A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Syncopation

by Frederick Corder

SYNCOPATION. The binding of two similar notes so that the accent intended for the second appears to fall upon the first. [See Accent.] In the Coda of the great 'Leonora' Overture ('No. 3') Beethoven has a passage given out syncopated on the wind and naturally on the strings, then vice versa.

It was not however always sufficient for Beethoven's requirements, as may be seen from a well-known place in the Scherzo of the Eroica, where he first gives a passage in syncopation—

and then repeats it in common time, which in this instance may be taken as an extreme form of syncopation.

Schumann was fonder of syncopation than any other composer. His works supply many instances of whole short movements so syncopated throughout that the ear loses its reckoning, and the impression of contra-tempo is lost: e.g. Kinderscenen, No. 10; Faschingsschwank, No. 1, and, most noticeable of all, the opening bar of the 'Manfred' Overture.

Wagner has one or two examples of exceedingly complex syncopation: an accompaniment figure in Act 2 of 'Tristan und Isolde,' which runs thus throughout,

and a somewhat similar figure in Act 1 of 'Götterdämmerung' (the scene known as 'Hagen's watch'), where the quavers of a 12-8 bar are so tied as to convey the impression of 6-4. The prelude to Act 2 of the same work presents a still more curious specimen, no two bars having at all the same accent.

Its effect in the accompaniment of songs may be most charming. We will only refer to Mendelssohn's 'Nachtlied' (op. 71, no. 6), and to Schumann's 'Dein Bildniss' (op. 39, no. 2).

[ F. C. ]