Musical Link #2 - Rhythm
Both pieces also share a number of common rhythmic characteristics.
Firstly, it is possible to note that neither piece possesses a clearly defined meter. Although Samaii Muheiyar is marked in 10/8 in the score, in reality the rhythm is broken up in such a way that it is impossible to clearly delineate a number of beats per bar. Notes are not grouped rhythmically. Note how the ascending and descending ornamental passages of 16th notes are grouped roughly into phrases of 8 notes, but are shifted off the beat using syncopation in order to disguise the pulse. For example, in the first and 4th bar in Figure E below, the 16th note phrases are moved off of the beat in order to avoid creating a clear 5 beat-per-bar pulse.
Firstly, it is possible to note that neither piece possesses a clearly defined meter. Although Samaii Muheiyar is marked in 10/8 in the score, in reality the rhythm is broken up in such a way that it is impossible to clearly delineate a number of beats per bar. Notes are not grouped rhythmically. Note how the ascending and descending ornamental passages of 16th notes are grouped roughly into phrases of 8 notes, but are shifted off the beat using syncopation in order to disguise the pulse. For example, in the first and 4th bar in Figure E below, the 16th note phrases are moved off of the beat in order to avoid creating a clear 5 beat-per-bar pulse.
A similar
effect is achieved in the piece La Bouree, where the rhythmic structure is
broken up through the use of phrasing. Rests are only rarely used and within
each phrase, the pulse is not clearly indicated through the use of cadences or
repeated rhythmic ostinati. In fact, the rhythm seems very flexible throughout
with little repetition of rhythmic patterns except on the scale of entire
phrases. For example, we do not see any truly significant repetition of rhythms
until the beginning of the long second phrase, which mimics the rhythm of the
long first phrase. In the Samaii Muheiyar, although rhythms are repeated
eventually, such as in bar 1 and 4, there is no use of a consistent, steady
rhythmic ostinato which might reveal the pulse. We can note in Figure F below that although rhythmic patterns are occasionally repeated, as indicated in red and blue, in general there are no instances of a strong, repetitive rhythmic ostinato.
Furthermore, both pieces make similar use of polyrhythm.
The various parts of the piece La Bouree are generally quite varied rhythmically. Michael Praetorius generally avoid rhythmic homophony by breaking up the beat, laying rhythms of straight quarter notes with dotted quarter notes and eighth notes as well as syncopating the parts by shifting their entrances by one beat, for example at beats 13 and 14 in the alto and tenor parts. If you look at Figure G below you can see indicated in red examples of layered dotted rhythms against straight quarter notes. Additionally, indicated in blue is the syncopated entrance at beats 13 and 14. The heavy layering of rhythmic patterns further contributes to the ambiguity of the meter and the fluidity of the rhythm.
The various parts of the piece La Bouree are generally quite varied rhythmically. Michael Praetorius generally avoid rhythmic homophony by breaking up the beat, laying rhythms of straight quarter notes with dotted quarter notes and eighth notes as well as syncopating the parts by shifting their entrances by one beat, for example at beats 13 and 14 in the alto and tenor parts. If you look at Figure G below you can see indicated in red examples of layered dotted rhythms against straight quarter notes. Additionally, indicated in blue is the syncopated entrance at beats 13 and 14. The heavy layering of rhythmic patterns further contributes to the ambiguity of the meter and the fluidity of the rhythm.
In a similar fashion, the Samaii Muheiyar uses a number of accompanying parts with contrasting rhythms to accompany the melody. For example, consider the first bar. In the accompanying percussion part, on what appears to be a large drum, we can hear the rhythm:
While simultaneously we hear on what appears to be a smaller drum the rhythm:
We can note that this second drum rhythm indicated in Figure I does not at all follow the rhythm of the melodic line indicated in Figure J. In fact, on the 4th/5th eighth note beat it is dotted, while the melody plays straight sixteenth notes. In a similar manner to the Bouree above, the layering of these contrasting rhythms enhances the impression of long, flowing phrases which are not clearly punctuated by a strong meter.