Cadence fingerprints Rev. June 2015 Cadential patterns one (variants of I-V-I) Useful if the melody is 3-2-1 or 8-7-8 3-2-1 Ic V I Ib V I the bass passing note between Ib and V is an important feature of the fingerprint with 3-2-1 in the melody you must add a passing seventh of V in either the alto or tenor. If there is an anticipation in the melody you will need dot the passing seventh in order to avoid parallels as in this example: 3-2-1 Both of these chord progressions work equally well when the soprano melody is 8-7-8 as in the example below: if the soprano ends 7-8 you cannot fit in a passing seventh without causing problems iib is a particularly good approach chord to Ic if the patern is 8-8-7-8 you should use cadential pattern 3 or 4 64
Cadential patterns two (ii7b-v-i) 2-2-1 Useful in the melody is 2-2-1 or 8-8-7-8 A very common approach chord to a perfect cadence is the supertonic (Chord II). The progression ii V I forms a mini cycle of fifths and is therefore a very effective way to bring a phrase to a close. There are two common refinements that we will use in this fingerprint: 1) changing the ii to a first inversion (iib) creates a more flowing bass line 2) adding a 7 th to the ii creates a greater sense of tension into the cadence (ii7b) The suspension is prepared by being present in the same voice in the previous beat The suspension is re solved by a stepwise fall in the following beat. Note that the minim in the soprano is treated as two crotchets in this style of writing When you are completing this fingerprint a) write the bass b) put in preparation, suspension and resolution in an inner part then c) write rest of the inner parts. with 2-2-1 in the melody you must add a passing seventh of V in either the alto or tenor. a useful check is that the suspension should be the tonic note of the key 8-8-7-8 The same pattern can also work with the suspension in the soprano but you must make sure that the suspension (here the G) is prepared in the previous beat (i.e. the soprano goes 8-8- 7-8 not just 8-7-8): for melodies that are missing the first 8, use Cadential patterns one instead if the soprano ends 7-8 you cannot fit in a passing seventh without causing problems 65
Cadential patterns three (V 4-3 -I) 2-2-1 Use if the melody is 2-2-1 or 8-8-7-8 In example A) below, the two beats before the final tonic chord are harmonised by the same dominant (chord V). Example B) adds a suspension: the G in the alto part from the previous chord (Ib) is held over so that it creates a dissonance with the A in the soprano, which then resolves to F# on the following beat. This is called a 4-3 suspension, because the dissonant note (G) is held over or suspended from the previous chord, forming the interval of a fourth above the bass before resolving to the third above the bass (the third of chord V). A) B) The suspended fourth must be prepared by being present in the same voice in the previous beat It must then be re solved by falling stepwise in the following beat. Note that the suspended fourth at the beginning of the dominant chord (V) replaces the third in that beat. The most common mistake in writing 4-3 suspensions is including the third in another voice as well, which ruins the effect. The chord with the suspended note should include the root (in the bass and usually doubled in the tenor or alto), the fifth (in the soprano), and the suspension (here in the alto but could also be in the tenor). 8-8-7-8 with 2-2-1 in the melody you must add a passing seventh of V in either the alto or tenor. This chord progression (as with ii7b-v-i) works equally well with 8-7-8 as with 2-2-1, but because the suspension is in the soprano you have to make sure that it is prepared with another 8 in the previous beat. for melodies that are missing the first 8, use Cadential patterns one instead (i.e. Ib/Ic-V-I) if the soprano ends 7-8 you cannot fit in a passing seventh without causing problems 66
Cadential Patterns 4: Imperfect Cadences (I-V) Use if the melody is 3-3-2 or 4-3-2 An imperfect cadences is technically any progression that ends a phrase on V. These two are the most common. 3-3-2 (and sometimes 8-8-7) The first simply joins two tonic chords to the dominant with a rising series of passing notes (beedle-beedle-bee!). Usually the two chords of a cadence should be in root position, but this is an exception: 1) imperfect cadences are weaker anyway 2) the excellent bass line excuses the weakness. 3 3 2 C: I Ib V 4-3-2 The second is a nice approach to a root position cadence via IVb. 4 3 2 A: IVb I V Make sure that your bass line follows this rising and falling shape if you leap up to the V, you make a very awkward bass line. 67
Cadential Patterns 5: Imperfect Cadence (Phrygian) Use if the melody is 4-5 or 4-2 The Phrygian cadence is a more unusual type of imperfect cadence that is only found in minor keys. It is so called because the bass line moves by semitone down as did the final cadences in the Phrygian mode (on E). You have to be very careful with the voice-leading in this cadence as it is easy to create parallels. Any of the three upper voices could be the soprano line but 4-5 and 4-2 are the most common. only used in minor keys be careful that iv is in first inversion or you will get parallels no possibility of passing notes don t add any in Cadential Patterns 6: Plagal cadence Use if the melody is 1-1 (sometimes 4-3 or 6-5) Plagal cadences are much less common than perfect and imperfect and should be used only after checking very carefully that it is the correct option. The voicings shown below are much the most common with the IV either in root or second inversion. The decoration seen in the final example is frequently heard. In theory any of the lines upper three voices might be found, as in the Phrygian but the configuration shown is the one most commonly found. 68