heterophony

[het-uh-rof-uh-nee]

noun

Music.

1. the simultaneous performance of the same melodic line, with slight individual variations, by two or more performers.

heterophony

/ ˌhɛtəˈrɒfənɪ /

noun

1. the simultaneous performance of different versions of the same melody by different voices or instruments

Other Word Forms

• heterophonic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterophony¹

First recorded in 1940–45; hetero- + -phony

Example Sentences

In heterophony, there is only one melody, but different variations of it are being sung or played at the same time.

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Heterophony can be heard in the Bluegrass, "mountain music," Cajun, and Zydeco traditions.

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You can also try simply searching for "heterophony" at YouTube or other sites with large collections of recordings.

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This heterophony is, in fact, a good thing.

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The two-hour concert was a roaring heterophony, street-music jams that incorporated, and were improved by, the small disjunctions among its drummers and singers.

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