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A beginner's guide to hemiolas

We hope that the following, reproduced from the February 2004 newsletter, will help to unravel the mystery of hemiolas.

The hemiola, or Petersarmus Oddis, is a strange bird. It is often found dwelling in Baroque music (such as Handel and Vivaldi), where it is particularly fond of the ends of phrases, but examples have also been spotted in Brahms and Rutter.

Quite simply, a hemiola is two bars of 3/4 pretending to be three bars of 2/4. In 3/4 time, it's usually the first beat of each bar that's emphasised, to give 1 2 3 1 2 3 (where the underlined beats are the strong ones). Where there's a hemiola, alternate beats are emphasised, to give 1 2 3 1 2 3 (again, the underlined beats are the strong ones). Note how when you're in the midst of a hemiola, the first beat of the second bar (which is normally strong) is a weak beat, and how both the third beat of the first bar and the second beat of the second bar (which are normally weaker beats) are strong. Don't be fooled into changing tempo though, as the crotchet beat remains the same throughout - it's just the emphasised beats which are different.

So, how do you spot one? Some helpful publishers will place square brackets over the groups of two beats, but for absolute certainty, make sure you're watching the conductor!

For further information: call 01737 772811 or email info@rrcs.org.uk
	Reigate & Redhill Choral Society is affiliated to Making Music: The National Federation of Music Societies and gratefully acknowledges support received from the Borough of Reigate & Banstead Arts Council. Registered Charity No 280195

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