heterophonic

heterophony, in music, texture resulting from simultaneous performances of melodic variants of the same tune, typical of Middle Eastern practices as well as of a vast array of folk music. Balkan Slavic epic singers, for example, accompany themselves heterophonically on the gusle (fiddle).

Heterophony can be heard in the Bluegrass, "mountain music", Cajun, and Zydeco traditions. Listen for the tune to be played by two instruments (say fiddle and banjo) at the same time, with each adding the embellishments, ornaments, and flourishes that are characteristic of the instrument.

Heterophony can be found in Classical music as well. Mozart employed it in his Piano Concerto in C minor.

Heterophony is often a characteristic feature of non-Western traditional musics - for example Ottoman classical music, Arabic classical music, Japanese Gagaku, the gamelan music of Indonesia, kulintang ensembles of the Philippines, and the traditional music of Thailand.

Heterophony can be heard in the Bluegrass, “mountain music”, Cajun, and Zydeco traditions. Listen for the tune to be played by two instruments (say fiddle and banjo) at the same time, with each adding the embellishments, ornaments, and flourishes that are characteristic of the instrument.

Homophonic: This texture is made up of a single melodic line, accompanied by chords that harmonize with it. This type of texture is common in pop and rock music. Heterophonic: This texture is made up of two or more versions of the same melody being played at the same time, but with slight variations in rhythm or pitch.

Heterophony is often found in gamelan music.