What is a cadence in music?

• A. A resting or ending point of a phrase, typically a harmonic close
• B. A loud climactic moment
• C. A repeating rhythmic pattern
• D. A short melodic fragment

Answer: (A)

Cadences signal the end of a musical thought by providing a clear sense of harmonic resolution. They act like punctuation, guiding the listener to a resting point. In tonal music, the most common cadence moves from the dominant chord toward the tonic, creating a strong feeling of closure at the end of a phrase. That sense of ending, often described as a harmonic close, is exactly what this option captures. The other ideas describe different musical ideas: a loud climactic moment refers to peak intensity rather than closure, a repeating rhythmic pattern is an ostinato, and a short melodic fragment is simply a motif. Cadences focus on finishing a phrase with harmonic resolution rather than repeating rhythms or presenting a fragment.