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Scan 147
The New Encyclopedia Of Music And Musicians, 1929
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1gathered into groups duply or triply by accents in five ways:
3Duple
5Triple
7The operation of this principle of grouping or integration around an accent is extended much beyond the above simple forms.
9In the first place, it governs the subdivision of beats into small portions analogous in structure to measures. Indeed, if the tempo is not too quick, subdivided primary rhythms tend to become what are called compound rhythms, that is, measure-patterns of more than three beats and with both primary and secondary accents. The form of these depends on their constituents, the possible forms being (a) two beats duply divided, making quadruple or march rhythm, (b) two beats triply divided, making the commonest variety of sextuple or waltz rhythm, (c) three beats duply divided, making the other variety of sextuple rhythm, and (d) three beats triply divided, making nonuple rhythm. Quadruple rhythm is so common that it is widely felt to be a primary form and as such adds two further compound forms, (e) four beats duply divided, making octuple rhythm and (f) four beats triply divided, making dodecuple rhythm. These comprise all the types of fundamental rhythm that are ordinarily used in modern music. But, to secure particular melodic effects the process of subdivision is constantly carried further, so as to effect any of the small elements or 'beatlets' noted above. These lesser subdivisions, however, seldom persist from measure to measure in exactly the same form and so do not establish a controlling and conspicuous effect. They rather belong under the head of what are called 'note-patterns' below.
11It should be noted that each of the compound rhythms is theoretically capable of as many varieties as it has beats, according to where it is assumed to begin. Not all of these, however, are in practical use.
13It should be added that pentuple and septuple rhythms are quite conceivable. The former is not without practical exemplification as a persistent primary rhythm or as an irregular compound rhythm (the five beats being treated as two-three or three-two capriciously). Both are used in small subdivisions to some extent.
15For some irregular subdivisions of parts of measures, see Note-groups
17In the second place, the principle of grouping works in the other direction as well, that is, it tends to a combination of successive measures, however constructed, into larger units of twos, threes or fours. For these there is no established name, since their importance depends upon the disposition of the tonal materials within them. It is out of this grouping that what is called form in the primary or elementary sense takes its rise. Where equal groups of measures succeed each other in symmetrical balance, a large rhythm is set up entirely analogous to the measure-rhythm except that its scope is fixed by mental acceptance rather than by the force of a single dominant accent.
19The general principle of the organization of time by means of rhythmic units, with their subdivisions and their combinations, is common to music, dancing and versification. Through it these three have always been drawn together. But in delicacy of effect and in capacity for elaboration in detail music goes far beyond what is possible for either of the other two. When music is united with dancing or with verse, however, it often imparts its own rhythmic richness to the step-patterns of the one or the word-patterns of the other.
21In notation, as now used, any species of note may be taken as corresponding to the rhythmical units or beats, the most common being half-notes, quarter-notes or eighth-notes. At the head of each piece or movement (or section where the rhythm changes) a special sign called the time-signature is placed (following the key-signature). This sign consists of two numerals, one above the other, the upper indicating the number of beats in the measure and the lower indicating the note taken as a unit ('2' standing for a half-note, '4' for a quarter-note, etc.). Instead of 4 4 the sign 4 8 is rather frequent in certain kinds of music, and instead of 2 2 the related sign 2 4; both of these are derived from the half-circle used in mensural notation as the sign of tempus imperfectum. (It may be remarked that much of the awkward complication in the mensural system was due to attempts to combine the facts of rhythm with the notation at hand.)
23As commonly used, the time-signatures do not form a consistent system, though clear enough for most purposes. They include
25<table>
26 <tr>
27 <th></th>
28 <th>2</th>
29 <th>2</th>
30 <th>4</th>
31 <th>4</th>
32 <th>6</th>
33 <th>6</th>
34 <th>8</th>
35 <th>8</th>
36 <th>9</th>
37 <th>9</th>
38 <th>12</th>
39 </tr>
40 <tr>
41 <th>Simple duple</th>
42 <td>2</td>
43 <td>2</td>
44 <td>4</td>
45 <td>4</td>
46 <td>6</td>
47 <td>6</td>
48 <td>8</td>
49 <td>8</td>
50 <td>9</td>
51 <td>9</td>
52 <td>12</td>
53 </tr>
54 <tr>
55 <th>Compound duple</th>
56 <td></td>
57 <td></td>
58 <td>4</td>
59 <td>4</td>
60 <td>6</td>
61 <td>6</td>
62 <td>8</td>
63 <td>8</td>
64 <td>9</td>
65 <td>9</td>
66 <td>12</td>
67 </tr>
68 <tr>
69 <th>Simple triple</th>
70 <td>3</td>
71 <td>3</td>
72 <td>3</td>
73 <td>3</td>
74 <td>3</td>
75 <td>3</td>
76 <td>3</td>
77 <td>3</td>
78 <td>3</td>
79 <td>3</td>
80 <td>3</td>
81 </tr>
82 <tr>
83 <th>Compound triple</th>
84 <td>2</td>
85 <td>4</td>
86 <td>8</td>
87 <td>2</td>
88 <td>4</td>
89 <td>8</td>
90 <td>2</td>
91 <td>4</td>
92 <td>8</td>
93 <td>2</td>
94 <td>4</td>
95 <td>8</td>
96 </tr>
97 <tr>
98 <th>Simple quadruple</th>
99 <td>4</td>
100 <td>4</td>
101 <td>4</td>
102 <td>4</td>
103 <td>4</td>
104 <td>4</td>
105 <td>4</td>
106 <td>4</td>
107 <td>4</td>
108 <td>4</td>
109 <td>4</td>
110 </tr>
111 <tr>
112 <th>Compound quadruple</th>
113 <td>4</td>
114 <td>4</td>
115 <td>8</td>
116 <td>4</td>
117 <td>4</td>
118 <td>8</td>
119 <td>4</td>
120 <td>4</td>
121 <td>8</td>
122 <td>4</td>
123 <td>4</td>
124 <td>8</td>
125 </tr>
126</table>
128The basal rhythm thus far described is that which persists unchanged throughout a given piece or movement. But its artistic effect is often highly diversified by the various note-patterns or metric figures that are imposed upon it or made to grow out of it. When one 'counts' or 'beats time' he is emphasizing only the basal rhythm. But when he sings or plays he finds himself using all sorts of combinations of longer and shorter tones, some filling the time of two or more beats and some dividing a beat here and there without formal regularity, while at points there may also be silences or rests. In study and drill these schemes of long and short time-portions are often drummed or monotoned to fix their form on the attention. They always fit
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