has been achieved by such
composers as Franck, Debussy and Ravel; the student should try to
become more and more familiar with such harmonic combinations. A
beautiful example[56] is cited from Cesar Franck's _Sonata for Violin
and Pianoforte_.

[Footnote 56: See also the strikingly original cadences in Debussy's
_L'Isle joyeuse_.]

[Music]

The two endings for phrases are classified as Masculine and Feminine
and they correspond exactly to the same effects in the metre of a
poetic stanza. When the second chord of the cadence, whatever it may
be, coincides with a _strong_ beat, _i.e._, the first beat of the
measure, the ending is Masculine, _e.g._

[Music]

When the chord is carried over to a weak beat of the measure the
ending is Feminine, _e.g._

[Music]

We now give two more examples of the eight measure Sentence which
clearly exemplify the principles just stated, _e.g._

[Music: BEETHOVEN: 3rd Sonata]

In this vigorous and clear-cut sentence we find in the 4th measure an
effect of surprise and suspense; for the chord on the first beat is an
inverted position of the dominant chord in the dominant key. Both the
endings are masculine, _i.e._, the chords which end the phrases
coincide with the strong beats.

[Music: BEETHOVEN: 1st Sonata]

This graceful sentence is noteworthy for the clear division of the
first phrase into two contrasting sections; whereas, in the second
phrase, a climactic effect is gained by having no marked subdivision.
In the fourth measure occurs a good example of a half-cadence. All the
endings are feminine, _i.e._, the cadential chord occurs on a _weak_
beat of the measure.[57]

[Footnote 57: Another interesting eight-measure sentence may be found
at the beginning of the slow movement of Beethoven's Eighth Sonata, in
which every section differs from any one of the others; in the opening
sentence of the first movement of the Tenth Sonata--noticeable for the
indefiniteness of the cadences until the final close is reached in
measure 8, and in the first sentence of the Allegretto of the Sixth
Sonata which is one long sweep, with only the faintest indications of
subdivision.]

Music, however, would be very rigid and would seem measured off with a
yard-stick if the sentences were equally of eight measures. The
"sing-song" effect of much so-called popular music is due to the
stereotyped metrical pattern. You can always tell just where and how
you are coming out. In order to gain a fre