Music A-Level
Hemiola
What Hemiola means in Music A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Hemiola
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Reference: AQA
A rhythmic device used to create tension, momentum, or contrast, temporarily imposing a two-beat feel in triple time without altering the written metre.
Temporarily imposes a two-beat feel in a three-beat metre, often used by Baroque composers at cadences to drive the music forward.
Topics that use Hemiola
- Area of study 1: Western classical tradition 1650–1910 (compulsory) - Musical elements (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Antecedent phrase
- Antiphonal texture
- Aria
- Articulation
- Balanced phrases
- Bass suspension
- Basso continuo
- Binary form
Using Hemiola in the exam
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