tierce

Tierce is a term with several related meanings, rooted in the French word for “third.” In music theory, tierce denotes the interval of a third and, more broadly, the third scale degree of a scale. In tonal harmony, thirds are fundamental to constructing chords, with major and minor triads formed by stacking thirds.

The phrase tierce de Picardie, or the Picardy third, describes a specific practice in which a piece in a minor key ends on a major triad. This cadence creates a bright, conclusive sense of resolution and has been observed from the Renaissance through the Romantic era, particularly in French and other European music.

In organ terminology, Tierce is the name of a stop or mixture that emphasizes the third of the harmonic series. Such a stop adds brightness and color to the organ’s sound and is found on historical and modern organs. It is one of several tonal resources used by organ builders and performers to shape timbre.

Beyond these musical uses, tierce remains the French word for “third” and appears in various technical terms where a third or one-third element is being described. While most commonly encountered in music, the concept of tierce as a third-bearing idea appears in other contexts through the shared linguistic heritage.