Dimensions of Harmonic Rhythm
Joseph P. Swain · Music Theory Spectrum · 1998
Although undeniably a most significant aspect of musical texture, harmonic rhythm has not been precisely conceptualized and analyzed since Walter Piston first defined it. The new analytical technique presented here attacks the central problem—identifying the proper pitch simultaneities whose duration patterns are at issue—by dissecting the various properties of harmony into separate comparative analyses: textural rhythm, phenomenal harmonic rhythm, bass pitch, root/quality, density, and function. The resulting analysis provides a new, detailed view of musical texture and, in conjunction with two hypotheses, a means to understand the dynamic tension of harmonic rhythm.