Upon a query, is jazz music polyphonic, we shall discuss the same in this post. Unforgettable is one of the most popular songs by jazz singer and musician Nat King Cole. Unforgettable in every way, that is how jazz’ influence is on music and pop culture can be best described. From its humble roots in African-American counterculture to international prominence, jazz revolutionized music and art in ways more than one.
Music theory or the study of practices and possibilities of music could explain the unique effect of jazz as an art form and a way to evoke different human emotions. The quality of sound can be expressed in several ways, one of which is the texture or musical texture.
It refers to the way how melody, rhythm and harmony are combined in a composition. To best illustrate it, it can be visualized as to the density (thickness) and range (width) between highest and low pitches. Musical quality then becomes more pronounced with the addition of varying instruments playing a particular piece. Texture can be monophonic, biphonic, homophonic, heterophonic or polyphonic.
Is jazz music polyphonic?
Jazz, unlike other genres in music, is more unpredictable and improvisational rather than structured. Jazz musicians can alter a note or insert one as they play a musical piece. Because of this improvisational nature, Jazz is polyphonic.
It’s texture is so rich because of the different melodies that can be played together. The best example of this is the New Orleans the place where jazz originated. The birthplace of Jazz launched the careers of Louie Armstrong, Terrence Blanchard, Troy Andrews, and many more. These musical masters incorporated a wide range of texture into their music characterizing the polyphonic nature of the genre.
Polyphonic vs. Heterophonic vs. Homophonic
A musical composition is composed of different building blocks like melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. Together with timbre and tempo, they create musical texture. Music texture is determined by the layer of thickness. A thick texture may have many layers of instruments in a musical piece such as when there are string instruments with brass.
The major types of musical texture are monophony, polyphony, homophony, and heterophony. The evolution of music can also be learned through understanding these textures since they reflect the innovation and changes music has undergone through the ages.
Monophony is the most basic texture. It has a single melodic line. Due to its simplicity and lack of sophisticated compositions, it was the principal music texture of Western music until the medieval period. It has no accompaniments and is the basic element of all music.
The best examples of monophonic music are the Gregorian chant, the French troubadour music, and the German meistersingers. The Epitaph of Seikilos, an ancient Greek music is the oldest surviving complete musical composition is in monophonic.((Listen To The Seikilos Epitaph, The World’s Oldest Complete Musical Composition)) Most national anthems if played without accompaniment are also monophonic.
Polyphonic music is texture composed of two or more melodies played simultaneously. Music historians say that the earlies polyphonic music was created by musicians playing or singing two different songs at the same time.
After the dark ages, music became more experimental and reflected the change in society where people were bolder and more innovative in their forms of entertainment. The Renaissance period changed the music landscape entirely with the introduction of different consonant and dissonant sounds in one musical piece.
Counterpoint is the term used for this innovation in Western music. Italian Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina was among the most famous polyphonic composers of the Renaissance period. His Kyrie from the Missa Papae Marcelli collection is one of the best examples of early polyphonic music.
The different melodies and harmonies have the power to evoke strong and profound emotions which were used in the celebration of Roman Catholic mass. Polyphonic music continued and survived through the Baroque period with musicians like Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi.
Homophony is a melodic line supported by other musical lines which provide harmony. Homophony is composed of melody and accompaniment. The melody stands out from the other musical lines while the others provide for background harmony.
This is the most common musical texture today. Johan Sebastian Back is known for producing the best homophonic music in the classical arrangement. Homophony is so common that it exists in almost all cultures such as the African traditional music like the Malawi choirs.
Traditional Christmas carols were also played in homophonic texture. Homophony is the dominant music texture in several periods from the Classical to the popular music of the present period.
Heterophonic music is when more than one instruments, or voices perform variations of one melody simultaneously. It is more common in other cultures like the Asian, Middle Eastern, and folk European music.
Western composers have also used heterophonic influences like Claude Debussy and Benjamin Britten producing very rich and unique musical compositions. One of the giants in music, Mozart also used heterophonic music in his compositions. His Piano concerto in C minor is one of the best.
Is jazz usually polyphonic?
Jazz is polyphonic for the most part because of its simultaneous improvisations. It is also considered as a true polyphony. Nevertheless, apart from the improvisations jazz is also homophonic.
Jazz music usually employs many different instruments that also produce different sounds and independent melodies. Some dissonant sounds are produced while at the same time observing harmony. Jazz bands play different melodies altogether by different instruments which is a staple in New Orleans and New York jazz scene.
Common instruments in jazz were the trumpet, trombone, and clarinet. These were all considered as the front-line instruments. The trumpet player is the leader playing the main melody which would be supported by the clarinet with a faster melody.
The trombone plays a simple melody compared to the trumpet and clarinet. Together, these trio are the leaders in jazz music. Background instruments like percussion and chords play a supporting role in the jazz band.
These instruments when they are played produce one of the most distinct music. Its polyphonic texture is one that can inspire emotions. The main melody played by the trumpet can express other emotions which are contrasted by the other instruments, making jazz as a true polyphone.
How jazz music came into being?
Jazz is an American innovation in music. It originated in the city of New Orleans near the Mississippi River. The city was in the deep south where discrimination against racial minorities was common.
However, New Orleans was a refuge for people of different ancestries and nationalities. People of African, French, Italian, German, Latin American, Native American, and Caribbean dominated the city.
These cultural interactions brought about the mixture of different musical influences. The dominant African-American population mixed their musical traditions with those of the other cultures.
Jazz was both an amalgamation and metamorphosized version of marches, ragtime, and blues. It is said to formally took form in the 1920’s. Even then, improvisation was the chief feature of jazz that separated it from the other genres.
The African slaves who were transported to North America during the dark period of history brought with them their unique West African music. The assimilation of their traditional music with the folk music of the Americans were largely played during family events and parties.
African American slaves were prevented from playing their own native music by their White masters, so they were constrained to develop something that was uniquely their own.
So grave was the lack of freedom not only in their work conditions but also in their leisure activities that the slaves had to use their hymns while laboring and in funeral processions to make out a form of entertainment.
Picking up from the genre of ragtime where Scott Joplin, an African American was considered as master, the newly emancipated African Americans had the opportunity to reinvent their musical traditions.
The surge of unemployment provided the avenue for some people to work as entertainers for a living. The red light district of New Orleans were flocked with musicians trying to enter the scene.
African American musicians had to be resourceful and make the most of the instruments available to them. Small jazz bands came into being with one instrument assigned to one player. Each instrument created independent but harmonically connected and simultaneous lines. Thus, jazz was born.
Musical features of jazz
Improvisation is one of the factors that makes jazz a huge deal. Some music historians still disagree in the exact definition of the genre. Largely due to the centrality of improvisation to the way of playing and composing jazz, some may find it hard to encapsulate by an exact standard of what makes jazz music.
Improvisation in jazz is traced from the work songs and field hollers of African-American slaves. Despite being structured, the work songs were mixed with early blues which created a new way of making music. Classical music is played with utmost faithfulness with the musical score.
The classical player is least expected to depart from the composition with little to no avenue for interpretation or ornamentation. Jazz is starkly different. Jazz music is characterized by interaction and collaboration among the musicians and performers. The jazz composer is less of a star than the jazz musician.
Jazz encourages the musician to interpret a tune in ways different from other musicians. Jazz bands could play a melody depending on the mood and atmosphere of a particular performance. Jazz musicians usually use minor and major seventh chords with markedly great dissonance.
Syncopation is one important element of jazz music. It prevents the music from boring its audience and catches the listener by surprise. Phrases in the musical score can be varied by refusing to play the same note durations repeatedly.
Swing is another element of jazz which is often described as the momentum that pushes the performance. It is created by a swung eight note where it is formed by a triplet. The first eight note is longer than the other two to create a rhythmic feeling.
What is polyphonic texture in music?
Polyphonic texture in music is the application of different and independent melodies in one composition. Derived from the Greek words for multiple and sound, polyphonic music it simply means the playing of more than one independent melody at the same time.
Polyphonic texture is more complex than the homophonic and monophonic textures and is thus less common. In polyphonic music, two or more melodies are added to a totally unrelated one.
This sometimes create dissonance but also harmonies. The two or more active melodies in a polyphone is used my composers to create an auditory environment like no other. The relationship between contour, continuity, rhythms, and motives are significant factors in a polyphonic music.
How do you know if the music is polyphonic?
To determine if music is polyphonic, the key is to know how many independent melodies are played at the same time. If there are more than one independent melodies, the texture is polyphonic.
Fugues, rounds, and canons are polyphonic music. Bach’s Fuge in D major is a perfect example of polyphone since there are four independent voices being played at the same time. Each voice imitates the other and enters with the same melody.
Layering is also obvious in polyphonic music. One voice may only have quarter notes while another contains eight notes. Thus, two or more voices move at different but related levels of rhythm. In polyphone, voices may be assigned different roles. One voice may have a dominant and prominent presence over the others, or all voices may be at equal levels.
Pachelbel’s Canon in D is a popular polyphonic music employing round patterns of violin added with the cello and harpsichord. When the three melodies are played at the same time, this creates a different auditory aura. No wonder it is popular in weddings.
Dixieland jazz or New Orleans jazz is also a perfect example of polyphonic music. A typical jazz band consisting of the trumpet, clarinet, and trombone accompanied by a piano, bass, and drums all play different melodies oftentimes at random but always in sync with one another.
How can you describe jazz music?
Jazz music is a style of music that is quite revolutionary despite having a relatively short history compared to the other genres. Jazz is a very expressive style and highlights the relevance of communicating emotions through sound.
Being aware of its origins from the downtrodden minorities, jazz represents a bold idea that is still controversial to this day. Its rough syncopations, unpredictable swings, and abrupt note changes show a distinct representation on how music can challenge the status quo.
Music is essentially social. Jazz is no exception. Listening to jazz performances in a local bar can be a way of associating with individuals with same experiences and struggles.
Jazz music is also radical and democratic. It does not conform to a strict formal classification. Jazz musicians may make music when they step on stage with no prior compositions nor a fixed way to do things.
It adapts to the moment. Taking in all the mood and vibe of the place to create a new experience for the audience and the player.
Conclusion
Jazz is said to be the only true American art. It originated from America alone which was unique and has its own identity. While this argument may not be entirely accurate, it is true that jazz as a style of music was developed by people as a way to change the oppressive rules of society while having fun as they go at it.
From its humble origins when slaves used to create made-up tunes inspired by their African homeland to the reckoning force it is today, jazz still unites people especially those who do not fit into the standard golden mold that traditional society demands.
Jazz is an expressive music that can induce different emotions from its listeners. Oftentimes, you really can’t have a clear expectation on how a jazz performance would turn out other than it would be a great one.
With jazz, everyone can feel that they can do anything despite the odds. Borrowing the words of Nat King Cole, jazz is unforgettable in every way and forever more, that’s how it will stay.