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Common practice period

April 10, 2023

In European art music, the common-practice period is the era of the tonal system. Most of its features persisted from the mid-Baroque period through the Classical and Romantic periods, roughly from 1650 to 1900. There was much stylistic evolution during these centuries, with patterns and conventions flourishing and then declining, such as the sonata form. The most prominent, unifying feature throughout the period is a harmonic language to which music theorists can today apply Roman numeral chord analysis.

Technical features

Harmony

See also: Functional harmony and Voice leading

The harmonic language of this period is known as "common-practice tonality", or sometimes the "tonal system" (though whether tonality implies common-practice idioms is a question of debate). Common-practice tonality represents a union between harmonic function and counterpoint. In other words, individual melodic lines, when taken together, express harmonic unity and goal-oriented progression. In tonal music, each tone in the diatonic scale functions according to its relationship to the tonic (the fundamental pitch of the scale). While diatonicism forms the basis for the tonal system, the system can withstand considerable chromatic alteration without losing its tonal identity.

Throughout the common-practice period, certain harmonic patterns span styles, composers, regions, and epochs. Johann Sebastian Bach and Richard Strauss, for instance, may both write passages that can be analysed according to the progression I-ii-V-I, despite vast differences in style and context. Such harmonic conventions can be distilled into the familiar chord progressions with which musicians analyse and compose tonal music.

Various popular idioms of the twentieth century break down the standardized chord progressions of the common-practice period. While these later styles incorporate many elements of the tonal vocabulary (such as major and minor chords), the function of these elements is not necessarily rooted in classical models of counterpoint and harmonic function. For example, in common-practice harmony, a major triad built on the fifth degree of the scale (V) is unlikely to progress directly to a root position triad built on the fourth degree of the scale (IV), but the reverse of this progression (IV–V) is quite common. By contrast, the V–IV progression is readily acceptable by many other standards; for example, this transition is essential to the "shuffle" blues progression's last line (V–IV–I–I), which has become the orthodox ending for blues progressions at the expense of the original last line (V–V–I–I) (Tanner & Gerow 1984, 37).

Rhythm

Coordination of the various parts of a piece of music through an externalized metre is a deeply rooted aspect of common-practice music. Rhythmically, common practice metric structures generally include (Winold 1975, chapter 3):

  1. Clearly enunciated or implied pulse at all levels, with the fastest levels rarely being extreme
  2. Metres, or pulse groups, in two-pulse or three-pulse groups, most often two
  3. Metre and pulse groups that, once established, rarely change throughout a section or composition
  4. Synchronous pulse groups on all levels: all pulses on slower levels coincide with strong pulses on faster levels
  5. Consistent tempo throughout a composition or section
  6. Tempo, beat length, and measure length chosen to allow one time signature throughout the piece or section

Duration

Durational patterns typically include (Winold 1975, chapter 3):

  1. Small or moderate duration complement and range, with one duration (or pulse) predominating in the duration hierarchy, are heard as the basic unit throughout a composition. Exceptions are most frequently extremely long, such as pedal tones; or, if they are short, they generally occur as the rapidly alternating or transient components of trills, tremolos, or other ornaments.
  2. Rhythmic units are based on metric or intrametric patterns, though specific contrametric or extrametric patterns are signatures of certain styles or composers. Triplets and other extrametric patterns are usually heard on levels higher than the basic durational unit or pulse.
  3. Rhythmic gestures of a limited number of rhythmic units, sometimes based on a single or alternating pair.
  4. Thetic (i.e., stressed), anacrustic (i.e., unstressed), and initial rest rhythmic gestures are used, with anacrustic beginnings and strong endings possibly most frequent and upbeat endings most rare.
  5. Rhythmic gestures are repeated exactly or in variation after contrasting gestures. There may be one rhythmic gesture almost exclusively throughout an entire composition, but complete avoidance of repetition is rare.
  6. Composite rhythms confirm the metre, often in metric or even note patterns identical to the pulse on specific metric level.

Patterns of pitch and duration are of primary importance in common practice melody, while tone quality is of secondary importance. Durations recur and are often periodic; pitches are generally diatonic (Kliewer 1975, chapter 4).

References

  • Harbison, John (1992). "Symmetries and the 'New Tonality'". Contemporary Music Review. 6 (2): 71–79. doi:10.1080/07494469200640141.
  • Kliewer, Vernon (1975). "Melody: Linear Aspects of Twentieth-Century Music". In Aspects of Twentieth-Century Music, edited by Gary Wittlich, pp. 270–301. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0-13-049346-5.
  • Konečni, Vladimir J. (2009). "Mode and Tempo in Western Classical Music of the Common-Practice Era" (PDF). doi:10.18061/1811/36604. hdl:1811/36604. Retrieved 17 February 2015. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • London, Justin (2001). "Rhythm, §II: Historical Studies of Rhythm". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.
  • Perle, George (1990). The Listening Composer. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06991-9.
  • Tanner, Paul, and Maurice Gerow (1984). A Study of Jazz. Dubuque, Iowa: William C. Brown Publishers. Cited in Robert M. Baker, "". TheBlueHighway.com.
  • Winold, Allen (1975). "Rhythm in Twentieth-Century Music". In Aspects of Twentieth-Century Music, edited by Richard Peter Delone and Gary Wittlich, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-049346-0. pp. 208-269.

External links

  • Benjamin Piekut, "No Common Practice: The New Common Practice and its Historical Antecedents" (February 1, 2004).

April 10, 2023
common, practice, period, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, june, 2022, learn,. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations June 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message In European art music the common practice period is the era of the tonal system Most of its features persisted from the mid Baroque period through the Classical and Romantic periods roughly from 1650 to 1900 There was much stylistic evolution during these centuries with patterns and conventions flourishing and then declining such as the sonata form The most prominent unifying feature throughout the period is a harmonic language to which music theorists can today apply Roman numeral chord analysis Contents 1 Technical features 1 1 Harmony 1 2 Rhythm 1 3 Duration 2 References 3 External linksTechnical features EditHarmony Edit See also Functional harmony and Voice leading The harmonic language of this period is known as common practice tonality or sometimes the tonal system though whether tonality implies common practice idioms is a question of debate Common practice tonality represents a union between harmonic function and counterpoint In other words individual melodic lines when taken together express harmonic unity and goal oriented progression In tonal music each tone in the diatonic scale functions according to its relationship to the tonic the fundamental pitch of the scale While diatonicism forms the basis for the tonal system the system can withstand considerable chromatic alteration without losing its tonal identity Throughout the common practice period certain harmonic patterns span styles composers regions and epochs Johann Sebastian Bach and Richard Strauss for instance may both write passages that can be analysed according to the progression I ii V I despite vast differences in style and context Such harmonic conventions can be distilled into the familiar chord progressions with which musicians analyse and compose tonal music Various popular idioms of the twentieth century break down the standardized chord progressions of the common practice period While these later styles incorporate many elements of the tonal vocabulary such as major and minor chords the function of these elements is not necessarily rooted in classical models of counterpoint and harmonic function For example in common practice harmony a major triad built on the fifth degree of the scale V is unlikely to progress directly to a root position triad built on the fourth degree of the scale IV but the reverse of this progression IV V is quite common By contrast the V IV progression is readily acceptable by many other standards for example this transition is essential to the shuffle blues progression s last line V IV I I which has become the orthodox ending for blues progressions at the expense of the original last line V V I I Tanner amp Gerow 1984 37 Rhythm Edit Coordination of the various parts of a piece of music through an externalized metre is a deeply rooted aspect of common practice music Rhythmically common practice metric structures generally include Winold 1975 chapter 3 Clearly enunciated or implied pulse at all levels with the fastest levels rarely being extreme Metres or pulse groups in two pulse or three pulse groups most often two Metre and pulse groups that once established rarely change throughout a section or composition Synchronous pulse groups on all levels all pulses on slower levels coincide with strong pulses on faster levels Consistent tempo throughout a composition or section Tempo beat length and measure length chosen to allow one time signature throughout the piece or sectionDuration Edit Durational patterns typically include Winold 1975 chapter 3 Small or moderate duration complement and range with one duration or pulse predominating in the duration hierarchy are heard as the basic unit throughout a composition Exceptions are most frequently extremely long such as pedal tones or if they are short they generally occur as the rapidly alternating or transient components of trills tremolos or other ornaments Rhythmic units are based on metric or intrametric patterns though specific contrametric or extrametric patterns are signatures of certain styles or composers Triplets and other extrametric patterns are usually heard on levels higher than the basic durational unit or pulse Rhythmic gestures of a limited number of rhythmic units sometimes based on a single or alternating pair Thetic i e stressed anacrustic i e unstressed and initial rest rhythmic gestures are used with anacrustic beginnings and strong endings possibly most frequent and upbeat endings most rare Rhythmic gestures are repeated exactly or in variation after contrasting gestures There may be one rhythmic gesture almost exclusively throughout an entire composition but complete avoidance of repetition is rare Composite rhythms confirm the metre often in metric or even note patterns identical to the pulse on specific metric level Patterns of pitch and duration are of primary importance in common practice melody while tone quality is of secondary importance Durations recur and are often periodic pitches are generally diatonic Kliewer 1975 chapter 4 References EditHarbison John 1992 Symmetries and the New Tonality Contemporary Music Review 6 2 71 79 doi 10 1080 07494469200640141 Kliewer Vernon 1975 Melody Linear Aspects of Twentieth Century Music In Aspects of Twentieth Century Music edited by Gary Wittlich pp 270 301 Englewood Cliffs New Jersey Prentice Hall ISBN 0 13 049346 5 Konecni Vladimir J 2009 Mode and Tempo in Western Classical Music of the Common Practice Era PDF doi 10 18061 1811 36604 hdl 1811 36604 Retrieved 17 February 2015 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help London Justin 2001 Rhythm II Historical Studies of Rhythm The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians second edition edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell London Macmillan Publishers Perle George 1990 The Listening Composer Berkeley and Los Angeles University of California Press ISBN 0 520 06991 9 Tanner Paul and Maurice Gerow 1984 A Study of Jazz Dubuque Iowa William C Brown Publishers Cited in Robert M Baker A Brief History of the Blues TheBlueHighway com Winold Allen 1975 Rhythm in Twentieth Century Music In Aspects of Twentieth Century Music edited by Richard Peter Delone and Gary Wittlich Englewood Cliffs New Jersey Prentice Hall ISBN 978 0 13 049346 0 pp 208 269 External links EditBenjamin Piekut No Common Practice The New Common Practice and its Historical Antecedents February 1 2004 Portals Classical music Music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Common practice period amp oldid 1111532970, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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