ABSTRACT
The half cadence sends a different message, promising continuation rather than finality. Because of this, it almost never ends a piece. The half cadence embraces a wider variety of harmonic patterns than the authentic or plagal. In theory, it can end on any chord but I. In practice, this final chord is usually V, but a chromatic chord or almost any diatonic harmony might precede it (?–V). One particular pattern that appears in minor keys only, iv6-V, has acquired a special name, the Phrygian half cadence. The cadence is named for the descending half step in the bass, a distinctive feature of the Phrygian mode (see Example 1-4). The following examples show a few possible half cadences.
