Monophonic polymeter

Talya Berger
Department of Music, StanfordUniversity, USA talyab@stanford.edu

Jonathan Berger
Department of Music, CCRMA, Stanford University, USA brg@ccrma.stanford.edu

In: R. Parncutt, A. Kessler & F. Zimmer (Eds.) Proceedings of the Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology (CIM04) Graz/Austria, 15-18 April, 2004 http://gewi.uni-graz.at/~cim04/

Background in musicology. Metric ambiguity is an important perceptual factor in 18th century music. Of particular interest is the occurrence of metrically ambiguous music within monophonic textures. This paper explores the perceptual and structural implications of such metrical ambiguities. Background in music cognition. Phenomenal accents suggesting nonconcurrent groupings can generate competing metric interpretations of a musical surface. Sometimes these conflicts continue for a relatively prolonged period. We use the term polymeter to describe such cases. This paper discusses perceived polymeter created by conflicting cues within a single melodic line, a situation we term monophonic polymeter. Contributing factors and the perceptual effects of monophonic polymeter are described. In particular, we consider the cognitive implications of music that commences with monophonic polymeter. We propose that the modus operandi of processing incipiently ambiguous music is, by nature, quite different than that of music that commences with umabiguous metrical structure.

The Musette from the Klavier Buchlein fur Anna Magdalena Bach (BWV 126) (example 1), a mainstay of budding young keyboardists, contains a passage (mm 3-4) in which the metric scansion of the music is challenged by phenomenal accents resulting in ambiguous groupings1 Young performers typically break the previously established metric pattern influenced by phenomenal accents on the musical surface implied by melodic direction and contour. It is remarkable that this occurs soon after the meter is firmly and unambiguously established, yet many performers can not maintain the initial metrical structure without conscious effort. One would be hard pressed to find a piano teacher who has not heard measures 5-8 played with the accentuation notated in

example 2a as opposed to that of example 2b. Interestingly, despite the notated meter many young performers are seemingly magnetically drawn to articulate the interposed metrical structure and forego its predecessor, relying primarily upon audible rather than notated cues. Once aware of the multiple interpretations the ambiguity persists even after performance inflections amplify one interpretation and squelch all others. Accentuation from the musical surface contradicts synchronization behavior rather than reinforcing it. (Toiviainen and Snyder, 2003). Phenomenal accents Phenomenal accents infer metrical structure and typically maintain corroborating support for a metrical interpretation. For a review of theories of meter and metric induction see (Clarke, 1999). In some instances ambiguity of metrical structure arise. This paper examines two aspects of such ambiguity; first, those instances in which

metric shift occurring later in the work heightens the proominence and structural implications of this ambiguity.

1Another

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metric ambiguity is caused by conflicting phenomenal accents in a monophonic melodic texture, a phenomenon we term monophonic polymeter, and second, the implications of monophonic polymeter that occurs at the start of a musical segment, before a single unambiguous meter is established, a situation we term incipient monophonic polymeter. Phenomenal accent and metrical structure In his 1788 treaitise Musikalischer Unterricht Ernst Wilhelm Wolf aludes to the perceptual effect of metrical structures. One says of two notes that have the same length...that the heavier note...is intrinsically and extrinsically long...the lighter note, however...is only extrinsically long and intrinsically short. (Ratner, 1985). Phenomenal accents effecting the relative perceptual salience of events include: dynamic or articulatory accent, agogic stress (Povel and Okkerman, 1981, Parncutt, 1994), pitch related stress (including hierarchical scale-degree position, melodic disjunction, melodic context, and harmonic functions) (Dawe et al, 1994), register (pitch-height salience) and timbre. Additionally, salience is affected by primacy (Toivainen and Snyder, 2003), recency and premonitory bias. Premonitory biases can predispose a listener to a prefered metrical structure both in terms of a general bias towards duple groupings (cite) and in terms of extroversive expectations (for example, expecting to hear a minuet) (Berger and Gang, 1998).

interpretations of metrical structure. Although they are not the norm, multiple incompatible metrical interpretations of a single musical surface (Vos, Collard and Leeuwenberg, 1981; Parncutt, 1994) occur in a wide range of western music. Listeners tend to prefer one interpretation and maintain the chosen periodicity even when challenged by nonconcurrent accents (Longuet-Higgins and Lee, 1984). However in some instances each of the conflicting rhythmic levels maintain sufficient integrity as to force the listener to maintain plural interpretations. Exclussive allocation is afforded to each interpretation analogously to the process of resolving visual figure-ground ambiguities. In example 1, for example, nonconcurrent phenomenal accents (Cohen and Wagner, 2000) duration and melodic disjunction respectively support conflicting groupings by common fate and similarity. The seemingly unlikely preference for complexity of the perceived metric shift over the preestablished metric structure underscores the potential of phenomenal accents to subvert metric stability as well as to reinforce it. The directional implication of conjunct melodic motion, the imbedded 3-2-1 descent, the repetition of the registral peak (A5), and the agogic accent join forces in challenging the tactus. Research in metrical interpretation varies widely. Inherent ambiguities in metric parsing were modeled by Parncutt (1994) predicting the relative salience of a variety of metric interpretations establishing a correlation between tempo and metric perception. Desain (1992) implemented the generation of expectation curves in which expectations for hierarchical meters constitute an emergent property of the quantization aspect of meter cognition. Deutsch (1984) offers evidence of internal structuring involved in arriving at metric awareness. Schaffer (1981) and Povel and Essens (1985) propose that listener's employ internal clocks to generate temporal markers. Intentionally destabilizing meter was by no means a haphazard occurrence or occassional effect. Heinrich Christoph Koch describes and illustrates the phenomenon in his 1802

Polymeter
Combined accentual stimuli normatively integrate to infer and support hierarchical metrical structures through selective attention to stimulus features. However, in some instances multiple simultaneous metric structures vie for attention and dominance sometimes resulting in metric ambiguity. Persistently conflicting patterns of accentuation can undermine a firmly established meter (Lester, 1992), (Hasty, 1998) and may result in competing

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Musikalisches Lexikon with an example from the trio of Haydn's string quartet, opus 9 no. 3. Koch uses the terms imbroglio andVerwirrung to describe Haydn's perceptual polymeter (Grave, 1988). The term tempo di imbroglio persists as a descriptor of implied polymeter into the early twentieth century (Prout, 1897). Monophonic polymeter Although perceived polymeter suggests, sometimes consciously, the simultaneous existence of multiple metrical structures, the phenomenon is by no means restricted to polyphonic music. A considerable number of musical works, particularly from the 18th and 19th centuries intentionally incorporate metric conflict within a single melodic line (or more precisely, a single rhythmic sequence), a situation we term monophonic polymeter. Monophonic polymeter can subvert perceived metrical structure by interposing a conflicting metrical structure (example 1) or by shifting the phase of the metrical accent. An example of the later is found in measures 2-5 of the fugue from J. S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue in a minor for organ (BWV 543) (example 3). Here, a competing metrical structure is interposed by infered accentuation of the descending compound melody.

Induction of metrical structure can be ambiguated or inhibited by interposing competing accentual cues suggesting different tacti or obscuring the sense of an initial arsis. The more protracted the time necessary to induce an incipient metrical structure the more effort and attention is demanded to perform the task of establishing a sense of meter. The initial events of a musical work provide the evidence needed to establish contexts and provide referential schematic cues. These cues provide a framework for generating expectations. Deferring or subverting unambiguous metric induction forces the listener to attend to the present instead of anticipating what is to come. Thus, although the methods of generating incipient metrical ambiguity are identical to those in which a preestablished metrical structure has been substantiated, the perceptual effect and the impact on music cognition are quite different2. Incipient monophonic polymeter Incipient monophonic polymeter occurs in numerous polyphonic works, most notably in a fairly substantial number of fugue themes. In music from the 18th century, incipient monophonic ambiguity occurs most frequently in isochronous melodic passages in which pitch weight and melodic contour project conflicting accential tactus cues. Of this type, the most common metrical ambiguity is that of duple and compound triple metrical groups. In the opening of the Tempo di Minuetto movement of Bach's fifth keyboad Partita (example 7) a monophonic arpeggio is biased towards compound duple interpretation by registral accentuation yet allows for interpretation in the triple meter that cadences each phrase. Example 7 is not an isolated moment of metrical ambiguity in the fifth Partita. The work begins by posing metrical ambiguity which proves to be the precursor to a series of metrical ambiguities

Incipient polymeter In the previous examples ambiguities of metrical structure were created by placing phenomenal accents suggestive of metric groupings conflicting and competing with a pre-established metrical structure. Occassionally suggested polymeter undermines or prevents the percept of an unambiguously preferred metrical structure at the opening of a musical work or movement. The opening of Act III, scene 4 of Handel's Giulio Cesare (example 4) is an example of incipient polymeter in which the method of metrical obfuscation is analogous to that in example 1. In this case however, the absence of a pre-established metrical structure generates a quite different response.

2Another type of incipient metric phenomenon is that of metric

vagueness stemming from insufficient evidence to establish a convincing metrical structure. Metric vagueness most often occurs at the start of quasi-extemporaneous music such as fantasias and tocattas.

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that occur in every movement of the work. Because metrical ambiguity demands attention, its recurrent use assumes a largescale structural role as a unifying factor throughout the work. Isochronous melodic incipits can project metrical ambiguity through harmonic stasis (typically by arpeggiation), dual functional intervalic relationships (often, but not exclussively, an ascending perfect fourth), or by lack of resolution as to whether a note is a chord tone or an embellishment. An example of incipient ambiguity generated by arpeggiation is found in the opening of the finale of J.S. Bach's first Sonata for solo violin in g minor (example 5). Here both compound duple and triple metrical groupings can be inferred. Bach's autograph has slurs over three note groups in the opening measure supporting the unambiguous compound duple meter that immediately follows, however the alternative triple grouping takes on a dominant role further on in the movement (example 6). An example of metrical ambiguity in a disjunct isochronous monophonic incipt is the Bourree from J. S. Bach's first Partita in b minor for solo violin. (example 7)3. Incipient polymeter and structure

corroborative phenomenal accentuation. The incipient metrical ambiguity thus becomes a key structural element, adding a complex interplay of metrical dissonance and resolution throughout the movement. The persistence of 3/8 becomes apparent when the scansion is challenged (at the F natural). This shift away from this interpretation is what Benjamin (1984) terms an accent of image shift, in which the listener's attention is drawn to what heretofore has been an element of subversion.

Summary
Perceptual grouping conflicts created by interposed phenomenal accents result in ambiguities of metrical structure. Maintaining multiple simultaneous metrical structures through exclussive allocation demands heightened (and often conscious) effort and increased attention. When music begins with prolonged metrical ambiguity the listener is forced to engage in an irregular listening strategy allocating time to establishing groupings and consequently inhibiting large scale expectations. The multiplicity of inferred metrical structures can be, and often is expressed within a single melodic line. Because of the effort involved in resolving perceived polymeter, incipient monophonic polymeter serves an important structural role in some 18th century music.

A more complex example of incipient monophonic polymeter is found in the Sarabande from Bach's C minor Suite for solo 'cello (example 8). Four competing plausible metrical interpretations are interposed (example 9). This conflict of tacti ( versus 3/8 ) and the accentual misalignment (arsis versus thesis) generate a metrical dissonance that underlies the entire movement. The contour based 3/8 metrical substrate provides an undercurrent of instability throughout the piece, often remaining in the background yet persistently reenforced by

References
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3The tonal ambiguity of the monophonic ascending

perfect fourth is probably the most common device for deferring metrical clarity. The fugue theme from Beethoven's piano sonata, op. 110 relies on this ambiguity in maintaining prolonged metrical ambiguity. See the opening of the second movement of Beethoven's piano sonata in Eb major, op. 7 for an example of incipient ambiguity resulting from the dual dominant-tonic/tonic-subdominant tonal relationship

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