Pour une théorie de l'aksak

Abstract

By " Bulgarian rhythm " and " aksak " respectively, Bela B Constantin Brailoiu designated meters in which the ratio between long units was not 2 to 1, but rather 3 to 2. This irregularity is perceptible to western ears in fast tempi. The study of the mus southwestern part of Turkey shows that : (1) in equal tempo, the between different kinds of accents produce many rhythms preservi " aksak " character (i.e., strictly co-metric) ; (2) the same metric sc found in any tempo, even in very slow ones in which the irregular c not audible at once.In addition to the 3:2 ratio that generates most of aksak meters, we also find out that 4:3 and 5:4 ratios are theoretically possible. Finally, the " additive logic " of aksak can be combined with the " divisive logic " of western theory. Further investigations in this matter will therefore have to pay a close attention to these combinations of metrics.

Timing Variations in Two Balkan Percussion Performances

“…While the theoretical approaches corresponding to these names differ substantially from one another, they typically describe temporal cycles composed of durations belonging to two different categories, long and short, in a ratio of 3:2. Brăiloiu (1984) and his Bulgarian coeval Stoyan Dzhudzhev (1931Dzhudzhev ( , 1980 sought to systematize the possible combinations of short and long beats and identify their properties, a project that a handful of authors have continued more recently (e.g., Arom, 2004;Cler, 1994;London, 2012). In music from southeastern Europe, common aksak sequences include short-long, short-short-long, long-short-short, short-short-short-long, and short-short-long-short-short.…”

Measuring Aksak Rhythm and Synchronization in Transylvanian Village Music by Using Motion Capture

“…This may help to compare aksak in different regions of the world and to advance stronger theoretical models. Yet, only a few studies have dealt with the empirical measurement of S:L proportions (Cler, 1994;Cler & Estival, 1997;Polak, 2010;Polak & London, 2014;Jankowsky, 2013;Goldberg, 2014).…”

“…By analyzing his own recordings of Turkish music, Cler showed that the S:L ratio varies according to the tempo, the instruments played, and the performance context (Cler, 1994;1998;Cler & Estival, 1997). In an article emblematically titled 'Aksak, the catastrophes of a model', Cler argues for the need to accept the idea of 'a fragmented model, offering now coincidences with the 'pure' abstract form, now distortions, trans-formations -in the etymological meaning of the term' (Cler & Estival, 1997, p. 75).…”

“…[5] We are therefore in the presence of a slow aksak, less studied than the fast aksak rhythms, which are very common in the Southern Balkan regions, in Turkey and in Asia Minor. [6] Aksak rhythms have been at the center of controversial debates in French ethnomusicology, and there is no agreed upon theoretical framework to describe them (see Arom, 1992;Cler, 1994;1998;Bouët, 1997;Cler & Estival, 1997). The main question concerns the way we should understand aksak: in terms of two distinct beat classes, with an inherent ratio of approximately 2:3, or of an underlying pulse, which means that musicians rely on one time unit only (an eighth note), S and L being multiples of this unit.…”

“…These measures should facilitate the comparison of the Transylvanian slow aksak with other similar rhythms observed in other regions of the world, thus enlightening the on-going theoretical debate on the aksak rhythmical system (e.g. Cler, 1994;1998;. The aim of Study 2 is to precisely measure the timing asynchronies among the violin part (melody) and the viola part (harmonic-rhythmical accompaniment), which produce an effect comparable to the idea of 'swing' or 'groove' in jazz.…”