Full close

What it means

The full close (German Ganzschluss) is a cadence that ends on the tonic and thereby closes a section harmonically. Usually it is an authentic cadence V–I in which the tonic enters on a strong part of the bar. Its counterpart is the half cadence, which stays open on the dominant.

Musical use

The two terms form a pair that is fundamental for the articulation of form. In the period the antecedent typically ends with a half cadence and the consequent with a full close — the question stays open, the answer closes. This sequence is one of the most widespread articulations of tonal music and is omnipresent in songs, dance movements, and themes of the Classical period.

How conclusive a full close seems depends on its constitution. If dominant and tonic stand in root position and the root lies in the upper voice, the close is perfect and suitable for the end of a piece. If the third or fifth lies on top in the final chord, or if a chord stands in inversion, it seems weaker and can serve as an internal cadence. The position in the bar contributes to the effect: a tonic on a strong beat closes more firmly than one on a weak beat.

Bear in mind that the terminology in textbooks is not entirely uniform: partly the full close is equated with the authentic cadence, partly it is understood more broadly, so that the plagal cadence also counts as a full close, because it likewise ends on the tonic.

The full close stands at the end of periods, parts of the form, and movements and marks the complete conclusion of a musical thought. In functional theory it is notated as the sequence D–T, usually prepared by the subdominant. How strongly it acts depends on position and metric placement.

Performance practice

When shaping, distinguish between full closes and half cadences — the one closes, the other opens, and this should be audible. Take the closing sonority of a full close calmly and without emphasis. And save the full closing effect for the places where the form really ends.