmonic momentum and completing musical phrases.