The Rhythyms of Tonal Music - Hardcover

Lester, Joel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0809312824 ISBN 13: 9780809312825

Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press, 1986

Synopsis

A comprehensive study of the many facets of rhythm in tonal music.

Lester covers accent, meter and hyper­meter, phrase rhythm, rhythm and linear analysis, continuity, rhythm and form, rhythm and polyphony, rhythm and per­formance, rhythms of textural com­ponents, grouping, and rhythm and style.

The primary focus of this book is ac­cent, which Lester argues is one of the major aspects of rhythm. The central question is not whether a note or event (rest, point in time) is accented, but how it is accented. This change of focus al­lows for the first time a thorough inves­tigation into the factors that give rise to accent, the relative importance of these factors in creating accentuation, the way accents are perceived, the way meter arises, and the limits of metric organiza­tion on higher levels of structure.

Lester’s synthesis of other theorists on tonal rhythm is thorough but, more important, his own ideas on the subject are original and enlightening.

About this title

About the Author

Joel Lester is Professor of Music at City College in New York. His performance credits include a Carnegie Recital Hall program. He is the author of Harmony in Tonal Music.

Edition details

• Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press
• Publication date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0809312824
• ISBN 13: 9780809312825
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 296