HARMONIC EXPANSIONS

CHAPTER 6: PERIODS AND CADENCES
6.7 Plagal cadences

The period excerpted above from Brahms' Hungarian Dance in F Major WoO 1 no. 3 shows an antecedent phrase ending with IV - I. Cadences with this harmonic formula are called plagal cadences (Plag). In the example above, just as the IV chord in measure I expands the initial tonic for one-and-a -half measures, the plagal cadence in measures 2 and 3 expands the initial tonic until the next-to-the-last measure.

The absence of a dominant chord in a plagal cadence makes it quite weak and rare. The chords IV - I, however may be familiar as harmonizing the "Amen" which sometimes follows a Christian hymn. This association can be a convenient way to remember the sound.

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The video to the left shows a period with a plagal cadence in a four part chorale texture.

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The folk song "Kumbaya" ends with a period containing a plagal cadence. See the music notation and video below.




This video shows the Seekers performing "Kumbaya."

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