Cadences

 A cadence is a point of rest at the end of a

phrase, section or complete piece of music.

 A cadence is like a musical punctuation.

 It is often used to imply what’s happening next.

Types of cadences

 Perfect (V-I)

 Plagal (IV-I)

 Imperfect (I-V or II-V or IV-V or VI-V)

 Interrupted (V-VI)
Perfect Cadence

 Dominant triad followed by tonic triad (V-I).

 Sounds very final.

 Like a full-stop.
Plagal Cadence

 Subdominant Triad followed by Tonic Triad

(IV-I).

 Sounds quiet final. Sounds like amen in a

church hymn.

 Like a semicolon.
Imperfect Cadence

 Anything to a dominant triad (?-V).

 Sounds incomplete. Chord V feels like it wants

to move to the tonic chord.

 Like a question mark.

Interrupted Cadence

 Dominant triad followed by submediant triad

(V-VI).

 Sounds unexpected.

 Like an interruption.
Perfect Cadence (V-I)-
Four Part Vocal Style
 Bass sings the root note.
 Leading note in V rises to tonic in chord I.
 Common notes in same voice.
 Remainder note rises a step (2nd).
 E flat major (V- Bb D F Bb to I-Eb G Bb Eb)
Plagal Cadence (IV-I)-
Four Part Vocal Style
 Bass sings root note.
 Common notes in same voice.
 Remainder two voices move DOWN a step (2nd).
 E flat major (IV-Ab C Eb Ab to I-Eb G Bb Eb)
Perfect Cadence in C major
Plagal Cadence in C major
Perfect Cadence in A minor
Plagal Cadence in A minor
Homework

 Master Your Theory Grade 3 – Dulcie Holland.

Complete lessons 9-10.

 Master Your Theory Grade 4 – Dulcie Holland.

Complete lessons 1-6.
Grade 4 – Theory of Music
 I-V reverse of a perfect cadence

 II-V outer parts move in contrary motion

 IV-V bass rises a step and all other parts fall by a step

 VI-V two parts rise and two parts fall (Double 3rd in chord VI)

 V-VI (Interrupted Cadence) Bass rises a step, leading note rises to

tonic in the same voice and other two parts fall. (Double 3rd in
chord VI)
Imperfect Cadence – F major
I-V
Imperfect Cadence – Db major
II-V
Imperfect Cadence – C minor
IV-V
Imperfect Cadence – G minor
VI-V
Interrupted Cadence – Eb major
V-VI (Double 3 in VI)
rd
Interrupted Cadence – F# minor
V-VI (Double 3 in VI)
rd