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Subjects · Leaving Cert Music

Leaving Cert Music: Descant & chordal support

How often Descant & chordal support comes up on the Music papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

OL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Descant & chordal support, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Descant & chordal support.

(a)Which note of chord V should not be doubled?
  1. The root (soh)
  2. The leading note (te)
  3. The 5th (ray)
(b)What is a descant?
  1. A repeated rhythm played on drums
  2. The bass line written under the tune
  3. A countermelody above the main tune
(c)Descant notes on strong beats should be what?
  1. Notes of the chord in that box
  2. The same notes as the tune
  3. Notes a semitone above the tune
Show the answers

(a) The leading note (te)

(b) A countermelody above the main tune

(c) Notes of the chord in that box

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Descant & chordal support.

Higher Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q6
2024Q6
2023Q6
2022Q6
2021Q6
2019Q6
2018Q6
2017Q6
2016Q6

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Descant & chordal support questions

Descant & chordal support, 2 marks

What kind of non-chord notes suit the weak beats of a descant?

  1. Leaps to clashing notes
  2. Notes in consecutive 5ths with the tune
  3. Passing notes moving by step
Show the answer

Passing notes moving by step

Passing notes on weak beats keep the descant flowing while the strong beats stay on chord notes. Leaps to clashing notes and consecutive 5ths lose marks.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q6
2024Q6
2023Q6
2022Q6
2021Q6
2019Q6
2018Q6
2017Q6
2016Q6

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Descant & chordal support questions

Descant & chordal support, 3 marks

Moving mostly in which intervals with the tune makes a descant sound smooth?

  1. 2nds and 7ths
  2. 4ths and 5ths
  3. 3rds and 6ths
Show the answer

3rds and 6ths

3rds and 6ths are consonant and sweet, so a descant that runs mostly in 3rds or 6ths above the tune blends well. 2nds and 7ths clash.

Descant & chordal support, 3 marks

At a cadence point, which notes should a descant use?

  1. Any note of the scale, chord or not
  2. Notes of the chord at that point
  3. Notes of the next key it moves to
Show the answer

Notes of the chord at that point

At each cadence point the melody, descant and bass must all fit the same chord, or the parts will clash.

Descant & chordal support, 3 marks

Which kind of motion to the tune keeps a descant independent?

  1. Contrary motion
  2. Exact unison
  3. Parallel 5ths
Show the answer

Contrary motion

In contrary motion the descant rises as the tune falls. Unison makes the descant disappear and parallel 5ths sound bare, so both are avoided.

Other Music topics

All of Leaving Cert Music