cadence or close. Any melodic or harmonic progression which has come to possess a conventional association with the ending of a comp., a section, or a phrase.
The commonest harmonic cadences are: (a) Perfect cadence (or full close). Chord of the dominant followed by that of tonic. (b) Interrupted cadence. Chord of the dominant followed by that of submediant. (c) Imperfect cadence (or half close). Chord of the tonic or some other chord followed by that of dominant. (d) Plagal cadence. Chord of the subdominant followed by that of tonic.
To any of the dominant chords above mentioned the 7th may be added. Any of the chords may be taken in
inversion, but if that is done in the case of the perfect cadence its effect of finality (i.e. its ‘perfection’) is lost.
The term Phrygian cadence is applied by various writers to (i) in major key a cadence ending on the chord of the dominant of relative minor (e.g. in key C major E–G♯–B), or (ii) any sort of imperfect cadence (half close) in minor mode, or (iii) first inversion of subdominant chord followed by dominant chord (e.g. in key C the chord A–C–F followed by the chord G–B–D). (It seems best to confine the name to the cadence (i) above, which is fairly common in J. S. Bach and for which no other name is available, whereas (ii) and (iii) are simply varieties of the imperfect cadence.)
For the cadence employing the
tierce de Picardie see under that term.
Other terms are:
Abrupt cadence = interrupted cadence (see above). Amen cadence = plagal cadence (see above). Authentic cadence = perfect cadence (full close; see above). Avoided cadence = interrupted cadence (see above). Broken cadence = interrupted cadence (see above). Church cadence = plagal cadence (see above). Complete cadence = perfect cadence (full close; see above). Deceptive cadence = interrupted cadence (see above). Demi-cadence = imperfect cadence (half close; see above). Dominant cadence = imperfect cadence (half close; see above). Evaded cadence = interrupted cadence (see above). False close = interrupted cadence (see above). Greek cadence = plagal cadence (see above). Half cadence = half close (see
imperfect cadence, above). Inverted cadence = perfect or imperfect cadence (full close or half close; see above) with its latter chord inverted. (Some confine the name to the perfect cadence thus changed; others extend it to all cadences having either chord, or both, inverted.) Irregular cadence = interrupted cadence (see above). Mixed cadence. The term is used in 2 ways—both of them superfluous. (1) A ‘mixing’ of the plagal and imperfect cadences, consisting of subdominant-dominant, this being merely the imperfect cadence in one of its commonest forms. (2) A mixing of the plagal and perfect cadences, consisting of the perfect cadence preceded by the subdominant—making 3 chords, instead of the usual two. This is merely the perfect cadence led up to in one of its commonest manners and should not require any special name. Radical cadence = any cadence of which the chords are in root position, i.e. the roots of the chords in the bass. Semi-perfect cadence = perfect cadence (see above) with the 3rd or 5th of the tonic in the highest part. Surprise cadence = interrupted cadence (see above). Suspended cadence = a hold-up before the final cadence of a piece, as that in a conc. (or, in former times, an aria) for the solo performer to work in a
cadenza.
The above definitions accord with Brit. terminology. Amer. usage is different and inconsistent.
