Skip to main content

  • HOME
  • CURRENT CONTENT
  • ALL CONTENT
  • SUBMIT
  • ABOUT
    • Journal
    • Editorial
    • Registered Reports
  • INFO FOR
    • Librarians
    • Authors
    • Reprints and Permissions
    • Subscriptions and Single Issues
  • MORE
    • Alerts
    • Contact Us

  • Login

  • Advanced search

  • Login
Advanced Search
  • HOME
  • CURRENT CONTENT
  • ALL CONTENT
  • SUBMIT
  • ABOUT
    • Journal
    • Editorial
    • Registered Reports
  • INFO FOR
    • Librarians
    • Authors
    • Reprints and Permissions
    • Subscriptions and Single Issues
  • MORE
    • Alerts
    • Contact Us
Music Perception

New Submission Type

NEW! Registered Reports

Supporting Open Science

  • Research Articles
The Performance of Notes Inégales: The Influence of Tempo, Musical Structure, and Individual Performance Style on Expressive Timing
Dirk Moelants
Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Vol. 28 No. 5, June 2011; (pp. 449-460) DOI: 10.1525/mp.2011.28.5.449
Dirk Moelants
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Search for this author on this site
  • View author's works on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
PreviousNext
Loading

Abstract

notes inégales is a common practice in the performance of French baroque music. It indicates that the first of a pair of equally notated notes is played longer, similar to the use of swing eighths in jazz. The performance of that inequality is an ongoing source of debate, but the actual performance has not been studied yet. In an experiment, eight harpsichordists and eight baroque violinists performed six melodies of French baroque gavottes in three tempo conditions. The mean ratio of inequality was 1.63, with mean ratios of individual performers varying between 1.89 and 1.33. Another significant source of variance was the metric structure, with larger inequality found at metrically important points. Tempo also had an important influence, but individual interpretation varied greatly. For example, while most performers played more evenly while tempo increased, some performers chose the opposite strategy. Pitch interval had only a minor impact on the execution of the notes inégales, but also showed differences between performers. The results show the importance of personal style in music performance: although the music played is highly standardized, we show how the timing of different performers can be influenced by different aspects of the musical structure.

Keywords:
  • rhythm
  • tempo
  • performance
  • baroque music
  • swing
  • Received February 2, 2010.
  • Accepted October 14, 2010.
  • © 2011 by the Regents of the University of California

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Log in through your institution

You may be able to gain access using your login credentials for your institution. Contact your library if you do not have a username and password.

Purchase access

PreviousNext
Back to top

Vol. 28 No. 5, June 2011

Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal: 28 (5)
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Cover (PDF)
  • Back Matter (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
eTOC Alert

RSSRSS Icon

Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Music Perception.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
The Performance of Notes Inégales: The Influence of Tempo, Musical Structure, and Individual Performance Style on Expressive Timing
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Music Perception
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Music Perception web site.
Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Citation Tools
The Performance of Notes Inégales: The Influence of Tempo, Musical Structure, and Individual Performance Style on Expressive Timing
Dirk Moelants
Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Vol. 28 No. 5, June 2011; (pp. 449-460) DOI: 10.1525/mp.2011.28.5.449
Dirk Moelants
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Search for this author on this site
  • View author's works on this site

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Request Permissions
Share
The Performance of Notes Inégales: The Influence of Tempo, Musical Structure, and Individual Performance Style on Expressive Timing
Dirk Moelants
Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Vol. 28 No. 5, June 2011; (pp. 449-460) DOI: 10.1525/mp.2011.28.5.449
Dirk Moelants
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Search for this author on this site
  • View author's works on this site
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Technorati logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
View Full Page PDF
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
  • Top
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • Age and Musical Expertise Influence Emotion Recognition in Music
  • Polyphonic Voice Multiplicity, Numerosity, and Musical Emotion Perception
  • Mode of Presentation Affects Infants’ Preferential Attention to Singing and Speech
Show more Research Articles

Similar Articles

FIND US Facebook Account LinkRSS Feeds LinkTwitter Account LinkLinkedin Account LinkYoutube Account LinkEmail Link

Customer Service

  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Contact

UC Press

  • About UC Press

Navigate

  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • Editorial
  • Contact

Content

  • Current Issue
  • All Content

Info For

  • Librarians
  • Authors
  • Subscriptions and Single Issues

Copyright © 2019 by the Regents of the University of California  Privacy   Accessibility