Clause (music)

The clause, in music, is a short piece, which is achieved after having added a fourth, fifth or octave interval to the voice that takes Gregorian chant (Tenor) and was used in medieval music. Requires at least two voices in reverse mode. The clause was a part in which to the line of the tenor who was the base was added a superior voice that was completing the song of the tenor by means of melismas, that is to say, several notes for a single syllable of text. The composer increases the tempo of the piece and writes short rhythmic designs, being repeated throughout the clause (piece). if the superior voice goes considerably faster than the tenor and counterpunting it is called discanto. According to Carl Dahlhaus (1990) "in the distant thirteenth century the semitone was considered a problematic interval not easily comprehensible." In a melodic semitone no "difference was perceived between the upper and lower tone, and vice versa." The second tone was not considered the tragic of the first.In its place, the semitone was avoided in the clause because it was less clear than an interval ".

At the beginning of the thirteenth century cadences began to enrich themselves, in a voice, movements of the semitone, and in other movements, in tones in the opposite direction. The clause was used mainly by the so-called School of Notre Dame.

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