A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Medial Cadence

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A Dictionary of Music and Musicians
edited by George Grove

Medial Cadence by William Smyth Rockstro

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From volume 2 of the work.

1670013A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — Medial CadenceGeorge GroveWilliam Smyth Rockstro

MEDIAL CADENCE (Clausula in medio modi). I. Among the numerous Cadences formed upon the Regular and Conceded Modulations of the Ecclesiastical Modes, that proper to the Mediant holds a place inferior in importance only to those occupied by the Final and Dominant.

In Plain Chaunt Melodies, the Medial Cadence sometimes leads to a close so satisfactory that it almost sounds final; as in the First Ending of the First Tone—

$\new Staff { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn \relative a' { a\breve g1 f g( a) g( f) \bar "||" } }$

In Polyphonic Music, it is susceptible of infinite variety of treatment, as may be seen from the following examples—

Mode I.	Kircher.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \relative c'' { \stemUp c1 d2 c \| c1 a \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative f' { \stemDown f1 f2 f _~ \| f e f1 } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp a1 a2 a \| g1 f } \new Voice { \stemDown f1 d2 f \| c1 f, } >> } >>$
Mode II.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \relative a' { \stemUp a1 a2 a ^~ \| a gis4 fis gis1 \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative f' { \stemDown f1 e2 d \| e\breve } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp d'1 c'2 a \| b\breve } \new Voice { \stemDown d1 a2 f \| e\breve } >> } >>$
Mode III.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \partial 2 \relative g' { \stemUp g2 \| a g1 fis2 \| g\breve \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative e' { \stemDown e2 \| e1 d \| d\breve } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp b2 \| c'1 a \| g\breve } \new Voice { \stemDown e2 \| a, c d1 \| g,\breve } >> } >>$
Mode IV.	Vittoria.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \relative a' { \stemUp a1 b \| c2 c b1 \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative f' { \stemDown f1 d2 g _~ \| g fis g1 } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \relative c' { \stemUp c2 d1 e2 ^~ \| e c d1 } } \new Voice { \stemDown f1 g \| a2 a g1 } >> } >>$
Mode V.	Cæsare de Zachariis.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \relative f' { \stemUp f2 a2. gis8 fis gis2 \| a\breve \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative c' { \stemDown c2 d e1 \| e\breve } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp a1 b \| a\breve } \new Voice { \stemDown f1 e \| a,\breve } >> } >>$
Mode VI.	Orlando di Lasso.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \partial 1 \relative c'' { \stemUp c2 f ^~ \| f e d cis \| d1 \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative f' { \stemDown f2 c\| d e f e \| f1 } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp a1 \| a2 a a a \| a1 } \new Voice { \stemDown f2. e4 \| d2 cis d a, \| d1 } >> } >>$
Mode VII.	Palestrina.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \partial 1 \relative b' { \stemUp b1 \| c d \| e \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative g' { \stemDown g1 \| a f \| e } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \relative d' { \stemUp d2 d ^~ \| d c2. b8 a b2 \| c1 } } \new Voice { \stemDown g2 \| f1 d \| c } >> } >>$
Mode VIII.	Palestrina.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \relative e'' { \stemUp e1 d \| r r2 c \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative f' { \stemDown r1 f1 \| g a } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \relative e' { \stemUp e2 c d f ^~ \| f4 e8 d e2 f1 } } \new Voice { \stemDown c'2 a bes1 \| g f } >> } >>$
Mode IX.	Kircher.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \relative e'' { \stemUp e1 f2 e \| d1 c \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative g' { \stemDown g1 f2 g \| a g e1 } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp c'1 a2 c' ^~ \| c' b c'1 } \new Voice { \stemDown c1 d2 e \| f g c1 } >> } >>$
Mode X.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \relative a' { \stemUp a1 g2 a \| b\breve \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative e' { \stemDown e1 e2 e _~ \| e dis4 cis dis1 } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp c'1 b2 e \| fis\breve } \new Voice { \stemDown a,1 e2 c \| b,\breve } >> } >>$
Mode XIII.	Giovanni Croce.
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 3/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \stemUp r2 r1 \| r \bar "\|\|" } \new Voice { \relative b { \stemDown b2 c d \| e1 } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \stemUp g2 a a \| b1 } \new Voice { \stemDown g2 f f \| e1 } >> } >>$
Mode XIV.	Palestrina
$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff << \new Voice { \partial 2 \relative c'' { \stemUp c2 \| bes a1 g2 \| a1 \bar "\|\|" } } \new Voice { \relative g' { \stemDown g2 \| f1 d \| e } } >> \new Staff { \clef bass << \new Voice { \relative e' { \stemUp e2 \| d f1 e4 d \| \once \set suggestAccidentals = ##t cis1 } } \new Voice { \stemDown c'2 \| d'1 bes \| a } >> } >>$

In the selection of these examples, we have confined ourselves exclusively to True Cadences, for the sake of illustrating our subject with the greater clearness: but, the Old Masters constantly employed Cadences of other kinds, in this part of the Mode, for the purpose of avoiding the monotony consequent upon the too frequent repetition of similar forms. It is only by careful study of the best works of the best period, that the invigorating effect of this expedient can be fully appreciated. [See Mediant; Modes, the Ecclesiastical; Modulations; Clausula Vera, Appendix.]

II. This term is also applied, by Dr. Callcott, and some other writers on Modern Music, to closes in which the Leading Chord is represented by an Inverted instead of a Fundamental Harmony.

$<< \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/2 \new Staff { \relative d'' { <d g,f>1 <c g e> | <b g f> <c g e> \bar "||" <c g c,> <b g d> | <c g e> <b g d> \bar "||" <a f> <g e> <a f> <g e> \bar "||" } } \new Staff << \clef bass \new Voice { b,1 c | d c | e g | g g | <c' a,> <c c'> | <c c'> <c c'> } \figures { <6 3>\breve <4 3> | <6> <6 4>1 <5 3> | <6>\breve <6 4>1 <5 3> } >> >>$

Though Cadences of this kind are in constant use, we rarely meet with them, now, under their old name. Most writers of the present day prefer to describe them as Inverted Cadences, specifying particular instances, when necessary, as the First or Second Inversion of the Perfect, Imperfect, or Plagal Cadence, as the case may be: the opposite term, 'Radical Cadence,' being reserved for closes in which the Root appears in the Bass of both Chords.

[ W. S. R. ]