What Is a Passo Indietro?

A term coined by Robert O. Gjerdingen. A Passo Indietro (It. “a step to the rear”) is a synonym for a clausula altizans or a ⑤/④–③ cadence. Gjerdingen explains: “A descent in the bass from ④ to ③ often preceded a stronger cadence. A deflection downward before reversing into the upward stepwise ascent of the [ ]