The Cadential IV in Rock

Abstract

In this paper I examine large-scale cadences in rock—those that end a section or an entire song—and the role of IV in such cadences. My main focus is onsectional cadences—those that occur at the end of a chorus. Plagal (IV-I) sectional cadences are common in rock, as I will show (using statistical evidence). I examine an especially common subtype of the plagal cadence, theplagal stop cadence. I also consider several other uses of IV that are in some way cadential. Thegrand plagal cadenceis a highly emphasized cadence, often accompanied by a fermata, that occurs only once near the end of a song. Thedeceptive IVis an occurrence of IV in place of an expected cadential I. Cadential IV chords may also be tonicized, in ways that contribute to their cadential impact. These various functions of IV—the sectional plagal cadence, the grand plagal cadence, the deceptive IV, and the tonicized IV—can sometimes be combined in complex ways, such that a single chord can serve several functions at once.

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