plagal

American  

[pley-guhl] / ˈpleɪ gəl /

adjective

Music.

1. (of a Gregorian mode) having the final in the middle of the compass.

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plagal British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of plagal

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

Example Sentences

OR may have same meaning as plagal cadence.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

He therefore contented himself with restoring the Ambrosian chants as far as possible; but the musical scales established by Ambrose he somewhat enlarged, adding to them four other scales called plagal.

From A Popular History of the Art of Music From the Earliest Times Until the Present by Mathews, W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock)

Phrygian mode, 23; Brahms's use of, 239. pianoforte, the, account of its characteristics, 189-195. plagal cadence, 55. polka, 75, 321. polonaise, 75. polyphonic, 10. polyphonic music, complete account of, 33-49.

From Music: An Art and a Language by Spalding, Walter Raymond

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

From Critical and Historical Essays Lectures delivered at Columbia University by Baltzell, W. J. (Winton James)

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

From Critical and Historical Essays Lectures delivered at Columbia University by Baltzell, W. J. (Winton James)