Cadence
In Western musical theory, a cadence (from Latin cadentia 'a falling') is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.[2] A harmonic cadence is a progression of two or more chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music.[3] A rhythmic cadence is a characteristic rhythmic pattern that indicates the end of a phrase.[4] A cadence can be labeled "weak" or "strong" depending on the impression of finality it gives. While cadences are usually classified by specific chord or melodic progressions, the use of such progressions does not necessarily constitute a cadence—there must be a sense of closure, as at the end of a phrase. Harmonic rhythm plays an important part in determining where a cadence occurs. The word "cadence" sometimes slightly shifts its meaning depending on the context; for example, it can be used to refer to the last few notes of a particular phrase, or to just the final chord of that phrase, or to types of chord progressions that are suitable for phrase endings in general.
For other uses, see Cadence (disambiguation).Cadences are strong indicators of the tonic or central pitch of a passage or piece.[2] The musicologist Edward Lowinsky proposed that the cadence was the "cradle of tonality".[5]
Other classifications[edit]
Inverted cadence[edit]
An inverted cadence (also called a medial cadence) inverts the last chord. It may be restricted only to the perfect and imperfect cadence, or only to the perfect cadence, or it may apply to cadences of all types.[24] To distinguish them from this form, the other, more common forms of cadences listed above are known as radical cadences.[25]
Rhythmic classifications[edit]
Cadences can also be classified by their rhythmic position: