Heterophony

This article is about the musical meaning. For the linguistic meaning, seeHeteronym (linguistics).

Inmusic,heterophonyis a type oftexturecharacterized by the simultaneousvariationof a singlemelodicline. Such a texture can be regarded as a kind of complexmonophonyin which there is only one basic melody, but realized at the same time in multiplevoices,each of which plays the melody differently, either in a differentrhythmortempo,or with various embellishments and elaborations.The term was initially introduced into systematicmusicologyto denote a subcategory ofpolyphonicmusic, though is now regarded as a textural category in its own right.

Characteristics

Heterophony is often a characteristic feature of non-Westerntraditional musics—for exampleOttoman classical music,Arabic classical music,JapaneseGagaku,thegamelan musicofIndonesia,kulintangensembles of thePhilippines,and the traditionalmusic of Thailand.InEuropeantraditions, there are also some examples of heterophony. One such example is dissonant heterophony ofDinaricGangaor "Ojkavica" traditions from southernBosnia,CroatiaandMontenegrothat is attributed to ancientIllyriantradition. Another remarkably vigorousEuropeantradition of heterophonic music exists, in the form ofOuter HebrideanGaelicpsalmody.

David Morton describes the texture inThai music:

Thai music isnonharmonic,melodic, or linear, and as is the case with all musics of this genre, its fundamental organization ishorizontal...

Thai music in its horizontal complex is made up of a main melody played simultaneously with variants of it which progress in relatively slower and faster rhythmic units... Individual lines of melody and variants sound in unison or octaves only at specific structural points, and the simultaneity of different pitches does not follow the Western system of organizedchord progressions.Between the structural points where the pitches coincide (unison or octaves) each individual line follows the style idiomatic for the instrument playing it. The vertical complex at any given intermediary point follows no set progression; the linear adherence to style regulates. Thus several pitches that often create a highly complex simultaneous structure may occur at any point between the structural pitches. The music "breathes" by contracting to one pitch, then expanding to a wide variety of pitches, then contracting again to another structural pitch, and so on throughout. Though these complexes of pitches between structural points may strike the Western listener as arbitrary and inconsequential, the individual lines are highly consequential and logicallinearly.The pattern of pitches occurring at these structural points is the basis of the modal aspect of Thai music.

He goes on to suggest the termpolyphonic stratification,rather thanheterophony:

The technique of combining simultaneously one main melody and its variants is often incorrectly described as heterophony: polyphonic stratification seems a more precise description, since each of the 'layers' is not just a close approximation of the main melody, but also has distinct characteristics and a style of its own

Examples

Heterophony is somewhat rare inWesternClassical musicprior to the twentieth century. There are examples to be found in some works ofJ.S. Bach:

J.S.Bach from Cantata BWV80 "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott", Aria for soprano with oboeobbligato

J.S. Bachfrom Cantata BWV 80Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott,Aria for soprano with oboe obbligato.

as well asMozart:

Mozart K491 first movement, bars 211-14

Mozart,Piano Concerto in C minor, K491,first movement, bars 211-214.

andMahler:

Mahler, Symphony No. 4, fourth movement, bars 25-6

Mahler,Symphony No. 4,fourth movement, bars 25-6

In the20th century,Benjamin Brittenused heterophony to great effect in many pieces, including parts of theWar Requiemand especially in the instrumental interludes of his threechurch parables:Curlew River,The Burning Fiery FurnaceandThe Prodigal Son.Peter Evans explains it as follows: "So unexpectedly stark were the sounds Britten drew from this group, and in particular so little dependent of his familiar harmonic propulsion, that listeners were ready to trace direct exotic influences in many features of thescore."Other examples includePierre Boulez'sRituel,Répons,and…explosante-fixe….

Heterophony is a key element in the music of Canadian composerJose Evangelista.

External links

• The dictionary definition ofheterophonyat Wiktionary