Phrase (music)

In music a phrase (Greek ?????, sentence, expression, see also strophe) is a section of music that is relatively self contained and coherent over a medium time scale. In common practice phrases are often four and most often eight bars, or measures, long. A rough analogy between musical phrases and the linguistic phrase is often made, comparing the lowest phrase level to clauses and the highest to a complete sentence. Thus a phrase will end with a weaker or stronger cadence depending if it is an antecedent or consequent phrase, respectively. Metrically, Edward Cone analyses the "typical musical phrase" as consisting of a "initial downbeat, a period of motion, and a point of arrival marked by a cadential downbeat," while Cooper and Meyer use only two or three pulse groups (strong-weak or strong-weak-weak) (DeLone et. al. (Eds.), 1975, chap. 3).

Related Topics:
Music - Greek - Strophe - Bar - Measure - Phrase - Clause - Sentence - Cadence - Antecedent - Consequent - Metric - Downbeat - Pulse group

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Phrases are commonly built from or contain figures, motifs, and cells. Phrases combine to form periods and larger sections of music.

Related Topics:
Figures - Motifs - Cell - Period

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Phrase rhythm is the rhythmic aspect of phrase construction and the relationships between phrases, and "is not at all a cut-and-dried affair, but the very lifeblood of music and capable of infinite variety. Discovering a works phrase rhythm is a gateway to its understanding and to effective performance." The term was popularized by William Rothstein's Phrase Rhythm in Tonal Music. Techniques include overlap, lead-in, extension and expansion, and reinterpretation or elision. (Burkhart 2005).

Related Topics:
Rhythm - William Rothstein - Elision

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