Baroque

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Musical Structures: Modern Notation

The notation of music evolved from the following principles. Tactus means the beat, which comprises the downbeat (thesis) and the upbeat (arsis) of the foot or arm. Up and down are one beat. The total duration of that is called the integer valor (total value). The time signature can be equal (tactus aequalis or simplex) or unequal (tactus inaequalis or proportionalis, triple time).

Tempo within a piece of music is always proportional

Mensural music differentiates between the beat (tactus) and the note values (mensuur). Within the same beat, the speed can be slow (tactus maior, tardier) or twice as fast (tactus minor, celerior). Current in 1600, was the mode of beating to the semibreve; thus a composition with note values based on the breve, (alla breve) signifies a tempo twice as fast (proportio dupla, the half counts as one beat). If the tempo changes during the piece, then it is always within a proportion of the original tempo: The number 3 after the time signature signifies the proportio tripla (3:1) or sesquialtera (3:2), that means that the following 3 semibreves take as long as 1 or 2 semibreves in the old tempo respectively.

The hierachy of the beats within the bar becomes important

By around 1600, through the strong influence of dance, the mensural or time relationship of notes to each other is less important than their qualitative accents or accent division, in what Besseler calls Akzentstufen-takt. The basic principals are:

• two part: heavy - light ( / - )
• three part: heavy - light - light ( / - - )
• four part: heavy - light - moderately heavy - light ( / - / - )
• six part binary: ( - - / - - )

The bar is a regular metric entity (metrum); the music within it causes an irregular rhythmic current (rhythm).

The barline was, in the 16th century, an regulating point in the score. It then became meaningful metrically and on it falls the main accent of the bar. The accent division of the bar played a role from 1600 to about 1900

A lot is left over to the performer

Notation: From about 1600, all note values can be divided, and the dot, slur and figures (trill, etc) were commonly seen in music. A lot was left over to the performer (e.g. tempo rubato and ornamentation).