Embellishment of Phrygian Cadences

A Phrygian cadence is a type of imperfect cadence, ending on the dominant chord (V). It can occur
at the half-way point, but most often occurs at the close of a movement, after a full cadence, as a
kind of after thought or coda. As it is unfinished, it naturally leads to the following movement and it
is important to maintain that link in performance.

The bass line approaches the final dominant chord from a semi-tone above, figured 7 6. Phrygian
cadences occur most often in minor key pieces, as this major 7th (VI7 )chord is then especially
beautiful. The 7th is often suspended over from the previous beat in the melodic part. Linger on this
7th to savour its beauty before adding a short embellishment.

The 7th resolves to a 6th and an upper-note cadential trill should be added here, even if not notated
by the composer.

Quantz (Versuch, 1752)

“The half cadence, in which the upper part is suspended against the bass and resolved through the
sixth to the octave…usually appears in the middle or at the end of a slow piece in a minor key. It
was used ad nauseam in former times, particularly in the church style, and has therefore almost gone
out of fashion. Yet it can be used with good effect, if it is introduce sparingly and in the right
places”.



b j œ ˙ ˙ w
& b c œ™ œ œ
œ œ
? bbc œ w
# 6 7 6 #
œ w

essential trill at cadence breathe here to separate

may be notated with the end of the paragraph
any of these signs:
Ÿ c m
and the coda trill starts on
crescendo over the the upper note (D)
bar line to enrich the
or not notated at all (assumed) beautiful 7th chord
trill starts on the upper note (Bb) diminuendo as the
dissonance resolves

b j ≤ œ ˙ œ w
Ϫ
d
& b c Ϫ
d
œ œ J
tu - ru

œ
A
di - ri

? bbc
#
œ œ œ
6
w
7 6 #
w
(V) V I vb VI7 IVb V
D g d Eb7 c D
perfect cadence in G minor Phrygian cadence (type of imperfect cadence)
(the piece could end here). this is effectively a coda leading to the next movement
The Eb 7th chord may be embellished with other notes of the chord: Eb, G, Bb, D

...

Eb OK but same note as bass

so best if not too long

b œ œ™ œ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
J œ
J
bare 4th between D and G

œ
adds to the sad Affekt
b œ œ™ j
œ™ œ w
&b c J
d
œ
J
rising and falling 6th

œ
add even more pathos

b œ œ™ J j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
descending to the lower Bb

b
is simpler

&b c œ œ™ œ
j
œ™ œ w
d
œ
J J

bbc d j œ ˙ ˙
d
w
& œ™ œ œ
œ œ
? bbc œ w
# 6 7 6 #
œ w
These notes may be tongued or slurred, because they are harmony notes - it is your choice.

b œ œ œ œ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
b œ œ œ œ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
b œ œ œ
&b c œ œ j
œ™ œ w
d
œ
J
œ œ œ jd
b œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ w
&b c J
3 3
b j œ ˙ ˙ w
& b c Ϫ
d d
œ œ
œ
? bbc
#
œ œ œ
6
w
7 6 #
w

Experiment with different rhythms.

...

b œ œ œ œ™ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
b œ œ œ j
œ™ œ w
&b c œ
d
œ
J J J
œ œ™
b œ œ™ œ œj d
œ™ œ w
&b c J
œ œ
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œj d
œ™ œ w
&b c J
b j œ ˙ ˙ w
& b c Ϫ
d d
œ œ
œ œ
? bbc œ w
# 6 7 6 #
œ w
 b œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ w
&b c
d
J
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ w
&b c
d
J
b œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œj d œ w
&b c Ϫ J
œ œ œ œ
b œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ w
&b c
d
J
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œj d œ w
&b c Ϫ J

bbc Ϫ
d j œ ˙ ˙
d
w
& œ œ
œ œ
? bbc œ w
# 6 7 6 #
œ w
The interval of a 3rd between the notes of the 7th chord may be filled in with passing notes.
Passing notes must always be slurred, either from or ono a harmony note (not tongued/bowed
separately).
...

grace note may be played on the beat

or before the beat (French style)

b œ œ œ œj œ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
b œ œ œ™ œœ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
b œ œ œ œ œ™ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
b œ œ œ œ œ œj d
œ™ œ w
&b c J
b œ œ œ œ œ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
b
&b c œ œ œ œ œ œ œj d
œ™ œ w
J
b œ œ œΩ œ œ œj d
œ™ œ w
&b c J
3

b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ w
&b c
d
J

œ œj œ
b œ œ œj œ j
œ™ œ w
&b c
d
œ
J
œ œ œ œ
b œ œ œ œj d
œ™ œ w
&b c J
œ œ œ œ
b
&b c œ œ œ œ œ œj d
œ™ œ w
J

b j œ ˙ ˙ w
& b c Ϫ
d d
œ œ
œ #
? bbc œ œ œ w
6 7 6 #
w
In a slow movement, a scale containing passing notes articulated separately would sound strange.

NOT separate!

b Ͻ Ͻ Ͻ Ͻ Ͻ j d
&b c œ œ œ œ™ œ w
J
b j œ ˙ ˙ w
& b c Ϫ
d d
œ œ
œ
? bc
#
œ œ œ
6
w
7 6 #
w
b
Quantz (Versuch, 1752)

“the embellishments that may be used have a very small compass…It is simply a matter of whether
you wish the embellishment to be long or short”.

slightly longer cadenza

medium-length
longest cadenza cadenza shortest cadenza

œ œ œj œ œj j Ÿ
b ˙ œ œœœ œ œœ ˙ w
&b œ
Ÿ
b ˙ w
&b œ̇ œ ẇ w

Quantz (Versuch, 1752) Ch.XV §.33

“In two parts, this half cadence is frequently used in trios. Its ornaments consist of the very same
intervals used in one for a single part. It is simply to be noted that the part forming the suspension
of the seventh must make the statement. The other part must rein on the third [of the chord] until
the first has completed its figure and strikes the shake on the sixth. The second part can then imitate
at the lower fifth the figure sounded by the first”.

œ j Ÿ
b œ œ œœ U
j
&b ˙ œ œ œj ˙ ˙ Ó
Ÿ
b œ œ œj œ œj œ Ó
&b œœ œœ ẇ œ œ #˙˙ Ó

“If however, the seventh lies in the second part, then the second must make the statement, and the
first imitate it at the fourth above. If in [the above example] the second part is transposed up an
octave, and turned into the first, you will have an example”.

œ j j
b
œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œŸ #U
˙
&b Ó
œ j Ÿ
b œ œ œœ
j
&b ˙ œ œ œj ˙ ˙ Ó

b
&b œ œ w ˙
Ó
 Ÿ 3 +
Blavet Flute Sonata op.3 no.5

b
& b œœœœœœ. œœœœœœœœ
œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ ˙
3 3
œœ

œ
3

? bb œ œ œ w w
7 6 #

Handel Violin Sonata H 361 (original key A major)

bbc œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ U
w
& #œ œ
? bbc w U
w 


Ÿ œ œ œœœœœœ œ
Larghetto Handel Keyboard Sonata
Ÿ
Adagio
b œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ #w
œ œ
&b œ œ™ œ œ œ œ™ œ w
w
œ œœœ œ
? bb nœœ ˙˙ w
‰ œJ w

œ. œ œ#œ œ œ œ. œ w
J.S. Bach harpsichord concerto BWV 1056 (1735-40) (original key: F minor)
b œ œœœœœœ
&b #œ œ

? bb œ ˙ w
J
#
Italian Style Phrygian cadence embellishments are typically formed of long, slurred melismas. The
contour is based on notes of the 7th chord.

These examples, from Corelli’s violin sonatas, op.5, are transposed into G minor for easy
comparison.