Unit 4 Overview: Functional Harmony and Musical Structure

Functional Harmony

A system that dictates how chords progress from stability to tension and back to stability in tonal music.

Tonic Function

Represents the home base, rest, stability, and resolution in a key.

Dominant Function

Creates conflict or tension in music, characterized by the leading tone pulling up to the Tonic.

Predominant Function

Serves as a bridge between Tonic and Dominant, preparing for tension.

Cadence

A harmonic goal; a resting point at the end of a musical phrase.

Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC)

Strongest finish in music; progression V → I with both chords in root position.

Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC)

Weaker cadence type where one or both chords are inverted.

Half Cadence

Progression that ends on V, sounds unfinished and demands continuation.

Phrygian Half Cadence

A specific type of half cadence found only in minor keys, characterized by iv^6 → V.

Plagal Cadence

Progression IV → I, often referred to as the 'Amen' cadence.

Deceptive Cadence

A cadence where the expected resolution (V → I) is replaced with V → vi or V → VI.

Period

A musical structure consisting of two phrases that ends with a cadence.

Antecedent Phrase

The first phrase in a period that ends with a weak cadence.

Consequent Phrase

The second phrase in a period that ends with a strong cadence.

Parallel Period

A type of period where the second phrase begins with the same melody as the first.

Contrasting Period

A type of period with different melodic material in the second phrase.

Retrogression

Moving backward from Dominant to Predominant, usually avoided in Common Practice style.

Leading Tone

Scale degree 7 that strongly resolves upward to the Tonic (scale degree 1).

Strong Root Movement

A common movement from the supertonic (ii) to the dominant (V) in harmonic progressions.

Weak Cadence

A cadence that does not provide a sense of finality, such as a Half Cadence or IAC.

Authentic Cadence

A strong resolution typically characterized by a progression ending on I.

Progression

An ordered sequence of chords that leads to a cadence.

Phrase Structure

The arrangement of musical phrases and the cadences that define their endpoints.

Cadence Checklist

A step-by-step method for analyzing cadences and identifying their types.

Common Practice Style

A musical style characterized by functional harmony and specific chord progressions.

Soprano Voice

The highest voice part in a musical texture, which often determines the quality of cadences.

Harmonic Goal

The desired endpoint or resolution in a harmonic progression.