This paper studies how the continuity and uniformity are achieved in the 16th century polyphony through the imitation technique and cadential formula. Usually imitation technique is needed for the beginning and cadence for closing in the polyphony texture but these two are overlapped in inner cadences thus producing meshed opening and ending in progressions.
Cadence is a device for bringing a pause or a close in a section. In spite of that inner cadences should produce a double effect of termination and continuity before the final cadence in order to show coherence. In this sense intensity is important in inner cadences. Imitation is a tool for repetition. Imitation in perfect interval according to hexachord system confrims the fact that “a melody” is repeated by several voices in different register. Sharing a melody denotes uniformity while voices beginning in various time difference represent continuous flow of time. Imitation happens at the beginning of a phrase but it overlaps with the cadence of the previous phrase creating a continuity naturally between two phrases.

• 이내선 | Naesun Lee