Period (music)
Encyclopedia
In music
, a period is a group of phrases
consisting usually of at least one antecedent phrase and one consequent phrase totaling about 8 measures in length (though this varies depending on meter and tempo
). Generally, the antecedent ends in a weaker and the consequent in a stronger cadence
; often, the antecedent ends in a half cadence while the consequent ends in an authentic cadence. Frequently, the consequent strongly parallels the antecedent, even sharing most of the material save the final measures. In other cases, the consequent may differ greatly (for example, the period in the beginning of the second movement of the Pathetique Sonata
).
The 1958 Encyclopédie Fasquelle defines a period as follows:
Another definition is as follows:
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, a period is a group of phrases
Phrase (music)
In music and music theory, phrase and phrasing are concepts and practices related to grouping consecutive melodic notes, both in their composition and performance...
consisting usually of at least one antecedent phrase and one consequent phrase totaling about 8 measures in length (though this varies depending on meter and tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
). Generally, the antecedent ends in a weaker and the consequent in a stronger cadence
Cadence (music)
In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music...
; often, the antecedent ends in a half cadence while the consequent ends in an authentic cadence. Frequently, the consequent strongly parallels the antecedent, even sharing most of the material save the final measures. In other cases, the consequent may differ greatly (for example, the period in the beginning of the second movement of the Pathetique Sonata
Piano Sonata No. 8 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, commonly known as Sonata Pathétique, was written in 1798 when the composer was 27 years old, and was published in 1799. Beethoven dedicated the work to his friend Prince Karl von Lichnowsky...
).
The 1958 Encyclopédie Fasquelle defines a period as follows:
- "A complex phrasePhrase (music)In music and music theory, phrase and phrasing are concepts and practices related to grouping consecutive melodic notes, both in their composition and performance...
, in which the various parts are enchained."
Another definition is as follows:
- "In traditional music...a group of measuresBar (music)In musical notation, a bar is a segment of time defined by a given number of beats of a given duration. Typically, a piece consists of several bars of the same length, and in modern musical notation the number of beats in each bar is specified at the beginning of the score by the top number of a...
comprising a natural division of the melodyMelodyA melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
; usually regarded as comprising two or more contrasting or complementary phrases and ending with a cadenceCadence (music)In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music...
." (Harvard Dictionary of Music, 1969)
Source
- (1969). Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cited in Nattiez, Jean-Jacques (1990). Music and Discourse: Toward a Semiology of Music (Musicologie générale et sémiologue, 1987). Translated by Carolyn Abbate (1990). ISBN 0-691-02714-5.