When a measure is systematically omitted from the normal
structure of the 8 measure sentence we have “seven-bar rhythm”;
of which beautiful examples may be found in the Scherzo of
Beethoven’s Sonata in B-flat major, op. 106, and in Mozart’s
Quartet in F major, No. 23. As these examples are readily
accessible they are not quoted. The humorous effect produced,
in the Beethoven example, by the unexpected elision of the 7th
measure is very marked.
Flexibility in the structure of a sentence is often gained by what
is known as “overlapping"[62] of phrases,i.e., where the closing
measure of a sentence, the 8th or 12th for example, is identical
with the first measure of the following phrase. A clear example
is this passage from the first movement of Beethoven’s Third
Sonata,e.g.
[Music]
[Footnote 62: This effect is clearly brought out in symphonic
music where one portion of the orchestra, with a certain tone
color, may be ending a phrase at the same moment at which
another part, with a contrasting tone color, begins. An excellent
example is the first theme of the Slow movement of Schumann’s
Second Symphony (measures 7-8).]
As the principles of sentence-formation are closely involved with
the general subject of rhythm, something must be known about
the number of beats within the measure itself. While it is true
that we Anglo-Saxons tend to think in terms of 2 and 3 or their
multiples,i.e., our customary measures consist of 2 or 4 beats
or of 3, 6, 9 and 12, in modern music—particularly that of other
races (the Slavs, Hungarians,etc.)—we often find measures with
5 and 7 beats and even phrases containing a mixture of rhythms.
Three excellent examples of compositions with measures of 5
beats each are the Slow Movement of Chopin’s Sonata in C mi-
nor, op. 4, the F-sharp major portion of d’Indy’s Symphonic
Variations, Istar, and the second movement of Tchaikowsky
Sixth Symphony,e.g.
[Music]
A delightful example of a melody with 7 beats a measure is the
Andante Grazioso of Brahms’s Trio in C minor, op. 101—the
result undoubtedly of his well-known fondness for Hungarian
music,e.g.