What is the Italian musical term for when a song in a minor key finishes on a major chord, e.g. 'House of the Rising Sun'?

lanfranco

I wonder whether you might be referring to the "tierce de picardie," or "Picardy Third". Though this is obviously not an Italian term: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picardy_third May 31 07, 5:39 PM

Arpeggionist

I don't think there is an Italian term. The term "Picardy third" can be translated into pretty much any language ("terza di Picarde" in Italian, in Hebrew "tertza Picardit"). In German, the term "moll-dur" ('minor-major') describes the carrying of this practice further, obscuring the tonality between minor and major (as can be found in many pieces of the 19th century, particularly those of Brahms). Jun 05 07, 12:59 AM