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Some time ago - I forget the context of the discussion - someone mentioned the term for the particular type of Spanish dance or Spanish rhythm that alternates 3/4 and 6/8 time.

I'm working on José Iturbi's little piece of fluff: "Pequeña Danza Española," (1934), which has this 3/4 6/8 time signature, and I want to know the name of this rhythmic pattern or dance form.

Who knows, or remembers?

Thanks.

Regards,

Hi Bruce,

Is it Huapango?

Steven

There may be more than one dance that shares this characteristic...
I don't know even one answer for sure though.

Son Jaliscience is another.

Steven

Bingo!

Son Jaliscience from Jalisco and Colima, in Mexico, has both instrumental and versed songs in this form, mostly in major keys. It is performed by mariachi ensembles. It has an alternating rhythmic pattern in the armonía (guitars, vihuela) and guitarrón. Basic pattern consists of one measure of 6/8 with the next measure of 3/4.

Although "huapango" was the name I recall : The classical huapango is characterized by a complex rhythmic structure mixing duple and triple meters which reflect the intricate steps of the dance.

Both Wikipedia references say that these are Mexican dances, although Iturbi calls his piece a "Spanish Dance."

I will write both names on my score, so next time I forget, I'll know where the terms are.

Many thanks, Steven!

Regards,

That pattern appears in some of the pieces in Albeniz' Iberia, although it isn't always explicit in the meter. I don't know the names of the underlying dances on which Albeniz based that music, though.

The Argentinian malambo also features a similar rhythm, where 6/8 is sometimes divided into two beats, sometimes three.

That (what BruceD is describing) is different from hemiola, right?

Yup, but you're right that they are very similar.

Hemiola is what we call it when these two meters are played at the same time. For example, for a piano piece, the left hand might be in 3/4, while at the same time the right hand is in 6/8. This is what we often call "3 against 2" - against, meaning at the same time.

What BruceD is talking about is where the two meters are not played at the same time, but rather one right after the other. An entire measure is in 6/8, and then the next measure is entirely in 3/4, and then the next measure is in 6/8, and the measure after that is in 3/4, etc. You might have heard Bernstein's song "I want to live in America" from "West Side Story" ---- the words "I want to live in A-" are in 6/8 time, and the following measure, "-mer i ca" is in 3/4.

By the way, just because there are 2 different meters going on, either at the same time or one after the other, does not mean that they will be indicated directly on the page with a meter signature. You might not see the actual symbols "3/4" or "6/8" anywhere on the page. But you will be able to tell from the rhythm and the accents, because 3/4 has 3 beats per measure (each beat is a quarter note long), whereas 6/8 has 2 beats per measure (each beat is 3 eighth notes long).

Bulería and some other flamenco beats are like this too
1-a2,1-2-a3,4-5-a6,7-a8,9-a10,1-a2-1-2-a3 ...and so on with the accents on the a ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoAjFsbMB7o

OT, but Iturbi- and Thanksgiving-related:

William Kapell won his first competition when he was 10. The prize was a turkey dinner with José Iturbi.

Thanks Sam. I do wonder though if the term (hemiola)is used as a misnomer at times to describe concomitant 3/2. I remember reading that somewhere a propos a piece by Sarasate.

Here are two definitions of Hemiola :

"Hemiola is playing two bars in triple metre as if they were three bars in duple meter."

"In modern musical parlance, a hemiola is a metrical pattern in which two bars in simple triple time (3/2 or 3/4 for example) are articulated as if they were three bars in simple duple time (2/2 or 2/4)."

A good example of hemiola (I believe) appears in Brahms' Intermezzo, Op 117, No 1, measures 13-15. Up to this point, in 6/8 time, the left hand has a consistent rhythmic figure of a quarter-note, eighth-note, quarter-note, eighth-note. At measures 13-15, the left hand changes to three quarter-notes per measure.

Regards,

pianojerome to the rescue! "America" from West Side Story was the specific reference when this was first brought to my attention. Consulting the score of "America," I see it there - again! - Tempo di Huapango (fast), followed by the time signature 6/8(3/4).

Just for the record, Sam, the words are :
"I like to be in America!
O.K. by me in America!
Everything free in America
For a small fee in America!
etc., etc.

Thanks, all!

Regards,

If you ever have the chance (and are interested in hemiola), check out a motet by Antoine Busnois called "In Hydraulis." The text is about Pythagoras and it mentions several ratios, including 3/2 (hemiola). The idea of hemiola (and the other ratios) is incorporated very interestingly into the music in several ways.

Here's a little review of the piece:

http://www.answers.com/topic/in-hydraulis-motet-for-4-voices

some new Catholic hymn music loves the hemiola.

sometimes innappropriately when the instrumental accompaniments vie for dominance one playing on the triplet the other on the 8th beat for instance.. i think. what to do what to do.

also some latin Catholic music dances along in that rhythm.

(send down the fire of your spirit - or something like that) - for those of you in the know (not my favorite for church).