Cadences... ?

[drooxy]

Hi !

I am reading different books that deal with Harmony and there are some differences in the definition they give of the main cadences...

For instance, one of them considers "Imperfect Cadence" as another name for "Half Close" whereas another one gives two very different definitions of these two cadences...

Could somebody help ?

Thank you,
Drooxy  

[faulty_damper]

There are two different cadences, using my own terms:
1. full cadence
2. half cadence

A full cadence is the completion of a musical idea where there is a definite ending, as in the end of a series of phrases.  An example is the end of the second phrase of the main idea in Beethoven's Waldstein sonata, last movement, thus completing it.

A half cadence is when there is a pause but the musical idea has not ended, you would expect that there will be another phrase to complete the cycle.  This is what "imperfect cadence" and "half close" mean, I think.  Example is the end of the first phrase in the forementioned sonata.

[Tash]

ok i know my cadences in terms of perfect, imperfect, plagal and interrupted.

perfect is chords moving from V-I so it give a nice finished sound to a phrase (also known as a full-close)

plagal is chords moving from IV-I also sounds finished, known as sounding like an 'amen'

interrupted in V-VI and sounds like a question

imperfect is II, IV, VI to V and just sounds like you're missing a finishing chord on the end. my music dictionary says it can also be called a half-close

i dunno if that helps that's just what i know about the wonders of cadences...

[alvaro_galvez]

Your roman numerals mean intervals right?

[bernhard]

Your roman numerals mean intervals right?

Er… No, actually they do not mean intervals.

A major scale has seven notes or degrees. They can be labelled by Roman numerals or named. For instance the scale of C major:

C – I – tonic
D – II – supertonic
E – III – mediant
F – IV – subdominant
G – V – dominant
A – VI – subdominant
B – VII – leading note

The advantage of this labelling is that it will be exactly the same for every major scale, even though the notes will be different in each scale.

So the roman numerals can mean two different things (not intervals!).

In a melodic context, they will mean the notes themselves.

So a perfect cadence means that the last two note of the melody will be V (dominant) followed by I (tonic). If the melody is in C major, it means that it ends with e the sequence G – C

In a harmonic context, the numerals mean the triads built upon the notes the roman numerals refer to. For instance, in a perfect cadence, the last two chords will be: V – I, that is (in C major): V = GBD (the triad built upon the dominant) followed by I = CEG (the triad built upon the tonic).

Does this help?

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[alvaro_galvez]

OOOOOOOOOOOH!
I get it! Thanx!  

[joeltr888]

I don't know if some people misunderstand or whether there is different terminology than where I come from, but most every theory book I've read has cadences as thus:

Authentic Cadence = V-I ... Conclusive, can be divided into perfect authentic (both chords in root position, root degree in soprano approached by step) and imperfect (either chord inverted, 3 or 5 in soprano)

Plagal Cadance = IV-I ... prolongation of the tonic, extension of conclusive effect of V-I... "amen"

Half Cadence = anything-V ... a point of pause within a phrase or larger thematic section, usually about halfway through, high point of tension

Deceptive Cadence = V-anything (usually vi) ... disrupts expected movement of V-I with another chord to create harmonic interest

[drooxy]

Joeltr888, these are the definitions exactly as I found them in some french theory books indeed... different from the ones I read in some US books...

so my question !  

Cheers,
Drooxy

[joeltr888]

That's very interesting indeed... what american books that you have list them differently?  

[drooxy]

"Understanding harmony" from R.L. Jacobs for example...