A plagal cadence is chord IV to chord I — the 'amen' ending heard in hymns

A plagal cadence is a two-chord progression from the subdominant (chord IV) to the tonic (chord I). It is sometimes called the hymn or church cadence because it is the harmony sung on ‘amen’ at the end of a hymn. It contrasts with the perfect cadence (V–I), which sounds strongly final, by giving a softer, more settled sense of arrival. Though associated with medieval and Renaissance church music, the plagal cadence recurs widely in later blues, rock and pop. Recognising it means hearing a IV chord resolve down to the tonic without the leading-tone pull of a dominant, producing that characteristic gentle, conclusive ‘amen’ colour.

Examples

In F major, the chords B-flat major (IV) to F major (I) form a plagal cadence. The last two chords of the Beatles’ ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ make up a plagal cadence — the ‘amen’ sound.

Assessment

Given a final two-chord progression, decide whether it is a plagal (IV–I) or perfect (V–I) cadence and justify by the chords used and the quality of the ending. Name a musical context where the plagal cadence is idiomatic.