Chords & Harmony
Homophony
In music, homophony (;, Greek: , homóphōnos, from , homós, "same" and , phōnē, "sound, tone") is a texture in which a primary part is supported by one or more additional strands that provide the
European music#
Homophony first appeared as one of the predominant textures in Western classical music during the Baroque period in the early 17th century, when composers began to commonly compose with vertical harmony in mind, the homophonic basso continuo becoming a definitive feature of the style. Jazz and other forms of modern popular music generally feature homophonic influences, following chord progressions over which musicians play a melody or improvise.
African and Asian music#
Homophony has appeared in several non-Western cultures, perhaps particularly in regions where communal vocal music has been cultivated. When explorer Vasco da Gama landed in West Africa in 1497, he referred to the music he heard there as being in “sweet harmony”. While the concept of harmony in that time was not necessarily the same as the concept of homophony as understood by modern scholars, For instance, the Fang people of Gabon use homophony in their music. In eastern Indonesia (i.e. in the music of the Toraja in South Sulawesi, in Flores, in East Kalimantan and in North Sulawesi), two-part harmonies are common, usually in intervals of thirds, fourths or fifths. Additionally, Chinese music is generally thought to be homophonic, since instruments typically provide accompaniment in parallel fourths and fifths and often double the voice in vocal music, heterophony also being common in China.
Melody-dominated homophony#
In melody-dominated homophony, accompanying voices provide chordal support for the lead voice, which assumes the melody. : \new PianoStaff b8 b4 a!) \new Staff \relative c, \key e \major \clef “bass” \partial 4 r4 e\sustainOn \sustainOff( \sustainOn \sustainOff) b,,\sustainOn ( )\sustainOff \sustainOn \sustainOff \sustainOn \sustainOff \sustainOn \sustainOff \sustainOn \sustainOff \sustainOn \sustainOff » Melody dominated homophony in Chopin’s Nocturne in E Op. 62 No. 2. The left hand (bass clef) provides chordal support for the melody played by the right hand (treble clef).
References#
fr:Homophonie#Musique