The 16th-Century Cadence: the Clausula Vera ("True Close")

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1. Purpose
   • The clausula vera had much the same function as the cadence in common-practice music
   • All compositions ended with a clausula vera, and it was used at the ends of all phrases
2. Structure
   • A sixth followed by an octave
   • Less frequently, a third to unison (tenth to octave)
   • The penultimate sonority is a minim (or sometimes a semibreve, i.e. 1st species)
   • Always weak to strong beats (always arrives on a strong beat: 1 or 3)
   • The descending voice is always in semibreves
3. Idioms:
   • The voice that ascends into the octave (or unison) is the only voice that is embellished (the descending line is always in semibreves)

   1. Unembellished Clausula Vera
      • Both voices can be in semibreves approaching the cadence
      • However, cadences are usually embellished in true 16th-century style
   2. Suspensions
      • The clausula vera is almost always preceded by a suspension (7-6 or 2-3)
      • The embellishing voice is syncopated (see example B above)
      • The clausula vera can be preceded by a chain of suspensions
   3. Portamento (Anticipation)
      • When using a suspension, it is often further embellished with a portamento figure (consonant) preceding the penultimate note (see example C above)
      • More than one anticipation can appear before a cadence (esp. when using a chain of suspensions)
   4. Lower Auxiliary (Neighbor Fusas)
      • Further ornamentation would be to add a lower auxiliary (lower neighbor) between the anticipation and the penultimate note (see example D above)
      • Adding fusas in place of an anticipation can occur more than once (with a chain of suspensions)
      • When using more than one embellishment, it is particularly effective to make one a portamento and the other a lower auxiliary
4. Three- and Four-Voice Cadence Patterns
   • This section is still under construction....

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