plagal

[ pley-guhl ]

adjective

, Music.

1. (of a Gregorian mode) having the final in the middle of the compass. Compare authentic ( def 6a ).

plagal

/ ˈpleɪɡəl /

adjective

1. (of a cadence) progressing from the subdominant to the tonic chord, as in the Amen of a hymn
2. (of a mode) commencing upon the dominant of an authentic mode, but sharing the same final as the authentic mode. Plagal modes are designated by the prefix Hypo- before the name of their authentic counterparts

   the Hypodorian mode

Word History and Origins

Origin of plagal¹

1590–1600; < Medieval Latin plagālis, equivalent to plag ( a ) plagal mode (apparently back formation from plagius plagal; plage ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of plagal¹

C16: from Medieval Latin plagālis, from plaga, perhaps from Greek plagos side

Example Sentences

After all, BTS’s supersmash “Butter,” which hit the top of the charts in June, also uses mixolydian, while Billie Eilish slips the double plagal cadence into her new song “Getting Older.”

From Time

These enharmonic passages recur to satiety, and the abuse of the plagal cadence deprives it of its religious solemnity.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus the melody itself was said to be either authentic or plagal, according to whether it had one or two tonics.

From Project Gutenberg

The theme of Schumann's “Etudes symphoniques” is authentic, and the first variation is plagal.

From Project Gutenberg

The Plagal Cadence (A-men chord) at the end of the piece has been transcribed as breves instead of semibreves for authenticity.

From Project Gutenberg

These modes are divided into two classes—the “authentic” and “plagal.”

From Project Gutenberg