Questions: Authentic Cadence Voice Leading: V to I

Question 1

In a four-voice root-position V7–I progression in C major, a student correctly resolves scale degree 7 (B) upward to scale degree 1 (C) and scale degree 4 (F) downward to scale degree 3 (E). The resulting tonic chord most likely:

• A. Has a doubled third and no fifth
• B. Is a complete triad with root, third, and fifth all present
• C. Has a doubled fifth and no third
• D. Has a doubled root and no third

Answer: (A)

The standard outcome of resolving both tendency tones correctly in root-position V7–I is a tonic chord with three roots and one third — the fifth is missing. Scale degree 7 goes to scale degree 1 (root), scale degree 4 goes to scale degree 3 (third), and the bass moves from scale degree 5 to scale degree 1 (another root). Three voices land on scale degree 1, one on scale degree 3, leaving no room for scale degree 5. This slight incompleteness is standard practice — proper resolution of tendency tones takes priority over chord completeness.

Question 2

When the leading tone (scale degree 7) appears in the soprano during a V–I cadence, it:

• A. Must resolve upward to scale degree 1
• B. May move to scale degree 5 to create a complete tonic chord
• C. May resolve in any direction provided parallel fifths are avoided
• D. Should resolve downward to scale degree 5 for smoother voice leading

Answer: (A)

The leading tone in the soprano — the most exposed and audible voice — must resolve upward to scale degree 1. Its half-step proximity to the tonic creates a strong tension that listeners expect to resolve upward; moving it down to scale degree 5 makes the cadence sound like it flinched. The exception applies only to inner voices (alto, tenor), where the leading tone may occasionally resolve downward to preserve smooth overall voice leading. In the soprano, the obligation is categorical.

Question 3

In root-position V7–I voice leading, properly resolving both tendency tones (scale degrees 7 and 4) to their expected destinations typically results in a tonic chord that lacks a fifth.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: True

Scale degree 7 resolves up to 1, scale degree 4 resolves down to 3, and the bass moves from 5 to 1. With three voices arriving on scale degree 1 and one on scale degree 3, scale degree 5 is unrepresented. The resulting tonic chord (root–root–root–third) has no fifth — a deliberate trade-off in traditional four-voice harmony. Resolution obligation outweighs chord completeness.

Question 4

The leading tone may freely resolve downward to scale degree 5 in any voice of a V–I progression, provided that parallel fifths and octaves are carefully avoided.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

The downward resolution to scale degree 5 is only an option in inner voices (alto or tenor), and even there it is used sparingly. In the soprano — the most prominent register — the leading tone must resolve upward to scale degree 1. The rule is about voice exposure, not merely parallel motion. Avoiding parallel fifths is a separate concern and does not override the soprano's resolution obligation.

Question 5

Why do both tendency tones in V7–I (scale degrees 7 and 4) carry such strong resolution obligations, and what interval between them generates this pull?

Model answer: Scale degree 7 (the leading tone) sits a half step below the tonic, creating upward pull toward scale degree 1. Scale degree 4 forms a tritone with scale degree 7 in the dominant seventh chord (e.g., B to F in G7 in C major). The tritone is the most dissonant basic interval and drives strongly toward resolution: scale degree 7 expands upward to 1 while scale degree 4 contracts downward to 3, resolving the tritone by contrary motion. The V7 chord's dissonance is precisely what makes the authentic cadence so conclusive.

The tritone between scale degrees 4 and 7 is the engine of tonal harmonic drive. Its resolution by contrary motion to a stable third (or tenth) in the tonic chord is one of the defining gestures of Western tonal music — which is why V7–I is the strongest cadential formula.