Polyphony is a musical texture that has multiple independent melodic lines playing at the same time. The word comes from the Greek word for “many sounds”.
Music
- Definition – Polyphony is when two or more independent melodic lines are played simultaneously.
- Examples– A piano is a polyphonic instrument because the player can play different melodies with each hand.
- Relationship to other musical textures – Polyphony is different from monophony, which is when there is only one voice, and homophony, which is when there is one dominant voice with chords.
- History – The earliest notated polyphonic music was developed during the Gothic period (1200–1550).
Linguistics
- Definition: Polyphony is when different voices and views are happening at the same time in a conversation or text.
Other applications
- Literature – Polyphony can be used to describe how truths are represented from within the author’s ideological framework.
- Instruments – Polyphony is a property of musical instruments that allows them to play multiple independent melody lines at the same time.
Written with the help of AI.
