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This site is beginning as a journal of musical passages that include rhythmic devices that I personally find interesting. To the composer they can serve as useful lessons and techniques. For teaching, they can serve as excerpts for analysis and discussion.

From Haydn's Mass No. 11 in D minor, [|Missa in angustiis] (Mass in Troubled Times), also known as the [|Nelson Mass] ([|H.] 22/11) (1798).
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In the opening movement (Kyrie) [|Haydn] does something really nice with the meter (3/4). Take a listen:

media type="file" key="haydn kyrie mass nelson (excerpt 1) 1.mp3"

Later in the same movement he paraphrases the same rhythmic idea:

media type="file" key="haydn kyrie mass nelson (excerpt 2).mp3"


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This example is from the jazz/rock group [|Chicago]. In the opening of their song //Make Me Smile// the wind instruments have a part that is very interesting rhythmically. Take a listen: media type="file" key="Make Me Smile (intro).mp3" Although slightly deceptive, it is 4/4. A nice mixture of 3's and 4's.

Another song by [|Chicago] entitled //Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?// The opening consists of 6 bars of 4/4, followed by 6 bars of 5/8, followed bar a bar of 6/8, then finally into the straight 4/4. A very interesting introduction. The first 6 bars are the most intriguing. These six bars are phrased as 2 groups of three measures each. Each of 2 phrases begin on the 'and' of beat 1. media type="file" key="Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is_.mp3"
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**Entry #4** This excerpt is from [|Steve Vai's] song //Windows to the Soul//. It's straight 11/8. 11 = 2 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2. It sounds like it could be in 3 but it's an eighth note short. Also, it could be felt in 5 with the second beat being a bit larger than the others.

media type="file" key="Windows to the Soul.mp3"

** Entry #5 ** Binary or ternary? On hearing this I was thinking it was 12/8. But no; Haydn wrote this in 2/2 (my Dover score has it written in 4/4). There is something about the rhythmic character of the 2nd movement (Largo cantabile) of [|Haydn's Symphony #93] that is very appealing. I can't quite put into words what it is. Whatever it is, the meter has a lot to do with. Listen to the open measures: media type="file" key="haydn symphony You get the idea. It shortly turns into this: media type="file" key="haydn symphony In this next example Haydn subtly tinkers with the division of the pulse (2/2 transformed to 12/8, which in turn is transformed into 3/4 (via accent, the conductor of this performance, George Szell, brought this out nicely). Measures 37-43 are most interesting. media type="file" key="haydn symphony Of all the things one might remember about this movement it is the abrupt bassoon part towards the end. media type="file" key="haydn symphony

From [|Haydn's Symphony #95], 2nd movement (Andante). This movement is a slow 6/8. At the pickup to measure 11 the cello begins a solo. But listen to the violins playing the countermelody. The accents in the violin part are on beats 2 and 5 creating a nice rhythmic effect: media type="file" key="Haydn In measures 21 and 22 the repeated octave leaps hint at a duple meter: media type="file" key="Haydn Harmonically, notice the interesting use of the Neapolitan in measures 44-47 of the 3rd movement (Menuetto) of Haydn's 95th. Haydn clobbers us with the dominant (G7). But instead of resolving it to C minor, he pauses, tosses in the Neapolitan (Db), very quietly, and then resolves to C minor. Take a listen: media type="file" key="Haydn
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