# What type of cadence is this?



## theperthvan (Oct 23, 2011)

I posted this in a saxophone forum but am not convinced of the answer. I think there'll be a few more people here who may have a good idea.


Say there is a piece in D major with the harmony (chords):

Dma-Gma-A7-F#7-Bmi-A7-Dma

How do you refer to the cadence F#7-Bmi? Is it interrupted or perfect?

Cheers


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

**** [filler].


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

jalex said:


> F#7 - Bmin is a perfect cadence.


But if the piece is in D major, shouldn't it be interrupted? I would have thought, in context, the only perfect cadence would be A-D.


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

Polednice said:


> But if the piece is in D major, shouldn't it be interrupted? I would have thought, in context, the only perfect cadence would be A-D.


I was wrong, this is why I shouldn't post hours past my bedtime.

It isn't a cadence at all in D major.


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

It's not a cadence, it's an intermittent dominant. Well, we'd need the piece.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

theperthvan said:


> I posted this in a saxophone forum but am not convinced of the answer. I think there'll be a few more people here who may have a good idea.
> 
> Say there is a piece in D major with the harmony (chords):
> 
> ...


Yup, thats not a Cadence, it's just a progression.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

A little search on Wikipedia to refresh my memory indeed shows that it certainly isn't perfect, and it can't be interrupted because an interrupted cadence is from chord _V_ to any other except I.

B minor, when in the key of D major, is chord VI, but F# is III. III to VI isn't any particular cadence.

However, in your chord progression, theperthvan, you state *A7* - F#7 - Bmi. Seeing as A7 is chord V, you could consider it as an interrupted cadence (A7 - Bm) passing through F#7.

[or maybe I'm just complicating things, I don't know...]


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Polednice said:


> A little search on Wikipedia to refresh my memory indeed shows that it certainly isn't perfect, and it can't be interrupted because an interrupted cadence is from chord _V_ to any other except I.
> 
> B minor, when in the key of D major, is chord VI, but F# is III. III to VI isn't any particular cadence.
> 
> ...


You are just complicating things, but you're also correct. Pretty much all chord progressions can be thought of in terms of cadences. What really makes it a cadence or not to our ears is the harmonic rhythm and the melody. If the harmonic rhythm and melody indicate the phrase coming to a rest, but the harmony itself doesn't indicate a usual cadence, then tension and suspense is created. Similarly, if the harmony indicates a V-I cadence, but the harmonic rhythm and melody don't, the phrase is not heard as coming to rest and simply continues on.


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## theperthvan (Oct 23, 2011)

That's what I'm looking for, thanks a lot.
It's from Brandenburg Concerto no. 5.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

theperthvan said:


> That's what I'm looking for, thanks a lot.
> It's from Brandenburg Concerto no. 5.


Woah! didn't see that one coming. I kind of assumed it was a piece for saxophone, considering you first posted it in a saxophone forum.

Now I'm imagining Brandenburg 5 on a saxophone instead of a flute...:lol:


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## jdavid (Oct 4, 2011)

I, IV, V7, v7/vi-vi, V7, I - the f#7 is functioning as a minor dom7 (unless there is an A# then V7/vi - vi, the relative minor of D). It is not a cadence, it is a brief reference to the relative minor = b minor).



theperthvan said:


> I posted this in a saxophone forum but am not convinced of the answer. I think there'll be a few more people here who may have a good idea.
> 
> Say there is a piece in D major with the harmony (chords):
> 
> ...


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

I IV V7 V7/vi vi V I

Authentic cadence at the end, with a regional secondary dominant passing through ....


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