1. Harmony and Tonality Chords and Cadences CHORDS I and V In much Baroque and Classical music, chords I and V are the most important chords Chord I is the key chord – the triad built on the key note or tonic. At the end of a piece especially, but sometimes elsewhere, it sounds like ‘home’. Tonic is the chord of rest, resolution. In tonal music, it is the magnet drawing all harmonies towards itself. It is the center of gravity around which the various other harmonies revolve. Even distant harmonies, like comets, are ultimately influenced by its gravitational pull.

2. Harmony and Tonality Chords and Cadences CHORD V Dominant is the chord of dynamic stress. In common practice harmony, it is the chord that requires resolution. Chord V sounds less settled and complete – partly because it contains the leading note, a ‘tendency note’ that wants to rise to the tonic.

3. the intro of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles. It starts with a C to D sequence back and forth… then holding the D…. then FINALLY, when the verse begins, your ears are happy, and guess what… it’s chord I (the song is in G major, so naturally, G begins the verse).

4. Perfect Cadence Perfect and imperfect cadences together account for the great majority of cadences in music. CadenceCharacteristics PerfectThis is the most final sounding cadence and is often used at the end of a piece of music. It moves from chord V to chord I CadencesCadences work like punctuation. They help the listener understand what is going on in the music

5. Perfect Examples of Perfect Cadences I wanna hold your hand – starts with a C to D sequence back and forth… then holding the D ….then FINALLY the verse begins, your ears are happy and guess what… it’s a chord I (G major) I wanna hold your hand Soul Mate by No use for a Name – 0.35-0.37 seconds ‘Stuck by your side since you were born’ (Eb to Ab) and then 1:37-1.39 (Db, Eb to Ab) Soul Mate by No use for a Name

6. Imperfect Cadence ImperfectThis cadence sounds incomplete because it does not finish on the tonic. There is a strong unfinished urge and a desire to move to the tonic chord after an imperfect cadence. It moves from any chord to chord V. It propels the piece forward CadenceCharacteristics Perfect and imperfect cadences together account for the great majority of cadences in music whose tonality is functional.