NYSTCE Music (165) Practice Exam

Cadences signal closure in a phrase, and a deceptive cadence happens when the dominant chord doesn’t resolve to the expected tonic. Usually, the dominant (V) wants to move to I, giving a strong sense of ending, but when it instead moves to the submediant (vi), the music feels foiled and keeps the phrase open. That V to vi move is a classic deceptive cadence: the dominant’s pull is redirected to a chord that sounds almost like a new tonal center, creating a surprised but natural feel of resolution without finality. For example, in C major, G major (V) moving to A minor (vi) sounds like the music is pausing rather than finishing. This is different from a plagal cadence (IV to I), a half cadence (ending on V), or an authentic cadence (V to I).