MUSIC. 
paninient of a third and fiftli, whicli being 
sounded with it, forms what is called a com- 
mon chord ; the term chord, applying to all 
those combinations of various notes, whe- 
ther pleasing or otherwise, which are in- 
tended to sound at the same time. The 
18th Example displays the common chord 
of C, in its three positionsif namely, with its 
fifth, G, uppermost ; with its third, E, up- 
permost; and with the key-note, C, upper- 
most. When the cliord is in the first posi- 
tion it is called erect; in tire second and 
third instances it is said to be inverted ; for 
then G, from being a fiflli above, is a fourth 
below, and E becomes a sixtii below ; which 
is notliing more than an inverted third. The 
common chord is the parent of all conso- 
nances; but by the addition of a minor 
third (B flat) above its fifth, G, it changes 
its designation ; being called the chord of 
the seventli, from wliicli all the discords are 
derived. This chord, with its inversions, 
may be seen at Example 19. When ano- 
ther minor third (D flat) is added, above 
the flat seventh, the cliord is then calleii 
the chord of flat ninth and seventh ; of 
which the figure and inversions may be 
seen at Example SOtli. But this chord, 
though often found completely filled in full 
pieces, requires, in general, some deduc- 
tions, such as the omission of the third and 
fifth ; so that the discordant parts may be 
more fully heard, and more sensibly de- 
volve upon a perfect harmony ; as seen at 
Example 21st, where the third E, and fifth 
G, of the chord C, are omitted, wlrile the 
flat seventh, B flat, and the flat ninth, D 
flat, each fall a semitone into the perfect 
chord of F, C itself rises into F, and be- 
comes the key-note of the new chord. This 
will serve to show, how discords are resolv- 
ed, as it is termed, into concords. 
According to the strict rules of composi- 
tion, every discord ought to be prepared ; 
by which it is meant, tliat it should be heard 
as a part of some concord, before it be- 
comes a discordant note in the succeeding 
chord ; after wliich it must, as we have just 
shown, fall upon some accordant part in tlie 
next following chord. Thus, we find, in 
what is called the perfect cadence, or com- 
pletion of a musical period, as at Example 
22, the note F is first Ireard as tlie key- 
note of a common chord ; in the next chord 
it becomes the flat seventh of G ; and in 
the third chord, it sinks one semi-tone into 
E ; thus becoming the third of tlie common 
chord of C. But the ninth may be natural, 
and may resolve so as to become the octave 
of the next chord, while the seventh, which 
may also be natural, may resolve into the 
sixth ; both, however, shoohl be duly pre- 
pared : a reterence to Example 23 will 
give a correct insight into the charge thus 
made. 
In speaking of cadences, we slioiild re- 
mark, that various kinds exist,>"of which 
Only that called the perfect is conclusive ; 
the Others, namely, the imperfect, and the 
false, or interrupted, leave the ear in a state 
of suspense. The perfect cadence is formed 
by the common chord of the fourth, F, (to 
which a sixth may be added, thereby mak- 
ing the fifth a discord, and compelling it to 
descend one step in the following chord), 
then the fifth of the key, G, bearing a chord 
of seventh, fiftli, and tliird, which resolves 
into the common chord, of the key-note, C : 
this may all be seen at Example 2-t, wliere 
the lowest notes show the bass notes of the 
cadence, and the upper ones exhibit the se- 
veral clianges indicated by the figures un- 
der the bass progression, as they proceed 
in tlieir resolution. Observe, that the oc- 
taves above, or intermediate, are not figur- 
ed. The imperfect cadence relates to that 
settling, for a time, which occasionally 
takes place on the fifth of tlie key, intro- 
duced by tlie key-note, as seen at Example 
25, where, though the cadence falls on G 
from C, yet we feel a kind of expectation, 
that the music will return to tiie key 
of C, and tliat G will be only a temporary 
key. 
The false, or interrupted cadence, is 
made by the bass moving, at first, the same 
as in the perfect cadence, namely, taking 
the fourth and the fifth of the key as funda- 
mentals; but in lieu of proceeding from the 
fifth to the key-note, it ascends only one 
step into the sixth, which being accompa- 
nied by its third and fifth, and eventually 
by its seventh, which was prepared in the 
preceding chord, forms a great contact with 
that of the key-note, of which the ear was 
in expectation, may be seen at Example 
23: it must be carried in mind, that the 
perfect cadence should always follow an in- 
terrupted one. But, whatever changes may 
be made, and especially in passing from one 
key to another, the greatest attention must 
be paid to pre(iaring the ear for the variety, 
by the frequent or forcible introduction of 
some note, prominent in the chord of the 
approaching key, especially the fifth, which 
is always very distinguishable. Nor should 
the change take place, except according 
to the laws of modulation, whereby it is re- 
