Cadences

Definition

Cadences are musical phrases that signify the end of a section, providing a sense of resolution or pause in the music. They serve as pivotal moments in compositions, helping to articulate the structure and emotional content. By creating a sense of closure or transition, cadences guide listeners through the musical narrative, highlighting the relationships between themes and motifs throughout the piece.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cadences can be classified into several types, including authentic, half, and plagal cadences, each serving different functions in music.
2. They play a crucial role in establishing musical phrases and sections by signaling beginnings and endings.
3. Cadences not only provide structural clarity but also contribute to the emotional journey of a piece by evoking feelings of tension and release.
4. In the context of development sections, cadences are used strategically to create suspense or to reintroduce themes after exploration.
5. Composers often manipulate cadences to enhance contrast and complexity, influencing how listeners perceive transitions between different musical ideas.

Review Questions

• How do cadences function in musical phrases, and what role do they play in shaping a composition's structure?
  • Cadences function as markers that indicate the end of musical phrases or sections, helping to shape the overall structure of a composition. They establish points of closure or transition, which guide listeners through the piece. By signaling these moments, cadences enhance the listener's understanding of how different themes relate to one another and contribute to the emotional arc of the music.
• Discuss the differences between authentic cadences, half cadences, and plagal cadences, and their respective impacts on musical development.
  • Authentic cadences provide a strong sense of resolution by moving from the dominant chord to the tonic, while half cadences leave a feeling of anticipation by ending on the dominant chord. Plagal cadences offer a softer resolution from subdominant to tonic. Each type influences how sections transition: authentic cadences signal finality, half cadences create suspense for further exploration, and plagal cadences lend an uplifting or reflective quality.
• Evaluate how composers can use cadences creatively in the development sections of their works to manipulate listener expectations.
  • Composers creatively use cadences in development sections by playing with listener expectations through unexpected resolutions or prolonged tension. By delaying an expected authentic cadence or introducing a surprising half cadence, they can create suspense that enriches the musical narrative. This manipulation can enhance thematic exploration and emotional depth while keeping audiences engaged with novel developments and contrasts throughout the piece.

Related terms

Authentic Cadence:

An authentic cadence occurs when a dominant chord resolves to the tonic, creating a strong sense of resolution.

Half Cadence:

A half cadence ends on the dominant chord, creating an incomplete feeling and often leading into further musical development.

Plagal Cadence:

A plagal cadence involves a resolution from the subdominant chord to the tonic, often described as the 'Amen' cadence due to its use in hymns.