Show off your theory chops with my weekly challenge! You’ll find a new question here every Monday. Please comment to post your reply.
This week’s challenge:
Here’s the end of a short piano piece by Sergei Prokofiev: the Vision Fugitive No. 15, “Inquieto.”
What rhythmic device is being used throughout this passage?
Listen to the Audio:
Reply to post your answer, and check back on Friday, July 16th to see the answer!
ANSWER for 7/12/16
If you’ve felt like being stretched out like a rubber band all week, you’ve been on the right track! This is AUGMENTATION, the technique of expanding a melody by doubling its note values. The repeated four-note idea first appears in eighth notes, then enters again in quarter notes, and finally in half notes. Augmentation creates the sense of broadening out, as opposed to diminution, where we cut the note values in half and make a melody sound twice as fast.
Check out a whole series of videos on rhythm and meter in the Rhythm Module! Sign up for a monthly subscription for full access to all video lessons, worksheets, and answer keys. Stay tuned for new lessons in advanced rhythms. I created Breaking Barlines with one thing in mind: making music theory effective and FUN!
Syncopation? It’s been a minute since I have thought about this.
Hi Gail, thanks so much for your reply! Good guess, but it isn’t syncopation, since there aren’t any notes or accents emphasizing weak beats. The repeating four-note idea in the top staff is in eighth notes, and then it appears in the bottom staff in quarter notes, and finally in the low bass as half notes. There’s a specific name for this rhythmic technique. Keep trying 🙂
Augmentation. Each consecutive entrance utilizes larger note durations than what was previously played.
Nicely done Doug! It’s the exact opposite of diminution, which would have successively smaller note values, and thereby create a sense of contraction.
Augmentation. Each voice’s entrance uses notes of longer duration.
Exactly, way to go Charles! Augmentation creates a sense of stretching things out.