Micropolyphony

Micropolyphony is a type of 20th century musical texture involving the use of sustained dissonant chords that shift slowly over time. According to David Cope (1997), "a simultaneity of different lines, rhythms, and timbres." The technique was developed by Gyrgy Ligeti, who explained it as follows: "The complex polyphony of the individual parts is embodied in a harmonic-musical flow, in which the harmonies do not change suddenly, but merge into one another; one clearly discernible interval combination is gradually blurred, and from this cloudiness it is possible to discern a new interval combination taking shape." Again Cope: "Micropolyphony resembles cluster chords, but differs in its use of moving rather than static lines." An example of the application of micropolyphony is Ligeti's composition Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Mixed Choir, and Orchestra, a piece which became more widely known through the soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick's film . The technique is easier with larger ensembles or polyphonic instruments such as the piano (Cope, 1997). Many of Ligeti's piano pieces are examples of micropolyphony applied to complex "minimalist" Steve Reich and Pygmy music derived rhythmic schemes.

Source

  • Cope, David (1997). Techniques of the Contemporary Composer, p.101. New York, New York: Schirmer Books. ISBN 0028647378.

 

<< PreviousWord BrowserNext >>
splint
the history of rasselas, prince of abissinia
dachsprache
arise o compatriots, nigeria's call obey
lai man wai
constituency
step saver data systems, inc. v. wyse technology
postage stamps and postal history of italy
scottish television
sherlock
ernst udet
vincent bugliosi
grampian television
embossing
border television
turner field
prince albert national park
new zealand general election 2002
ss elingamite
greater sand plover
john veatch
nathaniel palmer
wget
mirror (computing)
lesser sand plover
portable
expo '88
przemysl ii of poland
list of people known as the father or mother of something
dukes of greater poland
saint seiya
american bible society
legio ii parthica
legio xvii
list of poland related topics
kujo yoritsugu
white tailed lapwing
babirusa
boxing in the 1960s
sociable lapwing
marian engel
zorn collections
columbia metropolitan airport
cocacolonization