Polyphony meaning in music

We explain the basics of polyphony and how it works, with examples from well-known composers.

Add to word list Add to word list. Types of music. Afrobeat Afrobeats ambient music anthemic atonal drum and bass dubstep early music easy listening EDM Latinize Latinized mariachi melodically monophonic symphonically techno Tejano Tex-Mex toccata See more results ». Related word polyphonic. Examples of polyphony. There are almost no technological grounds to withhold wax tablets from the hands of composers of polyphony anytime from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. From the Cambridge English Corpus.

Polyphony meaning in music

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polyphony. Send us feedback about these examples. Accessed 2 Mar. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! See Definitions and Examples ». Log In. Examples of polyphony in a Sentence. Recent Examples on the Web Under cover of jokes and the expert polyphony of the overlapping dialogue, David Adjmi leads us to a story about the disaster of maleness, and thus of mating, behind the pop-rock revolution of the period. Word History. First Known Use.

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Fig 1: Baroque orchestra, Nuremburg: Ger. Polyphony is a musical texture that features two or more equally prominent melodic lines played at the same time. Each of these lines can be thought of as a melody in its own right -- one that could be sung, played, or listened to independently of the others. But it is the combination of the different strands, all interacting together, that creates polyphony. Fig 2: Four independent, simultaneous lines, forming a polyphonic texture.

Since poly- means "many", polyphonic music has "many voices". In polyphony, each part has its own melody, and they weave together in a web that may become very dense; a famous piece by Thomas Tallis, composed around , has 40 separate voice parts. Polyphony reached its height during the 16th century with Italian madrigals and the sacred music of such composers as Tallis, Palestrina, and Byrd. Usually when we speak of polyphony we're talking about music of Bach's time and earlier; but the principles remain the same today, and songwriters such as the Beatles have sometimes used polyphony as well. These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polyphonic. Send us feedback about these examples. Test your knowledge of musical terminology and Italian.

Polyphony meaning in music

Add to word list Add to word list. Types of music. Afrobeat Afrobeats ambient music anthemic atonal drum and bass dubstep early music easy listening EDM Latinize Latinized mariachi melodically monophonic symphonically techno Tejano Tex-Mex toccata See more results ». Related word polyphonic.

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Jordania, Joseph, Follow us. Browse polypharmacy. Read Edit View history. Bach 's " Fugue No. Although — as styles and trends have changed over time — the exact form it has taken has varied. Fig 2: Four independent, simultaneous lines, forming a polyphonic texture. Retrieved 1 December The last two sections are both centred around the relation between notation and polyphony and the systems of modal and mensural notation. The sentence contains offensive content. Polyphony in the Republic of Georgia is arguably the oldest polyphony in the Christian world.

Polyphonic music has parts that weave in and out of each other. Polyphonic music is also sometimes called contrapuntal close contrapuntal Interweaving melodic parts, also known as polyphonic.

The word polyphony comes from the Greek for 'many sounds', which gives you an instant clue as to how the term is used in relation to music. The music of African Pygmies e. In addition to alternating with other textures, two or more polyphonic lines may combine with other melodies or with a supporting accompaniment. The Second Vatican Council said Gregorian chant should be the focus of liturgical services, without excluding other forms of sacred music, including polyphony. Copy Citation. Currency Press. Examples of polyphony. Christian Sacred Music in the Americas. Get Word of the Day daily email! Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms. Wesleyan University. The use of and attitude toward polyphony varied widely in the Avignon court from the beginning to the end of its religious importance in the fourteenth century. Polyphony vs harmony: what's the difference?