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by
Danlee Mitchell and
Jack Logan, Ph.D.
If a dictionary were consulted for a definition of the word "texture,"
the most common usage would be: "the visual or tactile surface characteristics
and appearance of something." Qualifiers such as "rough", "smooth", "coarse",
"silken", "thin" and "thick" most often accompany the term. Its qualifiers
are best applied when describing certain characteristics of textiles.
It is also a term used in music; but, as a musical term it suffers from
an ambiguity that is unfortunate. "Texture", in music, describes two areas
of musical phenomena: (1) melodic and harmonic relationships and (2) the
density of the simultaneous layering of different musical components.
The simplest and most traditional use of the term "texture" in music deals
with describing melodic and harmonic relationships. Specifically, the
term is used commonly to describe the "construction" of music. Three typical
"constructions" are
1. a single melodic
line (monophony or monophonic texture),
2. two or more
melodic lines of equal complexity, and sounding simultaneously (polyphony
or polyphonic texture),
3. a single
melodic line with an accompaniment of harmony (homophony
or homophonic texture).
Monophony or
Monophonic Texture
Music that
is composed of a single line of melody (or a rhythmic line played on a
percussion instrument) is said to have monophonic texture.
This is the most ancient of musical textures and occurs in present-day
musics of many cultures. Unaccompanied song is monophonic in texture.
A single musical instrument playing a melody or many instruments playing
the same melody is monophonic texture. If a single melodic line is coupled
with a contrasting percussion accompaniment of equal complexity the term
monophony is inappropriate. The appropriate term for
this texture is polyphony.
Polyphony or
Polyphonic Texture
Music that
is composed of two or more lines of melody of relatively equal complexity
is said to have polyphonic texture. In the music of the
West polyphony appeared first during the 9th century
in the sacred music of the Roman Catholic Church. The craft of combining
two or more melodies of equal complexity that occur in music at the same
time is known as counterpoint (i.e., point against point).
Music that has a polyphonic texture is said to be contrapuntal.
Melodic lines
in a polyphonic texture are complementary to each other Ð they sound well
together and do not "interfere" with each other sonically. Each melodic
line in a contrapuntal texture occupies a separate sonic range and their
rhythmic activity and linear contours compliment each other. If polyphonic
lines were to occupy the same range or have rhythmic patterns that were
similar, each would lose its complimentary role to the other.
Homophony or
Homophonic Texture
Music that
is composed of an obviously predominant melody, accompanied by harmonic
material and/or a clearly less-important melody, is said to have homophonic
texture. The melodic material of homophony is
usually in the uppermost pitch range. Most songs and much instrumental
music is composed in this texture. Homophonic texture reflects the classic
ideal of simplicity and balance.
Textures of
Non-Western Music
Many world
musics are monophonic in texture, and a few are also polyphonic. A monophonic
texture may sound quite complex if the composer employs a rich "palette"
of musical timbres. The musics of Africa and Indonesia have the appearance
of complex polyphony. Homophony has been used more in the West than in
other cultures as Western music has a highly developed harmonic component.
Other Aspects
of Texture
Considering
musical texture in our second broad interpretation (the density of the
simultaneous layering of different musical components) it should be noted
that music also has a quality of thinness or thickness, transparency or
opaqueness. A small ensemble of a few instruments will sound lighter,
thinner and much less dense than a large performing group. A vocal group
of four singers will produce a more transparent musical effect than a
large chorus. Within compositions many changes of density may take place
through different combinations of performing forces.
The qualifiers
"thin", "thick", "transparent", "opaque", "light" and "dense" are good
companions to the term "texture" when describing the effect of relative
fullness of musical sound upon the listener not only for Western music
but for all world musics.
Antiphony and
Heterophony
There are
two musical "effects" or "techniques" that are often included in discussions
of musical texture although they have little to do with what we have included
in our discussion of musical texture thus far. These "effects" are known
as antiphony and heterophony, and are
encountered occasionally in certain cultures including the cultures of
the West.
The term antiphony
identifies the stereo or quadraphonic effect achieved by placing two or
more groups of performers at different locations in a performance space
(such as a large church or performing hall). When each antiphonal group
alternates its musical material in succeeding phrases this "effect" is
known as antiphony or the music is said to be antiphonal. Another term
for this technique is call and response wherein different
groups of musicians "toss" music back and forth like a tennis ball in
a tennis match. This was a very common mode of performance during the
Renaissance in Venice at the church of San Marco with its double choir
lofts each with its own organ. Since that time many composers have used
this dramatic effect in their music often in more modest spatial settings
but with the antiphonal effect clearly being a part of the "texture" of
the music.
Heterophony
is an "echo" or "shadow" effect in music, wherein melodic material is
played by two or three different performers in very close musical proximity
one to the other. One performer plays the basic melody while the other
performers "echo" or "shadow" the melody notes by playing slightly after
the basic notes. In some heterophonic styles the "shadow" performer not
only "echoes" the basic melodic tones, but also ornaments them as well.
This musical "effect" is used a great deal in non-Western musics such
as in China, Indonesia (Bali, Java, Sumatra), the Middle East (Persian
and Arab musics), and in certain parts of Africa.
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