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Definition: cadence from Philip's Encyclopedia

In music, ending of a melodic phrase and/or its accompanying chord progression. In Western classical theory, the main kinds of chordal cadence are: perfect (dominant to tonic chords); imperfect (tonic or other chord to dominant); plagal (subdominant to tonic); and interrupted (dominant to chord other than tonic, often submediant).


cadence

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
In music, two chords that are specially chosen and arranged to give a logical end to a musical phrase or section. Music, like language, has a form of punctuation – with full stops, semicolons, and commas. This ‘musical punctuation’ is found at the end of phrases, which are natural resting points in music, and is called a cadence. Cadences have an important role in helping to establish the tonality of the music. There are four main cadences in the tonal system: perfect, plagal, imperfect, and interrupted. The perfect cadence (or full close) uses chords V (dominant) and I (tonic). It gives the music a sense of completion or finality and is used when a full stop is needed, as at the end of a piece. The plagal cadence (or weak close) uses chords IV (subdominant) and I (tonic). It also creates a sense of finality and can be found at the end of a piece. It is sometimes called an ‘Amen’ cadence as it is often used at the end of hymns for the harmony of this word. The imperfect cadence (or…
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Full text Article cadence

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
In music, two chords that are specially chosen and arranged to give a logical end to a musical phrase or section. Music, like language, has a form of punctuation – with full stops, semicolons, and commas. This ‘musical punctuation’ is found at the end of phrases, which are natural resting points in…
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Full text Article cadence

From The New Penguin Dictionary of Music
Closing gesture defining the end of a phrase, section, movement or work. Frequently there is indeed a melodic fall. Plainsong melodies often end with a stepwise descent (or, more rarely, ascent) to the final, setting the pattern for medieval polyphony. Renaissance music shows a move towards the…
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Full text Article Cadence

From The Harvard Dictionary of Music
Cadence
1. [Fr.] In the 17th and 18th centuries, trill . 2. [Fr. cadence; Ger. Kadenz, Schluss; It. cadenza; Sp. cadencia ] A melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution. Cadences thus most often mark the end of a phrase, period, or complete composition. The strength or…
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Full text Article CADENCE

From The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
(1) Technically, the fixed patterning of quantities in the clausula, i.e., the last few syllables of a phrase or clause, in med. Lat. art prose (see PROSE RHYTHM ); also, by extension, such prefinal patterning in metrical verse. (2) More generally, the rhythmic pattern or intonational contour of a…
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Full text Article cadence

From The Macquarie Dictionary
rhythmic flow, as of verses; rhythm. Plural: cadences the beat of any rhythmical movement. Plural: cadences a fall in pitch of the voice, as in speaking. Plural: cadences the general modulation of the voice. Plural: cadences Music a sequence of notes or chords which indicates the momentary or…
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Full text Article cadence

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
in music, the ending of a phrase or composition. In singing the voice may be raised or lowered, or the singer may execute elaborate variations within the key. In instrumental music, with development of the theory of harmony , the cadence became completely dependent on the change of chord. If the…
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Full text Article 3:2 cadence

From A/V A to Z: An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Media, Entertainment and Other Audiovisual Terms
The 3-2 cadence (© 2008 Quantel Ltd., All Rights...
The transfer pattern used when converting 24 frames per second (fps) source material (such as film or 24p video) to 30 fps interlaced video (traditional NTSC) or 23.976 fps material to 29.97 fps interlaced video (after applying the 1/1.001 slow-down factor necessary for contemporary NTSC video). In…
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Full text Article cadence

From The American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language
Balanced, rhythmic flow, as of poetry or oratory. The measure or beat of movement, as in dancing or marching. a. A falling inflection of the voice, as at the end of a sentence. b. General inflection or modulation of the voice. Music A progression of chords moving to a harmonic close, point of rest, …
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Full text Article Cadenza [It., cadence]

From The Harvard Dictionary of Music
Cadenza [It., cadence]
In music for soloist, especially a concerto or other work with accompanying ensemble, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage performed by the soloist, usually over the penultimate or antepenultimate note or harmony of a prominent cadence. During a cadenza the accompaniment either pauses or…
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Full text Article cadence

From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary
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