Polyphony

Polyphony is a texture made of two or more independent melodies sounding at once. Each line has its own shape and its own rhythm and could be sung on its own, yet together they make harmony. The craft of writing such lines is called counterpoint, and polyphonic music is often described as contrapuntal.

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What makes lines independent

Look at the example. When the upper line holds a long E, the lower line moves; when the lower line holds a long G, the upper line moves. The two lines also move in different directions much of the time (contrary motion). Different rhythms and different contours are what let the ear follow two melodies at once.

Kinds of polyphony

• Imitative: the lines take turns with the same idea, entering one after another. Imitation, the canon and the fugue work this way, as do the points of imitation in Renaissance choral music.
• Non-imitative (free): the lines have different material, as in the example.

Polyphony through history

In medieval Europe, singers began adding new lines to chant; this practice grew into the rich vocal polyphony of the Renaissance, by composers such as Josquin des Prez and Palestrina, and is often said to have reached a high point in the fugues of J. S. Bach. Polyphony is not only a European art: early New Orleans jazz bands improvised several lines at once, and vocal traditions such as Georgian part-singing and the singing of the Aka people of Central Africa are richly polyphonic.

Playing polyphony

At the piano, polyphony asks for independent hands, and often independent fingers within one hand. Practice each line alone until you can sing it, then put them together slowly, listening to both. Shape each line as a melody of its own.

Polyphony on a synthesizer

In electronics, polyphony means how many notes an instrument can sound at once. A monophonic synth plays one note at a time; a polyphonic one can play chords.

Train your ear with Texture, Name the texture and One Melody, Two Entrances.