MUSI1023 Materials and Structures of Music (2021-22)
Lecture 7: Cadences, Triads in Inversions
Cadences
- A musical punctuation
- To mark a musical phrase / to separate musical phrases
• Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC)
- V(7) – I / i
- Both V and I (i) are in root position
- 1^ in the melody over the I (i) chord
- Most final sounding of all cadences
- Example: Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude 10
- Not every V – I / i constitutes an authentic cadence. Only when the I / i chord serves as
the goal of a phrase, we would call the progression a cadence.
• Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC)
- Root position IAC
- Like PAC, but 3^ and 5^ are in the melody over the I / i chord
- Example: Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude 12
• Inverted IAC
- With either or both of the chords inverted
- Example: Schumann, Nachtiled, op.96, no.1
• Leading tone IAC
- viio – I / i (or inverted)
- Example: Bach, Befiehl du deine Wege
• Deceptive Cadence (DC)
- V(7) – chord NOT I / i
- Most common type: V – vi / VI
- Not to really end a phrase but to extend it until reaches the authentic cadence
- Example: Haydn, Piano Sonata no.4, II
• Half Cadence (HC)
- Ends with V
- Unstable
- Example: Haydn, Piano Sonata no.44, II
• Phrygian half cadence
- iv6 – V in minor
- Example: Schumann, Folk Song, op.68, no.9
• Plagal Cadence (PC)
- IV – I
- Example: Dykes, Holy, Holy, Holy!
• Cadences and Harmonic Rhythm
- The last chord of the cadence usually falls on a stronger beat than the chord that precedes
it
Exercises
Identify the cadence type for each example.
Triads in First Inversion
- Compare the 2 examples:
- Use of 1st inversion triads
1. To improve the contour of the bass line
2. To lessen the weight of V and I chords that do not serve as the goals of harmonic motion
- The diminished triad (e.g. viio) was used almost exclusively in the 1st inversion
throughout much of the tonal era
- vi6 (or VI6) should NOT be freely substituted for the root position vi (or VI)
- Correct use of vi6:
1. I - vi6 - ii (prolong the tonic harmony)
2. Part of a sequential pattern
Triads in Second Inversions
- Second inversion triads (6-4 chords) are NOT used as substitute for the root position
- Less stable sonority than root position and 1st inversion
- Before the development of tonal harmony, P4 had been considered a dissonance if the P4
involved the lowest voice
- 4 categories of the use of 6-4 chords
1. Bass arpeggiation and melodic bass
2. Cadential 6-4
3. Passing 6-4
4. Pedal 6-4
- If not one of the categories, it would be considered an INCORRECT usage in this style
1. Bass arpeggiation and melodic bass
- Bass arpeggiation involving a root position triad
- Example: Mendelssohn, Symphony no.4, I
- Melodic bass (not harmonic foundation of the texture)
- Example: Beethoven, String Quartet op.59, no.1, I
2. Cadential 6-4
- I 6-4 chord resolves to a root position V chord
- I 6-4 chord does NOT represent a tonic triad
- The pair of I 6-4 chord and V chord have dominant function
- Occurs on a stronger beat than the V chord, or on a stronger portion of the beat
- In triple meter, if the V chord occurs on the 3rd beat of the measure, the I 6-4 chord will
frequently appear on the normally weak 2nd beat
- Example: Scarlatti, Sonata L.363
-
- Found at the cadenza of many solo concertos
- Example: Mozart, Violin Concerto K.271a, III
3. Passing 6-4
- Harmonizing the middle note of a 3-note scaler figure in the bass (ascending or
descending)
- Usually falls on a weak beat
- Weak harmonic function
- Example: Mozart, Piano Sonata K.309, III
4. Pedal 6-4
- To elaborate a static triad
- Similar to a pedal point
- On a weak beat and with stepwise voice leading
- Exceptionally the bass may move after the 6-4 chord and before the return of the root
position triad
- Example: Mozart, String Quartet K.465, I
Exercise:
Label the chords in roman numerals.
1.
i i
g pedal千
i is it is i6
2.
G I ÉIĚ I6 I I 正
3.
E passing年
I6 正正 正 It 正 I6 6 I
EIbiibIVIvibII.i T
implied cadent.dk
