Rhythm into Style: Studying Asymmetrical Grooves in Norwegian Folk Music Mats Johansson PhD thesis Department of Musicology The University of Oslo 2009 ii Contents Preface and acknowledgments .................................................................................................vii Introduction ................................................................................................................................1 The formative dialectics of performance timing.................................................................... 3 Outline of the thesis................................................................................................................ 7 1 Empirical and theoretical perspectives.................................................................................... 9 1.1 The empirical setting........................................................................................................ 9 Historical and generic contextualization of the pols/springar style ................................... 9 1.2 Theoretical foundation ................................................................................................... 16 Theoretical eclecticism and methodological diversity..................................................... 22 2 Formative processes .............................................................................................................. 25 2.1 The historical-institutional level of style........................................................................ 25 The dialectic between history and the present – the construction of the past .................. 25 Mechanisms of selection – Canonization – Institutionalization....................................... 27 2.2 Identifying the core of performance style – the individual-expressive level of the generic framework................................................................................................................ 36 Compositional processes.................................................................................................. 37 The consolidation of performance style........................................................................... 38 Variation and improvisation............................................................................................. 39 The essence of style – concepts and distinctions ............................................................. 41 Extending the scope – repetitiveness, expressiveness and styles of attention ................. 45 The formulaic mode ......................................................................................................... 46 Synthesis – the mutual interdependency of style and expressivity .................................. 48 3 Earlier research – assumptions, methods and research findings ........................................... 51 3.1 Einar Övergaard ............................................................................................................. 51 3.2 Eivind Groven ................................................................................................................ 53 3.3 Jan-Petter Blom.............................................................................................................. 56 Musical meter and dance meter........................................................................................ 58 Beat duration patterns – guiding norms and principles.................................................... 60 Description vs. normative prescription ............................................................................ 61 Melodic rhythm and dance rhythm .................................................................................. 62 Method of measurement................................................................................................... 63 3.4 Ingmar Bengtsson........................................................................................................... 64 Analysis and interpretation............................................................................................... 65 Asymmetry or flexible triple meter? ................................................................................ 67 Method of measurement................................................................................................... 68 3.5 Sven Ahlbäck ................................................................................................................. 68 Alternating meter – categorical variation in beat level timing......................................... 69 Notation and normative description ................................................................................. 72 3.6 Tellef Kvifte ................................................................................................................... 73 Four hypotheses................................................................................................................ 73 Measurements – precision and relevance......................................................................... 76 Method of measurement................................................................................................... 78 Durational categories and expressive variation................................................................ 78 Stylistic differences and conceptions of meter................................................................. 79 3.7 Carl Haakon Waadeland................................................................................................. 81 Modelling pols/springar rhythms ..................................................................................... 82 iii 3.8 Summary ........................................................................................................................ 87 Description vs. explanation.............................................................................................. 91 4 Method and observation – practical and theoretical considerations ..................................... 95 4.1 Analytical units – a hierarchical division into rhythmic levels...................................... 95 Measure ............................................................................................................................ 97 Beat................................................................................................................................. 101 Subdivision..................................................................................................................... 103 4.2 Measuring rhythm – methods and challenges.............................................................. 107 A musically and analytically relevant degree of measurement precision ...................... 109 Measuring procedure...................................................................................................... 114 4.3 Selection of material - representativity and validity .................................................... 121 Mastering time in performance ...................................................................................... 123 4.4 The issue of comparability ........................................................................................... 124 Determining motivic similarity ...................................................................................... 126 Motivic structure and performance timing – analytical approach.................................. 129 5 Markensmondagen – analysis and interpretations .............................................................. 131 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 131 5.2. Statistical analysis of beat and measure duration data ................................................ 136 General timing level – tempo throughout the tune......................................................... 140 5.3 Comparison between architecturally and contextually similar motifs......................... 144 5.4 Contextual and architectural variation between comparable motivic segments .......... 152 Contextual influence ...................................................................................................... 152 Melodic-rhythmic variation............................................................................................ 157 5.5 Ornament and triplet timing ......................................................................................... 161 Ornament timing ............................................................................................................ 161 Triplet architecture and beat duration ............................................................................ 168 5.6 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 174 6 Broadening the empirical scope – complementary analysis and synthesis......................... 179 6.1 Case studies presentation ............................................................................................. 179 Bjarne Herrefoss (Hardanger fiddle) – Igletveiten (Tele-springar: long-average-short asymmetry)..................................................................................................................... 180 Leif-Inge Schjølberg (fiddle) – springleik after Hans Holen (Vågå-springleik: short-long- average asymmetry) ......................................................................................................