3B: Setting Meter to Music

Setting Poetry to Music : 

Setting Poetry to Music Two main types of meter (just as in poetry) Duple (binary) and triple (ternary) Duple (2 and its powers 4, 8, 16, etc.) is most common. Of these, the most common is 4/4. Often sedate, dignified, marchlike Triple (3; or multiplied by 2, 4, 8, etc.) is less common. Of these, the most common is 3/4. Often faster, dynamic, even rowdy, e.g. waltzes

Conducting Patterns and Stress : 

Conducting Patterns and Stress 4/4: Strong, weak, strong, weak 3/4: Strong, semi-strong, weak

The Cardinal Rule of Text-Setting : 

The Cardinal Rule of Text-Setting Strong syllables must fall on strong beats. All music, even contemporary pop and rap, follows this cardinal rule! Weak syllables may also be “promoted” and fall on strong beats. In 3/4, a strong syllable may fall on the second “semi-strong” beat only if another strong syllable is already on the strong beat.

Matching Meters : 

Matching Meters Obviously, then, it is very easy to set binary-meter poetry into duple time E.g. “Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise” …or ternary-meter poetry into triple time E.g. “There Shall Be Showers of Blessing” But the setting doesn’t have to be boring. You can be creative as long as you follow the stress rules. For example…

Creative Deviations : 

Creative Deviations

Converting Twos to Threes : 

Converting Twos to Threes

Converting Twos to Threes : 

Converting Twos to Threes