Does every phrase in music end with a cadence?

Question

I'm just wondering if every phrase in music ends on a Cadence? Much like every sentence in English ends with a period? I am mainly talking about common music such as pop, rock, classical, traditional, Western European and American folk music, etc.

Answer 1

I agree with pretty much everything Alden said. I would only add that in tonal music of the17th through 19th centuries the cadence at the end of a phrase followed strict tonal procedures. The procedures of atonal or twelve-tone music, however recognize no cadential prototype. A "cadence" in such music would be whatever structure the composer chooses to end a phrase. In some 20th - 21st century music the idea of phrase structure is inapplicable.

Answer 2

I think "phrase" implies a cadence. But cadences can take myriad forms. The one thing they have in common is the "fall", something that shows that something has come to an end. BUT don't take this to mean "THE END", the final cadence. The final cadence will be more "final" than any that preceded it. Classical music describes only the half cadence and the full cadence. But there are many forms a cadence can take --- music written outside the tonal system still needs to create the feeling of --- oh, call it "a breath", inhale-exhale. Listen to some Stockhausen, or late Stravinsky ("Agon") --- do you feel any cadence moments? I think you will.