Compound Meters

Assignment 4.1
I. Understanding simple a,nd eompound meter signatures
A. From the information given, complete the chart below.
METER TYPE METER BEAT UNIT BEAT DIVISION FTTLL B-{R DLIRATION

Compound duple n ) ))) o.

Compound duple .m
Simple triple ).
Compound triple 3 o:_o.

Simple quadruple \
Compound quadruple ffi

B. Each melody below is taken from a keyboard prelude in Bach's Well-Tempered Claaier, Book I. Provide
the correct simple or compound meter signature, then r,lrite the meter tlpe (e.g., compound triple) and
beat unit (".g., J.) in the blanks provided. (The final measure of the excerpt may be incomplete.)

(r) Prelude in A Minor, mm. 1-,! ft

compound triple Beat unit:

Meter type:

(z) Prelude in Ab MajoE mm. 1-5a fi

Meter: Meterffie: Beat unit:

85
 (s) Prelude in Gf Minor, mm. 1-4, f,)

Meter: Meter tlpe: Beat unit:

(+) Prelude in Cil Minor, mm. 1-4a f,)

Meter: Meter type: Beat unit:

(5) Prelude in Eb Minor, mm. 1-4 0

2

Meter: Meter type: Beat unit:

(6) Prelude in E Major, mm.l-Ba ()

Meter: Meter [pe: Beat unit:

(/) Prelude in C# Majoa mm. I-7 O

Meter: Meter type: Beat unit:

(8) Prelude in F Major, mm. 1-2 ()

I

Meter: Meter tlpe: Beat unit:

g6 Part I Elements of Music

Assignrnent 4.2
I. Understanding simple and eompound meter signa,tures
For each meter signature given, filI in the missing information.

METER METER TYPE BEAT UNIT REAT DIVISION BEAT SUBDIVISION

I Compound triple ). .m ),)).))

fr
ffi
,
2

il. Compound, meters with ). beq't units

A. At each position marked by an arrow, add one note value to complete the measure in the meter indicated.

(2)

(a)

(4)

(5)

B. Rewrite the following rhythms with correct beaming to reflect the beat. Practice the rhythms on "ta" or
counting syllables. Be prepared to perform them in class.

orng,r.]lJJ J l.I.l .tTJJJ.hlJJ )J J' ll

Chapter 4 Compound Meters

Part f Elements of Music
Assignment 4.3
L Understanding cotrlpound meters
For each melody, provide the missing bar lines that correspond with the meter signature given.

A. Beethoven, String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1, second movement (cello part, adapted) fi

B. Hensel, "schwanenlied" (adapted) Ci

C. Bart6k, String Quartet No. 2, first movement (cello) f,)

:T\

<m?

IL Understanding rests -
At each position marked with an arrow, add one rest to complete the measure in the meter indicated. Write
in the counts below the rhythm; enclose beats in parentheses if they fall on a rest.

(1) la li

B.

".
n$ J ,E ) I J-l J.TJ | fi ffi? lJ .l'.h, ll

Chapter 4 Compound Meters

 III. Beaming to refleet the meter
Vocal music, especially in older editions, is often written with beaming that corresponds to syllables of the
sung text. Copy the vocal lines on the blank staves below (without text), replacing flags with beams to
reflect the meter and beat unit instead. Copy the rests exactly.

A. Schumann, "Ich hab'im Traum geweinet," from Dichteiliebe, mm. 1o-1/ fi

/i t2

floss nach von der Wan ge her ab. Ich hab' im Traum ge - wei net,

mir trdumt.' du ver

Translation: [Tears] florved dou,n my cheeks. I wept in my dream; I dreamed you had abandoned me.

B. Mozart, "Lacrimosa," from Requiem, mm. g-12 (soprano part) f,)

9?

crl - mo

re - sur ex--.-

Translation: That day of tears and mourning, u,hen all shall arise from the ashes.

4A Part I Elements of Music

 NAME

Assignment 4.4
I. Compound, meters with ). and, ). beat units
A. Write counts beneath each melody, then rewrite the melody (not the words) in the meters indicated.
Use proper beaming and stem direction.

(t) 'Agincourt Song," mm. 1-4a fi

o love, how deep, how broad, how high, How ing thought- and fan - ta
li 1li2ti

(2) "The Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow," mm. B-4a f,)

as I walk'd out for my pleas-ure I a- maid- milk - ing her- cow;

(3) "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," mm. 1-4,a fi

When John-ny comes march - ing home a - galn, Hur

(+) Ralph Vaughan Williams, "The Call," mm. 2b-6a fi

34

Come, my Way, my Truth,- my Life: Way, as gives- us breath:

Chapter 4 Compound Meters 4t

 B. At each position marked by an arrow, add one note value to complete the measure in the meter indi-
cated. Remember to subtract the value of an anacrusis from the final bar.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4,)

(5)

II. Rhythmie duets

Compose a second line to go with each rhythm below Write notes and rests that complement (and don't
overpower) the first line. Make sure that each measure is complete. Prepare your duet for performance with
a classmate.

4Z Part I Elements of Music

 NAME

Assignment 4.5
I. Reading and writing triplets
A. In each rhlthm below, provide the missing bar lines that correspond with the meter signature given.

(1)

t--3--

fr>

(3)

(4)

B. Renotate each rhythm below, inserting a triplet in place of the shaded beat. Write the rhythm counts
beneath your answer, then perform the rhlthm you have written.

(r)

Renotated

(2)

Renotated

(3)

Renotated

Chapter 4 Compound Meters 43

II. Syneopations
A. Rewrite each rhythm, adding ties or accent marks to create slmcopations. Be prepared to perform each
syncopated rhythm.

(1)

B. Compose a s)'ncopated compound-meter rhythmic canon for performance with classmates. Begin by
performing the three-part canon below as an example. Divide into three groups; each new group begins
when the previous group has reached the @. In your composition:

' Make the three lines distinctive, including rhythms that emphasize different beats or ofibeats for contrast.

' Add a text and contrasting dyrramics and accents in each line to create an interesting and musical
effect in performance.
. Circle each sgrcopated pattern.
Om?

- you?

f
J)Trc - o-pate,

Your composition:

Part I Elements of Music

 NAME

Assignment 4.6
L Analysis
Name the meter type for each excerpt below. Then, above or below the staff, write the counts where indi-
cated. Finally, answer the question below the excerpt with one or two sentences.

A. Handel, "Rejoice greatly" (soprano part, alternate version), mm. 9-14 0

Re-joice, re - joice, re -joice

Counts: (t 2)li 3 @) li

re -J orce ly, O daugh - ter of Zi

Counts:

Meter [pe:
How does this setting differ from the one in your anthology (p. t87)? Which version do you think is simpler
to sing, and why?

B. Schubert, "Erlkrinig," mm.15-19 o

l5 16

Wer rei tet so durch Nacht und Wind?

Counts for
bass clef:

Meter type:

With so manytriplets, Schubert might have chosen to write the piano accompaniment in what compound meter?

Chapter 4 Compound Meters

On the stafi write the vocal part for measures 15-19 in that compound meter.

C. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," mm. 3-8 0
Write the counts for the melody line, above the stafi as though in I meter (cut time).

Counts in
! meter: (1) a 2 &

It won't you'll think strange When I

IE
Counts tn
! meter
.6 8_r=_

to ex-plain how I feel, That I still need y'our love af - ter

t-3-

Meter $.pe:

Some popular songs are notated in { but per{ormed in such a quick tempo that the meter feels more like cut
time (alla breve), or !. How does a cut-time interpretation help with performance of the triplet in measure 8?
What other notational features suggest cut time?

Part I Elements of Music