Prolation

Prolation

Prolation is a term used in the theory of medieval music to describe its rhythmic structure on a small scale. The term is derived from the Latin "prolatio", first used by Philippe de Vitry in describing Ars Nova, a musical style that came about in 14th-century France.

Prolation, together with tempus, corresponds roughly to the concept of time signature in modern music. Prolation describes whether a semibreve is equal in length to two minims ("minor prolation" or "imperfect prolation") or three minims ("major prolation" or "perfect prolation").

Early medieval music was often structured in subdivisions of three, while the note values in modern music are unambiguously subdivided into two parts, meaning that only minor prolation has survived in our time signature system. We now indicate subdivisions of three by modifying note values with dots or triplets. The history of written medieval music shows a gradual shift from major to minor prolation being common.

ee also

* Medieval music
* Musical notation
* tempus
* mensuration


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  • Prolation — Pro*la tion, n. [L. prolatio: cf. F. prolation.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of prolating or pronouncing; utterance; pronunciation. [Obs.] Ray. [1913 Webster] 2. The act of deferring; delay. [Obs.] Ainsworth. [1913 Webster] 3. (Mus.) A medi[ae]val… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Prolation — (v. lat.), 1) die Hervorbringung, Erzählung; 2) Erweiterung, Verschiebung; 3) in der Musik die Verlängerung der Noten durch einen Punkt …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Prolation — Prolation, die Verlängerung einer Note durch einen Punkt …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • prolation — [pʀɔlɑsjɔ̃] n. f. ÉTYM. 1691; « action de proférer », fin XVe; prolacion « ajournement », 1406; lat. prolatio, de proferre. → Proférer. ❖ ♦ Mus. anc. Prolongation du son …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • prolation — (pro la sion) s. f. Terme de grammaire. Action de proférer. La prolation d un alexandrin est plus majestueuse que celle d un octosyllabe.    Terme de musique. Prolongation de son par la voix, soit dans les roulements, soit dans les cadences.… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • prolation — I. Prolation, Pronuntiatio, Pronunciatus, Appellatio literarum. II. Prolation, voyez Proferer …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • prolation — prōˈlāshən noun ( s) Etymology: Latin prolation , prolatio, from prolatus + ion , io ion 1. obsolete : utterance the prolation of the words of benediction John Lloyd 2 …   Useful english dictionary

  • prolation — /proh lay sheuhn/, n. Medieval Music. the time relationship between a semibreve and a minim in mensural notation. [1325 75; ME prolacion < L prolation (s. of prolatio) a bringing forward. See PROLATE, ION] * * * …   Universalium

  • Prolation canon — In music, a prolation canon or mensuration canon is a type of canon, a musical composition wherein the main melody is accompanied by one or more imitations of that melody in other voices. Not only do the voices sing or play the same melody, they… …   Wikipedia

  • prolation — noun /prəʊˈleɪʃən/ The relative time value of a minim to a semibreve in mediaeval music …   Wiktionary

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