An index of melodic activity

Abstract

Abstract Melodic activity is defined in terms of the relative frequencies and magnitudes of the combinations of durations of notes and pitch‐leaps between adjacent notes of a melody. An index which is a combination of both of the above influences, and which reflects lesser and greater states of melodic activity, is developed at the microscopic level of note‐to‐note succession. The index is extended to encompass larger melodic units, allowing for the comparison of the melodic activity of one melody with another. The analysis of the two ingredients, and the rankings provided by the index, document stylistic characteristics associated with J. S. Bach: the preponderance of conjunct motion and its association with notes of short duration, different levels of melodic activity with respect to major and minor tonalities, and so forth. The suggestion is made that melodic activity is a parameter of psychological perception within the Western tradition, along with pitch, loudness, duration and dissonance.