Rhyme and Reason
November 20th 2008 04:24
Cat; hat; bat.
Time; lime; grime.
Far; bizarre; train car.
At the risk of degenerating into something too silly, let’s consider some more rhymes.
Coca-Cola; Motorola.
Different beginnings, but still good.
What about “remote” and “denote?”
One ends in –mote and the other –note, but they both ultimately end in –ote so that is still quite good.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg; truth later hits her.
Everyone knows about rhyming and easily perceives rhymes in speech, writing, etc. Rhyming words sound pleasant and can be used to create effects ranging from childishness, to singing styles, to mockery: rhyme shmyme. When a person is speaking and inadvertently rhymes the effect can be comical, and immediately catches the attention of listeners. Rhyming sounds pleasant because of the impression of balance that is given by the similar sounds; “Ginsburg” does not really rhyme with “hits her,” but still the sensation is of balance and, in a sense, resolution. Because the first two words of each part do rhyme exactly, the feeling of stability is maintained.
Balance and stability are two elements that are often considered in music – “balance” could refer to dynamic level across instrumental parts instrumental sections within an ensemble or the melodic and phrase structure of a piece or theme; “stability” often relates to the harmonic elements of music. One aspect of balance and stability in music that is often overlooked, however, is the musical parallel of rhyming language and is very closely tied to rhythm; the rhythmic patterns of a theme, combined with the structure of the melodic components of the music, create an impression in a listener that is comparable to rhyming patterns in language that are memorable and, significantly, contribute to a subconscious understanding of the structure of compositions and the perception of certain affective properties.
What does it mean for music to rhyme? Obviously, the connotations of rhyming in music are very different than in language, as for words to rhyme there must be a clear similarity of sound that is often visible in notation; generally, the vowel sound must be exactly the same for a rhyme to be perceived, while if the consonant sounds of the rhyming words vary a “half rhyme” is still perceptible. Translating this phenomenon into musical terms, however, is not quite as straightforward; there are no letters or words, and while there are sounds, the nature of these sounds is not apparent to the majority of potential hearers, who lack the specialized abilities and training necessary to describe and categorize these sounds. Nevertheless, this musical rhyming can be perceived – the clearest indication of this fact is in music of the Classical period, a time when the ideals of balance and stability were expressed in the aesthetics of music through harmonic patterns and structural forms.
Consider the following examples from Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 in D K218.
Movement 1; bar 42 (bars 4-8 of soloist’s first entry)
The above example is shown without articulation or dynamic markings and ornamentation in order to consider the rhyme pattern alone. In this case, the creation of a sensation of rhyme through balance can be seen by first dividing the melody into two even phrases:
It is now clear that the two phrases are symmetrical, not in terms of exact rhythmic pattern but in terms of length. Even without exactly matching patterns, however, the two phrases appear to rhyme; by removing the ornamentation, it becomes clear why:
With the first A# acting as a leading note, the second phrase actually suggests exactly the same rhythmic and melodic pattern as the first. Even though in its original form this phrase is highly ornamented, the basic underlying pattern is the same as the first; a listener perceives this and the two phrases take on a symmetry that suggests a rhyming sound. In addition, even without any indication of the harmonic accompaniment, the last two notes of the second phrase suggest cadential movement – the V7 I progression – which is reached through descending melodic motion paralleling that of the first phrase, which does not “resolve.” This harmonic impression solidifies the relationship of the two phrases as the first does not give the impression of “finishing” definitively; because it is followed by a phrase that not only exactly parallels its rhythmic and melodic patterns and which also suggests harmonic resolution, the listener retains the pattern of the first, recognizes it again in the second, and perceives the strong cadence as resolving the harmonic progression of the two phrases as a whole. In other words, the two phrases take on the feeling of one long sentence with rhyming parts, where the ending – the musical “period,” so to speak – occurs at one final cadence point.
The interesting thing about rhyming is that in order for the rhyme to be perceived, there must also be perceptible differences; “song” and “song” do not rhyme, they are simply the same word, but “song” and “long” rhyme just fine. While this is, in a sense, stating the obvious, it is notable because one of the most common assertions about Baroque and Classical music where there are repeated motives or themes is that each repeat must be played differently, usually by playing the first statement forte and the second piano. This brings us to another kind of musical rhyme – the kind created by a performer to define structures and patterns within a piece:
Movement 1; bars 93-95
By dividing the above example into its component melodic and rhythmic parts, it becomes clear that really there are no defining elements:
There are two clear phrases, each divided into two melodic subphrases, but beyond that there is nothing to define any further structure – the two phrases are identical. By adding dynamic contrast, a performer creates a small differentiation in the statement of two otherwise identical patterns, a rhyme, that allows a listener to perceive these patterns as melodies with distinct musical content which, in turn, creates the sensation of forward motion and the expectation of impending resolution.
On a much larger scale, the idea of rhyming music goes a long way towards defining larger structures within pieces, as well as those which make up compositions as a whole. Take sonata form as an example – put simply, sonata form is a structure defined by an exposition where the main themes of a movement are stated; a development section, where these themes are worked out, expanded, and altered; and a recapitulation, where the themes are restated in the tonic key. This is, of course, an extremely simplified definition, but it shows that sonata form has all the elements that create the sense of rhyme in music that are present in the examples above, just on a much larger scale. By restating themes from the exposition in the recapitulation section, a connection is made across an entire movement through which a listener can perceive a sense of symmetry, and, by returning to the tonic key not just at the very end of a piece but at the actual restatement of the original themes, a sense of resolution is brought about, not in the definitive form offered by a final cadence, but by easing the tension and anticipation created by the harmonic movement throughout the development. Along with the restatement of themes, an overall cohesiveness is created throughout a movement in sonata form which a listener recognizes subconsciously as a structural form.
It is useful to look for these rhymes in music as they are indications of interpretive decisions that are most advantageous to communicate a performer’s intent to an audience. In addition, it allows for the explication of specific effects which contribute to the understanding of music on the part of both performer and audience. The majority of musicians perform “blind” in that they do not understand the reasoning behind the techniques that they use and, importantly, lack a concept of how music theory applies to music performance, viewing it instead as a totally independent field. Structure is more than just a theoretical element of composition, it is a guide to the performance of music. While almost all music teachers would tell their students to “bring out” the notes in the above examples which constitute the melodies, they would not tell them why, nor would they tell them why it certain dynamic use is effective, citing historical precedent instead. The major flaw with viewing music in this way is that it does not allow musicians to ever separate their interpretive abilities from another person and performers become more and more reliant on “teachers” to tell them how to play. This, in turn, contributes to the ever decreasing number of pieces that any one musician can play at a standard suitable for concert performance, as they lack insight into music and so cannot ever develop their own interpretation of pieces which they have not been guided and instructed to play. Further, it does not allow for individuality in performance as musicians are too afraid to “understand” music based on the innate musical sense which should develop gradually as a performer becomes familiar with a large range of music, and gains an awareness of the structures and relationships which exist in music.
Time; lime; grime.
Far; bizarre; train car.
At the risk of degenerating into something too silly, let’s consider some more rhymes.
Coca-Cola; Motorola.
Different beginnings, but still good.
What about “remote” and “denote?”
One ends in –mote and the other –note, but they both ultimately end in –ote so that is still quite good.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg; truth later hits her.
Everyone knows about rhyming and easily perceives rhymes in speech, writing, etc. Rhyming words sound pleasant and can be used to create effects ranging from childishness, to singing styles, to mockery: rhyme shmyme. When a person is speaking and inadvertently rhymes the effect can be comical, and immediately catches the attention of listeners. Rhyming sounds pleasant because of the impression of balance that is given by the similar sounds; “Ginsburg” does not really rhyme with “hits her,” but still the sensation is of balance and, in a sense, resolution. Because the first two words of each part do rhyme exactly, the feeling of stability is maintained.
Balance and stability are two elements that are often considered in music – “balance” could refer to dynamic level across instrumental parts instrumental sections within an ensemble or the melodic and phrase structure of a piece or theme; “stability” often relates to the harmonic elements of music. One aspect of balance and stability in music that is often overlooked, however, is the musical parallel of rhyming language and is very closely tied to rhythm; the rhythmic patterns of a theme, combined with the structure of the melodic components of the music, create an impression in a listener that is comparable to rhyming patterns in language that are memorable and, significantly, contribute to a subconscious understanding of the structure of compositions and the perception of certain affective properties.
What does it mean for music to rhyme? Obviously, the connotations of rhyming in music are very different than in language, as for words to rhyme there must be a clear similarity of sound that is often visible in notation; generally, the vowel sound must be exactly the same for a rhyme to be perceived, while if the consonant sounds of the rhyming words vary a “half rhyme” is still perceptible. Translating this phenomenon into musical terms, however, is not quite as straightforward; there are no letters or words, and while there are sounds, the nature of these sounds is not apparent to the majority of potential hearers, who lack the specialized abilities and training necessary to describe and categorize these sounds. Nevertheless, this musical rhyming can be perceived – the clearest indication of this fact is in music of the Classical period, a time when the ideals of balance and stability were expressed in the aesthetics of music through harmonic patterns and structural forms.
Consider the following examples from Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 in D K218.
Movement 1; bar 42 (bars 4-8 of soloist’s first entry)
The above example is shown without articulation or dynamic markings and ornamentation in order to consider the rhyme pattern alone. In this case, the creation of a sensation of rhyme through balance can be seen by first dividing the melody into two even phrases:
It is now clear that the two phrases are symmetrical, not in terms of exact rhythmic pattern but in terms of length. Even without exactly matching patterns, however, the two phrases appear to rhyme; by removing the ornamentation, it becomes clear why:
With the first A# acting as a leading note, the second phrase actually suggests exactly the same rhythmic and melodic pattern as the first. Even though in its original form this phrase is highly ornamented, the basic underlying pattern is the same as the first; a listener perceives this and the two phrases take on a symmetry that suggests a rhyming sound. In addition, even without any indication of the harmonic accompaniment, the last two notes of the second phrase suggest cadential movement – the V7 I progression – which is reached through descending melodic motion paralleling that of the first phrase, which does not “resolve.” This harmonic impression solidifies the relationship of the two phrases as the first does not give the impression of “finishing” definitively; because it is followed by a phrase that not only exactly parallels its rhythmic and melodic patterns and which also suggests harmonic resolution, the listener retains the pattern of the first, recognizes it again in the second, and perceives the strong cadence as resolving the harmonic progression of the two phrases as a whole. In other words, the two phrases take on the feeling of one long sentence with rhyming parts, where the ending – the musical “period,” so to speak – occurs at one final cadence point.
The interesting thing about rhyming is that in order for the rhyme to be perceived, there must also be perceptible differences; “song” and “song” do not rhyme, they are simply the same word, but “song” and “long” rhyme just fine. While this is, in a sense, stating the obvious, it is notable because one of the most common assertions about Baroque and Classical music where there are repeated motives or themes is that each repeat must be played differently, usually by playing the first statement forte and the second piano. This brings us to another kind of musical rhyme – the kind created by a performer to define structures and patterns within a piece:
Movement 1; bars 93-95
By dividing the above example into its component melodic and rhythmic parts, it becomes clear that really there are no defining elements:
There are two clear phrases, each divided into two melodic subphrases, but beyond that there is nothing to define any further structure – the two phrases are identical. By adding dynamic contrast, a performer creates a small differentiation in the statement of two otherwise identical patterns, a rhyme, that allows a listener to perceive these patterns as melodies with distinct musical content which, in turn, creates the sensation of forward motion and the expectation of impending resolution.
On a much larger scale, the idea of rhyming music goes a long way towards defining larger structures within pieces, as well as those which make up compositions as a whole. Take sonata form as an example – put simply, sonata form is a structure defined by an exposition where the main themes of a movement are stated; a development section, where these themes are worked out, expanded, and altered; and a recapitulation, where the themes are restated in the tonic key. This is, of course, an extremely simplified definition, but it shows that sonata form has all the elements that create the sense of rhyme in music that are present in the examples above, just on a much larger scale. By restating themes from the exposition in the recapitulation section, a connection is made across an entire movement through which a listener can perceive a sense of symmetry, and, by returning to the tonic key not just at the very end of a piece but at the actual restatement of the original themes, a sense of resolution is brought about, not in the definitive form offered by a final cadence, but by easing the tension and anticipation created by the harmonic movement throughout the development. Along with the restatement of themes, an overall cohesiveness is created throughout a movement in sonata form which a listener recognizes subconsciously as a structural form.
It is useful to look for these rhymes in music as they are indications of interpretive decisions that are most advantageous to communicate a performer’s intent to an audience. In addition, it allows for the explication of specific effects which contribute to the understanding of music on the part of both performer and audience. The majority of musicians perform “blind” in that they do not understand the reasoning behind the techniques that they use and, importantly, lack a concept of how music theory applies to music performance, viewing it instead as a totally independent field. Structure is more than just a theoretical element of composition, it is a guide to the performance of music. While almost all music teachers would tell their students to “bring out” the notes in the above examples which constitute the melodies, they would not tell them why, nor would they tell them why it certain dynamic use is effective, citing historical precedent instead. The major flaw with viewing music in this way is that it does not allow musicians to ever separate their interpretive abilities from another person and performers become more and more reliant on “teachers” to tell them how to play. This, in turn, contributes to the ever decreasing number of pieces that any one musician can play at a standard suitable for concert performance, as they lack insight into music and so cannot ever develop their own interpretation of pieces which they have not been guided and instructed to play. Further, it does not allow for individuality in performance as musicians are too afraid to “understand” music based on the innate musical sense which should develop gradually as a performer becomes familiar with a large range of music, and gains an awareness of the structures and relationships which exist in music.
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