Harmonic rhythm

Two harmonizations of "Yankee Doodle"

^[1]Note the slower harmonic rhythm.Play

Note the faster harmonic rhythm.Play

Inmusic theory,harmonic rhythm,also known asharmonic tempo,is the rate at which thechordschange (orprogress) in a musical composition, in relation to the rate of notes.^[2]Thus a passage incommon timewith a stream ofsixteenth notesand chord changes everymeasurehas a slow harmonic rhythm and a fast surface or "musical" rhythm (16 notes per chord change), while a piece with a trickle ofhalf notesand chord changes twice a measure has a fast harmonic rhythm and a slow surface rhythm (1 note per chord change). Harmonic rhythm may be described as strong or weak.

According toWilliam Russoharmonic rhythm is, "thedurationof each different chord...in a succession of chords. "^[3]According to Joseph Swain (2002 p. 4) harmonic rhythm, "is simply that perception ofrhythmthat depends on changes in aspects ofharmony."According toWalter Piston(1944), "the rhythmic life contributed to music by means of the underlying changes of harmony. The pattern of the harmonic rhythm of a given piece of music, derived by noting therootchanges as they occur, reveals important and distinctive features affecting thestyleandtexture."^[4]

Strong harmonic rhythm is characterized by strong root progressions and emphasis of root positions, weakcontrapuntalbass motion, strong rhythmic placement in the measure (especially downbeat), and relatively longer duration.^[5]

"The 'fastness' or 'slowness' of harmonic rhythm is not absolute, but relative,"^[6]^{[self-published source]}and thus analysts compare the overall pace of harmonic rhythm from one piece to another, or the amount of variation of harmonic rhythm within a piece. For example, a key stylistic difference betweenBaroque musicandClassical-period musicis that the latter exhibits much more variety of harmonic rhythm, even though the harmony itself is less complex.

For example, thefirst prelude (BWV 846)fromJ. S. Bach'sThe Well-Tempered Clavier,illustrates a steady harmonic rhythm of onechordchange per measure, although themelodicrhythm is much faster.

${ << \new PianoStaff << \new Staff << \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4 \new Voice \relative c'' { \voiceOne r8 g16 c e g, c e r8 g,16 c e g, c e r8 a,16 d f a, d f r8 a,16 d f a, d f r8 g,16 d' f g, d' f r8 g,16 d' f g, d' f r8 g,16 c e g, c e r8 g,16 c e g, c e } \new Voice \relative c' { \voiceTwo r16 e8._~ e4 r16 e8._~ e4 r16 d8._~ d4 r16 d8._~ d4 r16 d8._~ d4 r16 d8._~ d4 r16 e8._~ e4 r16 e8._~ e4 } >> \new Staff << \clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4 \new Voice \relative c' { c2 c c c b b c c } >> >> >> }$

Sources

^Porter, Steven (1987).Harmonization of the Chorale,p.9.ISBN 0-935016-80-5.
^"Harmonic rhythm",Britannica.Accessed June 2013.
^Russo, William (1997).Jazz Composition and Orchestration,p.42. University of Chicago.ISBN 9780226732084.
^Piston, Walter (1944). Cited in Swain, Joseph P. (2002).Harmonic Rhythm: Analysis and Interpretation,^{[page needed]}.ISBN 0-19-515087-2.
^Randel, Don Michael (2003).The Harvard Dictionary of Music,p.377. Harvard.ISBN 9780674011632.
^Trogan, Roland (2013).The Circle and the Diamond,p.8. Xlibris.ISBN 9781483694726.

External links

"Harmonic Rhythm",Bach-Cantatas.Examples of different harmonic rhythms from Bach given. Accessed June 2013.

[1] Porter, Steven (1987).Harmonization of the Chorale,p.9.ISBN 0-935016-80-5.

[2] "Harmonic rhythm",Britannica.Accessed June 2013.

[3] Russo, William (1997).Jazz Composition and Orchestration,p.42. University of Chicago.ISBN 9780226732084.

[4] Piston, Walter (1944). Cited in Swain, Joseph P. (2002).Harmonic Rhythm: Analysis and Interpretation,^{[page needed]}.ISBN 0-19-515087-2.

[5] Randel, Don Michael (2003).The Harvard Dictionary of Music,p.377. Harvard.ISBN 9780674011632.

[6] Trogan, Roland (2013).The Circle and the Diamond,p.8. Xlibris.ISBN 9781483694726.

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