Anacrusis

Anacrusis

In poetry, anacrusis is the lead-in syllables, collectively, that precede the first full measure. Similarly, in music, it is the note or notes (even a phrase) which precede the first downbeat in a bar. In the latter sense an anacrusis is often called a pickup, pickup note, or pickup measure, referring to the syncopation. A piece of music beginning with an anacrusis will often end before the last beat of the last bar, in order to keep the number of bars in the entire piece at a whole number.

In the song "Happy Birthday to You", the anacrusis forms the "Happy" and the accent is on "Birthday".

In "The Star Spangled Banner", the word "Oh" in the first line is an anacrusis in both the music and the anapestic meter of the poem:

:

In the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine", "In the" is the anacrusis, "town" falls on the downbeat.

ee also

*Upbeat (music)


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  • Anacrusis — Allgemeine Informationen Genre(s) Progressive Metal, Thrash Metal Gründung 1986 Auflösung 1993 Neugründung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Anacrusis — An a*cru sis, n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to push up or back; ? + ? to strike.] (Pros.) A prefix of one or two unaccented syllables to a verse properly beginning with an accented syllable. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • anacrusis — f. Métr. Sílabas que preceden en un *verso al primer acento rítmico. * * * ► femenino Figura retórica que se aplica a la sílaba o sílabas que preceden al primer acento de un verso: soledades al hielo y al sol …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • anacrusis — (n.) unstressed syllable at the beginning of a verse, 1833, Latinized from Gk. anakrousis a pushing back, of a ship, backing water, from anakrouein to push back, stop short, check, from ana back (see ANA (Cf. ana )) + krouein to strike (cognate… …   Etymology dictionary

  • anacrusis — [an΄ə kro͞o′sis] n. [ModL < Gr anakrousis < anakrouein, to push back < ana , back + krouein, to strike: see RUE1] 1. one or more additional, unaccented syllables at the beginning of a line of verse, preceding the regular meter 2. Music… …   English World dictionary

  • anacrusis — noun /ænəˈkruːsɪs/ a) an unstressed syllable at the start of a verse , 1989: Then Etheridge poised his baton, jerked an upbeat, and made the violinists speak the low G and A of their anacrusis. (Burgess, Any Old Iron) b) an unstressed note or… …   Wiktionary

  • Anacrusis (band) — Infobox musical artist Name = Anacrusis Img capt = Img size = Landscape = Background = group or band Origin = St. Louis, Missouri, USA Genre = Progressive metal Thrash metal Years active = 1986 – 1993 Label = Metal Blade Records Associated acts …   Wikipedia

  • anacrusis — noun (plural anacruses) Etymology: New Latin, from Greek anakrousis beginning of a song, from anakrouein to begin a song, from ana + krouein to strike, beat; akin to Lithuanian kraušyti to strike Date: 1830 1. one or more syllables at the… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • anacrusis — См. anacrusi …   Пятиязычный словарь лингвистических терминов

  • anacrusis — anacrustic /an euh krus tik/, adj. anacrustically, adv. /an euh krooh sis/, n., pl. anacruses / krooh seez/. 1. Pros. an unstressed syllable or syllable group that begins a line of verse but is not counted as part of the first foot. 2. Music. the …   Universalium

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