page_title: Neapolitan chord
section_title: Romantic period
hierarchical_section_title: Neapolitan chord / In classical music / Romantic period
caption_attribution_description: English: Wagner, Rheingold, Scene 4
context_page_description: In music theory, a Neapolitan chord is a major chord built on the lowered second scale degree. In Schenkerian analysis, it is known as a Phrygian II, since in minor scales the chord is built on the notes of the corresponding Phrygian mode.
  Although it is sometimes indicated by an "N" rather than a "♭II", some analysts prefer the latter because it indicates the relation of this chord to the supertonic. The Neapolitan chord does not fall into the categories of mixture or tonicization. Moreover, even Schenkerians like Carl Schachter do not consider this chord as a sign for a shift to the Phrygian mode. Therefore, like the augmented sixth chords it should be assigned to a separate category of chromatic alteration.
  The Neapolitan most commonly occurs in first inversion so that it is notated either as ♭II⁶ or N⁶ and normally referred to as a Neapolitan sixth chord. In C major or C minor, for example, a Neapolitan sixth chord in first inversion contains an interval of a minor sixth between F and D♭.
context_section_description: In the fourth scene of Richard Wagner’s opera Das Rheingold, the earth Goddess Erda prophesies the impending doom of the Gods.  Wagner’s orchestration here juxtaposes two significant dramatic leitmotifs, the one ascending to represent Erda and the other, "a descending variant of Erda's motive played over a chord of the Neapolitan sixth" with the intention of conveying their ultimate downfall to ominous and chilling effect. (D in the key of C♯ minor):
caption: A Neapolitan chord from Wagner's Das Rheingold, Scene 4
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