Some Remarks on European Folk Polyphony

Extract

The subject of this paper, “European Folk Polyphony,” is one to be approached only with the most painful scruples and not a little hesitation, and this for the following reasons:

1. (1) It seems as though, even by hearsay, nothing like all the phenomena of European folk polyphony are known. Every year brings fresh surprises to light.

2. (2) The material basis is as yet extremely narrow. Far too few transcriptions have up to now been published.

3. (3) Even when comprehensive and reliable transcriptions have been published, we still lack exact studies that penetrate the material and isolate its typical characteristics or features. As is the case with all folk music, the polyphonic variety is, as we know, dependent on oral tradition, that is to say, the folk singers follow with fine instinct definite rules. But of these rules they are “theoretically,” as we understand this term, not conscious. It is thus only possible to deduce these rules in a “mediate” way, viz. through the careful analysis of transcriptions. But for this we need suitable methods of investigation and a terminology making it possible to give an unambiguous account of the phenomena with which the researcher may find himself confronted. And despite meritorious attempts, we have as yet no such methods and terminology at our disposition.