National Metrical Types in Nineteenth Century Art Song

Abstract

William Rothstein's article National metrical types in music of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries (2008) proposes a distinction between the metrical habits of 18 th and early 19 th century German music and those of Italian and French music of that period. Based on theoretical treatises and compositional practice, he outlines these national metrical types and discusses the characteristics of each type. This paper presents the results of a study designed to determine whether, and to what degree, Rothstein's characterizations of national metrical types are present in 19 th century French and German art song. Studying metrical habits in this genre may provide a lens into changing metrical conceptions of 19 th century theorists and composers, as well as to the metrical habits and compositional style of individual 19 th century French and German art song composers. Submitted 2009 October 8; accepted 2009 November 19.