(See also Ex.

29.) SPECIES OF CADENCE .-- In text-books and musical dictionaries several varieties of the cadence are distinguished, but they are chiefly distinctions without any more than one essential point of difference, namely, difference in force or weight.

It is therefore feasible to reduce all these varieties to two,--the heavy cadence and the light cadence.

The former is represented by the so-called Perfect cadence, the latter by the many grades of Semicadence.
PERFECT CADENCE .-- There is one method of checking the current of the melodic phrase with such emphasis and determination as to convey the impression of finality; either absolute finality, as we observe it at the very end of a composition, or such relative finality as is necessary for the completion of some independent section of the piece,--conclusive as far as that section is concerned, though not precluding the addition of other sections to this, after the desired degree of repose has been felt.

This is known as the perfect cadence, or full stop.