In music, there are many interesting tricks that make each melody unique and original. Cadence is one such trick. Without it, the motive loses the most interesting moments.
Cadence: Definition
The word "cadence" is used in music in two notations:
- Cadence is the inclusion in a melody that is characterized by freedom, virtuosity and richness of the musical color. In this sense, cadence was used in the opera of Italian composers of the 17th-18th centuries. In the same way, the technique was used in instrumental solos of the 19th century.
- Cadence is a melodic improvisation included in the main piece of music.
Typically, a cadence technique was used at the end of an instrumental solo or concert. In the process of performing this technique, the musician had the opportunity to show his talent in all its glory.
History of the concept
For the first time in musical theory, the term "cadence" was used by Florence de Faxolis in his treatise "The Musical Book". Subsequently, the technique continued to develop in the theory of music of the XVI-XVII centuries.
The French music theorist Jean-Philippe Rameau first described the classification of cadence in the key of classical romanticism.
At first, the technique was used only in rhapsodies of an instrumental concerto. As a rule, it was an improvisation that was not recorded using musical notation. That was until the 19th century. For the first time, Ludwig van Beethoven ventured to record cadence notes in the creation of his Fifth Piano Concerto.
Varieties of Cadence
The main classification of the cadence was proposed by Jean-Philippe Rameau. Today, the main types of reception are known:
- According to the location in the melody period, the cadence of the music is middle (at the end of the first musical line), additional (at the end of the period).
- According to the composition of the chords, the reception can be authentic. Then the final chord is performed using the dominant. This is usually a combination of chords that introduces a decisive and peremptory ending to the end of the melody (DT, TDT chords).
An alternative to authentic cadence is a plug-in, that is, an ending constructed in a subdominant direction. This ending is soft and casts doubt. Reception is played using a combination of TST, ST, TS, etc. chords.
- The degree of completion divides the cadence into half, full and interrupted. Half cadence is a technique when a dominant chord does not end the period, but as if it hangs in the air. There is an impression of a certain incompleteness of the melody. Such a cadence is used, as a rule, in the middle of a work. A full reception is performed with the involvement of subdominants at the beginning, dominants in the middle and tonics as the final chord. Full cadence shows a tonality from all three of its sides. The interrupted reception involves short-term improvisation and the continuation of the melody.
- Another criterion for the separation of musical reception is the sound of the main voice of the melody. Such a measure divides the cadence into perfect and imperfect. Perfect brings the melody to the tonic to a strong beat. The work seems completely completed. With an imperfect fantasy, the last chord falls on a third or a weak beat. Such a melody is incomplete.
What kind of music does cadence use?
Modern melodies also use the cadence technique. Music with such twists of fantasy becomes brighter and more interesting.
The most common use of cadence is found in jazz. Here this technique is called "break". In its final form, a break formed in the blues. Free improvisation.
Cadence is used in classical music. At orchestral concerts, the conductor arranges the flow of the melody in such a way that the fantasy performed by the solo instrument seems like a fresh note in the fabric of general music. Without a cadence, the motive would be gray and uninteresting.