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Glossary Music / Term

Deceptive cadence

A chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord; but does not.


Sometimes a composer makes all the preparations for a final cadence but at the last moment puts some other chord (anything but tonic; most frequently chord vi) in the place of the expected tonic chord. Also called interrupted cadence.

Permanent link Deceptive cadence - Creation date 2021-12-31


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