Rhythm language Day 24 Music Cognition MUSC 495

Rhythm & language Day 24 Music Cognition MUSC 495. 02, NSCI 466, NSCI 710. 03 Harry Howard Barbara Jazwinski Tulane University Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University

Course administration l Spend 3/6/2021 provost's money Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 2

Rhythm in language and music Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University

Rhythm in language l l l l l basketball conundrum falsification man chairman divide division canebreak sugarcane 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 4

Syllable length l English syllables do not all have the same length l Compare to Spanish ¡ banana l Spanish 3/6/2021 syllables tend to have the same length Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 5

Timing l English is said to be stress-timed ¡ the length of a syllable depends on its stress ¡ also Dutch, German l Spanish is said to be syllable-timed ¡ each syllable has approximately the same length ¡ also French, Portuguese 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 6

Sensitivity l Listeners are sensitive to the patterning of vowel duration in speech ¡ i. e. it plays a role in judgments of the naturalness of synthetic speech ¡ non-native speaker accent l The temporal patterning of vowels is likely to be one factor contributing to the rhythmic feel of a language 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 7

An experiment l Create a measure of vowel length (n. PVI) l Take a sample of English and French speakers 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 8

n. PVI l Normalized Pairwise Variability Index l The different in length between two vocalic intervals is measured relative to the averaged length of the two intervals ¡ the measure is relative ¡ this avoids problem of different rates of speaking ¡ it can be compared to music 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 9

Sample speech l English: ¡ ¡ ¡ l The local train left the station more than five minutes ago. The last concert given at the opera was a tremendous success. The city council has decided to renovate the medieval center. French ¡ ¡ ¡ 3/6/2021 Les parents se sont approchés de l’enfant sans faire de bruit. Ils ont appris l’évènement au journal télévisé de huit heures. Le ministère de la culture a augmenté le nombre de ces subventions. Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 10

Results 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 11

Composers 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 12

Musical n. PVI values were computed directly from music notation l To compute the n. PVI for a given theme, the first note was arbitrarily given a duration of 1, and the durations of remaining notes were expressed as multiples or fractions of the first note. l An example of a Debussy theme (D 122, Quartet in G minor for Strings, 1 st movement, 2 nd theme) and an Elgar theme (E 72, Symphony No. 1, in A Flat, Opus 55, 4 th movement, 2 nd theme), together with the n. PVI for each theme. l 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 13

Total results 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 14

Average results English and French musical themes are different, with English music having the greater value (mean n. PVI = 46. 91 vs. 40. 90). l This difference is significant (Mann– Whitney U-test, U = 9993. 5, P < 0. 01). l 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 15

Why? It is known from studies of language acquisition that the perceptual system is sensitive to the rhythmic patterns of language from a very early age. l Composers, like other members of their culture, internalize these patterns as part of learning to speak their native language. l So… l ¡ ¡ 3/6/2021 when composers write music, linguistic rhythms are “in their ears”, and they can consciously or unconsciously draw on these patterns in weaving the sonic fabric of their music. developing composers are influenced by the music of their compatriots, which, in turn, is influenced by the music these composers hear as children, such as popular and folk songs whose rhythms bear the imprint of their associated linguistic texts. Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 16

Caveat l Neither explanation suggests that the connection between linguistic and musical rhythm is obligatory; l Rather, this link is likely to be greater in historical epochs where composers seek a national character for their music. 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 17

An outlier Vincent D’Indy l Investigation of D’Indy’s background suggests a reason for this pattern. l Goldbeck (1965) notes: l ¡ 3/6/2021 “[D’Indy] considered French 19 th century music … to be superficial, frivolous and unworthy to compete with the teutonic Bach–Beethoven–Wagner tradition. … the serious and uncompromising principles of German symphony and of Bayreuth should be applied to French music, inspired by French legends and true to the spirit of French folklore. ” Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 18

An explanation l If D’Indy’s admiration of German music played a role in his compositional style, l and German music reflects the stress-timed German language, l then D’Indy’s high n. PVI value is understandable. 3/6/2021 Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University 19

Next Monday Party I might say something about the evolution of music Music Cognition - Jazwinski & Howard - Tulane University