On 29/07/2022 12:30, Kieren MacMillan wrote:
Hi Carl,
Just curious, because I know precious little about polymetry.
Does 9/8 (3/4) mean anything different from (3 + 3 + 3)/8 ?
Yes: the parenthetical notation is usually an instruction to alternate time
signatures, not simply a clarification of intention. For example, in “West Side
Story”, Bernstein uses 6/8 (3/4) to indicate that alternate bars should be
felt/conducted as 6/8 then 3/4 then 6/8 then 3/4…
You get the exact same thing with 633 Squadron. I don't know what the
time signature is in the original, but I'm sure I've played arrangements
where the piece is in standard 3/4, and others where it's 6/8 (3/4).
In the latter, the quavers are tripleted, but the crotchets are written
and played in 3/4. Even worse, if it's 3/4 it's usually conducted in
waltz time one to a bar but if it's 6/8 it's conducted in 6/8.
You need to make sure you know which arrangement you're playing :-)
Cheers,
Wol
