Anthology
Meter Anthology
Mark Gotham
This is a placeholder chapter for forthcoming lists of moments that are notable for particular metrical techniques.
In the meantime, here is a list (from Gotham 2019) of passages in mixed meters (5s, 7s, … ). The list is organised chronologically by year of composition and limited to notated music and cases in which a single mixed metrical pattern is sustained for at least four iterations such that it might realistically be internalised by a listener as a meter.
These (imperfect) criteria are intended to define a meaningful boundary for the collection guided by what meter ‘is’.
| Composer | Work | Year | Opus/number | Movement | Bar / range | Time signature | Division type | Tempo | Basis of mixed metre / other note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quotes as specified; otherwise as deduced | "?" When unclear | Rhythmic value [in square brackets] | |||||||
| Escobar, Pedro de | Cancionero Musical de Palacio | 1516-20 | Barbieri No.48 | Las mis penas, madre | Proportio quintupla [5/2] | 3+2 | |||
| Encina, Juan del | Cancionero Musical de Palacio | 1516-20 | Barb. No. 79 | Amor con fortuna | Proportio quintupla [5/2] | 3+2 | |||
| Anon. | Cancionero Musical de Palacio | 1516-20 | Barb. No. 102 | Pensad ora’n al | Proportio quintupla [5/2] | 3+2 | |||
| Encina, Juan del | Cancionero Musical de Palacio | 1516-20 | Barb. No. 115 | Dos ánades, madre | Proportio quintupla [5/2] | 3+2 | |||
| Fernández, Diego | Cancionero Musical de Palacio | 1516-20 | Barb. No. 132 | De ser mal casada | Proportio quintupla [5/2] | 3+2 | |||
| Encina, Juan del | Cancionero Musical de Palacio | 1516-20 | Barb. No. 215 | Con amores, mi madre | Proportio quintupla [5/2] | 3+2 | |||
| Encina, Juan del | Cancionero Musical de Palacio | 1516-20 | Barb. No. 403 | Tan buen ganadico | Proportio quintupla [5/2] | 3+2 | |||
| Tye, Christopher | 21 In Nomines | 1525 approx. | Trust | [5/2] | ? | ||||
| Tye, Christopher | 21 In Nomines | 1525 approx. | Sit Fast | [5/2] | ? | ||||
| Strogers, Nicholas | In Nomine | 1578 approx. | [5/2] | ||||||
| Parsley, Osbert | Spes Nostra | 1578 approx. | [5/2] | ||||||
| Parsley, Osbert | In Nomine "upon 5 minims" | 1578 approx. | [5/2] | Does not survive in full | |||||
| Bull, John | In Nomine | 1610–25 approx. | K28 | All but final section | "Alla breve" [Actually 11/4: 4+4+3/4] | 2+2+2+2+3 | [Slow] | ||
| Le Jeune, Claude | Airs a III. IIII. V. et VI. parties (1ère livre) | 1608 | "Revecy venir du Printans" | "C" [Actually 12/4] | 2+3+3+2+2 | Vers mesuré (stressed syllables long, unstressed short) | |||
| Le Jeune, Claude | Airs a III. IIII. V. et VI. parties (1ère livre) | 1608 | "Cigne Je Suis" | "C" [Actually 12/4] | 2+2+3+2+2 | ||||
| Le Jeune, Claude | Airs a III. IIII. V. et VI. parties (1ère livre) | 1608 | "Perdre le Sens" | Chant | "C" [Actually 12/4] | 2+2+3+2+2 | Vers mesuré (stressed syllables long, unstressed short) | ||
| Le Jeune, Claude | Airs a III. IIII. V. et VI. parties (2