isorhythm

[ ahy-suh-rith-uhm ]

noun

, Music.

1. a structural feature characteristic of the Ars Nova motet, consisting of a single rhythmic phrase pattern repeated, usually in the tenor, throughout the composition.

Other Words From

• iso·rhythmic adjective
• iso·rhythmi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of isorhythm¹

First recorded in 1950–55; iso- + rhythm

Example Sentences

The musical term for the secret guiding sequences in fourteenth-century composition is isorhythm, and the pieces that employed it are among the most complex musical structures ever attempted.

From Literature

Much like the Gothic architecture that shaped the buildings for which it was written, isorhythm did not last as a tool in the organisation of music.

From Literature

Before leaving isorhythm, there is a footnote to be added about the way it is organised as strings of note values.

From Literature

Several of the tracks include the Greek-derived term Isorhythm in their titles, referring to patterns of pitches against repeating rhythms that surfaced in 14th-century European music and in Indian forms.

From The Guardian

The opening Isorhythm 4 launches a fast melody over a storming baroque-like left-hand figure, and Isorhythm 2.2 is a spiky, prodding theme against vicious rimshot cracks and a full-bodied bass counterpoint.

From The Guardian