heterophony

American  

[het-uh-rof-uh-nee] / ˌhɛt əˈrɒf ə ni /

noun

Music.

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

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heterophony British  

/ ˌhɛtəˈrɒfənɪ /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• heterophonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of heterophony

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.

From Literature

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

From Literature

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

From Literature

This heterophony is, in fact, a good thing.

From New York Times

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.

From New York Times