key term - Cadential Progression

Definition

A cadential progression is a sequence of chords that leads to a sense of closure or resolution in a musical phrase. It typically occurs at the end of musical sections and helps to reinforce the tonal center, providing listeners with a feeling of completion. This concept is essential for understanding how music is structured, as cadential progressions can vary in complexity and style, influencing the overall emotional impact of a piece.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cadential progressions serve to signal the end of phrases, sections, or entire compositions, helping to shape the overall structure of music.
2. Different types of cadences can evoke varying emotional responses; for example, an authentic cadence provides strong closure, while a half cadence leaves more unresolved tension.
3. The use of cadential progressions can vary widely across genres and styles, with classical music employing more traditional forms and contemporary music experimenting with less predictable resolutions.
4. Composers often manipulate cadences by adding embellishments or using non-chord tones to enhance the impact of the resolution.
5. In analyzing music, identifying cadential progressions is key to understanding how composers create form and guide listener expectations throughout a piece.

Review Questions

• How does a cadential progression influence the emotional impact of a musical phrase?
  • A cadential progression significantly shapes the emotional impact of a musical phrase by providing resolution or tension. For instance, an authentic cadence offers strong closure, making listeners feel satisfied and complete, while a half cadence creates an unresolved feeling, leading to anticipation. This emotional effect is crucial for composers, who use different types of cadences to enhance the narrative and expressive quality of their music.
• Compare and contrast authentic and plagal cadences in terms of their functions and effects in music.
  • Authentic and plagal cadences serve distinct functions in music despite both leading to resolution. An authentic cadence, moving from V to I, provides a strong sense of closure and finality, commonly used at the end of phrases. In contrast, a plagal cadence, which goes from IV to I, creates a softer resolution often associated with hymns or sacred music. While both cadences resolve harmony, they evoke different feelings and are used in varying contexts by composers.
• Evaluate how variations in cadential progressions can affect the overall structure and listener experience within a piece of music.
  • Variations in cadential progressions play a crucial role in shaping both the structure and listener experience of a piece. Composers may use unconventional cadences or delay resolutions to create tension and maintain interest throughout their music. By manipulating expected resolutions, they can lead listeners through unexpected paths, heightening emotional engagement and contributing to thematic development. This creative use of cadences reflects the individual style of composers and enhances the richness of musical storytelling.

Related terms

Authentic Cadence:

A type of cadential progression that moves from the dominant chord (V) to the tonic chord (I), creating a strong sense of resolution.

Plagal Cadence:

A cadential progression that moves from the subdominant chord (IV) to the tonic chord (I), often described as the 'Amen' cadence.

Half Cadence:

A cadential progression that ends on the dominant chord (V), leaving the listener with a sense of tension and anticipation.