The Avoidance of Inner-Voice Entries: Perceptual Evidence and Musical Practice
- 1 October 1989
- journal article
- Published by University of California Press in Music Perception
- Vol. 7 (1) , 43-47
- https://doi.org/10.2307/40285447
Abstract
Experimental evidence has shown that entries of inner voices are more difficult to perceive than entries of outer voices in multivoiced music. A study of voice entries in 75 fugues by J. S. Bach shows no significant avoidance of inner-voice entries in three- and four-voice textures. However, in the case of five-voice textures, Bach does demonstrate a significant reluctance to have a voice enter in an inner-voice position. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that Bach endeavors to minimize perceptual confusion in his polyphonic works as the textural density increases.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Voice Denumerability in Polyphonic Music of Homogeneous TimbresMusic Perception, 1989