Intentional use of a viable syllable (verbal association) system for counting
In order for developing musicians to independently per- ceive, decode and read the aforementioned rhythm patterns, it is crucial to provide the tool of verbal association. Tere are a variety of syllable systems to consider, but two import- ant considerations are essential in choosing the most viable system. First of all, are there separate and distinct syllables for the primary subdivisions of duple and triple rhythm patterns? To be clear, duple patterns are those for which the macrobeats are divisible by two (such as a quarter note divided into two eighth notes) and triple patterns are those for which the macrobeats are divisible by three (a dotted quarter note divided into three eighth notes). In Figure 1 these primary subdivisions are evident in the duple patterns numbered “1” and “2” and the triple patterns numbered “1”, “2” and “3”. Systems that use different vowel sounds to distinguish duple vs triple patterns are quite helpful. For example, in the Music Learning Teory approach, the basic duple pattern of two eighth notes (subdividing a quarter note) is verbally associated with “du-de” while the triple pattern of three eighth notes (subdividing a dotted quarter note) is “du-da-di”. Regardless of how the beat is subdivided (duple or triple) the beginning of every beat starts with “du”.
A second consideration is whether the system of verbal association utilizes a consistent use of syllables for patterns that move beyond the aforementioned basic duple and triple subdivisions. Such “second-order” patterns and their syllables are contained in Figure 1, duple patterns num- bered “3” through “8” and triple patterns numbered “4” through “9”. While primary subdivisions should be associat- ed with different syllables (to distinguish duple from triple), more complex second order subdivisions of the macro-beat should use the same syllables, whether duple or triple. For example, four sixteenth notes (duple pattern “3”) would be read as “du ta de ta” while six sixteenth notes (triple pattern “4”) would read as “du ta da ta di ta”. Note that the syllable “ta” is used to represent subdivision beyond the initial duple or triple verbal patterns and their associations (quick note: “ta” is more commonly pronounced with the schwa or uh). Although beyond the scope of most choral music, an illus- tration of additional subdivision (8 thirty-second notes for a duple quarter note and 12 thirty second notes for a triple dotted quarter note) would be “du ka ta ka de ka ta ka” and “du ka ta ka da ka ta ka di ka ta ka”, respectively. Note that the syllables in bold reflect the first consideration that duple and triple patterns have distinct/different vowel sounds. Te other syllables reflect the second consideration in choosing verbal associations that afford the same syllables for further subdivision, regardless of “dupleness” or “tripleness”.
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Intentional selection of repertoire based on rhythm content
A rewarding aspect of teaching choral music is identifying, analyzing and preparing repertoire with themes that em- body and consistently employ any one or more of the above rhythm patterns. Ideally, one focus of each school year could be sequential building of the singers’ aural and visual rhythm vocabularies. For an entire three-concert cycle year, a seventh grade choir’s triple meter focus could be basic subdivision and the related verbal associations for the first three triple meter patterns in Figure 1. For the first con- cert cycle the focus might be dotted quarter, three eighths patterns; for the middle concert cycle pattern “3” would be added as well, including eighth rest/two eighth notes (rest pattern “2”); and the final concert cycle would focus on all three patterns and their partner rest patterns (again, see Figure 1; triple patterns “1”, “2” and “3”).
Repertoire is of utmost importance in ensuring that stu- dents’ rhythmic vocabularies grow. As an example, an excellent piece for the second concert cycle of the year is Te Tiger (Porterfield, 1991; Figure 2), which aptly employs the first three patterns on the triple meter hierarchy in a regular lilting manner. Repertoire must be rehearsed using rhythmic verbal associations frequently, with special focus on new patterns. Repertoire selected with the intention of sequentially building musical vocabulary (aural and visu- al, rhythm and pitch) is an essential element of curricular planning. Each concert cycle might feature three foci: duple meter, triple meter and pitch.
& bbb 8 6
‰ œ œ œ (du) da di
du (da) di
œj ‰ œ œ œ (du) da di
œj œ du (da) di
J œ œ
du (da) di œj du (da) di
8 3
œ œj du (da) di
8 6
˙. du (du) Figure 2. Principal theme from Te Tiger (Porterfield, 1991).
At a more advanced level, an understanding of how the length of the beat may vary can be gleaned in Te Feller from Fortune (Somers, 1978; Figure 3). Tis composition invokes uneven, but regular, triple-duple-duple groupings within 7-8 time (three eighth notes—quarter note—quarter note) in an opening theme that recurs throughout, albeit with some metric variation and increased subdivision of the beat). Tis piece offers a wealth of contexts with regards to changing length of beat (duple vs. triple) and subdivisions therein. To truly be able to audiate the rhythm of this com- position, a firm grasp of triple and duple meters and their rhythm patterns is necessary as prior knowledge. A three concert cycle year with a choir of advanced understanding could focus on beat and metric irregularities in three units: 1) rhythm patterns regular complex meters (such as 5-8, 7-8), 2) irregular groupings within common meters (4-4—
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