hergestridge
Group: Members
Posts: 24
Joined: April 2007 |
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Posted: Dec. 01 2009, 18:14 |
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The flute solo in part 1 works as follows - it goes round the 'cycle of fifths' and alternates time-signature between 3/4 and 5/8. The result is this:
F#m 3/4
C#m 5/8
G#m 3/4
Ebm 5/8
Bbm 3/4
Fm 5/8
Cm 3/4
Gm 5/8
Dm 3/4
Am 5/8
Em 3/4
Bm 5/8
The guitar solo in part 4 works slightly differently. The harmony also goes round the cycle of fifths, but the time-signature pattern is different, and goes: 3/4, 5/8, 3/4, 4/8, 3/4, 5/8, 3/4, 5/8 (8 bars)
So the harmony goes through a 12-bar cycle while the time-signature goes through an 8-bar cycle. You therefore have to go through 2 cycles of the harmony (2x12=24) and 3 cycles of the time-signature pattern (3x8=24) before you get back to where you started.
This idea is a bit like the medieval constructional principle of isorhythm, where a rhythmic pattern (in Incantations the time-signature pattern) or talea is fitted to a series of pitches or color (in Incantations the cycle of harmony).
For those who are interested, my transcription of the whole of the flute solo from the end of part 1 can be found here.
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