Canon Prolationum for two pianos

I have always been amazed by the rhythmic devices that took place in the Renaissance. One of them is the canon in prolatio, or prolationum. In this type of canon the voices start at the same time developing the same melody at several duration of the notes. One of the best examples is the Missa prolationum by Johannes Ockeghem.

I wanted to take this concept to a more contemporary field. So, in this short piece, the melody starts at 5/4 (piano 1 left hand), at 5/4 half duration of the notes (piano 1 right hand), and the same figures than the original melody but in 7/8 (piano 2 right hand). Later, the left hand of the piano 2 adds drones or profound tones.

As you can see, the tempos must be fixed proportionally so that the bars are aligned. I have seen some other pieces with this polyrhythm / polytempo, but 7/8 against 5/4 is my own experiment. Of course, although the piece is tonal, there are some clashes here and there. I love using ancient techniques in my own context.

How to write this in the editor is another issue. I have done it in Finale, which I no longer use. This one is done in Dorico.

I love this kind of experiment, Luis! It's so hard to write a canon, let a lone an augmentation canon. I love the irregular time signature and occasional tone clashes. For me it adds some modern palette into the otherwise ancient piece. Great job!

I remember there's a Canon per Augmentationem in Contrario Motu in Bach's The Art of Fugue, where Bach adds an imitating voice by prolonging it twice and inverting it. But that's a two part piece, not four part here.

Henry

You're probably going to shocked to see me write that I LOVE experimentation! I think you could take this type of canon and really go further out. I'm not sure I'd do two time sigs against each other as this. But, I can definitely see augmentation working to help create tension and build a piece up. Thanks for sharing this!!!!!

Ooh!  How fun!  I'd love to hear this put into a different instrument/set of instruments that have sustained sound so some of the harmonies would come out better.  Another experiment to try?  Thanks for the reference to the Ockeghem.  I wasn't familiar with that one. 🙂