1. art and entertainment
2. music
3. music reference
4. music composition and theory

MU182: Theory II
R. Vigil
Harmonic Progressions I: Cadential and Prolongational Progressions
Compiled with reference to:
William E. Caplin, Classical Form: A Theory of Formal Functions for the
Instrumental Music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998);
Janet Schmalfeldt, "Cadential Processes: The Evaded Cadence and the 'One More Time'
Technique," Journal of Musicological Research 12 (1992): 1-52;
__________. Harmonic Progressions: Prolongational, Cadential, and Sequential.
I.
Cadential Progressions
Taken independently, or with limited connections, harmonies may have an ambiguous identity.
For example, a C major triad may be the tonic in C major, the dominant in F major, the
subdominant in G major, the mediant in A minor, the submediant in E minor, or the subtonic in D
minor.
Cadential progressions involve successions of harmonies through specific functional regions
that, taken together, establish the tonality of a given passage by achieving closure (coming to
rest) according to a specific formula.
Authentic Cadential Progressions: Perfect and Imperfect
A complete authentic cadential progression contains four components in a specific sequence:
Tonic - Pre-dominant - Dominant - Tonic (resolution)
The two most common pre-dominant harmonies are ii6 and IV (iio6 and iv in minor).
In a true authentic cadence both the dominant and the tonic resolution must be in root position.
^
Perfect Authentic Cadence: the soprano comes to rest on 1.
I
6
ii 6
V
I
PAC
I
IV
V
I
PAC
2
^
^
Imperfect Authentic Cadence: soprano comes to rest on 3 or 5.
I
6
IV
V
I
IAC
I
6
ii
6
V
I
IAC
The Half Cadence
While the goal of an authentic cadence is the tonic, the goal of a half cadence is the dominant.
The dominant must be a root position triad, in order to provide enough stability to end a phrase.
The final chord will either be preceded by the tonic or a pre-dominant.
I
IV
I
6
V
HC
iv 6
i
V HC
(Phrygian)
The Deceptive Cadence
A deceptive cadence contains all the elements of an authentic cadence, however, as opposed to
resolving to the tonic the bass moves to 6^ and the harmony changes to vi or IV6 (VI or iv6 in
minor).
I
6
ii 6
V
vi
DC
I
6
ii 6
V
IV
6
DC
3
The Plagal Cadence
^
The plagal cadence involves a motion from IV to I. Sometimes the IV is in second inversion (1
in bass), so that the idiom functions as a six-four suspension over the tonic. The plagal cadence
does not have a very strong effect and rarely ends a composition except after an authentic
cadence (i.e., as an afterthought).
I
II.
ii
6
V
I
PAC
IV
I
Plagal
Prolongational Progressions
By passing through a sequence of harmonic functions, cadential progressions serve to provide
tonal confirmation and articulate phrases and sections within a composition. By contrast, simple
prolongational progressions embellish a single harmony, thereby prolonging its function over a
series of two or more related harmonies. The intervening chord(s) will either have a strong
functional relationship to the main harmony (e.g., 5th relation), or will be connected to it through
strong voice-leading considerations.
Neighboring Chords
"An individual harmony is prolonged by one or more neighboring chords when the prolonged
harmony remains in the same position... from the beginning to the end of the
progression."(Caplin, p.25)
I
(V)
I
I
(V 6 )
I
I
(IV)
I
4
Passing Chords
"A given harmony is prolonged by one or more passing chords when the prolonged harmony
changes position from the beginning to the end of the position."(Caplin, p. 25)
I
(vii o6 )
I
(IV 6 )
V
V
6
I
(IV 6 )
I6
Substitute Chords
A subordinate chord is said to substitute for a prolonged harmony when it expresses the same
harmonic function. The two chords will have two tones in common.
I
(vi)
IV
(ii)
V
(iii)
vi
(IV)
Some Combinations of Prolongational Idioms
A given harmony can be embellished with more than one prolongational strategy in a single
progression.
I
6
(vi 6 V )
I
I
(vi
IV)
I
6
5
Prolongational Progressions Within Cadential Progressions
I
I
(viio6 ) I 6
(V
6
IV
vi) IV
(ii)
V
V
I
I
I
PAC
6
(IV ) I
IV
V
HC
PAC
Six-Four Chords as Embellishing Chords
The type of prolongational procedures described above provide an opportunity to use secondinversion chords. These should be treated in a manner similar to dissonance in third species. As
a rule, the six-four chord should be surrounded by consonant chords, and stepwise motion
should predominate.
Six-four chords can be used as neighbor chords:
Preferred
I
Less preferred, but possible
6
(V 4 ) I
6
IV (I 4 )
IV
V
6
(ii 4 ) V
ii
6
(vi 4 ) ii
6
Six-four chords can be used as passing chords:
Preffered
Also possible
6
I
(V 4 ) I
6
IV
(I 4 )
IV
6
V
(ii 4 ) V
6
ii
(vi 4 ) ii
Six-four chords can also be employed when there is a pedal point in the bass (i.e., as a melodic
motion above a static bass). This technique has the effect of greatly halting a sense of forward
motion. For this reason it should be used sparingly, or as a "special effect."
Good
Rare
6
I
(IV 4 ) I
5
or: I ( 3
6
4
5
3
6
V
)
(I 4 ) V
5
V( 3
6
4
5
3
6
ii
)
(V 4 ) ii
5
ii ( 3
6
4
5
3
6
vi
)
(ii 4 ) vi
5
vi ( 3
6
4
5
3
)